Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

SAGE

Hours had passed since Anna had taken Titus back to their room The longer she kept him in there, the more uneasy I felt. I'd even offered to ask Klara for help, knowing she'd been studying magic for some time and might be able to case whatever pain or confusion Titus was in. But Anna had shut me down immediately, claiming she knew exactly how to take care of him on her own.

It didn't sit right with me. Her insistence on handling things alone was definitely suspicious. It almost felt like she was hiding something, like she wanted to keep everyone, especially me, away from him.

I found myself standing outside their door, staring at the closed wood, debating whether I should knock and ask about Titus myself. After a few long moments, I finally raised my hand and gave the door a soft knock. Almost immediately, Anna appeared, slipping out and shutting the door tightly behind her. She blocked the entrance with her body, as if daring me to push past her.

"What is it that you want, Sage?" she asked, her voice laced with irritation.

"I just wanted to see how Titus is," I said, trying to keep my tone even.

She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "He's fine. He's already asleep, resting."

"Really?" I asked, unable to fully mask the suspicion in my voice

Anna's brows lifted, her mouth tightening. "Why would you think otherwise?"

I kept my expression neutral. "Nothing. We were just worried about him, that's all."

"We'? Or do you mean 'you?" She shot back.

My heart skipped a beat, but I held her gaze, deciding there was no point in pretending otherwise. "So, what if I am?"

Anna's expression darkened, and she took a deliberate step forward, the kind of territorial step that said she saw me as a threat. Her jaw clenched, her voice dropping to a low, possessive tone. "Titus is mine, Sage. He was mine first, and he will always be mine. Stop trying to come between us."

I felt a flare of anger, but I kept my voice calm, my expression steady. "I'm not trying to come between anything, Anna. But if he's truly yours, then you shouldn't feel so threatened, should you?"

Her nostrils flared, and for a moment, I could see the fury simmering beneath the surface. But instead of responding, she let out a huff, turned on her heel, and walked back into the room, slamming the door behind her.

The door slammed shut, leaving me standing in the empty hallway with a hollow ache in my chest. Anna's words echoed in my mind-her possessiveness, her certainty that she had an unbreakable claim on Titus. But the look in her eyes was more than just jealousy. It was fear. Fear that somehow I might slip through the cracks of whatever hold she thought she had over

him.

I turned away and headed back to the main room, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions within me. Titus didn't remember everything yet. But is it possible that pieces of our past have already begun to surface? I can sense that it was only a matter of time before he remembered fully, and if Anna had any sense of what we once shared, it would explain why she was clinging so tightly to him now.

Elara was waiting in the kitchen, stirring a mug of tea as she looked up with concern. "What did Anna say?" she asked quietly.

I forced a small smile, shrugging. "She said he's resting. Refused any help, of course."

Elara's brows knit together. "That's strange. You'd think she'd want whatever help she could get, especially if something's

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really wrong."

1 let out a heavy sigh, sinking deeper into the chair beside Elara. Exactly. It feels like she's hiding something. And she's acting as if I'm some threat to her relationship with Titus."

Elara chuckled softly, stirring her tea with an amused glint in her eye. "Of course she does."

I crossed my arms, my voice steady but my heart racing. "I'm no a threat to her. I mean, not really," I replied, more like I was trying to convince myself than her.

Elara smirked knowingly, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, come on, Sage. You're not fooling anyone here. You think Anna would be so calm if she knew Titus marked you again? The second she finds out, she'll practically explode."

I shushed her quickly, leaning in with wide eyes. "Elara! Keep your voice down, will you?" My cheeks burned, but a small part of me couldn't ignore the thrill that ran through me.

Elara gave me a sly smile, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Relax no one else is around to hear. But don't pretend you don't feel anything. I saw the way you were watching him this morning"

I looked away, taking a slow, steady breath. "It doesn't mean anything," I said softly. "He doesn't even remember anything about me."

Elara reached over, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "Then make him remember, Sage.".

I blew a loud sigh. "I can't. I don't want to. I want to start a new life away from here."

Elara's grip tightened on my hand, her eyes searching mine with quiet determination. "You say that, but if leaving was really what you wanted, you'd have gone long ago."

I looked away, clenching my jaw. "It's not that simple, Elara. Every time I try to leave, something pulls me back in. Like some part of me refuses to let go, even though I know it would be better to just walk away and start fresh."

She tilted her head, her expression both sympathetic and probing. "Maybe that's because deep down, you're not ready to let go of him. You can keep telling yourself you're done, but actions speak louder, Sage. And here you are."

My throat tightened. "What am I supposed to do?" I whispered, almost afraid to ask.

"Maybe you should stop asking and start listening to what your heart says," she suggested.

"And that is?"

She smiled. "Didn't I just say stop asking?"

"Yeah, right."

What is my heart saying? I started asking myself. I had a hunch that Anna had something to do with Titus losing memories. Do I really want him to have his memory back?

"Elara, you said that wolf's bane and ash mountain have something to do with his memory lost, right?" I curiously asked. "It's a common side effect of those poisons when used to any werewolves or lycans. A huge amount of those poisons, if given to any creature alike, is lethal. Why?"

"How sure are you that it was the reason why he can't remember his recent memories?"

"I can't be entirely sure, Sage. Why? Do you think there's another reason why he can't remember?" Elara said.

I took a deep breath, my thoughts swirling with doubt and suspicion. "I don't know, Elara. It's just... Something doesn't sit right. If Wolf's Bane and Ash Mountain can cause memory loss, then why is it only his recent memories that are missing?

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And why would the effects still linger? It's been a few days now."

Elara tilted her head, her brows furrowing. "You're saying you think it's something else?"

1 hesitated, biting my lip. "I think... maybe it wasn't just the poison. Anna has been acting so strangely-keeping everyone away, refusing any help, and practically hovering over him like she's guarding a secret. And when I mentioned anything about the past, she got defensive. She practically threw herself in between us."

Elara's eyes widened, and she nodded slowly. "If what you're suggesting is true, then it might be something she's doing intentionally. It could be a spell... or some kind of charm." She leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper. "You think she doesn't want him to remember you?" I swallowed, feeling the weight of my suspicions settle in. "I do know, Elara. But if she did something to ensure he'd forget... that would explain why she's so defensive. Why she doesn't want anyone else to help."

Elara's gaze turned calculating. "If she's tampering with his memory, it would take something powerful-and dangerous. You could confront her or even test the theory somehow. But you'll need to be careful, Sage. If Anna suspects you're onto her, she might do something drastic."Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

I met Elara's steady gaze, my heart pounding with a mixture of anger and determination. If Anna was keeping him from his memories, she wasn't just hurting Titus; she was stealing his choice, robbing him of the truth. And if there was one thing I'd learned, it was that I couldn't just sit back and watch anymore.

"Then we'll find a way to prove it," I said firmly, feeling a spark of resolve reignite within me. "If Anna has hidden his memories, I'll uncover the truth. And this time, I'm not letting anyone stand in my way."

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