The Secrets Between Us | ✓

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His despondent yet resolute tone was like a match that ignited a fierce and all-consuming fury within her. Tears trickled down her cheeks as his words replayed in her mind like a haunting melody, evoking a fear that rattled her heart to its very core.

"Be rational, Icarus," she said, her voice rough and unsteady. "Don't speak recklessly."

He gave a watery smile. "This is the only way to save the pack members and rid your kingdom of the disease."

"I can't."

"Why not?" he pressed in an attempt to sway her resolve. "You have a duty to fulfill."

"Because it's your life!" she bellowed, unable to restrain her emotions any longer.

She stormed out of his room and retreated to her own, slamming the door shut and locking it with a decisive click. Halfway to the bed, her knees buckled and she collapsed on the floor, her body shaking with the intensity of her sobs as she struggled to catch her breath.

As her sobs began to subside, a bone-deep weariness settled over her like a suffocating blanket. She closed her eyes, staying still and silent, listening to the erratic cadence of her own heart.

When she woke up, her head throbbed like she had a hangover after a night of heavy drinking. She tried to raise her head, but a sharp pain shot through her neck, making her wince. Slowly, she sat up, taking deep breaths to compose herself. Her gaze drifted toward the window and the thought of escape crossed her mind. But it wasn't big enough for her wings to fit through. Even if, against all odds, she managed to flee, she knew all too well that Icarus would catch her before she could set foot outside the pack boundary.

She looked around the room, the wheels of her brain turning to find a way to leave the Imperial pack unnoticed. She couldn't let Icarus sacrifice his life for others. In a moment of clarity, Grandma's words cut through her thoughts, guiding her to the closet. She rummaged around until she found the box she'd kept between her clothes. She cradled the pendant between her palms and closed her eyes, but as seconds turned to minutes, a sinking feeling settled within her chest.

If this wasn't the right moment, she didn't know how long she could wait. She was about to put it back in the box when a thought occurred to her. She clasped it around her neck and hoped for a miracle.

The world around her shifted, and she found herself outside. She assumed the pendant had somehow helped her escape but her relief was short-lived when a menacing growl pierced the air. A dark shadow loomed over her, causing her to freeze on the spot. Before she could react, the beast charged toward her. She held her breath, bracing herself for the inevitable impact, but to her shock, it passed straight through her like a ghost. She blinked and turned around to find it chasing a pack member she had never met before. Its serpent-like tail coiled around him, and the sickening sound of bones crushing filled the air as it squeezed the life out of him.