Ch. 256..260: A Warrior Luna's Awakening Chapter 256-260
Chapter 256
Aurora slumped to the cold stone ground, legs trembling, chest heaving, as Silas’s shove sent her sprawling. The icy wind off the river whipped through her hair, carrying the roar of the dark waters below, the same river that had nearly claimed her moments ago. Her lungs burned, her throat raw, and her body shook with adrenaline and lingering terror.
Caelum barely dared to breathe. His amber eyes burned with disbelief, his wolf coiling within him like a storm, sensing the betrayal of every expectation he had clung to for years. She hadn’t saved him. Aurora’s frantic confessions earlier, shouted with desperation and fear, had shattered the fragile truth he had built his trust upon.
No… it wasn’t Aurora who had rescued him in the river that night. That realization clawed through him, a wolfish ache in his chest that made him stagger back a step. Even when he’d heard about the five million transferred to Lee as part of some mysterious transaction, his gut had told him something was off–but he had buried the doubt, refused to confront it.
And now… the words were like cold steel across his ribs. Aurora had not saved him. Not her.
Caelum’s gaze drifted, inevitably, to Freya. She stood at the riverbank like a statue of steel, long hair whipping in the wind, her stance proud, her spine straight and unyielding. The icy determination in her amber eyes made the moonlight glint off her high cheekbones, her sharp jawline, her commanding presence. A warrior through and through.
“Is it… you?” Caelum’s voice was low, strained, almost a growl, but each word trembled with the weight of a man on the edge of revelation. He took a step forward, another, drawn by instincts older than logic, by the wolf’s primal need to find the truth. His muscles tensed; his body wanted to sprint, to leap to her feet, to demand answers.
His rational mind screamed that perhaps it was safer to stop, to leave the past buried in silence. But the wolf within him urged him on, compelling him to confront the truth, to hunt it down like prey until the final answer was laid bare.
Before he could reach her, Kade’s boot connected with his chest, sending him sprawling onto the stone embankment. Pain shot through his ribs, but even lying there, gasping, the wolf inside him bristled with fury.
“Caelum, you have no right to come near Freya!” Kade barked, eyes glinting with the cold logic of a pack enforcer.
Coughing and clutching his bruised chest, Caelum struggled to rise, amber eyes fixed like molten fire on Freya. “Freya… tell me… was it you? The one who saved me that night in the
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river–was it you?” His voice wavered, torn between hope and despair, the alpha wolf in him. demanding truth.
Lana let out a derisive chuckle, wolf ears flicking at the tension in the air. “Oh, Caelum, you’re asking now? Not long ago, you swore it was Aurora who saved you, right?” Her words carried a sharp, mocking edge, yet beneath it lingered the wolfish curiosity of one sensing the shifting hierarchy.
Pain contorted Caelum’s face, his jaw tight, his fur bristling as he ignored Lana’s sarcasm. Nothing else mattered. Only the woman before him–the one who had been there, silent and unseen all these years. His chest heaved with betrayal, with longing, with the raw, animalistic ache of knowing that his trust had been placed in the wrong wolf.
“Do I need to answer that?” Freya’s voice cut through the wind, cold and precise. Her wolf prowled beneath her skin, ears alert, fangs barely bared in warning. “Whether I did or didn’t, Aurora was never your savior. Believing otherwise… was always a joke.”
Silas moved to her side, a predator beside his mate, amber eyes scanning, wolf instincts coiled, ready to strike if anyone challenged the pair. “What will you do with her, Freya?” he asked quietly, yet every word held authority, the weight of pack command and lethal intent.
“Hand her over to the authorities,” Freya replied smoothly. “And include all the evidence that could incriminate her. Let the law decide.”
Silas inclined his head, signaling his enforcers. Aurora was hauled to her feet, stumbling against the cold stone as she struggled, her breath catching in sobs. “No! You can’t… I haven’t done anything! Caelum, help me! Please!”
But Caelum stood frozen, muscles tense, golden eyes fixed on her with the weight of revelation pressing down. He could not move, could not speak, could not act–not yet. The wolf within him growled at the injustice, at the helplessness, at the cruel twist of fate. Aurora’s rescue–or lack thereof–had rewritten everything he thought he knew about the past, and now he was forced to reckon with it.
