CALIFF
“He’s not what we think he is.” Sebastien came before me, shielding me from Kain.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” My pulse raced, and my wolf went into feral mode. Alessandro and the rest of his men had guns pointing at him.
“He’s not a werecat.”
“I’m confused. I know he’s hiding something.” Calder blinked. “But he wasn’t lying.”
“Then what is he?” I stepped aside so that I could look at Kain, who already had his hands raised. Now, he showed how terrified he was, but Sebastien wouldn’t let me interrogate him. He blocked me to protect me from whatever species Kain was. “If he’s not a werecat, then what kind of being he is.”
“Put your gun down slowly, or I swear to the goddess, I will rip your throat out in front of your nephew.” Alessandro snarled. “I’m still healing from what you did, and my wolf still feels you’re a threat.”
Kain put his gun down slowly and slid it to us. I picked it up as he went on his knees.
“He’s a shapeshifter,” Zarah said confidently. “Don’t lie. It’s useless. Your eyes flared in the footage.”
“Yes. I am.”
“Then where is my uncle?” Calder rushed in his direction, his body rigid as he collared Kain.
“Calder, stay away! We don’t know what he’s capable of.” My brother was also a pain in the ass and stubborn as I was- he didn’t let Kain go.
“He’s vulnerable in human form even if he can shift to any kind he wants,” said Zarah, which was a relief.
“How do you know he’s not one of us right now?”
“He sheds skin.”
“Explain, Kain!” Calder let him go but stood before him.
“What I said was all true. Kain was dying. Some werewolves attacked him and his pack. I saved him, but his body was weak, and he couldn’t heal fast.”
“So you took his body?”
I looked up at Sebastien. “Yes, Alpha King.”
“How do you know everything about me?” Calder asked.
“He let me access his memory before he died. Hence, I know what he knew.” He looked at Calder. “Before he died, he told me about you and wanted me to make things right with you.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“You’re still alive, aren’t you? That night before he died, I was overwhelmed by his emotions, which stuck with me. I’m so sorry. I wish I could save him, and he was my greatest failure. Deep in your heart, you know I’m still the uncle you grew up with.”
“You don’t know what I feel.” Calder breathed raggedly and walked away.
“Does Obsidian know what you are?” I asked.
“Yes. That’s why I’m an asset.”
“Calder,” I called my brother, but he kept walking away. “Calder, please?”
He stopped once he was outside and faced me. He looked distraught.
“I’m so sorry. I know it’s hard, but-”
“It’s fine, and what’s worse is he’s right. I don’t know, Cal.” He shrugged. “It’s either my gift or because he has my uncle’s body, memories, and those eyes. I feel like I can trust him. And it hurts that he’s not lying.”
“You don’t have to see him again.”
“You’re not listening, Cal.” He blinked off the tears as he gazed into my eyes. “Despite the fact he’s not my uncle, I still want to give him a chance. I still want to talk to him over his favorite stupid tea, and he could make a mean dish from scratch.” He chuckled sadly, shaking his head. “I remember everything. It’s still fresh in my head.”
I pulled my brother into a hug. “It’s okay, brother. I understand. Maybe he came to us for a reason. Your uncle wanted you to have his favorite stupid tea with you.”
Calder nodded, eyes filled with sadness even if he was smiling. “You should go and finalize the plan.”
“Okay.” I patted his shoulder before I left.
“What weapons do they have?” I cornered Kain. He was already standing at the corner. “Aside from silver.”
“Rifles are not enough?” He chuckled, but I wasn’t impressed.
“Sort of magic?”
“As far as I know, nada. The witch is gone. I don’t think he has more surprises up his sleeve.”
“Is everything okay?” Shadow came to us. She didn’t trust Kain. Thankfully, the revelation was over. She couldn’t know until our plan was in motion.
“Yes.” I looked at Kain. “I want you to go back. Tell them you were ambushed and left dead. Tell him a compelling story.”
“That’s not a good idea. Aciano will kill him, Califf. I still don’t trust him, but he’s Calder’s uncle. I don’t want them to torture him, and how does he explain his clothes?”
“It’s actually a good idea, Shadow.”
“What made you say that?” I asked Calder when he came back.
“Tell him the truth, Kain, that you told us everything we wanted to know. That you got caught and made us believe that you betrayed him.”
“Why would I tell them that?” Kain turned to Calder.
“You say a single lie or hesitate, he will know, and you’re dead. This time, real dead,” Calder said through gritted teeth.
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
Shadow paced in the living room. “I don’t like this. This is a terrible idea.”
“What’s going on?”
Great. Sebastien came back.
“Father, convince them to stop this nonsense.”
“Walk me through it, daughter.”
“Kain will go back and tell Aciano everything, including betraying him to gain our trust and find out our plan, but, father, he will get tortured or killed. That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard today. We can still come up with a good plan.”
“Kain can take care of himself. What do you say, Calder?”
“I actually agreed with Califf. It will be successful if he goes with the plan. No improvisation.”
“I’ll go to my old apartment to change. If they are there, I told them you lent me these clothes, but I escaped and knocked down Alessandro.” He looked at Shadow. “Don’t worry, they don’t have a truth-teller, and if they have a new witch, there will only be two options- I die, or I will survive.”
“Well, I wish it would be the latter. Otherwise, you just lost the chance of finding your kind,” Calder said sarcastically.
“So, after that?” Shadow stared at all of us. When she got nothing in response, she stared in horror. “That’s all?”