Chapter 308: _Lies We Tell Ourselves
"B–Belong with you?" I repeated Ryker’s words, my fists clenching slowly on the ground.
I brought my gaze to my hand and spotted the ruby ring Kaelos gave me. It was supposed to be the symbol of a promise, of a new beginning for our relationship.
Now it stared back at me like a mockery of everything we’ve been through.
He’s kept the truth of my parents’ death from me for so long?
’Odessa, I know how you feel right now.’ Sirena echoed in my mind but I shook my head.
’No, Sirena. You don’t.’ I said mentally while glaring at Ryker who was silent.
It was as if he were waiting for me to process everything I just discovered before landing yet another blow... Whatever it’ll be.
’You didn’t watch my father get torn in half.’ I continued speaking to Sirena as I slowly rose from the ground, my emotions swirling like a storm. ’You didn’t look your mother in the eyes and watched her yell at you to run away while she faced certain death...’
As my emotions swirled, I could feel a small warmth spreading around my arms. I glanced at them and saw the black sigils awakening again, pulsing with my rage.
Ryker raised an eyebrow, a small smirk curling up his lips. "You want to attack me for your mate’s sins?"
I felt Regina staring at me from behind and took a mental note of her while locking my gaze on Ryker.
The silver necklace they placed around my neck was already reacting to my magic, heating up in a way that made me grit my teeth because of the pain.
But I will not let myself be suppressed!
"I will NEVER belong to you, Ryker." I spat, shaking my head. "I don’t know what you think that means but I want no part of your—"
"Lies we tell ourselves." Ryker sniggered, his voice echoing around the throne room in an eerie cacophony that sent shivers down my spine. "You want nothing to do with me yet you ran out of your little event hall and screamed my name into the heavens, begging me to take you."
My heart clenched, tears stinging my eyes when I remembered the event hall and what I lost. But I pushed on.
"I was grieving. I lost my child." I retorted but he kept on chuckling in my face.
"And whose fault is that? Mine?" He remarked, shrugging. "Face it, Odessa. Deep down you know I’m the only one who truly gets you. We’re both hybrids. Outcasts to every other race in the world."
My jaw tightened but then my shoulders relaxed for just a beat. My fingers twitched beside me but I didn’t make any moves, staring at him with burning hesitation.
He seemed to notice this and continued with a more relaxed tone, taking a step forward. "With you by my side, the world will tremble. Alpha Kings will bow at your feet. Even the moon goddess wouldn’t be able to interfere..."
My eyebrows furrowed as he stretched his right hand, placing it on my shoulder.
The second I felt his hand on my shoulder... Something in me snapped.
"Fuck. Off!" I screamed, letting all the pent-up emotions finally pour out in a burst.
A sonic howl tore through my throat, hitting him with so much force that he was sent several feet backwards, using his arms to shield his face.
But then a force bubble glowing with a sickly dark purple light surrounded him, shielding him from one of my most powerful attacks.
I didn’t let that stop me, turning around and directing the force of the sonic howl on Regina who wasn’t as lucky as her master.
She was flung back, hitting the throne room doors with a bang and then falling to the marble floor.
Just when I was about to turn back to Ryker, the necklace around my neck started working again, sending a stinging pain searing into my throat. The howl cracked mid-note, dissolving into a scream that scraped my lungs raw.
My knees buckled, the floor tilting under me as every muscle spasmed in betrayal.
I clasped my hands around my neck, finally facing Ryker who stood unbothered within the force bubble.
"Nice try..." His voice was cold as he raised his right hand, snapping his fingers.
That caused the pain coming from the necklace to double, causing me to scream yet again, except this one was filled with pure pain and without any sonic blasts.
My eyes became blurred with tears as I collapsed to the ground, jerking uncontrollably.
As my consciousness slipped away like smoke yet again, my eyes flicked to something on the index finger of my left hand.
Something I’ve almost forgotten about because it didn’t seem to carry out the functions it was supposed to.
My mother’s protection ring.
Aunt Althea gave it to me the night I left with Kaelos for the Blood Oak pack. She told me it would protect me... Yet I’ve faced tons of magical and physical battles without it doing anything.
But I kept wearing it because it was the only thing of my mother’s that I had left...
"P–Please... Work..." I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks like a flood. "Please..."
For the barest second, I thought I felt it. A faint thrum, like a warm breath against my skin. Hope flared in my chest—
—but then vanished as fast as it came.
The pain swallowed me again.
I was helpless.
Suddenly, Ryker’s footsteps began echoing toward me, his deep voice booming.
"Look at the mess you’ve caused." He blurted with disappointment in his voice, his footsteps calm and unhurried. "Resistance is futile, Luna Queen. I have you now after so long and trust me when I say I’m not letting go."
I managed to shift my head on the floor in his direction just in time to see his black boots standing a few inches away from me.
"Just think about all we could accomplish together." He continued. "Yet you chose to waste away all that potential loving a man who took your life. Killed your parents. Killed his father."
My eyes fluttered weakly, my neck throbbing with the aftermath of the pain from the necklace.
’Odessa... Odessa, we can’t pass out again.’ Sirena called out in my mind but even her voice was becoming distant.
"Sleep again, my Hybrid Queen. I’m willing to wait for as long as it takes to get you to see reason." Ryker added, his voice smooth like a lullaby. "And when you wake, you’ll remember it wasn’t Kaelos who saved you... It was me."
And then I passed out...