Alpha Wolfhart’s POV.
The fire had long since burned out, leaving only faint embers, but I hadn’t moved from my chair. A strange unease gnawed at me as I sat in my study, heavy and persistent, refusing to let me rest. Something felt wrong, though I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Kael had been distant during dinner, his sharp wit and usual energy replaced by silence and a faraway look. He barely ate, his mind clearly elsewhere. I assumed it was the wedding-it had to be. Kael had been restless ever since the engagement was arranged. He hated responsibility, always resisting anything that tied him down. I told myself it was just another one of his stubborn moods, a habit he’d carried since childhood.
Kael, my younger son, had always been different. While his older brother carried the Silverfang pack’s legacy with quiet strength, Kael was wild-a free spirit who despised rules and expectations. He didn’t have the weight of the pack on his shoulders, but his actions still mattered. He was part of something bigger than himself, yet he refused to see it. I didn’t expect him to embrace duty like his brother, but I did expect him to understand loyalty and honor. He couldn’t keep running from his responsibilities forever.
Now, in the silence of the night, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. The knot in my stomach tightened as I replayed the day’s events, trying to understand what I had missed. The unease was growing stronger, no longer just a vague feeling but something real, something I could almost sense lurking nearby.
My eyes landed on the desk where Kael had been earlier. Papers were scattered across its surface, but one thing stood out: a folded piece of parchment lying neatly in the center. It wasn’t like Kael to leave anything so deliberately placed. My chest tightened as I reached for it, unfolding it slowly, dread building with every second.
The words on the note hit me like a blow. I read them twice, disbelief turning into anger.
“Father, I cannot marry Aria. This union is a lie, and I refuse to trap myself-in a life neither of us deserves. By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. I’m leaving for London. I never meant for this to continue. I only wanted to give her a hard lesson for refusing me. I will have some fun with my friends for a month or more then I’ll get back later. I expect you to end this unwanted mating bond soon.”
Each sentence cut deeper than the last. My hand tightened around the note, crumpling the fragile paper as my vision blurred with rage.
The fool!!
Kael had always been reckless and headstrong, but this? This was beyond anything I could have imagined. It wasn’t just foolish-it was betrayal. He hadn’t just turned his back on me; he had betrayed the entire Silverfang pack. The wedding wasn’t just about him and Aria. It was an alliance, a bond that would bring peace and stability between our packs.
I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor as I pushed it back. My hands trembled as I paced the room, anger boiling inside me. How could he be so selfish? So blind to the consequences of his actions? The future of our pack was at stake, and he had treated it like a game.
No one could know about this note-not yet. If the truth came out, the consequences would be catastrophic.
If word got out that Kael had planned to abandon the wedding, the consequences would be devastating. The Nightshade pack would see it as a direct insult, a betrayal of the trust we had worked so hard to build. They would question not only Kael’s loyalty but also mine, and by extension, the strength and honor of the entire Silverfang pack. The alliance that was supposed to unite us would fall apart before it even began. It would not just be a broken promise-it would be a sign of weakness, a crack in the foundation of our leadership. Packs like ours thrived on strength, and any sign of vulnerability could bring chaos.
I stared at the crumpled note in my hands, the words still etched in my mind like a bitter poison. Slowly, I smoothed the paper out, my fingers trembling slightly, though I forced myself to remain calm. Once the note was flat, I folded it carefully, as though erasing the creases could erase the betrayal it represented. Without hesitation, I slid it into the inside pocket of my jacket where no one would ever see it again. As far as the world was concerned, it never existed. No one would ever know about Kael’s foolishness or his plans to run. I would handle this myself. I would find Kael, and I would deal with him in a way that ensured the survival of the pack’s reputation and strength.
I had barely stepped out of my study when a loud, urgent knock thundered against the front door. The sound echoed through the silent halls of the castle, breaking the stillness of the night like a sudden storm. It was frantic, desperate, and I immediately knew something was wrong.
“Alpha Wolfhart!” a guard’s voice called out from the other side, filled with tension and urgency.
“What is it?” I demanded, my tone sharp as I crossed the corridor and yanked open the door. My eyes locked onto the guard standing before me, his face pale and his breath coming in short gasps.
“It’s your son, Alpha,” he stammered, his voice trembling as he spoke. “There’s been an accident.”
The words struck me like a physical blow, but I kept my expression cold and controlled. “What kind of accident?” I asked, my voice steady, though my heartbeat quickened.
“He’s… he’s dead, Alpha,” the guard said, his voice breaking slightly. “He was struck by a car on the road near the private house.”
For a moment, the world seemed to tilt around me. Kael. Dead. The word echoed in my mind, but I forced myself to remain composed. There was no room for weakness, not now.
“Where is he?” I asked, each word measured and cold, though my mind was a storm of thoughts and emotions.
“They’ve brought his body to the castle,” the guard said, his voice low, almost apologetic. “And… Lady Aria is there as well.”
