SAGE


    The man escorted us down a dimly lit hallway to our rooms. When we reached the end, I hesitated, ncing back just in time to see Titus and Anna step into two separate rooms. My curiosity sparked, but I quickly shoved it aside. It wasn''t my business, and I had no reason to get tangled up in whatever Titus was doing.


    I pushed open the door to my room and stepped inside, letting out a loud sigh as I closed it behind me. The silence wrapped around me like a heavy nket, and I pressed my back against the door, trying to gather my thoughts. It hadn''t even been a few minutes when I heard a soft knock.


    person


    you expected to to see, he


    Startled, I straightened, figuring tall frame filling the doorway, his expression unreadable. it must be ra checking in. I moved quickly to open the door, but when I did, I froze.


    ," he said, a small, almost sheepish smile tugging at his lips.


    stood on the other side,


    "I''m probably thest


    his


    "Holt" I breathed, my voice a mix of confusion and disbelief. "What are you doing here?"


    I


    "Can Ie in?" he asked, his tone calm, but there was an undercurrent of something heavier-urgency, maybe.


    I


    I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe, narrowing


    my eyes slightly. "That depends. What''s the purpose of this visit?"


    "I just want to talk," he said, his gaze steady, like he was trying to convince me of his sincerity. anything to talk about?" I countered, my words blunt but not harsh.


    "DO


    we ever even have


    "A lot, actually" he replied, a flicker of something I couldn''t name crossing his face. "You''re probably wondering why I''m here."


    I studied him for a moment, my


    mind racing with questions. He wasn''t wrong-I had a lot of questions. Questions that wouldn''t leave me alone until I got answers. Finally, I sighed and stepped back, opening the door wider. "Now that you mention it, yeah," I said. "We do have a lot to talk about."


    Holt stepped i inside, his movements calm but hesitant, like he wasn''t sure how to proceed. I closed the door behind him and turned to face him, crossing my arms over my chest. The gesture wasn''t meant to be hostile-it was more for self-preservation. With Holt, emotions always felt too raw, tooplicated.


    "How have you been?" Holt asked, his tone soft but direct.


    "I''m fine," I answered quickly, keeping it short. I didn''t want this to turn into a deep conversation.


    He chuckled, the sound light but edged with disbelief. "You don''t look fine."


    I forced a smile, though I knew it wouldn''t fool him. Holt had always been able to see through me, no matter how hard I tried to hide.


    "We''re doing our best to put everything back in its rightful ce," I said vaguely, hoping to steer the conversation away from myself.


    He smiled, but it didn''t quite reach his eyes. "I know," he replied


    "That''s why I''m here,"


    I frowned, his words confusing me. "What do you mean?"


    Holt''s expression shifted, his usual confidence dimmed by a hint of vulnerability. "I owe a lot to you and His Majesty," he began. "If it weren''t for the two of you... I''d have lost thest bit of family I had left."


    There was a heaviness in his voice that made my chest tighten.


    "What happened?" I said, my tone


    softer


    now.


    "After everything came out," he continued, "my father went rogue.


    He couldn''t face the consequences of his actions, and it fell on me to take over the pack." He paused, his jaw tightening before he added, "My mother couldn''t handle the shame. The guilt. She..." He hesitated, his voice breaking slightly. "She took her own life." My breath caught, and my hand flew to my mouth in shock. I''d been angry at his family for so long-for how they treated me, for the chaos they brought into my life-but I''d never wished for anything like this. "I''m so sorry," I whispered, the words feeling inadequate.


    Holt gave me a bitter smile. "It''s not your fault," he said firmly. "We brought this on ourselves."


    in his


    voice


    I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. The pairs slumping. "Prison broke her, Sage. She tried to hold on, but when she heard about our mother... it was too much. Shepletely fell apart. I resisted at first-I didn''t want to admit she needed help-but I finally epted it.


    was raw and real, and it tugged at something deep inside me. "How''s Annika?" I asked cautiously, remembering his sister. "She''s... struggling," he admitted, his She''s in a mental institution now. It''s the best ce for her."


    your


    My heart ached at his words, and for the first time in a long while, I felt something other than anger toward him and his family. "I had no idea you''d been through all this," I said softly. "You''ve had battles," Holt replied, his tone kind but firm. "You''ve


    own


    You''ve I''ve done so so much for my


    for my family, even when we didn''t deserve it. And now..." He hesitated, his expression shifting to something resolute. "Now, I think it''s time for me to return the favor." I frowned, unsure what he meant. "What are you saying?"


    "I know His Majesty is seeking new alliances Holt said, his voice steady. "I came here to help. Whatever you need, I''m here for you."


