CHAPTER 51 - TIES THAT BIND

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The sound of my heels echoed through the long, stone corridors of the castle. Various paintings and tapestries adorned the walls around me, showcasing legendary battles and shifter folklore. Normally, I would pause to admire them, always surprised to see Egon's face in so many of them.

Sometimes he was shown on horseback, while other times his Lycan form dominated the battle scene. Each painting captured a different battle, all marked by a new date. The one showing the fall of Amsellhein was one I could never bear to study closely. However, today, I paid no attention to any of them, my focus fixed solely on my purpose to find Egon.

I glanced down at the book clutched tightly in my hands, my fingers brushing over the golden letters.

I had waited all day to show Egon this book, but he had been caught up in one meeting after another. What I wanted to show him was important, but not important enough to storm into his meeting unannounced.

Since my time with Runelda and the humans had ended sooner than expected, I had to find other ways to occupy myself for the remainder of the afternoon. Therefore, I decided to join Mallory in assisting her sister with the final preparations for tomorrow's Full Moon Ceremony.

Her sister, Brielle, had welcomed me with the same kindness I had grown accustomed to from Hamlin and Gyda's children. She had shown me her impressive ideas, which were far more elaborate than the festivities I had attended in Nebelwald. Brielle had spared no detail, determined to ensure the ceremony honoured the significance of hosting both an Alpha and a Luna for the first time.

Even though I had enjoyed my time with Mallory and Brielle, my mind couldn't help but wander back to Egon and the discoveries I had made in the book. I could feel my impatience rising, and as soon as I was sure Egon's meeting was almost over, I quickly excused myself and headed for him.

As I turned the corner, the thick wooden doors of the meeting hall creaked open with perfect timing. A group of shifters began to spill out, their soft murmurs filling the hallway as they passed by. As soon as they noticed me, they dipped their heads in a sign of respect, and I returned their gestures with polite smiles. Among them were familiar faces, such as Hamlin with his children, Khai and Lucelia, as well as Maliah and Devi, who both flashed me wide smiles when they noticed me.

But all of them faded into the background when Egon stepped into view. My heart quickened, my body instinctively reacting to his presence. His eyes met mine, and a smile broke across his face, warm and familiar. Before I realised it, I was moving towards him, a matching smile spreading across my lips.

"Were you waiting long?" he asked, his voice low and warm as his strong arms enveloped me. "You could have come in and—"

"No," I interrupted, pulling back slightly to meet his gaze. "I just got here. But I wanted to show you something."

His brow furrowed in curiosity, but I hesitated, glancing around at the lingering shifters. Most were engaged in quiet conversations, but their presence made me uneasy. What if my insight about the book turned out to be foolish? I didn't like the thought of embarrassing myself in front of them.

Egon seemed to pick up on my unease. His expression turned serious as he addressed the group of shifters. "Take a short break," he ordered. "I'll call you back when we're ready to continue."

The group obeyed without question, nodding in acknowledgement before leaving. Once the corridor was empty, Egon turned his full attention back to me. "What did you want to show me?"

I raised the book in my hands, and his eyes immediately locked onto it with curiosity. "The book you were looking for this morning?" he asked. "What's so important about it?"

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