Chapter 731

Chapter 731:

A tempest swirled within me as realization struck like a thunderclap. My heart pounded in disbelief, the pieces of the puzzle snapping into place.

“You… You’re the mysterious wizard, aren’t you?” I whispered, my voice shaking. My eyes locked onto his, filled with equal parts fear and disbelief. “You disappeared from the palace long ago—so why are you here now?”

Martin’s expression darkened, his brow furrowed as he scanned the room, his demeanor tense and wary. “There’s no time for questions,” he muttered in a low voice. “We can’t stay here. Come with me, now. I’ll explain everything later.”

Without waiting for my answer, he stepped closer and reached for my hand.

But I recoiled instinctively, stepping back as though his touch might burn me. My voice rose in a hoarse cry, trembling with anger and betrayal. “Stay away from me! You’re lying to me—you’re nothing but a liar! I won’t go anywhere with you!”

Makenna’s POV:

“This is all for your own good!” Martin exclaimed anxiously, his voice trembling with urgency. “I would never hurt you.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms defiantly. “For my own good? Then why didn’t you come clean from the start?”

Martin gestured toward the three unconscious princes sprawled across the floor, his agitation spilling over. “If I had told you everything upfront, would you have seen the truth about them? Would you have uncovered the lies woven into the Lycan royal family’s facade?”

I narrowed my eyes, my voice sharp with suspicion. “What are you getting at? What have you been keeping from me?”

Martin stepped closer, his hand outstretched, desperation etched into his face. “Just come with me. I’ll explain everything—every last detail.”

Instinctively, I took a cautious step back, putting distance between us. My tone was ice-cold as I said, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

𝐋𝚊𝓉𝐞𝑠𝓉 сһα𝓹𝖙𝑒𝗋𝓈 𝖌𝗮𝓁𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀․𝚌𝗈𝗆

Martin’s jaw tightened as if he were weighing his options, a flicker of frustration flashing in his eyes. For a moment, I thought he might drag me along by force.

“Are the three princes inside?”

A firm voice cut through the tension, coming from just outside the door.

Martin froze, his shoulders stiffening. He turned to me, his gaze heavy with a mix of resignation, regret, and something more elusive—something I couldn’t quite read.

“I’ll come back,” he said quietly, the words laced with an unsettling finality. “Soon, you’ll see the truth about the princes for yourself.”

Before I could respond, Martin spun on his heel, bolted to the window, and leapt out without so much as a backward glance. I stood rooted to the spot, my mind a swirling storm of unanswered questions. The pieces didn’t fit, and the harder I tried to make sense of it all, the further the truth seemed to slip away.

Moments later, a group of men burst into the warehouse.

Their eyes darted between the unconscious princes and me, their suspicion thick in the air.

The leading soldier jabbed a finger in my direction, barking, “Seize her! She’s clearly involved.”

Before I could protest, they descended on me, grabbing my arms and dragging me out despite my furious struggles. They hauled me back to the palace and threw me unceremoniously into a damp, musty cell.

The cold stone walls pressed in around me, amplifying the weight of my despair. I sank to the floor, curling into the corner as my thoughts raced. Over and over, I replayed the day’s events, each memory cutting deeper than the last.

“How did it all go so wrong?” I whispered into the shadows, my voice barely audible.

.

.

.