Chapter 34

Kayla

Grace stared down at the table, her hands clasped tightly together in front of her. She almost seemed to tremble a little as she tried to gather her courage.

I remained silent, giving her the opportunity to speak when she was ready. In the corridor outside, Noah and Nicholas were eerily silent. I knew they were listening to every word. Surely Grace knew that, too.

Finally, Grace glanced up at me through her lashes, her eyes welling up with misty tears. She hesitated, and for a moment, I thought she might clam up entirely. But then, with a deep, shuddering breath, she began.

“My mother,” she began, her voice so soft I had to strain to hear it, “was the one who saw what happened to Mia. I didn’t witness anything myself. I only know what I read in her diary.”

My brows knit together as I processed her words. “Your mother was there? When Mia died?”

Grace nodded again, her fingers twisting together nervously. “She and Mia were… friends.”

I blinked, considering this information. But I didn’t speak.

“Apparently, Mia knew something about the lost ruins of Luporath,” Grace said quietly. “Something that the guild wanted to know. But she wouldn’t tell anyone, not even my mother. And I believe that the guild ultimately led to Mia’s death because of this.

The name sent a shiver down my spine.

Luporath.

I’d heard about it before—the lost city of Luporath, the ancient underground city from which our werewolf species originally came. Some said that people still resided in the ruins, pale creatures with blind eyes and large wolf ears. Others said that there was immense treasure hidden there, along with booby traps and dark magic.

But most, if not all, people knew it for what it was.

A story. A fairytale meant to amuse kids around a campfire.

There were no ruins. There had never been an underground city.

“Luporath?” I repeated, trying not to laugh out loud. “That’s just a story. A fairytale parents tell their kids to make them behave.”

Grace’s eyes flicked up to mine. There was a sharpness in her gaze that wasn’t there before. “It’s not a story. It’s real,” she ground out through clenched teeth.

I blinked, stunned into silence. She didn’t look like she was joking—or even remotely exaggerating. Her rigid posture, her sharp voice, her trembling hands… everything about her screamed that she honestly believed what she was saying.

“But Luporath is…” I shook my head, trying to reconcile what I knew with what she was telling me. “It’s supposed to be some kind of ancient ruin, isn’t it? Like a fountain of youth for Alphas or something? A place that grants eternal strength?”

“And treasure,” Grace added, her lips curling into a bitter half-smile. “Don’t forget the treasure. That’s the real reason why everyone wants it.”

I exhaled sharply, leaning back in my chair. This was ridiculous. Legends weren’t real. They were just stories, passed down and twisted through time until they barely resembled whatever truth they might have once held.

And yet… a small part of me wondered. Could it be real?

“Mia knew where the ruins were,” Grace said, breaking my train of thought. “That’s what my mother wrote in her diary. Mia had found it—or at least knew where to look for it. And she refused to share the location.”

I stilled, my blood turning cold. “So the guild had her killed?” I asked softly.

Grace shrugged one shoulder. “I’m not sure. That part is a bit… murky. According to my mother’s diary, Mia threw herself off a waterfall to keep the secret from getting out. I think the guild basically pushed her to do it, made her feel like she had no other choice.”

My stomach twisted as I considered this information. Jade had told me that Nicholas’s mother was publicly humiliated by Isabella and Nicholas’s father, that it had essentially driven her off the deep end. And then there was the poison that had weakened her even further.

“Are you… sure this is true?” I found myself asking. “I mean, Mia went through a lot toward the end of her life. Who’s to say she wasn’t—”

“Crazy?” Grace interrupted, her eyes flashing angrily. Her lip curled, and she hissed, “Everyone thinks a woman is crazy when she says something unbelievable. But my mother knew Mia was telling the truth. And I’ll always believe my mother.”

I stared at Grace in silence, unsure what to make of all of this. I barely knew Grace, and I especially didn’t know her mother. Nor did I know Nicholas’s mother. For all I knew, this was just a bunch of poppycock.

“Your mother,” I said carefully, “do you think I could talk to her? Hear it from her point of view?”

“She’s long gone,” Grace said quietly, staring down at her lap again. “She passed away years ago.”

My chest tightened a little. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

Grace just shook her head and sniffled, saying nothing.

“And her diary?” I pressed. “Does it still exist? Could we take a look at it?”

Grace’s expression darkened, and she shook her head. “The guild tried to take it, but I burned it before they could. I couldn’t let them have it.”

I felt my heart sink. If Grace’s mother and the diary were both gone, then Grace was the only person left who knew anything about this Luporath legend—or Mia’s death. And it didn’t seem like she was willing to tell us every detail right now.

“So that’s why they’ve kept you here,” I murmured, the pieces falling into place. “Because you’re the only one who knows anything.”

Grace nodded. “But I’m not telling anyone—not even you. Not after what happened to my mother. Not after what they did to Mia. Sorry, but I’m taking that information to the grave.”

I frowned. “But we can help—”

“All due respect, Luna, but I don’t know you,” Grace hissed before I could finish. “And I don’t know your Alpha or his friend either, other than the fact that they’ve been tormenting me in this room for weeks now, interrogating me almost as much as the guild themselves. So, no. Sorry, but I’m not making a peep.”

Her words carried a finality that made my chest ache. I wanted to believe her, I really did. And as crazy as it sounded, the story did make a bit of sense. I mean, why else would the guild hold a twenty-something girl hostage in a basement for years? Unless, of course, Grace was just pulling my leg and the entire story about the diary and Luporath was made up to detract from something else.

I stood slowly, my thoughts racing. “Thank you, Grace,” I said softly. “I’ll be back.”

She didn’t respond, simply watching me with wary eyes as I turned and left the room. I slipped out into the dark hallway and shut the door behind me, letting out a slow breath.

When I emerged into the corridor, Nicholas was waiting for me in the same spot I had left him. He straightened as I approached, Noah pushing away from the wall behind him. “Well?” he asked.

I hesitated, unsure where or how to even begin. “She says… she says your mother committed suicide. That the guild led her to jump off a waterfall because she wouldn’t share the location of something called Luporath.”

Nicholas’s expression didn’t change, but I saw the subtle tightening of his jaw, the faint twitch in his temple.

Behind him, Noah’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line. “That’s just a story,” he said flatly.

“That’s what I thought too,” I admitted. “But Grace seems convinced it’s real. And apparently, Mia and Grace’s mother knew about it. Mia knew where to find it, but wouldn’t tell a soul. Now, thanks to Grace’s mother’s diary, Grace is the only one who knows anything about it.”

“Then we need that diary,” Nicholas blurted out. “It will help me learn more about my mother’s—”

“Grace burned it before the guild could get their hands on it,” I cut him off, holding up my hand to stop him. I tapped my temple with one finger and gave him a pointed look. “Now only Grace’s mind holds the answer you’re looking for. And she’s not keen on sharing.”

For a long moment, Nicholas said nothing. His gaze was distant, his expression unreadable. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking—or how he was processing any of this.

But when he finally spoke, I wasn’t expecting the words that came out of his mouth.

“If that’s the case, then we have to get Grace out of here.”