Chapter 68
POV: Kage Esmeray
He could hear the water from the river crashing against the rocks and finding its way towards the path that he might be heading into. It flowed so freely even though it didn’t know where it would be going and when it would end.
Kage always found the place comforting. Ever since he was found by Elder Zeparu, this place had been his comfort zone. It held the memory of him trying to find a perfect plan to eradicate the Dark Wood Pack. He would take revenge on the pack they eradicated. But now, he didn’t know what to do.
He clenched his fists and even the folder that he was holding was already crumpled.
His mind was totally haywire. It was like he was being thrown back when he was still a kid confused, mad, and unsure. He was in pain, way back then, and now he was more than that.
It was like all of his plans, his motivations, his will had been taken from him.
And now, he just didn’t know what to do.
And worst, he didn’t even know who he was.
He gritted his teeth as his vision became so blurry.
How could fate be too unfair to him?
How could this be true?
Or was it really true?
He swallowed hard as he closed his eyes and prayed that if this was a dream, he just wanted to wake up. But as he felt his tears and his heart clenched inside him it was a slap of reality.
This was his reality.
“Kage, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” A low and gentle voice from the man who had taken care of him suddenly interjected his thoughts.
He could hear panic and worry laced in his voice.
Kage turned around and finally faced him with the folder still in his hands.
Elder Zeparu’s face paled as he saw what he was holding, but he let out a deep sigh before looking at him with his gentle and understanding eyes. It was as if he had already been expecting it to happen.
“W-What is the meaning of t-this?” He instantly blurted out.
He didn’t need to ask it because the truth had already written inside it but he wanted to confirm. Or maybe, he wanted to hope that everything that was written were all fallacies.
“Kage…”
His voice was low and gruff but he knew there’s was something else, something like hopelessness and grief.
It just drenched the fire of hope that slightly blossomed inside his heart.
“W-Why? H-How?” Kage shakingly inquired.
He just couldn’t believe how the heck it happened.
“How can that w-woman be my m-mother?!” His voice turned to a higher pitch as he stared unbelievingly at him.
“How can that ruthless, heartless w-woman be my m-mother?!” His voice croaked as he hopelessly asked for answers to the unbelievable questions that were running through his head.
“K-Kage… Just hear me out.” Elder Zeparu was trying to calm him, but his thoughts were just too chaotic and untamable.
Kage weakly sat on the huge rock that he had been sitting on a while ago. His eyes were blurred with tears slowly escaping from his eyes, which he harshly wiped away.
He let out a deep breath before he clenched his jaw as he stared at the kind elder who was this unreadable expression on his face.
“Just tell me the truth. I think I deserved to know.” He seriously stated.
Elder Zeparu let out a deep breath as he was slightly massaging the bridge of his nose before he stared at him with equal seriousness in his face.
“Lamina had this delusion that the late King Reeve had fallen in love with her like she had fallen in love with him.” Elder Zeparu felt like he had been taken into the past as he stared at the dark sky.
“She and her father had this kind of obsession with doing experiments and inventions. When Lamina discovered that she wasn’t the one that the King loved, she manipulated him, and something happened between them.” Elder Zeparu was trying to make him understand.
He knew that he was, but his mind was just too clouded with too many questions that he just let the information go into his ears and patiently waited for it to process in his mind.
“But Lamina didn’t know that what she did wasn’t enough reason for the king to be manipulated. Because the late Queen Hadia was a sacred emissary destined to be King Reeves’s mate. After knowing that fact, you were born and left into the South Side. The King discovered it a bit late, and he tried to find you, but he thought that you had already died. He was so mad at Lamina. He didn’t want you mother, Kage but he said that you are his son, and he would just have to get you if Lamina wouldn’t want you.” The old kind Elder Zeparu said those words laced with deep sorrow and pain.
Kage couldn’t believe that he was now being associated with a heartless monster. The one that he had been wanting to revenge for was undeniably his mother. The fate must be joking!
But he could feel the pain that was slowly creeping into his entire system, and he wanted to take a break at least for the time being.
He weakly stood up as he coldly stared at the elder who had taken care of him since he was younger. He couldn’t find any words to say right now. Besides, he couldn’t feel any anger or betrayal towards him. He knew that it might be difficult for him to take care of the son of their enemy.
“Kage, I know that this situation is so hard for you to deal with, right now. But I am begging you.” He carefully stated.
Kage bitterly smiled at him.
