Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 116

**The Day He Forgot He Hated Me by Evangeline Marrow**
**CHAPTER 116**

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

The impact of those words struck me like a physical blow, leaving me momentarily paralyzed. I found myself grasping Asher’s hand tightly, almost instinctively, as if his presence could shield me from the storm brewing in the room. The air grew thick with tension, and an eerie silence enveloped us, amplifying the sound of my own heartbeat thundering in my ears. Every eye in the packhouse was fixed on us, their collective gaze a weight I could hardly bear.

In the center of the room stood Lupa, her coat soaked from the rain that had followed her inside. She looked ghostly pale, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. Those striking blue eyes of hers were locked onto mine, as if she were staring at a specter from her past.

I frowned, trying to steady my voice, which trembled slightly. “Excuse me?”

Taking a hesitant step forward, Lupa repeated herself, her voice softer this time, almost breaking under the weight of her emotions. “You’re supposed to be dead. I-I buried you in my heart years ago.”

Confusion clouded my thoughts as I turned to Dennis, seeking clarity. “What is she talking about?”

Clearing his throat, Dennis stepped forward, his expression serious. “Trinity, this is Lupa. She’s from the Eclipse pack.”

“I know that name,” Asher muttered beside me, his body tense and poised for action, ready to defend if the situation escalated.

Lupa blinked rapidly, tears welling in her eyes. “You look just as beautiful as I thought you would,” she whispered, her voice wavering. “Sabine. But no—” Her voice faltered, breaking like glass. “No, it can’t be. Sabine told me you were killed by a rogue.”

The revelation hit me like a punch to the gut, and I felt the air rush out of my lungs. “What?”

She took another trembling step closer, her body shaking with emotion. “She said you died. That you were attacked in the woods when you were little. I searched for weeks, months—there was no body, no scent, nothing. I thought…” Her voice cracked as she covered her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”

I stood frozen, my mind racing. “Wait. You’re Sabine’s sister?”

Her eyes widened in realization. “Yes.”

The room felt as though it had come to a standstill, the gravity of the moment settling heavily around us.

My knees felt weak beneath me. “Your sister?”

“Yes.” Lupa nodded, tears cascading down her face. “My younger sister. She ran away from the Eclipse Pack after a fight about her mate, Henry. She said she wanted a new life, one far removed from our family’s name. She claimed the shadows followed us too closely, that our blood was cursed. I begged her not to go, but she did.”

Each word struck me like stones, heavy and unyielding. I stared at her, my throat tight with disbelief. “So all this time… she lied?”

Lupa’s shoulders trembled as she shook her head. “I didn’t know. I swear, I didn’t know. I thought you were gone. I mourned you, Trinity. I visited the forest where Sabine said it happened every year, leaving flowers for you. You were just a little girl.”

Asher’s hand tightened around mine, anchoring me amidst the whirlwind of emotions. My vision blurred as anger and confusion clashed within me. “She lied to you. She lied to everyone.”

“Yes,” Lupa whispered, her voice barely audible. “She must have taken you—kidnapped you. I don’t know why. Maybe she wanted to protect you. Maybe she wanted to start over. I don’t know what she told you.”

I swallowed hard, my voice emerging hoarse and raw. “She never told me anything. She made me believe that she was my mother. Dennis and Asher found out that she wasn’t. That I was stolen when I was two.”

Lupa covered her face with her hands, shaking her head in disbelief. “No… oh goddess, no.”

I looked down, my stomach twisting in knots. “She raised me. She and Henry. They were my parents… or at least, I thought they were. They hurt me, they—” My voice cracked, and I stopped, biting my lip until I tasted the metallic tang of blood.

Lupa lowered her hands, tears streaking her cheeks. “If I had known… I would have come for you. I never would have stopped searching.”

Arlo, who had been a silent observer until now, finally spoke, his voice soft yet firm. “She’s telling the truth. I can feel it in her energy—grief, not deceit.”

Dennis nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. “She came here searching for her sister, not for a fight. She didn’t know.”

Taking a shaky step closer to Lupa, I asked, “So you’re my mother?”

Her eyes met mine, filled with a mix of sorrow and longing. “Yes. I’m your mother. You were my firstborn. Sabine took you from me.”

I felt paralyzed, my mind racing in a whirlwind of thoughts. My heart was pounding too fast, and my lungs felt constricted, as if the weight of the truth was suffocating me.

Asher wrapped his arm around my shoulders, offering his strength. “It’s okay, Trinny. You don’t have to—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice breaking under the strain. “I need to hear this.”

Lupa took a deep breath, her composure wavering. “You were only a baby. I left you with Sabine one night while I went to speak with our Alpha. When I returned… you were gone. She told me a rogue had entered the territory. That she tried to save you but was too late.”

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