Kael
I heard my father calling me. It was the telepathic connection shared among werewolves, and he demanded that I come to him immediately. His grave tone made me realize the seriousness of the situation, so I teleported to his side without delay.
We were in the same woods, near the sprawling manor. My father and his men were seated in the grand hall, drinking. As I entered, their eyes turned to me. At the center sat my father-Alaric Emberwood. His gaze was as sharp and scrutinizing as ever.
Like me, my father had deep brown eyes, but his were colder, more commanding, the kind of look that came with authority. His face was weathered with age, framed by a thick beard. He had always been harsh with me, especially after my mother’s death. He had high expectations, raising me with strict standards.
“If you don’t meet my expectations,” he often said, “you’ll never be a worthy heir, and the pack will never trust you.”
When I came of age, he sent me to Storm Town to prove myself and secure the territory. It was a contested area, and my father valued it highly. At first, I resisted, but over time, I adapted.
As soon as he saw me, he spoke. “Kael, explain yourself. Why are you with a human?”
I knew he had seen the news. It did not surprise me at all. After all, our lives were no different from most humans now.
“I’m not,” I denied, fearing he might go after Seraphina.
“Don’t lie, Kael. Vivienne has told me everything,” Alaric said.
Damn it. I hadn’t expected Vivienne to betray me like this. She was Frederick’s daughter, someone I’d grown up with. My father had once hoped I’d marry her. When I came to this town, he sent her along, claiming it was for companionship, but really, it was to keep an eye on me-or to push me closer to her.
But if I had feelings for Vivienne, they would have surfaced long ago. You can’t force love.
“You should consider an arranged marriage or choose a worthy werewolf partner, not a human,” Alaric said.
“No, Father. I don’t agree. Who says a werewolf and a human can’t be together?”
“Others can. You cannot. You’re my heir, Kael. You have responsibilities.”
My father was furious now. He slammed his glass onto the floor.
“I won’t allow you to be with a human! If you must be with someone, choose someone of equal standing, someone who can help you gain trust in human society, not some useless human!”
“But she’s not ordinary, And I can smell that!” I argued, thinking of Marek’s words. He felt the same way. The monsters drawn to Seraphina were proof enough.
I turned to Frederick. “You know how unsettled the town has been lately.”
“Yes,” Frederick replied. “There have been many strays and monsters around. We’ve dealt with most, but some slipped through. Kael handled them.”
“Then investigate the girl’s background,” Alaric ordered.
“I’ll do it,” I said, fearing my father might harm Seraphina if I didn’t do anything.
“Fine. I’ll give you one chance,” Alaric said.
“Understood. I’ll take my leave,” I replied.
I teleported back to the boxing club and vented my frustration on the punching bags until they nearly gave way. I hated this lack of freedom. Just because I was the future heir, I had to follow my father’s every command? I’d been obedient for years, but now, I wanted out.
Shadow sensed my turmoil. “Hey, man, don’t give up. It’s not that bad yet. Besides, I won’t let you leave Seraphina. I like her. Her scent is intoxicating.”
Shadow was practically a pervert when it came to Seraphina. Every time he saw her, he got excited. I knew he’d fight my father if it came to that, but I wanted to avoid conflict if possible.
“I need to investigate Seraphina’s origins. What if she’s a werewolf too? You know humans don’t smell that sweet.”
“I agree,” Shadow said.
This needed to be resolved quickly. And I had to deal with Vivienne. How dare she betray me?
“Vivienne, get your ass over here!” I called through our telepathic link.
She appeared moments later, looking nervous.
“Kael, what’s wrong?”
“You’re a damn snitch!” I growled, glaring at her, wishing I could wring her neck.
Vivienne laughed. “Yes, I admit it. I’m a snitch. But your father made me do it.”
“You could’ve kept it to yourself.”
“Why should I? You shouldn’t be with a human. You should be with a werewolf like me.” She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around mine and pressing herself against me as if we were a couple.
I tried to push her away but couldn’t.
Then I caught a familiar sweet scent. Seraphina’s.
I turned to the door. Sure enough, Seraphina stood there, watching us.
Damn it. It’s been bad enough that she didn’t trust me, and now she’d misunderstand everything.