Chapter 136 Closer to the truth.

Chapter 136: Chapter 136 Closer to the truth.

"Just tell me why you had to hide that information."

Killian ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"I thought we already told you how dangerous that book is. It’s highly demonic and can literally take your soul."

Noah watched him for a moment before slowly looking up.

"I left the book at the school."

The words made all four Alphas gasp.

"I didn’t bring it with me."

Damian’s eyes widened.

"That means it burned down with the school?"

Noah nodded.

"Yes."

Damian immediately released a breath of relief.

So did Eugene and Killian.

Even Marcus looked relieved.

Everyone seemed to share the same reaction.

Everyone except Lysander.

The demon simply let out a small chuckle.

Marcus noticed.

He frowned.

"So now that we’ve confirmed that Lysander killed Philip, what exactly are we going to do?"

He looked around, waiting for someone to react more seriously.

But the others didn’t seem nearly as shocked as he expected.

Eugene shrugged.

"The guy was a complete weirdo."

He leaned back.

"If he was willing to do something like that to Ashton, I don’t think he would’ve stopped there."

Eugene glanced toward Lysander.

"And although I don’t support Lysander’s violence, sometimes..."

He paused.

"For trying to touch Ashton, I think it was justified."

Lysander’s lips immediately curled into an irritating smile.

The other Alphas slowly nodded.

Lysander noticed.

"Stand on something if you have the guts."

Eugene raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You’re being an utter hypocrite."

Lysander’s smile remained.

"Because right now, it seems like you support violence whenever it’s related to Ashton."

He leaned forward.

"Yet aren’t you the same person who constantly drags me for choosing violence?"

Eugene’s expression hardened.

"That’s because you don’t know how to control yourself."

"And you apparently do?"

"At least I don’t murder everyone who annoys me."

"I killed one person."

"You literally attacked Lamia earlier!"

"Because he threatened me."

"You could have injured him without nearly destroying his bones!"

The two were already preparing to launch into another argument.

Noah’s eye twitched.

He had officially had enough.

"Enough."

Neither listened.

"Eugene, you—"

"Lysander, if you—"

Noah suddenly raised his hand.

Both men stopped.

He glared at them.

His soft eyes somehow made the gesture even more threatening.

"Hearing you all bicker is already sending me off."

They stared at him.

"What do you mean you two act more like drama queens than the original drama queen himself?"

Damian coughed to hide his laughter.

Marcus looked away.

Killian’s lips twitched.

Noah pointed between Lysander and Eugene.

"And please remember something."

His expression became completely serious.

"There can only be one queen in this house."

He placed a hand against his chest.

"And that’s me."

Everyone blinked.

Noah huffed.

"Meanwhile, I don’t like seeing my men arguing. I don’t care what the reason is."

The words immediately silenced everyone.

Eugene looked away.

Lysander smiled.

Killian tried not to laugh.

Marcus looked suspiciously pleased.

Damian simply stared at Noah.

His men.

That one word had somehow affected all of them differently.

Noah sighed.

"Can we please continue before someone kills somebody again?"

Lysander settled back down.

"Fine."

Noah looked at him.

But there was still something bothering him.

He hadn’t fully processed the revelation about Philip.

He had been too focused on the others.

Now he turned toward Lysander.

"Lysander."

The demon looked at him.

"If we become mates..."

Noah hesitated.

"Is this how you’re going to deal with everyone who becomes a threat to me?"

Lysander’s expression changed.

Noah continued.

"Are you just going to kill people?"

He frowned.

"Isn’t that too much?"

Lysander immediately stood.

He walked toward Noah.

The other Alphas stood at the same time.

Noah looked at them.

"Can’t he just come closer?"

They hesitated.

"You guys should stop making this weird."

Slowly, the Alphas sat back down.

Lysander reached Noah and gently cupped his cheeks.

He brought Noah’s chin closer to his face.

Their eyes met.

Noah had expected the demon’s red eyes to look frightening up close.

Instead...

They were enchanting.

The fiery red irises seemed almost alive beneath the moonlight.

For a moment, Noah forgot what he had been about to say.

Lysander smiled.

"Nothing is ever too much for my darling."

His thumb brushed gently against Noah’s cheek.

"It’s the bare minimum."

His gaze darkened.

"And if these Alphas think they can do more than I can..."

He smiled.

"Prepare to see me quadruple it."

Noah’s cheeks immediately flushed.

"You..."

Lysander leaned forward and placed a soft kiss against the tip of Noah’s lips.

Then he pulled away.

Unfortunately for him, his hand had lingered a little too long at Noah’s waist.

Noah immediately noticed.

"Lysander."

The demon grinned.

Before he could continue teasing him, the other Alphas made their presence known.

"We’re continuing the game," Killian said.

Lysander sighed.

"You people have no sense of romance."

"You’ve had enough."

Killian pointed toward his seat.

"Sit down."

Lysander rolled his eyes but returned.

Everyone settled again.

