The Lost Alpha Queen: Heaven and Hell Bound

Chapter 36

Adolphus’s POV

Lying beside Katrina in the dimly lit room, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace, something I hadn't felt in a long time. She was curled up against me, her soft breathing syncing with mine.

For a moment, the weight of the world didn’t exist. There was no pressure from Cassandra, no expectations from the pack, and no haunting flashes of my past that I couldn’t piece together. There was just us.

But reality was never that kind.

As I traced lazy patterns on her back, I murmured, “We should leave this place, Katrina. Let’s elope. Just the two of us. We can find a quiet place, live as an ordinary werewolf couple, and forget all of this.”

Katrina went still in my arms. For a long moment, she didn’t say a word, and when she finally pulled back to look at me, her expression was unreadable.

“You don’t really believe that’s possible, do you?” she asked softly.

I frowned. “Why not? We don’t owe anyone anything.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “That’s not true, Adolphus. You don’t remember everything yet, but I know for a fact that you have a significant place in our world. Running away isn’t an option, not for you. You need to recover your memories first.”

Frustration built up inside me. “Why does it matter? Why do you care so much about my past?”

Katrina cupped my face, her gaze intense. “Because you’re incomplete without it. I can see it in your eyes. You’ve been trying to piece together the fragments, haven’t you? The flashbacks? The visions? What if you’re someone important? What if the answers to everything lie in your past?”

I clenched my jaw, not wanting to admit she was right. My mind had been plagued with flashes of things I couldn’t explain, people, places, emotions I didn’t understand. They haunted me, but a part of me had been too afraid to face them.

Katrina continued, her voice urgent. “You need to figure out who you are before we make any decisions about our future.”

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my face. “And while I do that, what about you? What happens to you?”

She smiled faintly. “I’ll cope. I’m an orphan and I’ve survived this long, haven’t I?”

Her strength astounded me. Despite everything she had been through, she refused to let it break her.

Then, as if making up her mind about something, she straightened and said, “I need you to keep lurking around Cassandra.”

I blinked. “What?”

“You need to gain more trust from the pack,” she explained. “Make them see you as one of them. Make Cassandra believe you’re still on her side.”

I stared at her, trying to understand where this was going. “Why?”

Katrina’s eyes darkened. “Because Cassandra isn’t the true bearer of the Eclipse Moon.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. My pulse quickened as I processed what she had just said.

“What do you mean?” I asked cautiously.

“There’s a strong possibility she doesn’t have the Lunar Flames either,” Katrina continued.

Shock flooded through me. “That doesn’t make any sense. If she doesn’t have them, then who does?”

“That’s exactly what we need to find out,” she said firmly. “There’s something suspicious going on in the Alpha’s home. I can feel it. If Cassandra has been lying about being the bearer, then everything we’ve been told is a lie. And if we don’t uncover the truth to the pack, we won’t stand a chance when the time comes.”

I struggled to wrap my head around her words. If Cassandra wasn’t the true bearer, then that meant someone else held the power of the Eclipse Moon. Someone we didn’t know about. Someone who could change everything. Someone who could change my fate.

Katrina’s voice softened. “If werewolves like those from the lake come knocking, we’ll need the strength of the pack to fight them. If you remain close to Cassandra and gain the trust of the pack, you can influence their decisions. And in the process, you might find an opportunity to help me get back my rank from that pig, Nicholas.”

Her words sent a thrill through my veins. She wasn’t just thinking about herself, she was thinking about me, about my past, about the bigger picture.

I shook my head in amazement. “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”

She smiled. “I have.”

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

Katrina chuckled, leaning in to kiss me. “I try.”

But then, as reality settled back in, she sighed. “I should go. I’ve been gone too long. If someone notices my absence, they’ll start asking questions.”

The thought of her leaving made something tighten in my chest. The moment she pulled away, I already felt her absence like a physical ache.

Before she could fully stand, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back toward me.

“Stay just a little longer,” I murmured.

She hesitated for only a moment before giving in, pressing her lips against mine. The kiss was slow and deep, filled with unspoken promises and the weight of everything we couldn’t say. Then, just as quickly as the moment began, a sharp knock shattered it.

Katrina jerked upright, eyes wide with alarm. She darted toward the door, her body tense with fear.

I grabbed her arm. “Stay calm,” I whispered. “I’ll handle it.”

She nodded, but the fear in her eyes didn’t fade. Moving quickly, I led her to the back door, making sure the coast was clear.

“Go,” I whispered, pressing a final kiss against her lips.

She lingered for half a second before slipping into the shadows.

Taking a deep breath, I turned back toward the front door, straightening my posture before pulling it open.

Standing there were two of the Alpha’s guards, their expressions unreadable.

“Lady Cassandra seeks to see you now,” one of them announced.

I kept my face blank, though unease coiled in my gut. I had no choice but to play along.

With a curt nod, I stepped out, closing the door behind me.