Chapter 229

Grayson’s POV

The betrayal hadn't fully registered when I first learned the truth about Liam. At the time, I was too numb, too detached to feel it properly. But standing here now, looking at the man I once considered a brother, the sting was sharp, cutting through that numbness like a blade.

We had grown up together. Fought together. Trusted each other. And yet, all that time, he harbored a festering hatred.

Liam broke the silence.

“I didn’t expect you to survive,” he said, his tone light, the malice in his eyes unmistakable. “But it doesn’t matter. I can wait a little longer to get what I deserve.”

I let his words wash over me, maintaining a neutral expression. The impulsive Grayson would have reacted, letting rage dictate his next move. But now? I had learned control, a different kind of control.

“So, what is this?” I asked, tilting my head. “Round two? Or are we on round fifty by now?”

Liam didn’t flinch. He met my gaze with the same emptiness I offered him.

“I’m here to cut you a deal,” he said, as if it were an act of mercy. “Because I know Elaine will continue to bask in her stupidity—”

I stepped forward, my voice low but lethal. “You keep my cousin’s name out of your mouth, Liam.”

His lips curled into a smirk. “Look at you. Finally embracing family. Good for you.” He shook his head. “I didn’t come here for a long conversation. I came to tell you that you’re all going to lose. Whatever master plan you think you have—it won’t work. Damien has been planning this for twenty-five years. You can’t beat him.”

I remained still, waiting for him to get to the point.

And then he did.

“Ava,” he said. “He wants Ava. According to him—and some twisted prophecy between her ancestors and yours—her essence makes her the most powerful wolf in existence, even if she doesn’t know how to use it.”

Something dark coiled in my chest, but I remained silent, forcing him to continue.

“If the essence can be transferred, it can be taken.” He took a slow step closer, watching me carefully. “That’s the deal. I can’t promise all of you will survive, but if you hand her over, he’ll only take the essence. He’ll leave her and your child alive when he takes over the realm.”

I exhaled slowly, shaking my head. “All that scheming. All that hatred. It really has made you dense.”

Liam’s expression darkened, and he opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off. My voice was steel.

“You think I don’t know who I am? You think I haven’t been painfully aware of what I’ve done?” I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. “My father wanted me ruthless, cold. And as much as I hated him, that’s what I became. I lost sight of everything else. I treated people as if they didn’t matter. I didn’t let myself care. You think I blame you for hating me?” I chuckled bitterly. “No, Liam. I don’t.”

A flicker of unease crossed his eyes.

“But the moment you went behind my back?” I continued, my voice dropping lower. “The moment you used Elaine—manipulated her, dragged her into your sick agenda? That was the moment you sealed your fate.”

Liam’s jaw tensed, but he held his ground.

“If you wanted to attack me, if you wanted to kill me, you would have done it already,” I said, my tone deceptively calm. “But I see you now, Liam. You’re nothing but a glorified messenger.”

His eyes flashed with rage, and in a blink, his claws extended as he lunged.

But I was already moving.

With blinding speed, I sidestepped him, my gun already in my hand before he landed.

The shot rang out before he could react.

Liam staggered, his eyes widening as he clutched his side, falling to his knees. He looked up at me, disbelief etched on his face.

“Don’t worry,” I murmured, lowering the gun slightly but keeping my finger on the trigger. “You’ll heal.”

He bared his teeth, growling.

“But when I do kill you,” I added, my tone turning cold, “I will make sure your death is excruciatingly painful for what you did to Elaine.”

Then, with precise aim, I fired again. The bullet ripped through his hand.

I could already hear footsteps approaching.

Calmly, I holstered my gun and turned. I didn’t bother looking back as I strolled out, adjusting my cuffs, my fingers brushing the still-warm metal of my gun. Liam’s groans of pain echoed faintly, but I didn’t look back.

A sleek black car waited at the curb, the driver at attention. Without a word, I slid into the backseat, the leather cool against my palms as I leaned back, exhaling. The door shut with a soft click, sealing me off.

For a moment, I sat, letting the tension wash over me, then slowly forced it away.

Then, with a sigh, I pulled out my phone. The number was already saved—had been for years, though I’d never used it. My thumb hovered over the call button before I pressed it. The line rang twice before a sultry, amused voice answered.

“Well, well,” she purred, a breathy lilt to her tone. “I never thought I’d see the day when Grayson Blackwood would call me.”

I sighed, already regretting this. “Don’t make a big deal out of it, Alessia.”

“Oh, but it is a big deal,” she teased. “After all these years, I was starting to think you were avoiding me.”

I didn’t respond.

Instead, I got straight to the point. “I’m ready to give that exclusive interview.”

There was a beat of silence. Then, she hummed, amusement laced in her voice.

“You’re ready now?” she asked, her interest unmistakable. “Five years later?”

I clenched my jaw, impatience flickering. “Do you want it or not?”

A soft chuckle. “Touchy. You’re lucky I find that whole brooding, mysterious act of yours charming.”

I exhaled sharply, running a hand down my face. “Alessia.”

“Relax, darling,” she drawled. “Of course, I want it. The untouchable, elusive Grayson Blackwood. Every reporter has tried to get a word from you, and yet, here you are, coming to me.”

I remained silent. I wasn’t as untouchable as I was five years ago, but I was getting there. I would get there.

She took that as her cue. “But I have to ask…” Her voice turned almost mockingly innocent. “Will your wife be part of this interview?”

I ignored it. “Are we doing this or not?”

“Fine, fine.” Her tone shifted—subtle, but unmistakable. The playful flirtation faded, letting her professional side slip through. “Where do you want this to take place?”

“Text me your location,” I said, adjusting my cufflinks. “I’ll pick you up.”

A pause. Then, a slow, intrigued hum. “Now that is interesting. I’ll send you the details. Don’t keep me waiting, darling.”

The call ended.

I stared at the phone for a second before tossing it onto the seat. The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror, awaiting instructions.

I exhaled.

“Drive,” I said. “We have a stop to make.”

As the car pulled away, the weight of everything settled over me like a storm cloud. The confrontation with Liam should have been the only thing on my mind, but it wasn’t.

Because the thought I hadn’t finished—the one cut off by Liam’s pathetic attempt at a negotiation—came rushing back with brutal clarity.

And with it, the realization.

That was how to break the curse.

Ava had to mark me back.

The answer had been in front of me this whole time. By the time we reached Ricardo’s compound, I was already moving before the car fully stopped. The second I stepped out, I barely acknowledged Alessia, instructing her to wait.

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing, smiling, watching as I strode towards Ava.

A second passed. Then another.

And then, finally, she looked at me and said—

“No.”