Chapter 125: Other Men

Damien stepped a little closer, his eyes searching hers for any sign of forgiveness or connection. “Sofia,” he began softly, “do you want us to leave? Just tell us what you need.”

​While his lips spoke of giving her space, his mind was a chaotic storm that Sofia felt right in the center of her chest. “Please don’t say yes,” his mental voice pleaded, sounding desperate and raw. “I just found you. I want to stay here, to hold you, to make sure you’re okay. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

​Sofia couldn’t answer. The weight of his unspoken need was pressing against her ribcage, making it hard to breathe. She looked away, her gaze landing on Alaric.

​The older Alpha cleared his throat, his expression unreadable as always, but his voice was grounded. “You must be hungry, Sofia. It’s been hours. Should I order some food from the city?”

​But in the silence of his mind, Sofia heard a completely different man. “Or I could cook for you,” Alaric thought, a flicker of nervous energy crossing his mental path. “I haven’t cooked for anyone in years. Damn it, would she even like my food? Would it be enough to make her stay?”

​The contrast was staggering. These two powerful, terrifying Alphas were both standing there, stripped of their pride, silently begging for her approval. Sofia felt the shame of the night begin to tangle with a new, strange sense of power. They were her protectors, her lovers, and now, they were open books to her.

​The voices—the real ones and the mental ones—were becoming too much. She needed to process the fact that she had just shared her body with an uncle and his nephew, and now she was sharing their souls.

​”Just… just step out for a minute,” Sofia finally whispered, her voice gaining a tiny bit of strength. She clutched the blanket tighter to her chest. “I need a minute alone. Please.”

​Damien flinched as if she had slapped him. “She’s pushing us away,” he thought sharply, his heart sinking. “I knew it. She hates me for what happened.”

​Alaric’s jaw tightened. “She needs to breathe,” he told himself mentally, trying to force his own disappointment down. “Give her the space, Alaric. Don’t pressure her. Let her find her own way back to you.”

​”We’ll be right outside the door,” Alaric said aloud, his voice firm. “We aren’t going anywhere, Sofia. We’ll be in the living room if you need us.”

​Damien nodded slowly, casting one last lingering look at her before following Alaric out. As the bedroom door clicked shut, the silence in the room became suffocating; she could still feel the faint, humming vibration of their presence through the wall.

​She let out a long, shaky breath and sank back into the pillows, her thoughts going wild.

​”I believe you just received one of your abilities,” her wolf suddenly spoke.

​Sofia frowned. “Does that mean I will hear the thoughts of everyone?” she asked, already getting scared of the answer.

​”No…” her wolf responded. “Only the thoughts of men that are interested in you….”

​Sofia was more confused, but her wolf continued.

​”A lot of men will come after you, Sofia… especially now that you have shifted, and by reading their thoughts, you will be able to pick the right one among the others.”

​”More men?” Sofia whispered, her voice trembling as she pulled the silk blanket tighter. “Why? Why would more men come after me? I just want to be left alone.”

​”Because you are no longer just a girl hiding in the shadows,” her wolf purred, the sound vibrating deep in Sofia’s chest. “You are the White Wolf. To the world, you are a legend made flesh. To an Alpha, you are the ultimate prize—the key to a bloodline that could rule every territory.”

​Sofia felt a chill that had nothing to do with the air in the room. “So they want me for… for power?”

​”The wolf’s heart is a complex thing, darling,” the wolf responded, her tone turning serious. “More men are coming after you… some with good intentions, and some with hearts as black as the midnight sky. Some will come because they truly love the woman you are, while others will come only for the strength of your wolf and the abilities you carry. But with this gift of reading their thoughts, you won’t make the wrong decision. You will see the truth behind their smiles.”

​Sofia’s heart hammered against her ribs. She thought of Alaric and Damien standing just outside the door. She had already seen into their minds—seen the raw, terrifying love they both held for her. But she also saw the war they were already fighting with each other just to stand by her side.

​”You have to be ready, Sofia,” her wolf warned, her voice dropping to a low, solemn growl. “Because you are going to cause a great war. The moment the other Packs realize the White Wolf has shifted, they will move. They will try to tear you away from any man.”

​”A great war?” Sofia whispered, her voice trembling. “Because of me? I don’t want a war. I just wanted to be free.”

​”You are a White Wolf, Sofia,” her wolf responded. “You are the prize every Alpha has dreamed of for a thousand years. To them, you are not just a woman; you are ultimate power. They will come to claim you, to breed with you, to use your light to crush their enemies.”

​Sofia felt a chill run down her spine. The weight of her new reality was crashing down on her. She thought about Alaric and Damien, currently standing just a few feet away behind the bedroom door.

​”Is that why they fell in love with me?” Sofia asked bitterly. “Is that why they… why we did what we did? Because they want my power?”

​”Listen to their hearts, Sofia,” the wolf urged. “You have the gift now. You heard them. Their thoughts are not of power or greed. They are filled with a terrifying, soul-deep love for you. But they are only the first. Others will come with lies in their mouths and darkness in their minds. You will see through them all.”

​Sofia closed her eyes, trying to block out the images of faceless men coming for her. “What do I do now? How do I stop a war?”

​”You don’t stop it,” the wolf said firmly. “You lead it. But first, you must choose your man… You have to decide which man you want and who wants to be with you.”

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