Lycnnar I feel weak. Tired. Stunned. Only the gods know what has happened to Zephyrine again. All these emotions, they aren’t mine. They’re hers. As I sit on my bed, my gaze falls to the golden anklet around my ankle, and I sigh. For all its grandeur and purity, the anklet is nothing but a shackle, soaked in spells to bind me. I wish I could go to her. I wish I could… “You should go to her.” The voice of my brother, Hades, comes from the doorway. Slowly, I lift my eyes to him. He stands at the threshold, not daring to step further in. He had arrived earlier, summoned by Mearez, who claimed she had something urgent to tell both of us. When it comes to our sisters, neither of us sleeps on it, and I respect him for that. I know how busy he must be ruling in the Demon Realm. “You think she will want to see me?” I ask quietly. “This dawn… watching the tears in her eyes made me die a thousand times over. I can’t… I can’t survive another of that, Brother Hades.” At my words, he smiles faintly. “It’s still strange to see you in love. Come out. Our sisters are on their way.” He walks into the living room, and I rise to follow, settling into the chair across from him. It’s at that moment the door opens, and Mearez and Serena step inside. They move softly, carefully, taking their seats around the table. Their gazes land on me in unison, full of concern. They had seen me lose myself earlier, shift in rage. If not for Mearez’s arms around me, and Hades’ intervention, I might have destroyed everything in my path. Now, shame creeps into me. I sigh. “I’m sorry I couldn’t steady myself,” I murmur. “But I’m fine now.” “I can’t believe you strangled our cousin and…” “My brother owes no apology,” Mearez cuts Serena off sharply. “She deserved to be slaughtered. She trespassed.” We all turn to her. A healer, speaking of slaughter? So unlike her. Why does Mearez hate Xyrrha so much?Realizing she’s crossed a line, Mearez pulls back, bowing her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” “Xyrrha may be reckless, but she’s still our cousin,” Hades says gently. Mearez nods in obedience. Silence follows, heavy. We wait. She had called us here, and yet she hesitates. At last, Hades prompts her. “You wanted to say something to Apex and me?” She nods nervously, rubbing her fingers together, swallowing hard. “I… I have…” She falters, then turns to Hades first. “Brother Hades, you know I would never do anything behind your back. I would never bring shame to either the Abyss family or the Blood family.” “You’ve committed a crime?” “No.” She shakes her head quickly, lowering her gaze. Then, biting her lip, she turns to me. “Lycan… I have always listened to you. To every rule you set. I’ve never disobeyed you, not you, not Brother Hades. You both know that, right?” None of us respond. Tension builds thick. “I… I wanted to inform you both that…” She pauses, chest heaving, fear and dread written all over her. Then shakily continues. “I want to inform you both that…” “That what?” Hades presses, his voice tender but somehow, Mearez felt it too sharp enough to make her jump. Tears well in her eyes, startling me. “Mearez?” I call softly, in concern. But instead of calming, she breaks, weeping silently. Shock ripples through both Hades and me. What’s wrong? Did we push her too far? I glance at Serena, but she lowers her gaze quickly, avoiding us. Finally, Mearez chokes out a sigh, drops the weight of her secret. “I… I want to inform you both that I have… a man.” Silence. Deep, suffocating silence. Did she just say… a man?I stare at her, stunned, and at last Hades voices the thought. “You’ve been letting her out of her chambers?” “No.” I shake my head. “She only follows her routine and…” I stop. She had been to Ash Pack without me. I pin her with my gaze. “Who’s this man you say you have?” She flinches, trying to retreat, but my stare freezes her. “It’s…” She falters, then blurts out, trembling. “It’s Jurrek Bane of Ash Pack. Listen, I love Jurrek. What I feel for him is pure, and he loves me the same. He doesn’t care about my flaws, or even that I am a Lycan. We do not care about that. I want him as a man, and he wants me as a woman. I respect you, my brothers, too much, so I told him nothing will happen between us unless you both accept him and…” Her voice fades, trembling. The strength she had to confess seems drained. She bows her head, pleading. “I have never asked for anything. Please. Let me choose a suitor myself. Let me… choose Jurrek Bane.” Another silence descends. I lean back, watching her carefully. “You know this man?” Hades asks me. I nod slowly. “Zephyrine’s beta. An Ashmere by duty, not by blood.” Hades feels it then. The bad blood between Ashmere and us. The tension rises thick in the air. I turn to Serena, who has gone still, frozen. “You also have something to say…” “No. Not at all.” She cuts me off quickly, shaking her head vigorously. “Escort Mearez to her chamber,” Hades orders Serena, his tone final. “Post guards at her hallway.” Mearez stiffens, stricken. She looks to me for help, but no words come. She should know we are overprotective. Our agreement won’t come easy. Swallowing hard, she rises and leaves with Serena. I look away, sighing heavily after her departure.