4

Chapter 4—A blast from the buried past

GERALD

I couldn't believe it.

The woman we’d been hired to kill…was my late best friend's daughter.

Fear clamped around my chest the moment I recognised her. I hadn't seen her since she was a child, back when her father and I fought side by side under the blood moon wars.

Back when he made me promise – promise – that if anything ever happened to him, I’d look out for her.

That was before we fell out as friends.

I had failed him.

A storm brewed inside me. And then something shifted; something unfamiliar stirred in my soul. For a second, it felt like a wolf’s presence… but that was impossible.

I was of the cursed Grand Lee clan, wolfless for generations. The curse only broke when we found our mate.

But I’d long abandoned that hope.

Still, the presence lingered, like a whisper of instinct. Protective. Angry.

Maybe I was imagining things. I had been having weird dreams and nightmares for the past month.

Centuries ago, my ancestors betrayed a powerful sorceress, and the punishment had been passed down through blood and bone: no wolf until one found their destined mate. But without a wolf, how could you sense a mate? It was a cruel circular curse. It could never be broken. I would know. I tried my whole life to break it.

Comical. That's what the situation was. I had never, ever had to define a guess as a kill.

Now here I was, standing before the daughter of the only man I ever truly called brother, and I was meant to kill her.

She was nothing like the girl I remembered. A woman – now gorgeous, yes, in that way that made men stare too long, but there was strength in her stance, even as she trembled.

“I...I,” she stuttered, eyes darting everywhere, but at me. “Please, you don't have to do this,” she shivered.

“I didn't do anything. You've made a mistake.”

Her voice cracked, and for a moment I was transported to a younger version of her, clinging to her father's arms, begging to learn swordplay like the boys. That memory twisted something deep inside me.

“Did you really think you could escape me?” I said coldly, ignoring the pull in my chest to comfort her.

She flinched. Her breathing grew rapid. She was terrified – good. She should be.

Because she had no idea just how deep the betrayal ran.

“Please”, She whispered, “Just let me go.”

“And where would you go?” I asked, stepping forward.

“I have a fiancée in the gladiator moon pack. Damon. We were supposed to marry before my father died. He’ll protect me.” I stared at her.

“Is that so?” I asked flatly.

“Yes.” Her voice firmed, a little still behind the fears.

I sighed. She had no idea. “I can't let you do that.”

She stepped back. Eyes wide again.

“My men were paid to kill you,” I said. You shouldn't be alive.

“Whatever they are paying you, I’ll pay triple. Please, I don't want to die.”

I moved closer, slowly. “You think this is about money?”

Her back hit the wall. Her hands trembled. My wolf, or whatever it was that stirred in me, growled low again. Protective. Possessive in a guard dog way, not anything else.

I’d made a promise. And despite how far I’d fallen, I hadn't broken that one. Not yet.

“I'm not some hired thug you can buy off with gold,” I muttered.

Her eyes searched mine. “Then why? Why are you here?”

I didn't answer right away. Instead I pulled a folded contract from my coat and held it out to her.

She took it with hesitant fingers and opened it.

I watched as her expression changed. First confusion, then disbelief. Then horror.

“What. What is this?” She whispered.

"A contract", I said, "signed by your stepbrother and your beloved Damon. Granting me the right to dispose of you using the dark blade.”

She stared at the paper like it might burst into flames in her hands.

“No.” She said, “Damon would never do that. He loves me. He has nothing to gain. And Tony? You want me to believe my brother paid you to kill me?” She asked in an almost amused tone.

“It's on paper.”

“Oh, right. Like that couldn't easily be forged… There is no way my brother would do this, nor my fiancé. He has nothing to even gain.”

“Doesn't he?” I said softly.

“I’ve known him since we were children. We have been betrothed since I was seven. He wouldn't…” she trailed off.

“Well, he did,” I said flatly. “And your stepbrother made sure the deal was watertight. They both gain everything with you dead.”

Tears filled her eyes, but she shook her head. “You're lying. Damon wouldn't – he wouldn't!” She raised her voice.

I could see the pain in her eyes. There was no way she would believe a stranger's words. I think it would kill her if it were true.

Her tears filled me with dread. She was a naive girl. She had no idea that she was just a pawn. Her father's death was an opportunity for her stepbrother.

I felt a raging anger for her.

Without thinking, I pulled her close, trying to comfort her.

She melted into my embrace, and for a moment, I swear I heard a voice in my head.

An unfamiliar presence in me stirring, growling.

I shook it off; I was sure of whatever that was.

She cried for a little before pushing me away.

“No, no.” She shook her head as if coming to a realisation I wasn't aware of.

“It's not true. Damon loves me. He told me so. He's always defended me. You are the liar here. I'll go to him, and if you don't let me, then I'll continue to try till you kill me with your own hands.”

“I have told you, I have no desire to kill you. I want to protect you. Stay here and I'll help you find out what happened…”

“No. I don't know you. Your men were just trying to kill me a minute ago, and you want me to trust you?” she asked, her voice laced with disbelief. “I mean, my brother, I can believe, but even that is far-fetched. He isn't my biggest fan, but he would never kill me. So, sorry, but I will not trust the words of a random stranger.”

“I'm the only one you can trust.” I said as calmly as I could.

“If that's true, you'd let me go.”

I stared at her in shock. She was just like her father. Calm but strong-headed and stubborn.

I sighed. There was only one way to get her to trust me, and that was to let her go. She was too traumatised to believe anything from my lips. She just had to see it for herself.

“Fine. I'll let you go.”

She blinked, surprised.

“I don’t believe you,” she suddenly said.

Definitely her father's daughter.

“I will let you go. If you want, I'll drive you there myself.”

“No. Thanks. I just need some money to get there,” she said quietly.

It would have been funny if I wasn't worried about her.

“Alright. You have it. My pack is always open to you in case.”

“Why do you care?” She suddenly asked…

“Let's just say I have an unpaid debt to pay.”

She frowned but didn't ask any more questions.

I shoved my hands in my pocket, took out my wallet and gave her enough money for a hotel and a ride back and forth.

“Thank you.”

I watched as she left without turning back and sighed.

“Landen!”

“Yes, boss,” my beta came out of the shadows where he'd been hiding.

Without looking at him, I said,

“Prepare my bike.”