Chapter 160: The Illusion of Freedom

Leopold was finding it difficult to understand what was happening around him. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his face pulled into a tight look of disbelief.

Even after everything she just said, a part of him is still searching for a reason to excuse her. Maybe she’s frightened. Maybe she’s angry. Maybe she’s deliberately trying to hurt him because they’re imprisoned. Maybe she doesn’t mean it.

Before he could say anything, the large door of the dungeon groaned as it was pushed open, and footsteps echoed down the dark corridor.

Jaime and Evangeline, who had been screaming and throwing threats everywhere, instantly became silent and took a step back away from the bars.

The sound of many hearts pounding filled the silent, dark space and soon enough, someone came into view.

Rowan.

Along with three other guards.

He stared at each and every one of them quietly, his gaze harsh and spiteful.

"Hey!" Selene shouted, walking up to the front of her cell, "Where is Malachi? Tell your goddamn Alpha I want to see him! I demand to see him! He cannot keep us locked here forever!"

Rowan gave her one quick glance, and then he looked away again. Selene had never felt so insignificant before, taken aback by his reaction.

"Asshole, how dare you?"

"Silence!" Rowan’s voice was silent, but deadly.

"Rowan, where is the Alpha?" Leopold spoke next, clutching the bars with both hands tightly, "Tell him my wife is innocent! Tell him Lady Beatrice had nothing to do with all this!"

Rowan simply ignored him, but his hands subtly tightened around his sword. Then, he turned to the guards and gave them a nod.

The guards moved toward one cell each, pulled out their respective keys and undid several Mooniron locks.

The prisoners watched in awe as the doors of their cells were pulled open, and the guards stood aside, waiting for them to step out.

Jaime glanced at his mother anxiously, and she gave him the same look. Were they here to take them somewhere else?!

Selene was the first to walk out of her cell, still glaring at Rowan. How dare he ignore her?!

"Is Malachi letting us out?" She asked with a scoff, rolling her eyes, "I knew it! Killing Rot-bloods isn’t a freaking crime! It’s law! So does torturing them. It’s the natural law of animals that the strong trample on the weak, especially a cursed weakling like her. At the end of the day, no matter how much he wants to rip us apart... Malachi has no good reason to keep us locked in here,"

The others listened to her, and they found some courage in what she had just said. Reluctantly, they began stepping out of the cells too.

Was Malachi really just... letting them go?!

"Come on," Leopold stood beside Beatrice, his eyes soft, "You don’t have to worry about anything. My brother won’t lay a finger on us,"

She looked up at him slowly, considering for a second whether he still had a bit of use. It took her less than a second to conclude she didn’t, "Even Della didn’t remain as stupid as you after it became so obvious that I was just playing her all along,"

Leopold froze again, and it felt like a blade had just gone through his heart.

Beatrice stood up, dusting herself as she walked past him. She got to the door of her cell, a smirk on her face before she glanced back at him, "One more thing, Leopold. I’ve had better men with better cocks. You might want to do something about the tiny organ between your legs so you don’t end up getting laughed at,"

And then, she walked out of the cell and joined her brother and Mother.

"You don’t mean it," Leopold whispered to himself, lips trembling in fear and disbelief, "You love me, Beatrice. You can’t... possibly mean any of that,"

Rowan and the guards walked them out of the dungeon completely, and they kept walking around the castle.

Malachi didn’t come the whole time.

He led them out of the castle.

It definitely looked like Rowan was setting them free.

"Leave," Rowan stated, "The Alpha orders you all to leave. Every alignment that connects our packs has been severed, and you can never return to Eclipse Crown Pack. If you’re ever sighted anywhere close to this territory, you shall be thrown into the iron pits,"

"Malachi can go and fuck himself!" Selene spat angrily.

The words hadn’t even finished coming out of her mouth when Rowan unsheathed his sword and brought it to the edge of her neck, making her freeze, "How dare you insult a Supreme?!"

Selene looked down at the sword, then back at Rowan. She still looked angry and vicious, "I am the sister of a Supreme! I can do whatever the hell I want!"

Rowan pressed the sword against her neck, the sharp edge slicing cleanly through her skin and blood trickled down the blade, "You’re the sister of a Supreme? Tell me, where is he now? Is he on his way to save you? How many times did he come to see you while you were locked away in your cell?"

Selene’s hands turned into fists, "You will not get away with this!"

"I dare you to try and do something to me. You should count yourself extremely lucky that I haven’t cut off your tongue for insulting the Alpha after he ordered your release despite your heinous actions!"

The other guards looked slightly uncomfortable as they watched the exchange. They’d never seen Rowan like this before. He had been acting... somewhere unstable for the past few days now...and one scent had been most prominent from him.

Grief.

He was grieving.

"Did he really order our release?" Evangeline asked, standing behind her son so he would shield her in case the Beta decided to throw his anger in their direction.

Why does every wolf at Eclipse Crown have to be so damn scary? She was a Luna for crying out loud! Her wolf isn’t supposed to be scared of a Beta!

"Yes," Rowan replied, "LEAVE!!"

The Barretts didn’t waste another moment. They turned around and started to walk away, beaming with joy and pride.

Malachi really cannot touch us!

He would have to explain that he killed so many nobles because of a rotblood, and that would be unacceptable!

He has no control over that...he must feel so devastated and pathetic.

Beatrice was the only one who looked like was falling into despair. As they walked away, she turned back and stared at the huge castle. Was she really just going to walk away like this?!

Even after killing Della and putting Selene in a terrible spot, everything had eventually slipped out of her fingers! Her father would never look at her after this.

Is this really the end?

Or was there something else she could do about this?!

Fuck, Della!

You’re dead, and you’re still ruining everything!!

Everything!!