“What decision would I make now, Elder Zeparu? I don’t even know who I am now.” He weakly replied as he walked away from him.
“W-Where are you going?” The old man’s voice croaked, and he firmly closed his eyes.
He wouldn’t deny the fact that it had shaken him, but he wanted to be alone for now and think. He wanted to make time for himself.
“Don’t worry, Elder Zeparu, I wouldn’t make any risky or treacherous decisions.” He seriously stated before walking away from the place.
Kage didn’t know where to go or what to do now. His mind was exhausted, and his physical strength was slowly deteriorating. He knew he wasn’t in the best condition to face anything right now. But then, when he moved his eyes towards where he was, he gritted his teeth when he found out that he was now standing in front of the eastern boundary.
He swallowed hard as he could taste the bitterness in his mouth. He didn’t know why his feet had taken him there, but he wouldn’t want anything to do with that cold-blooded monster. But unfortunately, his mind had something else. It desired something else something that he didn’t want nor to allow himself to.
Kage immediately turned around and was ready to go back to his cabin when he heard the twigs break. His senses heightened as he felt his wolf in an alert mode.
His jaw clenched the moment he saw the light ash blonde woman standing in the shadow of the huge tree. He didn’t even smell her scent making his blood boil.
He was about to walk away from the boundary when he heard her speak.
“What a pleasant surprise to see a brilliant salutary wolf from the Lunar Pack.” Lamina playfully commented.
Kage felt his anger fly into his head, and he instantly faced the ruthless monster who was now leaning against the huge tree. As usual, she was wearing a red sweetheart top and black skinny jeans. Her lips were still in deep red lipstick and her eyes were coldly staring at him.
“And what a surprise to see you too.” He sardonically retorted back.
Lamina just laughed at his mocking comeback.
“Oh, believe me, I am waiting for you, Kage Esmeray. I believe you are here for something. Perhaps, you can join me now?” She mockingly said making his eyes widen in shock.
“What are you saying?” He asked incredulously.
Lamina chuckled and slightly shook her head like a joke suddenly flashed in her mind.
“I believe you aren’t thinking that I left you just like that, right?” She mockingly told him.
“And what is the meaning of that?” His voice turned colder this time but his blood was boiling inside.
“Well, you are my blood, Kage. And I am your mo-”
“Stop calling yourself that. I wouldn’t allow you to because you aren’t. You are a cold and heartless woman. Just that. Nothing more.” He firmly stated before he turned his back on her.
He didn’t want to hear anything from her anymore. He couldn’t deny the excruciating pain that was lingering inside him now.
“And it isn’t as if you won’t be labeled as a traitor, once they discover your real identity.” Lamina smiled wickedly as she said those words before he could even take a step away from her.
Kage felt like his mind had just blown up with her words. Lamina smirked at his reaction.
“I’ll give you time for now. But my offer won’t be open forever. I am hoping for your cooperation, Kage. I need information once you come.” She ruthlessly continued as she turned her back on him.
“And I believe you are eyeing someone that can’t be yours, but I’ll see to it that she will be yours.” She softly said those words before finally losing them amidst the darkness of the place.
He was left dumbfounded as he stared at her back fading in his very eyes. He didn’t even have a chance to talk to her and ask her the questions that kept on stirring in his mind.
But he knew that deep within him even his inner wolf wanted something… desired something. And it was all in favor of the coldhearted ruthless woman.
***
POV: Queen Tamara Pierce
“Where is he?” She asked Elder Zeparu using her strained voice.
She had finally regained her strength to talk while Arlan was asking the omegas to prepare her food so she could eat.
Arlan stared at her with his worried face which made her worry, too.
“Y-You still need to rest, Your Grace.” He politely told her, but that only made her more concerned about the King’s whereabouts.
“Just tell me where the King is, Arlan.” She snapped.
Even though she was still weak and a bit disoriented her aura was immensely darkened that made Arlan shiver down his spine.
He swallowed hard as he looked away.
“I apologized for my rude behavior and actions, Your Grace, but I am told to do this once you are awakened, or you might be triggered again.” Arlan seriously stated before injecting something into her.
“N-No!” She ordered, but she was just too exhausted and weak to even fight with him.
She felt her eyes getting heavier, but her worries had never left her heart.
‘Hades…’
And even though her eyes were already closed, Tamara was calling the King’s name in her mind until she had finally been overtaken by darkness.