The men hauled Aurora to the waiting vehicle, the engine rumbling like a growl from the depths of a slumbering wolf. Freya’s gaze turned to Lana and Kade.
“You two?” she asked, voice still calm, yet tinged with the lethal precision of a hunter.
“Of course,” Kade replied, nodding toward the figure still restrained. “This one goes to the authorities as well.”
“Very well,” Freya said, the alpha’s aura radiating off her in waves. “To the authorities, then. Together.”
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The vehicles moved, tires scraping against stone and asphalt, carrying the captured wolves of misdeeds. Caelum watched as Freya slid into her vehicle alongside Silas. She did not glance back. Her amber eyes were steel, unyielding, a reminder of the distance that now existed between them.
Before stepping in, Silas’s gaze flicked toward Caelum, sharp and warning. No motion, no question, no hesitation–an unspoken decree: do not approach her.
The vehicle rolled away, and Caelum’s hands clenched into fists, the alpha wolf in him roaring at the unfairness, the betrayal, the helplessness. He had once been closest to Freya, once the one she had considered in every choice. Now, even the smallest glance from her was withheld.
He turned his eyes to the river again, dark, relentless, churning like it had that night when his life hung in the balance. The memory came unbidden: a voice, strong and certain, cutting through the despair. “Don’t be afraid… I’ll save you. You’ll be fine, with me here.”
He remembered the warmth, the hope, the promise in that voice, and the promise he had made himself: that if he survived, he would repay her.
And yet… here he was, three years of marriage behind him, standing by as the truth unraveled. The one who had saved him had been here all along, silent, watching, unacknowledged, and he had squandered every moment, every memory, every gesture.
The river roared, the moonlight glinting off its restless surface, and in Caelum’s chest, the wolf howled–not with hunger, not with rage, but with infinite, aching regret.
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Third Person’s POV
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Aurora’s amber eyes blazed with fury and desperation as Freya handed over every shred of evidence she had collected against her to the authorities. The documents–contracts, intercepted messages, financial ledgers–clinked against each other in a metal tray like the cold chimes of fate. Aurora knew what it meant. By law, she would be detained. She would be taken, at least temporarily, by the officers, facing scrutiny, interrogation, and possibly arrest.
Her glare fixed on Freya, venom coiling in every flick of her gaze. “Freya, don’t think this means you’ve won!” she spat, her voice sharp with outrage. “Those so–called ‘evidence‘ won’t convict me. You can’t do this!”
Freya’s eyes, cold as the winter river, met hers without a flicker of emotion. “Whether it’s enough to convict you,” she said smoothly, voice low and measured, “that’s a matter for the judge and the jury, not you, and certainly not me.”
Before Aurora could retort, Kade and Lana stepped into the police precinct, flanking a restrained figure–Lee. The moment Lee’s gaze fell upon Aurora, it darkened, claws of greed and vengeance scraping at his composure. “You filthy bitch,” he seethed, teeth bared, fangs glinting. “You dared to scheme against me? Just wait. If you ever get out of here, I swear I’ll make you pay with your blood!”
Aurora’s lips curled into a sneer, her wolf coiling, ready to strike, yet she spoke through the tension in her jaw. “You were greedy first, Lee! You demanded five million! If you hadn’t pushed me to the edge, do you think I’d have needed to take such drastic steps? Blame yourself!”
Lee’s laugh was bitter, almost feral. “Greedy? And you? Don’t tell me you weren’t after Caelum’s fortune! Admit it–if you really liked him when he was a poor pup, why didn’t you stick around? Only after he became the Alpha of SilverTech Forgeworks did you make your move?”
Aurora froze, the words like claws scraping across her ribs. Her gaze darted past Lee’s sneer to the one she truly needed–Caelum Grafton. The moment her eyes locked with his amber gaze, panic flooded her chest. “Caelum… don’t believe him!” she cried, voice breaking. “I’ve always loved you! I was with you because of that!”
Her heart hammered with desperation. She couldn’t let him think she had betrayed him for power or wealth, not now, when Freya had discovered the old evidence of the border fire–the same fire Aurora had inadvertently caused years ago. Every moment, every shred of her credibility, hung by a thread, and she needed him. She needed Caelum to fight for her in court, to defend her against Freya’s calculated strikes.
