The Play-Toy Of Three Lycan Kings-Chapter 406: Reveals IV

SAGE

I barely reacted when Claire scoffed and hauled herself to her feet, brushing imaginary dust from her clothes like she hadn’t just been pinned to the floor by my magic minutes ago.

"So that’s it?" she snapped. "We’re just going to let her go because of some sob story and a few shared memories? A stupid misunderstanding?"

Her lips curled, I was sure of it—it was a signature thing of hers. "She betrayed the pack. She deserves to die."

I didn’t answer her. I didn’t even look at her.

My mind was still splintering around the truth I had just seen—truth that sat in my chest like a collapsing star, even as I yet remained in Adam’s comforting arms.

With the mate bond open between us—with I pushing down the walls around mine immediately he reached for me, so he could see my remorse—I could see that he felt no ill will toward me.

Actually, he felt relieved. Happy even. Not minding that his kingdom was about to be lit on fire.

Still... I couldn’t forgive myself.

The triplets were innocent.

The realization didn’t come gently whenever it came—and that was every second. It ripped through me, violent, merciless, tearing down everything I had built my survival on, chipping away at it.

Every spell, every plan, every cold night where I whispered revenge like a prayer—it all turned to ash in my mouth.

I had been wrong.

Not just wrong. Blind.

I had turned my rage in the wrong direction and, in doing so, I had become the very monster I thought I was fighting.

Claire’s voice kept going, meanwhile, sharp and cruel.

She asked why I was bleeding blood from my eyes, demanded to know if I had sold my soul to the devil, how someone who had been nothing seven years ago could wield this much power now.

I ignored her. Because if I let myself focus on her, I might actually break.

Who, then?

If not Adam. If not Noah. If not Daniel.

Who had beaten me half to death?

Who had orchestrated my disappearances, my rebirths, my endless cycles of pain?

Adam’s voice cut through the noise finally, low and urgent. "Why are you bleeding like that from your eyes?" His hands hovered near the organs, unsure, afraid to touch. "It’s not stopping."

I inhaled shakily, while compelling my tears to cease. The answer felt heavier, with everything else combined.

"As you know, I’m not a werewolf," I said quietly. "And I’m not a witch either."

The room stilled.

"I’m half ancient," I continued, exhaustion threading every word. "Actually... a rare human."

Gasps rippled through the room.

"A rare human?" Adam echoed, frowning. "I’ve never heard of that."

I rolled my eyes weakly, because somehow that was easier than screaming. "Then read more."

The corner of his mouth lifted despite everything—an instinctive smile that cut straight through my spiraling thoughts and brought them to a crashing halt.

For half a second, just half, it felt like he might lean in. Like he might kiss me. Like everything was alright.

Then Claire stamped her foot hard enough to rattle the floor. "This is insane! I don’t care what she is! We should kill her now."

"Shut up," Daniel snapped, sharp enough that even Claire faltered. "Do you think Adam is going to kill his true mate?"

"What about the people she’s endangered?" Claire screamed. "What about the pack?"

"We find a solution," Daniel shot back. "Not another corpse."

Neither he nor Noah could look at me.

I noticed. Of course I did.

Their shame was loud, clumsy—the memory of how they had looked at me earlier, wanted me, forgotten their brides entirely. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

I didn’t savor it. I didn’t condemn it either. It just... existed.

Timothy’s voice cut through the tension, quieter than expected. "If it wasn’t us... then who did this to you?"

The question landed straight in my chest.

Magic. It had to be magic. Too much of what had happened defied anything else.

Memories twisted. Events replayed just wrong enough to keep me burning.

Silence followed.

Then Naomi stepped forward.

Lilian and Claire both reached for her at the same time, hands grasping at her arms as if to drag her back. Naomi shook them off, tears already spilling, her face pale with terror and resolve.

I saw her then—not the woman standing before me, but the girl who had once braided my hair and whispered secrets with me in the dark.

My stomach dropped.

"I’m sorry," Naomi said, voice breaking.

Dread pooled low and thick in my belly, instinct screaming even before logic caught up. A thousand ugly possibilities bloomed in my mind, each worse than the last.

I unlocked El then, tearing down the barrier I had thrown up earlier.

Say something, I pleaded silently.

El remained quiet.

But she was there. I could feel her—watching, present, steady.

Relief hit me so hard I would have sobbed afresh.

"Speak," Timothy urged his sister, confusion etched deep into his face.

Naomi swallowed. "I didn’t know what happened to you when you were Maya," she said quickly. "I swear. I didn’t. You were my best friend, and I missed you so much..."

She squeezed her eyes shut. "But when you came back as Dora... I didn’t know you were the one. I rather knew you as a rival..."

The room seemed to tilt.

Adam’s jaw tightened. "Go on," he said gravely.

I noticed Claire’s hands clenching and unclenching, her glare fixed on Naomi with naked fury. Rachel hovered close, torn between them.

I stayed silent. If I interrupted now, I might miss the truth again.

"I saw you kiss Noah," Naomi said, voice trembling. "And it hurt. It made me hate Dora—or you, as Dora. I wanted revenge."

She wiped her cheeks harshly. "Claire came to me. She said she had a plan. That you were dangerous. That you had to be dealt with."

My heart thundered.

"She told me all I had to do was stay friendly," Naomi continued. "Invite you to the party. Make sure you felt safe."

Her gaze flicked to Claire, then away. "That’s all I know, but I feel Claire knows more about your disappearance... You can ask her and Rachel for more details. Claire especially. She is the mastermind."