Semua Bab The Black Wolf : Bab 11 - Bab 20

Vireya's POV Zevarion noticed the worry flickering in my eyes and tilted his head slightly.“Are you okay?” he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.I forced a smile and handed him the plate I’d been holding. “Yes,” I replied. “I brought this for you.”He lifted the edge of the cloth that covered it, and a warm, spiced aroma filled the air. His face lit up.“Wow. This smells incredible,” he said, grinning. “But… I don’t like that you keep starving yourself just to feed me.”“I’m not,” I murmured, avoiding his gaze.“Yes, you are. On our way here, you kept sacrificing your meals for me. I noticed that,” he said, his voice low but firm.“You brought me more food than I could finish when I was back home. Enough to last a week, every time, for two years,” I reminded him softly.His smile faltered. “I didn’t do that so you'd feel like you had to return the favor.”“I know,” I said gently. “But the truth is, there’s always more than enough here. They lay the table like it's a ro

Vireya's POV “Welcome, brother,” she said as he approached, her voice almost mocking.I blinked. Brother? I hadn’t realized he had a sister.“Nyra. When did you arrive?” Xareth asked, his tone devoid of warmth. Not even a flicker of surprise crossed his face.“A while ago,” she replied airily, brushing invisible dust from her shoulder. “Also…”He cut her off with a simple wave of his hand, dismissing her as one would a buzzing insect.Turning to me, he asked, “Have you had dinner, Vireya?”“Yes. Welcome back,” I answered quickly, unsure if the chill in the air was from his presence or hers.“Good. I'll be inside.” He didn’t wait for a response and left. I looked back at Nyra, my lips twitching into a smirk. For someone who called him brother, he’d treated her like she barely existed. I knew Xareth wasn’t exactly affectionate, but that was icy, even for him.Her eyes narrowed. “And you, don’t think you’ve seen the last of me.” I let out a soft chuckle and walked past her, hips swayi

Vireya's POV My mouth hung open in stunned silence. The scene before me rooted me to the spot. I couldn’t move or speak. He turned abruptly, clearly startled by my presence, and scrambled to pull on his trousers.“Vireya... what are you doing here?” he asked, breathless, guilt flickering across his face.I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. The silence between us screamed louder than words. I simply turned around and walked away.“Vireya! Vireya, wait!” he called out after me, his voice rising with desperation, but I didn’t stop.Back in my room, Siora was gone. I sat numbly on the edge of the bed, trying to process what I’d seen. Something is wrong with this place. Deeply, hauntingly wrong. And Xareth is hiding something.The door creaked open. I didn’t have to look to know it was him. His footsteps were hesitant, and when he spoke, his voice was low.“I’m sorry,” he said.I didn’t face him. “You don’t have to apologize,” I replied flatly. “After all, I’m not your mate.”He knelt in front o

Vireya's POV “What is this?” I screamed, clutching my neck as a searing pain shot through me like a thousand needles burrowing beneath my skin.My knees buckled. I collapsed onto the cold stone floor, gasping, groaning as the pain intensified with every desperate touch to my throat. It was as though fire had replaced flesh, and yet, Xareth only laughed.I forced myself up, trembling, and stumbled toward the mirror. There it was.A choker, slim, gold laced with black, wrapped around my neck. But it wasn't just a necklace. It moved and twisted. Its design mimicked thorned vines, elegant yet malevolent.“What is this?” I whispered, horror spreading across my face as I stared into the mirror.Xareth's reflection appeared behind me, calm, composed. His breath grazed my ear as he leaned in, his smirk spreading like rot.“It's called the Chain of Thorns. Or the Thorned Binding, if you prefer something more poetic.” His voice was soft. “It looks beautiful, doesn’t it? But the real artistry l

Vireya POVI couldn’t sleep. Fear coiled tight in my chest, and guilt gnawed at the edges of my sanity. I sat in silence, numb, as the night stretched endlessly around me. But eventually, exhaustion claimed me, dragging me into a restless slumber.That’s when the nightmare began.Rhydan’s face haunted me, his agonized expression, the desperate pleading in his eyes. Over and over, it replayed in my mind like a cursed memory I couldn’t escape, until I woke with a jolt, heart pounding and breath shallow.I curled into myself, the cold seeping into my bones as silent tears spilled down my cheeks. The room felt suffocating. Xareth was a monster. How had I been so blind? How had I not seen it before?Before the first light of dawn crept into the sky, I dragged my trembling body into the bathroom. My hands shook under the water as I tried to wash it all away, his blood, my shame, everything.Shivering, I returned to bed and buried myself beneath the blankets, pulling them over my head like t