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Caelum’s expression was unreadable, wolf instincts warring with human emotion. He had rushed from the riverbank, hailing a taxi to the precinct, only to hear Lee’s venomous accusations. Could it be true? Could it really be as Lee claimed–that Aurora had only sought him once he had risen to prominence?
He remembered the earlier days. When he had been a struggling wolf, just another member of Bloodmoon Pack trying to find his place in the world, Aurora had appeared briefly, tending to him in the hospital after his injury. She had visited only twice, citing busyness, claiming she had no time. And yet, once he was released and began building his life, she began to appear more often, contacting him voluntarily, her presence growing persistent.
Caelum’s wolf growled low in his chest, claws scraping at the invisible chain of confusion and pain. He wanted to believe her. He had loved her onçe; he still… but how could he trust now?
Aurora’s desperation rose as she saw him hesitate, the hesitation feeding the wolfish anxiety coiling inside her. “Caelum, don’t you believe me?” she pleaded, voice quivering, claws flexing, ears twitching.
Caelum let out a bitter laugh, the sound low, almost a growl. “Believe you? How can I? You claim to love me, yet you never told me the most important truth of all–that you weren’t the one who saved me in the river!” His amber eyes flashed, wolf instincts demanding retribution, even as his heart ached.
“I… that was—” Aurora began, but Caelum cut her off, his voice snapping like the strike of a wolf.
“Aurora! You’ve lied to me in more ways than I can count. That five million… it wasn’t for verification. I confirmed with your uncle. He had no knowledge of any partnership or verification process. You took it to silence Lee, didn’t you? And to secure your own advantage? Is that it?”
Aurora’s eyes widened, her chest tightening. The distance in his gaze, the absolute lack of trust, was like a knife to her wolf heart. He would have forgiven her once–if only she had taken, lied, or stolen for him—but now, after everything, after the truth about the river… she could feel the gulf between them widening.
“I didn’t mean to deceive you!” she gasped, claws scrabbling at her own wrists as if to claw the words out of her throat. “I only… borrowed the five million temporarily. I reported it—so no one lost anything! I was going to help you and my uncle with the collaboration–I swear, I was!”
Caelum’s gaze hardened, wolf eyes like twin coals burning. “Enough, Aurora. Enough of your excuses. Our bond… ends here.”
Aurora’s amber eyes widened in shock, the words slamming into her like a blow. Ends here?
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After all she had sacrificed, all the schemes she had endured, all the nights of lying and fighting to protect him… this was the end? Her wolf snarled, teeth bared, instincts screaming that she could not, would not, let it end.
Desperation and resolve burned through her veins like molten steel. Her him, words raw and urgent. “Caelum… I’m pregnant!”
gaze flicked up at
“What?” His amber eyes widened, pupils dilated, wolf instincts snapping to life with a surge of protectiveness and alarm. The word hit him like a jolt of lightning. She… carried his blood, his legacy. His wolf roared inside him, instincts clawing, demanding that he protect, that he claim, that he respond.
Freya’s brow furrowed slightly, watching Aurora with a calculating eye, though the faintest shadow of concern flickered. Even the alpha wolf inside Caelum recognized it: she still mattered to someone.
“Yes,” Aurora said again, her voice shaking but resolute, claws digging into her thighs. “I’m carrying your child, Caelum. Don’t think you can end this between us. Not when it matters more than ever.”
The precinct seemed to still, time stretching as Caelum’s wolf growled low, muscles tensing, heart pounding. Aurora’s declaration had changed the battlefield. Not with weapons, not with evidence, but with life itself, a life born of him and her–a connection deeper than any pack rivalry, deeper than any betrayal, and yet as raw and precarious as the river that had once claimed him.
He could feel the pull of instinct and heart, wolf and man, blending into a maelstrom of emotion. And as he stared into her determined eyes, amber against amber, the world outside -the precinct, Lee’s curses, Freya’s cold calculation–faded, leaving only the predator and the mate, and a bond that even deceit could not fully sever.
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Third Person’s POV
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At that moment, Caelum finally understood the weight of Aurora’s sudden revelation–her declaration of pregnancy. His wolf growled low in his chest, instincts trembling with unease. Could their bond truly end now? Could it ever end? Not when she carried his blood, his legacy,
inside her.
