Chapter 70. Recount Everything

Inside Gavriel’s bedchamber, the walls felt like they were closing in on Althea. She sank onto the edge of the bed, her hands trembling as she clutched the sheets. Her chest heaved, each breath uneven, as the weight of everything pressed down on her.

She had forced herself to stay cold, to show nothing when Melva was beaten and dragged away. She had kept her face blank, her eyes empty because she wouldn’t give in to what the Queen Mother and Lady Ava wanted. They were waiting, circling her like vultures, eager to see her falter, eager to learn what mattered most to her.

But now, in the safety of the Alpha King’s chamber, her mask fully shattered. Tears spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them. She pressed her palms to her face, shaking her head. “Melva…” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Please endure this. Please hold on.”

Her tears soaked through her fingers as she bent forward, shoulders trembling. “I promise… I will get you out of this mess so