All Chapters of Marked By Fate: The Alpha Who Loved Me: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

Katrina’s POVHearing him say it—so loud, so sure—unlocked something in me. My chest that had felt so small opened a little. The fear that had curled tight in my throat loosened its grip. There was terror there still, yes, but under it, a fierce, steady heat. Liam’s words were like armor. They clung to me and made me stand taller.Around the table, some elders exchanged looks. A few nodded, faces softening with respect at the sight of an alpha who would not barter his mate. Others stared at Liam with furrowed brows, weighing danger against duty. Beta Johnson’s jaw tightened but he did not speak. Commander Reid—who had pushed me harder than anyone when I trained—watched with an unreadable expression. He leaned forward, hands on the table, listening like a man waiting to see which way the wind would blow.I felt their judgment and their hope all at once. The war room smelled of old wood and smoke and the sweat of many hard decisions. My heart still pounded, but now it carried a steadyin

Katrina’s POVThe knock at the war room door was sharp, echoing like a drumbeat in the heavy silence that hung after the elders’ murmurs. Everyone froze for a second, and then the door creaked open. A warrior stepped inside, his boots thudding softly against the wooden floor. He kept his eyes low, showing respect, before bowing quickly. His whole posture looked tense, like whatever he had to say wasn’t ordinary news.He crossed the room and leaned close to Liam, whispering words I couldn’t hear. I strained to catch even one name, one clue, but his voice was too low. Liam’s face, though—it changed. His jaw tightened, the muscle twitching once. His brows dipped, and though his body stayed still, I could sense something had shifted.“Take her to my office,” Liam said, his voice clipped, firm.My heart jumped at that single word. Her. Who was her? My mind spun, racing through possibilities, but I stayed silent, waiting.Liam turned to the elders, his expression steady and controlled even

Katrina’s POVMy whole body froze.It was like the ground had fallen away beneath me, leaving me hanging in the air with nothing to catch me. My chest squeezed tight, so tight I couldn’t breathe. My lungs burned, begging for air that wouldn’t come. My thoughts crashed into each other, a mess of broken words and unfinished questions. I couldn’t think straight. My eyes widened so much they stung, and I shook my head so hard my hair whipped around my face. Maybe if I shook hard enough, her words would fall out of my ears, tumble to the floor, and disappear.“No,” I whispered. My voice was thin, like paper tearing, and it broke in the middle. “No! You’re lying!” The words burst out of me, louder than I meant, sharp and raw. “Allie is my mum. She raised me. She sang to me when I was scared. She held me when I cried. She’s my real mum, and she’s still trapped with Alpha Jacob. Don’t—” My voice cracked, but I forced the words out. “Don’t stand there and tell me she’s not!”Heat stung the cor

Katrina’s POVWhen we reached the steps of the packhouse, I froze for a moment, staring up at the big double doors. I had walked through those doors so many times before, but tonight they looked different—bigger, heavier, like they were daring me to go inside. I hesitated, my feet planted to the ground, but Liam squeezed my hand gently and gave me the smallest nod. His eyes told me he believed I could do this, even when I didn’t believe it myself.So I forced my legs to move, one step at a time, until the door opened and we walked inside. The warmth of the packhouse wrapped around me instantly. The familiar smell of pinewood, faint candle smoke, and clean floors filled the air. Usually, that smell made me feel safe. Tonight it just made me ache.The hallways were quiet—too quiet. My ears strained for the usual sound of voices, laughter, footsteps, but it was almost completely silent. Like everyone inside knew something wa

Katrina’s POVThe forest at night felt different. The deeper we walked, the more the world behind us faded away. The noise of the packhouse was gone, replaced only by the soft whisper of leaves moving in the breeze and the crunch of fallen twigs under our boots. Every sound seemed louder, sharper, like the night itself was holding its breath. My heart was beating so hard I could hear it in my ears, and with every step, the nervousness in my stomach grew heavier.Liam stayed close, just a step behind my shoulder. His arm brushed mine every so often, grounding me, reminding me I wasn’t alone. He didn’t speak, but I didn’t need him to. Just knowing he was there gave me strength. Anna walked ahead, her pale hair glowing in the moonlight like a silver crown. She looked calm, collected, as if she had done this walk a hundred times before.Finally, we reached a wide clearing where the moonlight broke through the trees. The ground was damp, soft grass brushing against my boots, and thin mist