Chapter 7
654words
"Let me go. Give me a ship and one million spirit stones, and I'll destroy the evidence. You can be the Alpha Queen in peace.
"Otherwise, we can both just go down together!"
I silently watched him perform until he grew tired from laughing.
"You're done?"
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a stone—a Memory Stone.
"This is your so-called evidence, isn't it?"
The smile on Lucas' face froze. "How… How did you get this?"
"Apologies, but the one you stole was a fake. Dad knew long ago that you lot would try to turn this into a whole issue."
I rubbed the stone gently. "The reason he endured everything for so long wasn't that he was afraid of ruining his reputation. No, he did it to protect my mother's true identity."
I channeled a sliver of power into the Memory Stone, and it glowed.
A projection appeared on the wall.
It was a night of raging wind and snow. Dad, covered in blood, stood protectively in front of a breathtakingly beautiful she-wolf.
And on the she-wolf's back were a pair of unfurled, transparent wings.
"El-Elven?" Lucas' eyes widened.
"That's right. My mother was indeed not a pure werewolf. She was an elf who carried werewolf blood."
The Original Werewolves were originally a branch of the elves. Therefore, when an ordinary werewolf mated with an elf, not only would it not cause any physiological rejection, but it would also purify the werewolf's blood and strengthen the offspring.
Lucas was speechless, his face as pale as paper.
The projection shifted to a different scene.
In a corner of the battlefield, a werewolf knelt before a vampire duke, offering up the Silvermoon Kingdom's defense plans with both hands.
The werewolf's face bore a striking resemblance to Lucas'.
"That's your father—the one you claimed to be the hero whose credit was stolen," I said, looking at him coldly.
In the projection, Lucas' father was groveling and sucking up to the vampire.
"As long as you can guarantee that I become Alpha King, I'm willing to be your insider. I'll help you eliminate that stubborn old fool Marcus Nightbloom!"
Just as the vampire reached out, a flash of silver streaked past.
It was my father, Marcus. Dragging his severely injured leg, he fought his way through, beheaded the traitor, and reclaimed the defense plans—all for the safety of the Kingdom.
But the scene didn't end there. It switched to Dad talking to the Elders.
"No matter what Gray Ashbourne did, his newborn son, Lucas, is innocent. If the Kingdom learns that Lucas' father was a traitor, that pup will never be able to hold his head high for the rest of his life.
"Let's just let it be. We'll say that Gray died in battle. This sin of his—I'll keep it a secret for him."
The image froze on Dad's face—a face filled with compassion.
I looked at Lucas, my eyes full of mockery.
"Do you see clearly now? Not only did my father not steal anyone's credit, but to preserve your father's reputation, he took you in as his adopted son and raised you with care.
"But what did you do? You killed him! You killed the one who did everything he could to protect you! You're nothing but an ungrateful bastard, Lucas!"
Lucas' eyes widened. "No… That's not true… How can that be? That's… different from what Mia told me…"
I put the stone away.
"Stop lying to yourself, Lucas. These images will be shown to everyone at the public trial tomorrow."
Lucas sagged completely, a mixture of shock and regret in his eyes. But above all, his expression was filled with terror for what was to come.
"No… Elena… Spare me, on the account that I'm your fated mate…" he cried, sobbing and wailing pitifully.
I turned and walked away.
"Fated mate? You're not worthy."
