Chapter 625: The Kindness She Was Never Meant to Understand

Chapter 624: The Kindness She Was Never Meant to Understand

Sophia stared at Alaric, her brows pulling together slightly, confusion settling deep in her chest.

Her mother had said it was her fault.

And the more she thought about it... the more it made sense.

If she had not shown the boy the plant, then he wouldn’t have taken it back to his pack.

If she had not shown herself to him, asked him to be her friend, then he wouldn’t have come back, then none of this would have happened.

Her fingers tightened against her dress.

Yes.

It was her fault.

It had to be.

Alaric watched her carefully, and then he sighed softly.

"I have an inkling what you’re thinking," he said.

Sophia didn’t look at him.

"You’re trying to blame everything on yourself," he continued. "You think if you hadn’t done this or that, then none of this would have happened."

Her lips pressed together.

"That it’s all your fault."

There was a beat of silence as the words settled between them, and then he spoke again.

"I’m sure Orion would think the same," Alaric added.

Sophia’s head snapped up slightly at that.

"But like I said," he continued, his voice steady despite everything, "it’s not your fault."

Her throat tightened.

"And it’s not his either."

Sophia shook her head immediately.

"No," she said quickly. "If I didn’t—"

"Sophia," he said, interrupting her.

Alaric’s gaze held hers.

"This was going to happen," he said. "With or without you."

The words settled heavily between them.

Sophia didn’t respond.

Alaric exhaled slowly.

"I’m certain my wife would have loved you," he said after a moment, his voice softer now.

Sophia blinked.

"And I..." he paused briefly, a faint smile touching his lips, "I would have liked to spend more time with you."

Her chest tightened.

"But," he added quietly, "I know I cannot."

"No."

Sophia shook her head, stepping closer again, her small hands reaching for the chains once more.

"I’ll get you out," she said, more firmly this time, like saying it enough would make it true. "I just need to—"

"Sophia."

She froze.

"There is no getting me out of here," Alaric said gently.

Her hands trembled against the chains.

"No..." she whispered. "...I’ll find a way, I watched Darius... there must be something. There has to be something I can do to help you."

He watched her for a moment.

Then his expression softened further.

"You have a good heart," he said.

Sophia stilled.

"And that..." he continued, "is both a strength and a weakness."

Her gaze lifted slowly to his.

"You shouldn’t lose that," he added. "No matter what happens."

Sophia didn’t understand.

"Because that goodness," he said, his voice quieter now, "is one of the things that will draw people to you."

Her brows furrowed slightly.

"It will make people love you," he said simply. "For who you are."

Sophia shook her head faintly.

"That’s not..." she started, but Alaric smiled at her, making the words get lost before she could say them.

"The same way my son already does."

She froze.

"And the same way I do," he added.

Her breath caught.

"And if my wife were here, like I said before," he continued softly, "she would too."

There was something in the way he said it.

Something warm.

Something that didn’t belong in this place.

Something that felt... wrong.

Sophia stared at him, confused.

"I didn’t do anything," she said slowly.

Her voice was small.

"I didn’t help you," she continued. "I didn’t get you out, and I... I couldn’t even open the chains, and I..."

Her fingers curled into her dress again.

"So why..." her voice wavered slightly. "Why do you love me?"

Alaric’s gaze didn’t change.

"Because love doesn’t have to be conditional," he said.

Sophia blinked.

The words didn’t make sense.

"I love you," he continued, "because I can see your heart."

She stared at him.

"And your heart is good."

Her lips parted slightly.

"And because you’re deserving of love," he finished simply.

Sophia’s mind went quiet.

That didn’t make sense.

It didn’t fit.

Love didn’t work like that.

It couldn’t.

You had to do something.

You had to earn it.

You had to prove something.

You had to be something.

There had to be a reason.

A condition, a connection. Perhaps one of blood, just like her mother and her. Love didn’t happen just because someone was good. It could not.

This wasn’t what she knew as love. This wasn’t what her mother had told her.

"How is that enough?" she asked softly.

Her voice was almost afraid.

Alaric didn’t answer immediately.

He just watched her. He didn’t get the chance to reply, though.

The air shifted.

Sophia felt it instantly.

The tiny hairs on her arms rose.

Her body went still.

Alaric’s expression changed at the same time.

"Sophia," he said, his voice dropping slightly.

Her heart began to race.

"Hide."

She moved immediately, her small body turning quickly, her eyes darting around the chamber.

But there was nowhere to hide. No shadows deep enough, no corners hidden enough, no space that could swallow her whole.

Her breathing picked up.

She turned back, thinking it would be better to get out and then come back later, but she was too late.

Footsteps echoed. They were slow.

Within seconds, her mother walked in with a smile on her face.

Sophia froze.

Her mother’s gaze moved between them, taking everything in.

"...Well," she said lightly.

Silence filled the chamber.

Then her gaze settled fully on Alaric.

"Even now," she continued, her tone almost amused, "you still have the audacity to fill my daughter’s head with lies." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Alaric didn’t look away.

"What lies?" he asked calmly.

Sophia’s chest tightened.

"That she has a good heart?" he continued.

Her mother’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.

"That she is nothing like you?" he added.

Sophia could see a vein throb at her mother’s temple, and she wished Alaric would stop, because the more he provoked her mother, the more she would likely punish him, and harshly too.

"That she is beautiful," Alaric went on, his voice steady despite everything going on in Sophia’s head, "inside and out."

Sophia’s breath hitched.

"And that people will flock to her, because of the beauty she holds, both physically and emotionally? Men and women alike," he finished.

Her mother’s expression changed. The smile on her lips twisted as disgust clouded her features.

"You..." she exhaled softly.

Her gaze sharpened.

"I was going to have fun with you," she said.

"But I don’t think I can do that any longer."

Her eyes darkened.

"You don’t deserve that much."