I walked briskly to the hall where Kael’s body had been brought, my steps purposeful and heavy. I kept my face neutral, a mask of authority that betrayed none of the chaos swirling inside me. The room was dimly lit, the air thick and oppressive with the scent of blood and death. It was a suffocating presence that weighed on me as I entered.
Kael lay on a stretcher in the center of the room. His face, once so full of life, was now pale and motionless, a lifeless shadow of who he had been. My breath caught for just a moment, but I forced myself to push the emotion down. He was my son, yes, but he had made his choices, and those choices had led him here. There was no time for grief, only action. I had to fix what he had left behind.
Across the room, Aria stood against the wall, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her sapphire gown was torn, dirt and blood staining the once-beautiful fabric. She looked terrified, her face pale and her wide eyes darting nervously around the room. Her entire body trembled as though she were trying to hold herself together.
“What happened?” I demanded, my voice sharp and commanding as I stepped toward her.
Aria flinched at my tone, her gaze flickering to me before quickly dropping to the floor. “I… I don’t know,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the weight of the room.
“Don’t lie to me, Aria,” I growled, my anger bubbling just beneath the surface. “You were there. You saw it. Tell me what happened.”
Her lips quivered as tears spilled down her cheeks, her voice shaking as she tried to force out the words. “He… he sent me a message,” she said, her tone weak and hesitant. “He said I could meet him if I wanted to end the wedding. I went to his house, but-” Her voice broke, and she shook her head as if trying to banish the memory.
I stepped closer, towering over her. “But what?” I said, my tone sharper, more demanding.
Her sobs grew louder, and she buried her face in her hands as if trying to hide. “He tried to… he tried to force himself on me,” she choked out between sobs. “I fought him, and I ran. He chased me, and then-” She gestured toward Kael’s body, her voice breaking completely. “He was hit by the car.”
I stared at her, the weight of her words pressing down on me. My mind raced, torn between anger and disbelief. Rage filled me-not just at Kael for his recklessness and arrogance, but at Aria for daring to speak such a thing about my son. Yet, deep down, I knew she was telling the truth. Kael had always been wild, impulsive-a playboy who thought the rules didn’t apply to him. I had seen it for years, ignored it for far too long.
The truth cut deeper than I cared to admit. I should have stopped this mating arrangement from the start. It was a mistake to think Kael could ever handle something so serious, so important. Now, the consequences of my choices and his recklessness were laid bare before me.
“You expect me to believe that?” I said, my voice low and sharp, dripping with a dangerous edge. My words hung in the air like a threat, and I watched her closely, searching her face for any sign of deception.
“It’s the truth,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her wide, tear-filled eyes pleaded with me, desperate for me to believe her. But desperation didn’t equal truth, and I wasn’t someone to be easily swayed by trembling lips or crying eyes.
My jaw tightened as I stepped closer, closing the distance between us until she had no choice but to meet my gaze. “Listen to me very carefully, Aria,” I said, my tone cold and steady, like ice spreading through the room. “If you dare tell anyone that Kael tried to force himself on you, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your life.” My words were slow, deliberate, each one carrying the weight of my authority.
Her breath hitched, and I saw the terror in her eyes as they locked onto mine. Her body stiffened as if bracing for the blow that hadn’t come yet.
“I will tell everyone that you seduced him,” I continued, my voice cutting deeper, sharp as a blade. “That you were nothing more than a loose, unvirgin girl who manipulated my son and drove him to his death. And then, Aria, I will do what needs to be done-I will declare war on the Nightshade pack. Do you understand me?” My words were a warning, a promise of what I was willing to do to protect my pack and my family’s name.
She shook her head, her voice trembling as she tried to push back. “You can’t-” she started, her words weak, her disbelief evident.
“I can,” I said, cutting her off before she could finish. “And I will. The only story anyone will hear is that Kael died in a tragic accident. Nothing more. Nothing less. That’s the truth the world will accept because I will give them no other choice.” My voice was firm, unyielding, like the stone walls of the castle itself.
She stared at me, her face pale and stricken, as if the weight of my words had crushed whatever resolve she had left. The fear in her eyes told me she understood exactly what I was capable of.
“This wedding will not happen,” I said, my voice cold and final, leaving no room for argument. “But the alliance between our packs will remain intact. You will return to your family, and you will say nothing of what happened here. Nothing. Do you understand?” My tone sharpened as I stared her down, waiting for her answer.
Her lips parted as though she wanted to protest, wanted to fight back, but no words came. Instead, her shoulders slumped, her body folding into itself in defeat.
“Do you understand?” I repeated, this time louder, my voice rising slightly to force her submission.
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice so soft it was almost swallowed by the silence of the room. But I heard it. It was enough.
I stepped back, my eyes lingering on her trembling form. She was broken and terrified, and that was exactly what I needed her to be. Fear was a powerful thing-it ensured compliance, ensured silence. She wouldn’t fight back. Not now. Not ever.
Turning away from her, I let my gaze fall on Kael’s lifeless body one final time. My son was gone, and though the grief clawed at the edges of my mind, I pushed it down. I would mourn him in private, in my own way. But there was no time for weakness now. The survival of the pack came first. It always had.
Always.