Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

I quickly drew my dagger and pointed it against Anna. She may be part of Titus' past, but we don't know if she's one of those people who betrayed him.

"I don't want to kill you. But I will if I have to. So, get out the way and let us through," I told her.

She doesn't have a trace of fear in her face. It makes my suspicion grow bigger that she's part of those who planned to overthrow Titus.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Anna replied.

"Then you left me with no choice." Just as I braced myself to strike, she spoke again.

"Not because I want to stop you,"

she explained quickly, "but because that door you're heading for? It's swarming with royal guards. There's no way in hell you'll escape if you go through there." Her words made me pause, the confusion clear on my face. I lowered the blade just slightly, still not ready to trust her. "What do you mean?" I asked, my suspicion battling against the small flicker of hope that she might actually be telling the truth. Anna met my gaze, her expression steady. "If you want to leave this place alive, follow me. I know another way out.

I glanced at Scott, our eyes

full of guards with an unkillent communication. We were both thinking the same thing: Was she lying? But the reality of the situation hit me hard. We didn't have many choices left. Either we trust her, or we'd end up dead trying to fight our way through a castle

king

"If you're lying." I said, ," I said, my voice cold as ice, "I will kill you. With my bare hands."

She nodded unfazed by the threat and turned, leading the way down a narrow, dimly lit corridor.

With one last glance at Scott, we followed her. The tension was thick, each step heavy with the weight of our decision. Every corner we turned, I half-expected an ambush, but none came. Surprisingly, she guided us through the palace with a knowledge that only someone deeply fam familiar with its its layout could possess. As we carried Titus between us, his weight dragging with each step, it wasn't easy to move quickly or silently. But somehow, we managed. Anna led us through a series of hidden passages I hadn't even known existed, taking us further from the palace's main halls. We slipped past the guards stationed around the castle, unnoticed, though more than once we had to duck into the shadows as patrols passed nearby. My mind raced,

questions swirling about Anna's true intentions. How did she know about this passage? How deeply was she tied to Titus' past? And most importantly-could she truly be trusted? Finally, after what felt like hours of tense, silent maneuvering, we emerged into a secluded area where Elara was waiting, her eyes wide with relief when she saw us approaching. made she breathed, rushing

"Yeah," I replied, my voice tight with exhaustion. "Barely."

Scott and I carefully lowered Titus to the ground, and I looked up at Anna, who had led us to safety. She stood a few feet away, watching us with an unreadable expression. "I'm glad you both come back alive," Elara uttered in relief before embracing me into a tight hug. Once she's satisfied, she pushes me gently. "Our portal will be ready in a minute." G? Chapter 83

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I

"I don't think we have another minute, Elara. Can't you do it a little faster? No pressure, but we really need to get out here as soon as possible," I told her.

"Don't worry, Sage. I got this. It will be ready in no time," she answered. As if on cue, a bright circle of light manifested behind us. "See, I told you it would be ready," she proudly announced.

"Scott, let's go," I urged as we both struggled under the weight of Titus, who was still unconscious, his limp form making each step more difficult. The portal Elara had opened shimmered before us, a fragile gateway between our escape and the chaos we'd just left behind. Elara had already stepped through, her silhouette disappearing into the swirling light.

We were about to follow her when I noticed Anna moving toward the portal as well, her face set with determination. I frowned, confusion clouding my mind.

"Wait," I said, my voice sharp. "Where do you think you're going?"

Anna blinked, taken aback by my tone. "I'm coming with you," she replied, her expression a mix of confusion and indignation, as if the answer was obvious.

"No, you're not," I said firmly, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. I had already risked enough bringing her along this far. Trusting her had been a gamble, one I wasn't sure I was ready to double down on.

Anna's lips pressed into a thin line, and her eyes hardened. "Lady Sage, you can't seriously expect me to stay here after everything I've done to help you escape. The queen will know I was involved the moment she realizes Titus is gone. Do you really think she won't hunt me down? I'd be dead within hours if I I stayed."

Her words hit a nerve. I didn't like the idea of leaving anyone behind to face that kind of fate, but the doubts lingered. I didn't know her true motivations. Why now? Why help us when she could have stayed loyal to the queen?

Scott's voice broke through my inner turmoil. "My lady, we're running out of time," he said, his voice tense. He didn't push me one way or the other, but I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was urging me to decide quickly.

I glanced at the portal, its edges flickering as if it, too, was running out of time. I looked back at Anna. She had helped us, yes, but was that enough to trust her fully?

Despite my reservations, I couldn't just leave her to face certain death. Whatever her past with Titus, she had chosen to help us now. Maybe that was enough for this moment, despite my doubts.

I blew out a frustrated sigh, rubbing my temple for a moment before meeting her eyes. "Fine," I said reluctantly. "You can come."

Anna's expression softened with relief, but I raised a hand to stop her from speaking. "But make no mistake, Ánna," I warned, my voice cold and firm. "If you betray us-if you so much as think about it-I won't hesitate to do what I should have done. earlier."

Her eyes met mine, steady as she nodded. "I understand."

Without another word, we turned and stepped through the portal, Anna close behind, as we carried Titus to what we could only hope was safety. But in my gut, the unease still churned. I had allowed her to come with us, but trust wasn't so easily earned, and I would be watching her every step of the way. Because even in our escape, the real fight was far from over,