Chapter 10: The First Ribeiro's Sin
1296 Words
The stranger’s presence changed the entire sanctuary.
It was not because he was the strongest person in the room.
It was because everyone felt something they could not explain.
Recognition.
The ancient wolf inside Isadora became silent.
Not afraid.
Not confused.
Silent like someone seeing a ghost.
Caetano stared at the man standing before them.
His golden eyes narrowed.
“Who are you?”
The stranger smiled.
A slow, almost disappointed smile.
“You know who I am.”
Caetano shook his head.
“No.”
The man stepped forward.
“I am the reason your family exists.”
The words made everyone tense.
The first Ribeiro Alpha.
The beginning of the bloodline.
The man who created the connection between the Ribeiro wolves and the Eclipse Wolves.
Isadora looked at Caetano.
His face had lost all color.
“Impossible.”
The stranger laughed quietly.
“That word has been used too many times by people who do not want to accept the truth.”
Alvaro, still weakened from Isadora’s attack, looked at the newcomer with confusion.
“You were not supposed to return.”
The stranger turned toward him.
“And you were never supposed to touch Eclipse power.”
His voice carried a warning.
“You were always too impatient.”
Alvaro’s expression darkened.
“You created this system.”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“And you destroyed yourself trying to control it.”
Isadora watched the exchange carefully.
Something was wrong.
Everyone seemed to know pieces of the story.
Everyone except her.
She stepped forward.
“I’m tired of being the last person to understand what is happening.”
The stranger looked at her.
For a moment, his expression softened.
“You have your mother’s courage.”
The mention of her mother immediately caught her attention.
“You knew her?”
“I knew every Eclipse Wolf who carried that power.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
The man studied her.
“The truth is not always a gift.”
“I didn’t ask for a gift.”
Her voice hardened.
“I asked for the truth.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“Then you truly are her daughter.”
Caetano moved closer to Isadora.
“Do not trust him.”
The stranger looked at him.
“You sound exactly like your ancestors.”
Caetano’s expression changed.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you believe protection and control are the same thing.”
The words struck deeper than expected.
Because Isadora knew Caetano was trying to change.
But she also knew his entire life had been built around that belief.
Protect.
Control.
Sacrifice.
The stranger walked toward the center of the sanctuary.
The ancient symbols beneath his feet began glowing.
“My name is Augusto Ribeiro.”
The room became silent.
Even Caetano looked shocked hearing the name.
“The first Alpha.”
Augusto nodded.
“The first mistake.”
The answer surprised everyone.
He looked around the ruined sanctuary.
“When I created the Ribeiro bloodline, I believed I was saving the world.”
His eyes moved to Isadora.
“I believed power without control would destroy everything.”
The silver mark on Isadora’s skin reacted.
“So you created a way to control Eclipse Wolves.”
“Yes.”
The honesty was unsettling.
“You were afraid of us.”
Augusto looked at her.
“No.”
His expression became heavy.
“I was afraid of what we would become together.”
The answer confused her.
“What does that mean?”
Augusto looked at Caetano.
“Your ancestors and the Eclipse Wolves were never enemies.”
Caetano frowned.
“Then why were they hunted?”
“Because fear changed people.”
The ancient Alpha looked down.
“My mate was an Eclipse Wolf.”
Everyone froze.
Isadora felt her heartbeat change.
The first Ribeiro Alpha had loved an Eclipse Wolf.
Just like her and Caetano.
“I watched her lose pieces of herself every time she used her power.”
Augusto’s voice became quieter.
“She carried the darkness she removed from others.”
Isadora understood.
The same danger she faced.
“The more she saved people, the less she remembered herself.”
Augusto looked at her.
“That was the curse of the Eclipse.”
Silence filled the sanctuary.
Caetano stepped forward.
“So you created the bond to protect them.”
Augusto nodded.
“At first.”
The hesitation mattered.
“At first?”
The ancient Alpha looked away.
“Protection became control.”
Everyone understood.
The same mistake repeated through generations.
The same mistake Caetano almost made.
Augusto continued.
“When my mate realized what I had done, she hated me.”
His voice carried regret.
“She told me something I never forgot.”
He looked at Isadora.
‘A love that removes choice is not love.’
The words hit her.
Because they were the same lesson she had been forced to learn.
Caetano lowered his eyes.
He understood too.
Augusto looked at Isadora.
“Your mother discovered a way to break the cycle.”
“What way?”
“She placed the original Eclipse consciousness into a child.”
Everyone looked at Isadora.
“You.”
Isadora felt the weight of the truth.
“So I am not just carrying Eclipse power.”
“No.”
Augusto shook his head.
“You are carrying the memories of every Eclipse Wolf who came before you.”
The voice inside her stirred.
Not speaking.
Listening.
Alvaro suddenly laughed.
Everyone turned.
“You are all wasting time.”
His body began changing again.
The corruption around him returned.
“You think understanding your past will save you?”
Dark energy spread across the floor.
“The world does not care about your emotions.”
Augusto looked at him coldly.
“You still do not understand.”
“What?”
Augusto’s eyes narrowed.
“Eclipse power cannot be stolen.”
The darkness around Alvaro stopped.
“What?”
“You never controlled the power.”
Augusto looked at Isadora.
“You only awakened what was already inside her.”
Alvaro’s expression changed.
For the first time, fear appeared.
“No.”
Isadora felt it.
The connection.
The power responding.
Not to anger.
Not to fear.
To her.
She stepped forward.
The silver light around her grew.
Alvaro backed away.
“You cannot do this.”
Isadora looked at him.
“I’m not taking your power.”
She raised her hand.
“I’m taking away what was never yours.”
The corruption began leaving him.
Not violently.
Slowly.
Like darkness disappearing when the sun rises.
Alvaro screamed.
But beneath the scream was something else.
Relief.
When the corruption vanished, he collapsed.
Alive.
Broken.
Human.
Everyone watched in silence.
Because Isadora had defeated him without becoming him.
Augusto looked at her with pride.
“You finally understand.”
She turned.
“Understand what?”
“That the Eclipse was never a weapon.”
A pause.
“It was a choice.”
Before Isadora could respond, the entire sanctuary shook again.
But this time, the danger did not come from Alvaro.
A c***k appeared across the ancient walls.
Something outside was approaching.
Something powerful.
Caetano immediately sensed it.
His expression changed.
“What is it?”
He looked toward the entrance.
“I don’t know.”
The wolves outside began howling.
Not in attack.
In fear.
Then a voice echoed through the mountain.
A voice that did not belong to a wolf.
Or a human.
“The first Eclipse has awakened.”
Isadora froze.
Because the voice continued.
“Now the real war begins.”
And deep inside her mind, the ancient Eclipse voice whispered one final warning.
“He has found us.”
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