?Chapter 1061:


    Rowell, tied up securely in the midst of our group, wouldn’t stop his bitter muttering, his voice scraping like a dull de.


    His toxic words dragged up memories of the dread and shame I’d endured as his captive, and something inside me snapped.


    I marched over, grabbed a grimy scrap of cloth from the dirt, and stuffed it into his mouth.


    “Mmmph…” Rowell’s eyes bulged as he thrashed against his restraints, but all he could muster were stifled grunts.


    Seeing him reduced to this sorry sight dulled the edge of my fury.


    Amon sidled up next to me, a wicked smirk curling his lips. “This jerk’s usually the king’s golden boy—strutting around, sneering at us lowly troops. Seeing him squirm like this? It’s a treat. All the werewolf soldiers ought to get a look at him now.”


    As Amon spoke, my thoughts began to drift.


    “Amon,” I said, turning to him with a spark of curiosity, “has Rowell always been this powerful?”


    Amon blinked, then paused, his expression clouding as he mulled it over. After a beat, he shook his head slowly, a hint of weariness in his tone. “Rowell was always a capable fighter, a real menace on the battlefield, but he was never in the same league as the three princes.”


    “Oh?” My brow furrowed, puzzled.


    Amon continued, “Before, hegged behind them in both skill and tactics. But now? It’s hard to swallow, but he’s grown leaps and bounds in no time. Facing him this time, I could sense a raw, almost unnatural edge to his strength.”


    His words sent me spiraling into thought.


    I reyed the moment Rowell and I faced off, how he’d locked eyes on my blood and instantly pegged me as a white wolf. That kind of instinct hinted at a deep, unsettling knowledge of my n’s blood.


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    Then I recalled both Alden and Dayton mentioning that the white wolves locked away in the werewolf forest were being used in some twisted experiment.


    A dark suspicion started to coil in my mind. Could Rowell’s sudden boost in power be tied to whatever they were doing to my kin? If that were true, this web of treachery stretched far wider than I’d feared, and how many of my people had already paid the price?


    The deeper I sank into these thoughts, the more a creeping dread took hold. A shiver ran through me, sweat beading cold against my skin.


    Just then, a hand tapped my shoulder. I flinched, heart lurching, and whipped around to see yton standing there.


    Makenna’s POV:


    yton saw the look of surprise on my face and couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “Did I scare you?” he asked, his eyes brimming with amusement.


    My cheeks colored, and I awkwardly replied, “I was deep in thought, so I didn’t hear youing.”


    yton nodded, his expression understanding. “You’re nervous because we’re about to reach the prison?”


    I hesitated, then finally nodded. “I’ve never met those n members before. What if they don’t ept me? After all, I’ve been away for so long, and it’s not like I’ve done anything for them.”


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