Chapter 278

Chapter 278

CASSANDRA

Though there was still so much doubt in my heart and mind about this entire situation, Emmett seemed to have an explanation for everything.

“It’s true that Kaleb’s father’s condition worsened quickly, but he wouldn’t have died so early if Kaleb hadn’t been the one to end his life,” he said. “As for Asher, it’s because he’d been trying to control his condition for all these years.”

I sat there for a second and then my frown deepened even further.

“I don’t understand,” I admitted as my eyebrows creased together. “What do you mean, Emmett?”

“People who drink the concoction gradually lose their own minds,” Emmett explained. “Over time, they become nothing more than mere puppets for their master. A vessel without their own souls. My father had felt sorry for Asher. He thought it was evil and unforgivable to use an innocent young boy like that. So, before his death, my father asked me to try my best to cure Asher.”

I blinked back at him in surprise. Emmett had tried to cure Asher? When had this happened?

“How?” I asked. “And when?”

“I did my best to get Asher’s condition under control,” Emmett continued on as if I hadn’t interrupted him. “Every year, I would disguise myself as one of the royal healers and give him medicine I’d crafted to help.”

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That’s why you left Wild Crawler for a while every year,” I said, and then I frowned. “But you were meeting with Kaleb…”

“Things were complicated,” he sighed as he shook his head slowly. “And they only grew more complicated as the years went by. Kaleb somehow discovered the truth behind the concoction and tracked me down. He wanted me to help him just as his father had ordered around/mine.”

He paused for a moment and his lips drew into a thin line. “I knew I was going to die by his hand one day. Kaleb was more uncontrollable than his father and far more volatile.”

“Was Kaleb the one who killed you?” I wondered as I met his gaze. Sadness bloomed within me at the thought. While Emmett and I hadn’t shared a

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traditional marriage, he had still been my friend for all of those years, and it saddened me to think that the king of Yurene had taken his life.

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“Kaleb had threatened to kill me, but he didn’t follow through,” Emmett sighed. “I killed myself before he had the chance to do so. I burned myself alive so Kaleb wouldn’t be able to use my body for further research after my death.”

My voice caught in my throat as my eyes welled up. This was far more intense of a conversation than I’d expected, and while I was relieved that Kaleb hadn’t killed- him, it was still a brutal death. Despite everything, Emmett hadn’t deserved an end like that.

Silence lingered between us for a while as I searched for the right thing to say, and after a while, tightness gripped my chest. I had a question, but I didn’t want to ask it. It was too hard and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the answer. But Emmett himself had said this would be our last conversation. If I didn’t ask it now, I’d never

know the truth.

“Is Asher’s disease incurable?” I uttered once I found the courage to do so.

Much to my surprise, Emmett shook his head. “On the contrary. I’ve already found out what can save him.”

I gasped lightly as my heart raced in my chest. “What is it?”

Emmett studied me carefully. “I hadn’t figured it out until I met you. After I’d saved you from the inferno and realized you were Asher’s fated mate, I discovered something. If I wanted to cure Asher and stop his soul from diminishing, I needed to find someone who shared part of his soul or a bond with it. For most people, it’s impossible, because they don’t have a fated mate. For normal pairs, their wolf souls exist alone, and the mate claim doesn’t truly bind them together. But for fated mates, their wolf souls are entwined with each other’s since birth.”

My lips parted as I realized the truth. “You mean Asher could be saved if we claim each other?”

Emmett nodded, and while I should have been overjoyed by this revelation, all I felt was anger. It burned deeply within me and before I could stop, I shouted at him.

“If you knew this, why would you take my wolf soul from my body?” I demanded as my hands curled into fists. “Why hadn’t you told me all of this before? Everything would have been sorted out long ago if you’d told me-‘

Emmett shook his head. “Not everything. I’m not a selfless man. It’s true that if I’d

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told you all of those things, all of your problems would have disappeared… but not mine. I didn’t care if I died, but I didn’t want the great sorcery I’d taken from my father to disappear from this world.”

“Sorcery caused centuries worth of problems,” I pointed out as I began to lose my temper. “And you still wanted to preserve them? I don’t understand at all, Emmett.”

“You might not understand, but a sorcerer is always proud of his abilities,” he said quietly. “Besides, it isn’t sorcery that caused trouble. There is no such thing as evil magic. Only evil intentions.”

His eyes locked on mine and a chill ran down my spine. There was something more, something he hadn’t told me yet, and I wasn’t too keen on finding out what it was. This was unbelievable. He had kept such big secrets from me, and they were stacking higher and higher by the moment. I didn’t want to be here in this kitchen with him, but I knew there was more and I needed to find out what he wasn’t saying.

“What did you want from me then?” I asked as evenly as I could manage.

Emmett let out a small breath. “When I took your wolf soul, I realized I could combine part of my soul with yours.”

My eyes widened and my heart dropped. “What?”

He nodded, his expression solemn. “I realized I could do it and then actually made it happen. In doing so, I sealed my abilities as a sorcerer within that bit of my soul. I combined with yours. I wasn’t able to use magic after that-”

“Crazy bastard,” I growled at him. It took all of my restraint to keep from jumping over the table and launching myself at him. I felt violated in every sense of the word. Part of Emmett’s soul was within me? This was too much to process.

“You’re right,” he said, and then his lips curled into a smirk. “But I would like you to consider it a gift.”

“A gift?” I repeated back angrily, and this time, I jumped up from my seat and lunged at Emmett. I wanted to grab his throat, but I couldn’t do it because suddenly, Emmett wasn’t tangible.

Much to my surprise, I noticed my body had changed. Snow white fur had grown over my hands and my nails had sharpened into claws. But somehow, I knew it was more than just my body. There was a wildness within me, a primal feeling I hadn’t felt in years.

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Emmett smiled at me. “It’s time to say goodbye now. I’m sorry I couldn’t explain this to you sooner. I believe you’ll be better than me at using these abilities.”

The house around us started to disappear and flames began to engulf everything. Emmett’s figure became fainter and fainter.

“Goodbye,” he said before he disappeared, and seconds later, I was back in the burning banquet hall.

SEND GIFT

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