Kael’s POV.
Zephyr’s expression changed quickly, and he smiled. “Nothing, Kael. Just worried about the situation.”
I nodded, but the seed of doubt had been planted. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Zephyr was hiding something. Did he send me the letter or does he have something to do with the contents of the letter?
“I’ll be back soon,” I said to Akira, trying to reassure her. “You’re safe here.”
She nodded with fear written all over her. I knew she didn’t understand what was happening, but she trusted me. And I would make sure she was safe.
As I left the room, I couldn’t help but wonder if Zephyr was involved in the incident against Akira. No, I pushed the thought aside. Zephyr was my friend, my ally. I trusted him with my life.
But the letter’s words echoed in my mind: “Your biggest threat lies not with your enemies, but with your closest friend. Trust no one.”
I would have to be careful, for Akira’s sake. I couldn’t let anyone hurt her, not even Zephyr.
I walked into the Council chamber, my presence commanding attention. The room fell silent as I approached the table where the Council members sat, their eyes fixed on me with a mix of fear, some even bowed their heads in fear.
“Where is Akira?” one of them asked, their voice trembling slightly. They knew better than to confront me directly, but they had to try.
“She is safe,” I replied, my tone cold enough to send chills down their spines. “And anyone who wishes to speak with her will first have to go through me.”
The Council members exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale. They knew I was not a man to be tried with. I had protected my pack with my life, and now I would do the same for Akira.
“We demand to see her,” another Council member said, trying to sound braver than he looked. But I could see the fear in his eyes.
I raised an eyebrow. “You dare to demand? You, who have accused my mate without any tangible evidence? Who has tried to throw her in the dungeon without even giving her a chance to defend herself?”
The room fell silent again, the Council members silent under my gaze. They knew they had overstepped their boundaries.
“I don’t think you understand the situation,” I continued, my voice dripping with hate. “Akira is under my protection now and I will not let anyone harm her. Not while I still breathe.”
One of the Council members, a huge man with a thick beard, tried to stand up to me. “You can’t protect her forever, Kael,” he growled. “We will find a way to bring her to justice.”
I sneered. “I’m not protecting her forever,” I said. “I’m protecting her for as long as it takes to clear her name. And if you try to harm her, you will face my wrath.”
The Council members looked at each other nervously, knowing they were no match for me. I could see the fear in their eyes, and I knew I had won, at least for now.
For now, Akira was safe but I need to buy some time off.
“You have two options,” I said, my voice firm. “You can either drop the charges against Akira, or you can try to go through me to get to her. I warn you, the latter option will not end well for you. You all know that too well, don’t you?”
The Council members looked at each other, ‘I’m sure of what to do. They knew they couldn’t defeat me in a fight, but they also knew they couldn’t back down now.
“We will… consider your proposal,” one of them said finally.
I nodded, my jaw tightly clenched. “See that you do. For Akira’s sake, and yours.”
And with that, I turned and walked, leaving the Council members to think of their next move. But I knew I had made myself clear: Akira was under my protection, and anyone who tried to harm her would face my wrath.
“Alpha Kael wait… there is something you should see.” A young wolf called and I stopped.
“Show me,” I ordered.
I followed the Council members to where Kaida’s corpse was found, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. As we approached the back of Akira’s quarters, I saw Kaida’s lifeless body lying on the ground. My eyes scanned the scene, taking in every detail. Looking for clues, but even nature was against me.
But something was off. The air was filled with Akira’s scent. It was as if she had been here recently. My wolf growled, sensing a trap. This was not good.
I approached Kaida’s body, my eyes on her body. The wound was deep, the sight gory. But it was the weapon that caught my attention.
It was a dagger, not like any I had seen before. The blade was curved, with markings designed into the metal. It seemed familiar, yet I couldn’t place a finger on it.
I examined the dagger again, my mind racing. Where had I seen this before? The markings, the curve of the blade… it was all so familiar, yet I couldn’t quite place it.
And then, just as I was about to give up, I caught a whiff of something else in the air. A scent that made my heart skip a beat.
Zephyr’s scent.
I narrowed my eyes. What was Zephyr’s scent doing here? And why did the dagger seem so familiar? Is it Zephyr’s?
I looked up at the Council members, my hand instinctively balled into fists. “I think you’re hiding something from me,” I growled.
But before I could say anything else, a voice behind me spoke up.
“Kael, I think you’ll find that the truth is more complicated than you think.”
I turned to see Zephyr standing behind me, a guilty look on his face. And in his hand, he held a dagger similar to the one that had killed Kaida.
What was going on?