Chapter 226 - Each Individual Had Their Own Story To Tell
Chapter 226 – Each Individual Had Their Own Story To Tell
Love could be scary.
Not because Love itself was scary, but what Love could do to people. Or rather, how people could twist a feeling that was so wonderful to something… catastrophic.
Humans, werewolves, vampires, all the creatures in this world, and even the gods. We were all made of love and mercy, but why… despite that unconditional love, the turmoil within us never ceased?
Alice was the perfect example of that. She was a loved and blessed princess, favored by the moon goddess the second she was birthed. She had lived an almost perfect life, overcoming the hurdles life would give her.
But why did she have to take this route? Why was her love for her family and people was overwhelmed by her hatred for her kind? Perhaps that was because almost was never enough.
Alice told me a summary of her reason before we went on our separate ways as if I didn't know she was the mole. Her reason was quite simple: she despised the werewolves. She saw their instincts and what they were as savages slaves of the moon goddess who was never free.
To her, death was the only way to attain real freedom.
What pushed her to have this mentality could be traced back to the time she fell ill. Everyone knew Alice had a lover before meeting her destined mate. Alice loved him ardently and deeply; she had imagined her future with that man. She was even willing to surrender all power, status, and control just to be with him.
That was all until her mate came into her life. The feelings she had never known before, the attraction to someone she had never met in her life… it ruined her beliefs as her instinct made a joke out of her own emotions. At that time, Alice, although she accepted her fate, she also accepted they — the werewolves — weren't as free as they thought they were.
Their freedom wasn't permanent, and it was only limited, which could be taken any time.
But that wasn't all. That wasn't the worse part of the story.
Alice, who was told that her previous lover, whom she loved sincerely, received an anonymous tip that her previous lover didn't meet his rightful mate. He didn't have a good life, nor did he attain a happy ending.
Although he stopped fighting for Alice because he was threatened and he couldn't bear to watch her die for their love. He, Jarom, never stopped loving her. He blamed the moon goddess and then shifted his anger to its followers, the church.
Jarom went against the church, committing genocide until the crown prince stepped in. To stop his madness, Daniel had to kill him in the name of duty.
When Alice uncovered all of this, everything she had believed shattered like a fragile piece of glass. That all the information she was receiving from her informant was one of Daniel's people, hindering her from hearing the truth.
That was what led her to this decision. She loved her family, but at the same time, she felt betrayed. Daniel, rejecting his mate even if he would die, was accepted. But Alice's decision to choose death was not honored. The seed of hatred that was instilled in her heart upon Jarom's death grew deep into her bones over the years.
The turmoil she kept deep in her, the spark of madness, the utter hatred… that was when Niall came in. The latter took advantage of her vulnerability, using her to his heart's content.
And now, here they were. They had reached a certain point before reaching the peak where there was no more option of return.
"I don't regret it… is what she said," I whispered, watching everything unfold from the top of the border in the west district of the empire. "Going against the empire and her roots is something she didn't regret."
Right now, Alice was surrounded by Daniel and the Black Mane pack outside the borders. After His Majesty sent his children to guard their respective positions, they all scattered across the empire. But those who were aware of this knew it was simply a distraction because they didn't want to know their actual plan to seize the traitor.
"And what do you think does she regrets?" Hugo inquired, standing beside me. We didn't come in here together. I came to see Alice off, knowing she wouldn't surrender. Even if Daniel didn't plan to kill her but simply lock her up, Alice would certainly choose death than receive the slightest mercy from the people she betrayed.
Even though Hugo hadn't spoken a word since he arrived, I was certain his reason was the same as mine. We should at least send Alice off because that was the least we could do.
"Not hosting a slumber party," I answered, recalling Alice's words during our talk. "Alice knew this would happen soon, and she had prepared for this day to come."
I glanced at Hugo only to see him staring emotionlessly at where Alice and Daniel were at. He had his hands behind him, keeping a calm demeanor while Daniel was asking Alice to surrender and face her crimes under fair trial for the last time.
"He won." His lips parted after a long silence. "Niall won the first pace of the war. I am angry, Rinnie. Very much. I want to march to the Hendrik Empire right this second and flay him head to toe."
"That's what he wants."
"I know. That's why I am here."
Hugo didn't cast me a look, keeping his burning eyes in the same direction. Unlike him, who was obviously experiencing turmoil within him, I only felt pity.
I was cruel, and Hugo didn't want to see that. Therefore, he didn't spare me a look. But that was just what I was; that was what I truly was. Someone who had known things would happen, but let them happen anyway.
Why? All for the greater cause… in which people could deem arrogance and selfishness.
"My heart is with you, Hugh," I whispered, slipping my fingers in between the gaps of his to give warmth to his freezing hand. I closed my eyes as the howling of Daniel's and Alice's packs resonated in the air before the ground slowly turned red.
Hugo squeezed my hand very tight until my fingers nearly broke. "I'm going to kill him… the person who manipulated Jarom that also led to her madness. Rinnie, I'm going to kill him. I'll shred him to countless pieces.. I give you my word."