She had never been given the chance to truly know her mother, and just as cruelly, she had been denied the time to understand her father as well. The truth of her origins did not bring comfort; it weighed on her chest instead, and this even reminded her of the memory she could never forget.

And that is, she had witnessed her mother’s brutal death with her own eyes, had stood there powerless, unable to do anything but watch. The guilt gnawed at her relentlessly.

That woman, her mother, had gone to unimaginable lengths, had sacrificed everything to ensure Ashley would live long enough to one day return to her rightful family, only to give up her life in the end for that very purpose.

The thought made Ashley’s chest tighten, her vision threatening to blur with unshed tears. But she forced them back, biting the inside of her cheek until the sharp sting grounded her.

She couldn’t afford to break down. Not when her brothers were watching her so closely. If she let even a crack show, if they began to suspect that her amnesia was nothing more than an act, everything would unravel. And if that happened... how could she possibly explain herself?

For the first time, real fear took hold of her heart, so sharp and sudden that it broke across her skin in a cold sweat.

She couldn’t, and wouldn’t, drag her brothers into the nightmare she had barely escaped, a world ruled by supernatural beings and merciless predators. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

If Nathan, his pack, and especially Maddison ever discovered that she had a real family waiting for her, their cruelty wouldn’t stop at her. It would turn, swift and deliberate, toward the people she loved most. And that was something she could never allow.

Her brothers might have enough strength to stand their ground against ordinary enemies, even rival families, but against creatures like werewolves, they would be nothing. Less than nothing.

They are fragile, defenseless, and easily crushed as ants beneath an indifferent hand. The thought alone sent a violent chill through her, her breath catching as dread coiled tighter in her chest.

She had already lost her mother once, watched her be taken in the most brutal way imaginable. The mere possibility of losing her brothers the same way was enough to hollow her out from the inside, leaving only fear and a desperate resolve to protect them, no matter the cost.

But what could she really do?

She understood, with a clarity that hiding alone would never be enough to keep them safe. Having a family did not just give her something to cherish, but it also gave her a weakness, a vulnerable point that enemies could exploit without hesitation.

It was her Achilles’ heel, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

There were only two paths before her, and neither offered any ease. She could bury the truth deep enough that no one would ever uncover it, guarding it with absolute precision... or she could rise to a level of strength where Nathan and the Yorks would no longer dare to touch her, much less threaten those she loved.

Either way, she could no longer afford to remain as she was, because the moment they saw her as weak again, they would not hesitate to crush everything around her.

Yes... she had to become stronger.

Strong enough to stand above her enemies, strong enough that they would never dare reach for her or the people she loved again.

But how?

The question circled endlessly in Ashley’s mind, tightening like a noose as her thoughts spiraled inward. She grew so lost in it that she didn’t notice the shift in the room, didn’t see the concern beginning to surface on the others’ faces.

Apollo, however, saw it clearly: the way her brows drew together too tightly, the distant look clouding her eyes, and guilt struck him almost immediately.

He shouldn’t have told her everything so abruptly, not without preparing her first. He had assumed she could handle the truth, that understanding their past would help her accept them more easily, would reassure her that they had never abandoned her despite the years it took to find her.

He hadn’t wanted her to think they were indifferent, that their wealth and power meant they could have found her sooner if they truly cared. More than anything, he had feared being misunderstood... feared being resented by his own sister.

But in that fear, he had said too much, too quickly, and now, watching her unravel in silence, he could only blame himself.

A quiet sigh slipped from Apollo, heavy with restraint and unspoken regret. The sound cut through the tangle of Ashley’s thoughts, pulling her back to the present.

She lifted her gaze to him, and the moment she saw the worry etched across his face, the tension in her own expression eased. The tight furrow of her brows softened, as if his concern alone was enough to steady the storm inside her.

Sensing their concern, Ashley offered a gentle smile, soft but steady. "Don’t worry about me," she said, her voice calm despite everything weighing on her. "I’m just trying to process everything I’ve learned today. But I’m not so fragile that I’d be scared of it... Maybe it’s in our blood. I’m just as strong, just as resilient, as the rest of you. So really, don’t worry."

The reassurance wasn’t empty. In saying it, she was already taking a step toward them, toward accepting them as her family, and the truth they had laid before her.

After all, what reason would they have to deceive her now? Unless her life were some absurd tale, like a lost princess meant to be used against her powerful parents, but that kind of story belonged in fiction, not reality.

From Apollo’s explanation, she had already begun piecing things together that their family must have once been a fallen noble house, or a powerful aristocratic family with a rich history brought low, the kind others would scheme against for power and wealth. That alone explained the shadows surrounding them.

And yet, even with that possibility, it made little sense for them to lie to her, a girl who, until now, had nothing to offer.

Unless she herself was part of some elaborate plan for revenge... but if that were true, they would be no different from the very enemies they spoke of.

No, at least for now, she chose to believe them. She would accept their story as it was given. The rest... she would come to understand in time, with her own eyes, before she allowed herself to trust it completely.

She had already been betrayed once by the very people she used to call family; that alone was lesson enough carved deep into her bones. If she allowed herself to fall for the same reason a second time, then the fault would no longer lie with them, but with her.

Once bitten, the shame was theirs; twice, it would be hers for failing to learn, for choosing blindness over caution.

No... she refused to be that naive again. Not when she knew exactly how much it could cost her.