A sharp, mocking voice cut through his turmoil. Lana, standing a few feet away with a sardonic tilt to her lips, sneered. “Well, congratulations, Caelum. You’re going to be a father. I can’t wait for the wedding between you and Aurora. When that day comes, do remember to send me an invitation—I’ll bring a very… special gift.” Her words dripped venom, each syllable striking like a whip against the raw nerves of his pride.
Caelum’s body froze, rigid as if encased in ice. His heart pounded like a drum in the chest of a hunting wolf. A child… so soon? How could it be? He and Aurora had shared only a handful of moments, fleeting encounters that were never meant to lead to this.
Freya’s voice, calm yet unwavering, cut through his chaos. “Let’s go.”
It snapped him back to reality. He watched as Freya moved toward the exit of the precinct, her tall, commanding presence leaving no room for hesitation. His wolf stirred, claws unsheathing instinctively, urging him forward–but before he could take a single step, Silas’s men intercepted him, forming an impenetrable barrier between him and Freya.
“Move along!” Silas‘ voice was cold, precise, carrying the weight of Ironclad Coalition authority. He took Freya’s arm, guiding her with gentle but firm control. Kade, shadowing their steps, followed silently, his eyes scanning for any threat.
Lana’s disdain didn’t soften. She turned to Caelum, fangs glinting under the harsh precinct lights. “You, Caelum… how can you still have the nerve to interfere with Freya? But I must say, you and Aurora make a perfect pair. You exploited Freya’s loyalty, feasted on her efforts, and then–what did you do? You handed over the wealth she earned to Aurora, under the guise of repaying a lifesaving debt. Ha! And now, the so–called savior has schemed against you. Sweet, isn’t it?”
With a flick of her wrist, Lana walked away, her movements predatory yet elegant, leaving Caelum staring after her, his chest tightening with a mixture of shame and bitter clarity.
Inside the precinct, Caelum’s eyes shifted back to Aurora. Every piece of luxury she now wore
-designer threads, jewelry glinting like moonlight on ice–had come from his own hands. And yet, as Lana had pointed out, every coin, every asset, was earned by Freya. Without Freya, the company would have already collapsed into chaos. Even the five million loan, supposedly
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His jaw tightened, wolf instincts urging retribution even as human emotions tangled within him. The metallic clink of the handcuffs echoed through the corridor as officers led Aurora toward the interrogation room. Her eyes locked onto his, amber flecked with desperation, and she called out, voice trembling yet commanding: “Caelum! I’m carrying your child! You cannot abandon me now!”
Caelum’s wolf growled, nostrils flaring, heart slamming against his ribcage. But no words came. No promise, no reassurance, no denial. He simply stared, silent, as the officers ushered her away.
Step by agonizing step, Aurora disappeared from view, leaving Caelum staggering like a lone wolf bereft of pack. He bowed his head, a bitter laugh escaping his throat, hoarse and broken. “Ha… ha… hahahaha… hah…”
The laughter echoed through the precinct, cruel in its mockery, each note a sting that reminded him of his past follies, his blind trust, his naïveté.
Outside, Freya and her group had found a quiet corner in a nearby restaurant, the hum of civilian life contrasting sharply with the storm of recent events. Lana leaned back, fingers tapping against the table, eyes sharp as steel. “So… what’s your plan now?”
Freya’s expression remained stoic, jaw set, eyes distant as she contemplated the threads of fate she had yet to untangle. “I’ll wait for word from the military. They’ve recovered the last drone belonging to Eric Thorne. Based on its final recordings, they’ve determined he went missing during the border fire. The Iron Fang Recon Unit is now reexamining all incidents involving injuries and casualties from that time.” Her voice, calm but laced with unspoken grief, left the word death unspoken–because to speak it would make it real, irrevocable.
“Military investigations are faster than civilian channels,” Lana noted, her tone pragmatic, wolf instincts attuned to strategy. Ordinary authorities cannot access the same level of classified intelligence, she knew.
Freya nodded faintly. “If the final reports come back and there’s still no trace of Eric, I’ll go to the border myself. I have to find him.”
Lana sighed, shoulders tense with unspoken concern. Eric had been missing for five years. Freya had already risked herself three times, traversing the dangerous borderlands with little more than resolve and instinct.
