Free Web NovelChapter 705: What They Never Knew
Chapter 704: What They Never Knew
Orion stood on the platform, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like a blade testing the air. The snow fell steadily around him, dusting his shoulders and the dark fabric of his cloak, but he did not seem to notice it. His attention was fixed entirely on the people before him—his people, the ones he had sworn to protect, the ones who were now questioning the woman he loved. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"Victoria is her mother. That is true. Sophia hates her mother. That is true. There is a war coming. That is true. Victoria is bringing it. That is true."
He paused.
"And Sophia is the Luna foretold in the prophecy."
A ripple moved through the crowd, but no one spoke.
"She has the gift of visions. She has the mark on her back. She has stood beside this pack when others would have run. She has nearly died for people who are not her blood."
His voice softened, just slightly.
"That is what makes her the Luna of this very pack."
He looked out at the crowd, and something in his expression dared them to challenge him.
"If you disagree," he said, his voice carrying easily across the square, "that she is the Luna of this pack, my mate, my partner... then you can leave."
No one moved.
"But before you do," he continued, his tone sharpening, "perhaps you should get to know the one you condemn."
He turned slightly, gesturing toward Sophia, who stood frozen beside him.
"I know she will not tell you this herself. She never does. She would rather carry the weight of everything alone than ask for acknowledgment. So I will tell you."
He faced the crowd fully.
"To the original members of this pack—those of you who survived the plague—Sophia is the reason you are alive."
A ripple moved through the crowd.
"She was a child when I snuck into Victoria’s garden," Orion said. "I did not know her. I did not know what she was risking. But she gave me the herb that cured our people. She saved this pack before most of you even knew she existed."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"She saved me. Multiple times. When Victoria would have rather seen me dead, Sophia stood in the way. She suffered for it. She was abused for it. And she never told anyone. She just... took it."
His voice hardened.
"She tried to save my father, Alaric, your former Alpha. When Victoria had him captive, Sophia went to him. She tried to free him. She begged for his life. And when he died—when Victoria killed him in front of her—Sophia tried to bring him back."
The crowd was silent now.
"She was a child," Orion said. "A child who had already endured more pain than most of you will ever know. And she still tried. She still fought. She still chose to help us, even when helping us cost her everything."
Sophia’s breath caught.
She had not expected this at all.
But Orion was not done.
"She fought against her mother to ensure we all stayed alive. She still fights to this day. She takes burdens that are not hers, holds them, carries them on her back. And even when I try to share that weight with her, it crushes her more than it crushes me."
His voice softened, just slightly.
"Because as much as I hate to admit it, there is only so much I can do to help her. She will not let go of the guilt. She will not stop blaming herself for things that were never her fault. And she will keep fighting, even when it breaks her, because that is who she is."
He looked at Sophia then, something unreadable passing across his face.
"The same Sophia you question—whether she is the Luna foretold, whether she belongs here—is the same one I saw when we were children. Her hair was not black then. It was a mix of black and white. White that fought to be seen, even then."
Sophia just stared at him.
"Her hair is white," he said flatly. "The only reason it is as black as it is now is because Victoria—her mother—carried out awful experiments on her. Experiments that made her sick. Experiments that burned her scalp and weakened her body. That is why her hair does not fit her face. Because it is not her original color."
He crossed his arms. ƒreewebɳovel.com
"If you still question it, send a hairdresser to look at her hair. I will allow it. But you should know one thing."
His gaze swept across the square.
"Sophia is not the one you should blame. She is not your enemy. She is your fucking savior."
No one spoke.
"She is not her mother. She has never been her mother. She has not wronged a single person in this pack. Curious and clumsy as she is, she would rather die than do nothing."
His voice rose slightly.
"I told her not to take the placement test. She was not supposed to be a warrior. But she took it anyway, risking her life in the process. And even before that, she ran into the storm to get to Brynhild. To ensure she was safe. She pushed herself beyond her limits to reach Ronan and the others in the heart of Nirvana. She made herself sick with worry and pushed herself to be stronger when she saw her first fucking vision."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"Sophia would rather take a sword to her heart than hurt anyone here. And honestly, if you cannot see that—if you cannot differentiate between her and the woman who gave birth to her—then I have no words for you."
He stepped closer to Sophia, his shoulder brushing hers.
"Because if you still insist on her leaving," he said, his voice quieter now but no less firm, "then you should know that I will step down too."
The crowd stirred.
"Because wherever she goes, I go," he told them
