Chapter 18. Alpha Duties

Kasia sat on a weathered bench, watching the lively children as they frolicked and played. A deep unease settled in her stomach, twisting and churning like a trapped animal. They were nothing like how they were explained to her. The longer she stayed here, the more and more she realized that what she was told were lies, and it had only been three days.

‘Now, you’re starting to understand,’ the voice echoed through Kasia’s mind, its mocking tone replaced with something softer. Kasia couldn’t shake the feeling that she was losing her grip on reality, or perhaps this was simply her guilty conscience manifesting itself.

‘So, what if I believe all of this, then that would mean they’ve been lying to me all these years?’ Kasia’s thoughts were frantic, trying to make sense of the new information.

‘Of course they have. You were a vulnerable child, desperate to protect your sister at any cost,’ the voice replied.

‘But why? Why would they deceive me like this?’

‘W