“I’ll come with you,” Lana said, eyes firm.
“No,” Freya replied, her voice steady. “The mission’s unpredictable. I cannot estimate how long I’ll be gone. Besides, you have SkyVex Armaments to oversee. You’ve already given me too
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Lana’s eyes softened, worry hidden beneath layers of practicality. “Your safety comes first. Joining SkyVex doesn’t change that. If you go alone, anything could happen. The border is volatile–wolves, mercenaries, environmental hazards… you can’t handle it alone.”
Freya’s gaze hardened, wolf instincts bristling. “I’m aware of the risks. I’ll manage.”
Before Lana could argue further, Silas Whitmor’s voice cut through, calm and authoritative. “I’ll accompany her. There’s no need to worry. My presence will ensure she’s protected.”
Freya glanced at Silas, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. In the heart of wolves, protection and trust were as primal as the need to hunt and survive. And for now, with the border’s dangers and Aurora’s schemes still unresolved, she would need both.
Chapter 259
Freya’s POV
I froze for a moment, staring at Silas as he spoke. “I told you, Freya, if you’re going after your brother, I go with you. If you’re going to the border, I go with you. How long you stay there doesn’t matter. You really think I’d let my girlfriend go into danger alone?”
I blinked, caught off guard. The border was unpredictable; I had no idea how long it would take to find Eric. Yet, hearing him say this made a warmth surge through my chest.
Silas reached out, taking my hand in his. His thumb brushed lightly over my palm, almost teasingly, but the gesture carried the weight of an unspoken promise. My cheeks burned, though I kept my composure. Not that Lana or Kade weren’t still around, observing every subtle movement, every flicker of emotion.
Lana smirked and clicked her tongue. “Good. Freya, with Silas by your side, I can rest easy.”
Kade poured two glasses of wine with a precise hand, then set one in front of me. “Sis,” he said, his voice tinged with an unusual mix of excitement and solemnity, “now that we finally know why Eric disappeared back then, it’s only a matter of time before he’s found. That calls for a celebration, don’t you think?”
I smiled, lifting my glass, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat. “Indeed. We’ve waited long enough to know this much.”
Kade drank in unison, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the synchronicity of it. Then, as the warmth spread through me, my thoughts softened and memories bubbled to the surface. Memories of the Iron Fang Recon Unit days, long patrols, late–night strategy sessions, and relentless drills.
“I remember those days,” Kade said, his tone almost wistful. “Working with you in the unit… it was some of the best days of my life.”
I laughed softly, already feeling the tipsiness of the wine. “The best days, huh? You mean all the times I beat you up for slacking?”
“Exactly those times!” he said, lifting his glass with a grin. “I’d go back in a heartbeat. Even if you hit me every day, I’d still be grateful.”
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing too loudly. Kade was always dramatic, but hearing such earnestness from him now, with that wolfish loyalty shining in his eyes, made my chest
ache with warmth.
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Lana leaned back in her chair, eyes flicking between us. Only in the Capital could someone like me make a wolf like Kade admit that getting beaten was a pleasure. She could only shake her head silently, knowing full well that now Silas’s presence made Kade’s affections bittersweet.
“I often think,” Kade continued, “if I could just go back to those days in the unit…” He filled another glass of wine, his amber eyes catching the light like molten gold. “I’d tell you, Freya, everything I never said back then…”
“Wait, Kade!” Lana’s voice snapped like a whip through the air. The sudden command startled me, and I almost forgot to sip my wine. Whatever he was about to confess, I hadn’t caught it entirely through the haze of drink.
“Nothing,” Silas said smoothly, removing the glass from my hand. He gave me a look, calm but commanding, like the Alpha he was. “Freya, you’ve had enough tonight. Let me take this from you.”
His eyes
flicked toward Kade, a silent challenge flashing between them. A tension rose, almost palpable, a predator–to–predator standoff. I could feel it in my bones–the electric charge in the air as two wolves tested one another. Silas’s hand squeezed mine, steadying me, grounding me against the rush of memories and the sharp sting of alcohol.
Kade’s
gaze didn’t waver, though. His wolf growled low, protective and unyielding, while Silas’s stance radiated the quiet authority of an Alpha used to commanding respect without raising a hand. For a moment, the two men were locked in silent warfare, their intent slicing through the room like a sharpened fang.
