CHAPTER 120 : THE TRUTH

Morane never stopped chanting, her voice rising as the darkness inside of them kept fighting back. 

"Ryker!" She shouted, stopping her chant for a second as she quickly gave him instructions. "Go to the hidden room! You know which one. Bring the injection and the liquid—fast."

Ryker nodded and darted out of the room without hesitation, while Morane resumed her chanting, holding her ground. "Volatris dorsae, somtris clanari."

Down the passage, Ryker went quickly, his jaw clenching as he located the hidden room. 

He knew everything about the curse— the twins had told him how they had almost choked Kira to death that day and with this knowledge, Ryker was on high alert, knowing exactly what he had to do.

Without hesitation, he pushed the door open and walked in. The door was not locked, and it was that way in case of situations like this where there would be no time for unlocking it.

The air inside was colder and carried the faint scents of herbs and chemicals. 

Ryker strode to where Bryan and Aiden kept the things he needed. It was not his first time inside the hidden room, so he knew where everything was.

Without wasting any more time, he grabbed the liquid and syringes, his hands working quickly. He didn't even glance at any other thing around him; his mind was fixed on getting back to Morane and the twins.

And as soon as he was done, he left the room, shutting the door. He could already hear the low growls of Bryan and Aiden as he ran to Morane, who stood firm with her hands still spread out wide by her side, her words tumbling out more quickly than before.

"I've got them," Ryker informed Morane, loud enough for her to hear. 

Morane's chanting grew louder, and with a flick of her wrist and a sharp motion of her fingers, she whispered some words and Bryan and Aiden's body went limp, collapsing onto the floor with a dull thud.

Morane let out a slow breath, lowering her hands as the room finally fell silent. But that silence didn't last for long, as she ordered, "Inject them now." 

Ryker nodded the moment she gave the go-ahead, walking to where the twins lay utterly still.

He knelt beside Bryan first, his hands moving as he did everything necessary, and then gave Bryan the shot. When he was done with Bryan, he moved to Aiden, repeating the same process.

"Will they be alright?" Elara asked worriedly, walking up to Morane. She had a tear-stained face and looked shocked because she had never seen her sons that way before. Orion too looked equally shocked and worried.

"They will be fine," Morane responded. "I simply put them to sleep. The last spell forced their bodies to shut down."

"That's good," Orion said as Elara let out a breath of relief.

"But…" Morane continued, "For now, they need to be contained until they wake up and are themselves again."

"Ryker, please," Morane turned her attention back to Ryker, who was now standing close to the unconscious Alpha twins. "You know what to do."

Ryker gave Morane a curt nod as he got ready to lift Bryan up. "Damn, even out cold, he is still heavier than a boulder," he muttered under his breath.

"Oh well," Orion chuckled as he bent down, lifting Aiden with a grunt. "Let's go, I'll help with Aiden."

Going through the passage and rounding every corner, they finally stopped in front of the door. Ryker reached out with one hand, opened it, and they both walked in. 

Ryker was the first to step inside, lowering Bryan onto the floor near the wall where the chains lay coiled. Orion followed, gently placing Aiden down beside his brother.

"I'll chain them up," Ryker informed Orion as he grabbed the first set of chains and wrapped them around Bryan's wrist. 

There was a faint hiss and Ryker noticed the silver was burning his hand a bit, but it didn't matter, he kept working, his face serious. Done with Bryan, he moved onto Aiden and did the same thing. 

The chains served a cruel purpose; to cause the twins enough pain if they tried to pull or resist. 

It was cruel, but was the only way that was meant to force Bryan and Aiden back into control through pain. It was also meant to protect them from themselves as well as harming others.

"When they wake up, how do they get out?" Orion asked, his arms folded as he looked at his twins with worried eyes.

"They usually keep the key to the chains close to them," Ryker answered. "But I don't know if we should do that today. When they do that, they are always fighting to be in control, but today they had no control."

"Hmm," Orion frowned in thought. "Maybe it is best we take the key with us this time. We will come back from time to time to check on them and see if they are awake. If they are themselves again, we will then unlock the chains."

"You are right," Ryker agreed, giving his best friends one last look before standing up.

As he and Orion approached the door, Ryker paused, glancing over his shoulder. "I think we should lock the door too," he said, moving to a corner where an iron key rested on a shelf. "The door is never locked," he explained his reason to Orion as he picked the key up and turned back to the door, "but this is just in case they break out of the chains… we can't be too sure."

Orion nodded and as they stepped out, Ryker closed the door, slid the key in the lock and twisted it until it clicked.

"Will this door hold if it comes to that?" Orion asked, eyeing the door skeptically.

Running his hand over the door, Ryker answered. "It is a pretty strong door. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

Then, they left.

Meanwhile, Kira was not hearing any growls or noise anymore and not wanting to wait any longer, she opened the door and walked in, only to find everyone else standing there except her mates. 

"Where are they?" She asked, her gaze darting around the place in search of them.

"They are safe," Morane answered, "Unconscious."

"So they are fine now?" Kira asked rhetorically, "Take me to them."

"It would be best if you don't see them for now, Luna." Morane advised.

"I just want to see them myself, I want to see that my mates are fine," Kira pressed on, not wanting to hear any more bullshit. "So, please take me to them!"

Kira's last words were an order and everyone could already tell that she was getting very upset and so Elara walked to her wanting to hold her, but she moved away.

"Please Mom, I just… I can't right now," she said to Elara, trying very hard to remain polite. 

"I am not stupid, I see all of you," Kira spoke, as she looked at each and every one of them. "Yes, I could see the shock on your faces but no one was surprised, I don't know how to explain it, but I suggest someone tells me what the hell is going on."

"Kira…" Ryker tried to speak, but she raised her hands up, not wanting to hear anything.

"If it is not going to be the truth, I would rather not hear it," she said to him.

Morane, knowing that there was nothing more to hide, took it upon herself to tell Kira the truth. "I can only tell you what the problem is, but it will be best if your mates, when they are themselves, explain everything else to you."

"Mhm… So, tell me," Kira urged Morane on. "I want to know."

"Your mates… are cursed."