    His words left me speechless, and for a moment, all I could do was stare at him. Holt had changed-there was no denying that-and I couldn''t help but wonder if his presence might be exactly what we needed. of the chair in my room, his shoulders tense as if he were carrying the weight of the world. "After everything fell apart, I had to rebuild. Swearing loyalty to Alpha Homer wasn''t just about survival; it was about proving I could be something more


    Holt sat down on the eag His voice was steady, but there was an edge of vulnerability in his words that he couldn''tpletely hide.


    than my t father''s er''s shadow."


    I leaned against t the e table, my arms crossed. "And now, he''s using you to test Titus?"


    I


    dropping to the floor. "Alpha Homer believes in loyalty earned through action, not just words. To him, this duel isn''t just about power-it''s about trust. He needs to know I''mmitted to his pack and his leadership. And apparently, he sees this duel as the perfect opportunity to prove that."


    Holt nodded, his


    gaze


    "And Titus?" I asked, my chest tightening at the thought of the duel.


    Holt looked up, his eyes meeting mine with a grim determination.


    "He''s in the same position. Alpha Homer doesn''t fully trust him either. The fight isn''t just a test for me-it''s a test for Titus too. The winner earns the Alpha''s trust and, by extension, his support for the war against the king."


    I shook my head, frustration bubbling to the surface. "This is madness. Why does everything have to be about violence and proving yourself with bloodshed? Can''t we just-"


    "Sage


    Holt tinterrupted, secure their support."


    his voice soft but unyielding, like a calm sea hiding an undercurrent. "This is how packs operate. It''s how they''ve always operated. Strength and loyalty proven in battle-that''s the onlynguage they trust. This fight is the only way to His words weighed heavily on me, but something didn''t sit right.


    My mind raced, piecing together the odd tone in his voice, the way he avoided saying too much. My stomach churned at the thought of Holt and Titus facing each other, but his carefully chosen words gnawed at me. "How can you be sure?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "How can you guarantee we''ll get their support? What if.." My voice trailed off as a sudden realization hit me.


    Holt''s gaze stayed locked on mine, unwavering, his silence speaking louder than any answer he could have given. My heart sank as the truth dawned on me. "You''re nning to


    Holt let out a slow breath, his breath, his shoulders dropping slightly. "It''s the only way, Sage.


    I whispered, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.


    t do that. You can''t just sacrifice yourself like this!"


    "No!" I took a step closer, shaking my head. "You can''t do that proves his strength, his worthiness to lead this alliance. The Silver River Pack will respect him and follow his lead." "It''s not a sacri a sacrifice," "he said quietly. "It''s "It''s strategy. If Titus wins, it


    My chest tightened as I fought to keep my voice from trembling.


    "You don''t have to do this, Holt," I said, desperation slipping into my words. "We can figure something else out. There has to be another way. No one needs to spill blood just for this cause."


    ?"


    Holt''s eyes softened for a brief moment, but his expression stayed firm. "My life isn''t mine anymore, Sage. I pledged it to His Majesty the day I decided to stand by him. If this is the way I can repay everything he''s done for me-everything you''ve done for me-then I''ll do it." "I tried again, my voice breaking, but he held up a hand, silencing me.


    "I''ve already made up my mind, Sage," he said, his tone steady and final. "Nothing you say will change that."


    I exhaled a shaky sigh, feeling the weight of his resolve crush any hope I had left of convincing him otherwise. My thoughts scrambled for something-anything-that might make him reconsider, but no words came. I felt helpless, standing there, watching him ept a fate I didn''t want for him.


    After a heavy silence, Holt gave me a small, almost apologetic smile. "Goodbye, Sage," he said softly.


    I I followed him to the door, my feet moving automatically even as my heart ached with every step. Before he could leave, I reached out and pulled him into a tight hug. It wasn''t just a goodbye-it was an unspoken plea, a desperate attempt to hold onto him, even if only for a moment.


    He returned the hug with the same intensity, his arms strong and steady around me. "Remember, Holt," I whispered, my voice barely audible, "you don''t have to do this."


    He pulled back just enough to look at me, his hands resting on my shoulders. "It''s my honor to do this, Sage," he said, his tone unwavering. Then, to my surprise, he reached up and gently


    stroked my cheek, his touch warm and fleeting.


    Before I could react, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against my cheek. "It''s good to see you again, Sage," he murmured, his voice low and filled with something I couldn''t quite ce-regret, maybe, or gratitude.


    Holt stepped away, leaving me standing there as he walked down the hallway. I watched him go, my chest weighed down with emotions I couldn''t even begin to sort out. Letting out a heavy sigh, I turned and headed back to my room.


    Just as I reached the door, I felt a piercing gaze on me, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Turning to the side, I froze when I saw Titus. He was standing right outside his room, his eyes zing with fury, his jaw tight like he was holding back something explosive.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


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