Chapter 288

Chapter 288 Truth Behind the Walls
Third Person POV
Henry was on the brink of madness from Aubrey’s sudden shift.
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He could ignore her omega designation. He could ignore the fact that she had so many male wolves hovering close around her. But what he could not, would not, accept–was being cast aside without explanation.
Deep in his gut, he knew–if this wasn’t resolved, even if he conquered the Moon Goddess’s origin and shattered the cursed sibling bond, Aubrey would never agree to be his Luna.
That was unthinkable.
His eyes locked on her. Aubrey’s chest heaved, her lips reddened and swollen from the ferocity of his kiss. glistening as if they still trembled with the imprint of it.
“Aubrey, I want to know everything about you.”
Henry’s voice was cold, severe, but beneath the steel was unwavering resolve. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ
“I’m done with guesses. If you truly know me, then you know–what I hate most is what I cannot control. I need the truth. Yes-” his jaw tightened, “I should have demanded the truth long ago.”
If he had, none of this would have happened.
Aubrey shivered faintly, her voice dropping to a whisper. “…Is the truth really that important?”
“It’s everything,” Henry answered without hesitation. “If it concerns you, then everything is important.”
His grip tightened on her hand as he pulled her forward, through the endless rosemary fields toward the looming structure.
He wanted her to see. To stand inside the walls he had rebuilt with his own hands. To believe that what he had created for her was safety, not fear. He thought–no, he believed–that if she saw, she would. understand, and stop fighting him.
The fortress–like building loomed just as it had before. Henry had delegated the broader renovations, but every living detail inside–every room, every comfort–he had overseen personally. He was sure Aubrey would love it.
But the moment her foot touched the first step, Aubrey’s body went cold.
That cold was a trigger. It tore through her like a whisper of the past. Her body shuddered as memories erupted–sharp, vivid, merciless.
It was here. At these very steps, she had last been dragged inside, her nails clawing desperately at the fluted grooves of the Roman column at the door. She had resisted with everything she had, not because she believed she could win–but because she knew. The second she crossed that threshold, she would not come out again. And she hadn’t.
Her pace faltered.
Henry felt it, and tugged gently, urging her onward.
15:27 Thu, 18 Sept
Chapter 288 Truth Behind the Walls
But Aubrey tore her hand free. “I’ll walk myself.”
Henry’s eyes softened with conflict, but he nodded once. “Alright.”
He pushed open the great door. Heavy wood creaked, brass fittings gleaming faintly in the dusk light Aubrey inhaled deeply, fists clenching as tremors ran through her fingers. Then she looked inside.
And froze.
What greeted her eyes was not the icy, sterile hell of her memories.
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The interior was bright, elegant, even warm. Sleek lines and clean design dominated the space, painted in shades of gray, white, and natural wood. Subtle metal trims gleamed where the light caught them. Art pieces and tasteful details softened every edge.
It didn’t feel like a research institute at all. It felt like a private villa, luxurious but understated, the kind of place that invited both focus and ease.
Almost against her will, Aubrey stepped inside. Her eyes swept across the furnishings, the balance of space and light.
As a researcher, she couldn’t deny–it was perfect. A place where the mind could sharpen, where the body could rest, where even the hardest work could feel less like a burden.
For a moment, her thoughts stalled. This place was nothing like the nightmare in her memory.