The moonlight had grown brighter.

The garden seemed almost unreal beneath its glow.

This wasn’t just dinner anymore.

It was becoming something far more dangerous.

A game where every question could uncover a secret capable of changing everything.

Eugene suddenly looked at Noah.

"Ashton..."

Noah turned toward him.

"I want to know something."

Killian immediately frowned.

"Eugene."

Eugene ignored him.

"Between the five of us..."

His gaze moved around the group.

"I know you like someone more than the others."

Noah’s eyes widened.

"So who is it?"

The atmosphere immediately changed.

Marcus stared at Eugene.

Damian’s fingers tightened around his clothes.

Killian looked annoyed.

Lysander seemed amused.

"Why would you ask that?"

Killian reprimanded him.

"Don’t you know that’s only going to create confusion?"

Eugene scoffed.

"This is the whole point of the game."

He looked directly at Noah.

"We’re supposed to know where we stand."

Killian opened his mouth.

Eugene continued.

"Do you honestly think you’re safe just because Lysander is here?"

That silenced him.

"He can take Ashton away whenever he wants."

Eugene’s voice became serious.

"And there’s nothing we can do to stop him."

He glanced at Lysander.

"He’s more powerful than all of us."

Killian’s expression darkened.

"So we’re basically living with him because he’s allowing us to."

Lysander smiled.

"Now you’re understanding."

Nobody appreciated the comment.

Eugene continued.

"That’s why I want to know where we stand with Ashton."

Killian couldn’t argue anymore.

Because Eugene was right.

Lysander was the son of the Devil himself.

An immortal prince of Hell.

A being that had existed for far longer than any of them.

And they were supposed to compete with him for Noah?

It was insane.

Noah suddenly felt trapped.

This wasn’t going the way he had expected.

The next question would probably be directed at him.

And there was one secret he wasn’t ready to reveal.

He didn’t want to tell them yet.

Not this.

Not now.

His hands became cold.

"Eugene..."

His voice was quiet.

"You aren’t going to ask again."

Lysander’s voice suddenly cut through the tension.

"Your turn is over."

Eugene looked at him.

Lysander gestured toward Noah.

"Let someone else ask."

Everyone became quiet.

Noah exhaled slowly.

He was grateful.

But before he could relax, Killian spoke.

"Fine."

He looked directly at Noah.

Then at Lysander.

His expression was serious.

"Who is Noah Evernight?"

Noah froze.

The question hit him like a physical blow.

Killian didn’t look away.

"And who is Ashton Lane?"

The entire world seemed to stop.

Noah’s face turned deathly pale.

His fingers went numb.

For a moment, he couldn’t even breathe.

Nobody laughed.

Nobody moved.

Even Lysander’s expression became unreadable.

Killian continued.

"Who are the two of them?"

Noah’s heart pounded violently inside his chest.

"And which one is here with us?"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Noah stared at Killian.

His mind went completely blank.

This was it.

The question he had been terrified of.

The truth he had been running from since the moment he opened his eyes in this world.

Who was Noah Evernight?

Who was Ashton Lane?

And which one were they actually standing beside?

Noah’s lips parted, but no words came out.

How could he explain it?

How could he tell them that the person they had known as Ashton wasn’t exactly the person standing in front of them?

How could he tell them that the original Ashton—the one they had hurt, the one they had hated, the one whose life had been destroyed before Noah ever arrived—wasn’t simply sleeping somewhere inside him?

He didn’t even fully understand what had happened.

He only knew that Ashton was there.

He had heard his voice.

He had felt his presence.

He had seen fragments of his memories.

But Noah was still Noah.

Or at least...

He thought he was.

His chest tightened.

What would happen if they discovered the truth?

Would they hate him?

Would they look at him differently?

Would they regret everything they had said to him?

Or worse...

Would they decide they wanted Ashton instead?

The thought terrified him.

Because the Alphas had fallen in love with the person they believed was Ashton Lane.

What if they learned that he wasn’t really him?

What if everything they felt suddenly became meaningless?

Noah’s eyes moved from Killian to Eugene.

Then Damian.

Marcus.

Finally, Lysander.

Five men.

Five people who had slowly become important to him.

Five people he wasn’t ready to lose.

He couldn’t tell them.

Not yet.

His throat tightened.

"I..."

The word barely escaped his lips.

Killian watched him closely.

Noah could feel everyone’s eyes on him.

The sword beside him suddenly felt heavier.

And somewhere deep inside his mind, he could almost feel that familiar warmth again.

The same presence that had spoken to him in the garden.

Ashton.

Noah’s heart pounded harder.

Was Ashton listening?

Was he going to help him?

Or had Noah finally reached the moment where the truth could no longer be hidden?

He lowered his eyes.

He was afraid of losing the people he had finally begun to call his own.

Because if they discovered the truth...

There was no guarantee they would still want him.

And Noah wasn’t sure he could survive hearing them say that they wanted Ashton instead.