Zander’s POV.
My father leaned back in his chair, his expression turning thoughtful, his sharp eyes focused on me.
For a long moment, he didn’t say anything, and the silence stretched between us. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm but firm. “And you’re absolutely sure she betrayed you, Zander? Are you completely certain?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but the words caught in my throat. I hesitated, the memory of Asher’s confession flashing through my mind. *She didn’t want to come. I lied to her.* His words echoed over and over, making my chest feel tight. The certainty I had felt earlier began to slip away like sand through my fingers.
“I don’t know,” I admitted at last, my voice barely above a whisper. The words felt strange to say out loud, but they were the truth. I really didn’t know anymore.
My father sighed heavily, the sound filled with a mixture of frustration and sadness. He leaned forward slightly, reaching for a drawer in his desk. His movements were slow, deliberate, like he was carrying the weight of something important. “Zander,” he said, his voice softer now, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to show you. I wasn’t sure when to share it, but I think now is the time.”
I frowned, curiosity and confusion mixing together in my mind. “What is it?” I asked, my tone cautious.
He pulled out an old envelope, the paper yellowed with age and slightly crumpled. It looked fragile, like it had been sitting in the drawer for years. He slid it across the desk toward me, his hand lingering on it for a moment before he let go. “This,” he said, “is the last note I received from your brother before he died.”
I stared at the envelope, my heart pounding hard in my chest. My hands trembled slightly as I reached for it, picking it up with care. Slowly, I unfolded the paper inside, the familiar sight of Kael’s messy handwriting jumping out at me. His writing was rushed, uneven, but it was undoubtedly his.
*Father,*
*I never intended to get mated to Aria. I only wanted to teach her a lesson because she refused to sleep with me. I will not get married. I’m leaving for London to have fun. Cancel the wedding. I’ll come back in a month or so.*
*Kael*
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt tight, and the air seemed to leave the room.
The words blurred before my eyes as I read them again and again, my mind struggling to make sense of what I was seeing. It felt like my brain couldn’t process the meaning of the words written on the paper in front of me.
“He never wanted to marry her,” I murmured, my voice so soft it was almost a whisper. The realization hit me like a punch to the stomach.
“No,” my father said quietly, his voice steady but filled with sadness. “He didn’t.”
I looked up at him, my chest tightening painfully. “But he always said he loved her,” I protested, my voice shaking. “He told us she broke his heart. He said she was the reason…” I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
“He lied,” my father said firmly, his tone heavy with regret. His gaze softened slightly as he continued, “Kael was young, Zander. He was arrogant and reckless. He thought he could have whatever he wanted, and when Aria refused to give it to him, he lashed out. He wanted to hurt her, to punish her for rejecting him. But she was never at fault. She didn’t cause his death. Kael made his own choices, and they led to his downfall.”
The weight of his words hit me like a tidal wave, crashing over me and pulling me under.
For weeks, I had carried anger and resentment in my heart. I had blamed Aria for what happened to Kael, for the pain and loss my family had endured. I had convinced myself that she was guilty, that she was the reason for everything that went wrong. But now, the truth was staring me in the face. All this time, she had been innocent.
I thought about the way I had treated her. I thought about my cold words, the harsh accusations, and the constant doubt I had thrown at her. Every step of the way, I had pushed her down, refusing to believe her, refusing to give her a chance to explain. And now, the final blow: breaking the bond, casting her out of the pack, leaving her to fend for herself with nothing.
My stomach churned painfully, guilt and self-loathing rising up within me like a sickness I couldn’t get rid of. The weight of my actions was unbearable, and it felt like I was suffocating under the pressure of my own mistakes.
“What have I done?” I whispered, my voice cracking as shame and regret overwhelmed me. My hands clenched into fists, but there was no one to blame but myself.
My father didn’t respond. He didn’t say a word. He just sat there in silence, his expression somber. But that silence said more than words ever could. It was heavy, filled with disappointment and understanding, and it made the guilt inside me burn even more.