I leaned back slightly, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My hand still tingled from Silas’s touch. The wine was starting to warm my veins, loosening the tight coils of stress that had bound me since the events at the border and the revelation of Eric’s
disappearance.
It was strange, thinking back on everything. How I had chased shadows for five years, following clues and whispers, surviving the treacherous borderlands and hostile territory alone. How many nights I had lain awake, hearing the wind whistle through Runestone Grounds, imagining Eric somewhere in the cold wilderness. And now, here I was, surrounded by people who were as close to family as any pack could get outside of one’s own bloodline.
Lana’s laughter, low and amused, pulled me out of my reverie. “Freya, don’t get too sentimental. But yes, it’s good to see you alive, smiling, and a little tipsy.”
I chuckled, taking another sip of wine. “I suppose I can allow myself a moment of celebration.”
Silas’s grip on my hand tightened just slightly, a silent reassurance, and Kade’s glare softened- but only a fraction. Their presence reminded me of the delicate balance in our world: loyalty,
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pack hierarchy, and the thin line between trust and rivalry.
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I raised my glass again, feeling the warmth seep through me. “To finding Eric,” I said, voice strong despite the wine, “and to surviving the chaos along the way.”
“To Eric!” Kade echoed, lifting his own glass.
“To surviving,” Lana added, clinking her glass lightly against mine.
And Silas, holding my hand, raised his own silently, a subtle promise that no matter how dangerous the world got, he would not let me face it alone. The warmth of his touch lingered even as the alcohol clouded my mind, grounding me in the knowledge that I wasn’t alone in this hunt, this life, this pack.
Tonight, we celebrated victories small and large: the discovery of Eric’s trail, the unraveling of lies that had once bound Caelum and Aurora, and the unwavering bond among those who would fight, bleed, and survive together. The wolf in me growled in approval, a silent oath to honor loyalty, justice, and the pack that was mine–chosen by blood, by trust, and by the unyielding will to survive.
And as the night deepened, I let the warmth of the wine and the presence of my allies wash over me, knowing full well that the hunt was far from over–but for tonight, the pack was safe, and for that, I could allow myself a rare moment of peace.
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Kade’s amber eyes were fixed on Silas, and Lana frowned, stepping closer. “Kade, you’ve had enough already! Don’t drink too much–I don’t want to have to carry a drunk wolf out of here later.”
Kade’s lips pressed into a thin line. His gaze didn’t waver from Silas as his fingers tapped nervously against his glass.
Silas finally set his own glass down and reached for Freya. “Freya’s had enough for tonight. I’ll take her home.” His voice was calm, authoritative, like the Alpha of Ironclad Coalition he truly
was.
“Fine, you take her first,” Lana said quickly, stepping aside. She had no desire to see Kade’s
flare into chaos; he was stubborn when he drank, and unpredictable when drunk.
temper
Silas’s hand found Freya’s, steadying her as they moved toward the sleek waiting vehicle outside. Lana’s gaze followed them, frustration and amusement mingling in her sharp features. “Really, Kade? She’s with Silas now–you know that, right?”
Kade let out a bitter laugh, the sound rough around the edges. “I know,” he admitted. “I know all of it. I just… I can’t help it. I met Freya first. I should have spoken sooner, acted sooner. Maybe then…” His voice trailed off, swallowed by the warm haze of alcohol and regret.
“Freya only sees you as a brother, Kade,” Lana said flatly, stepping closer, her tone warning. “And if you try anything foolish–if you even try to interfere with Silas and Freya–I swear I won’t go easy on you.”
Kade’s head tilted lazily, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Go easy on me?” His voice dripped mockery. “You really think you have that power? Or are you planning to send my little uncle after me?”
Lana froze mid–step. “Don’t–don’t bring him up in front of me! I’ve got nothing to do with him anymore!”
Kade’s laugh was low, dark, and teasing. “Nothing to do with him? Lana, for the sake of your friendship with Freya, I could remind your uncle of a few things. He’s nostalgic, obsessed with what he loves. My mother says he used to cling to a single toy when he was a boy. Sleep with it, no matter how tattered or broken it became. When my grandmother tried to throw it away… he went after it himself, rummaging through the trash without making a sound.”
Lana blinked, incredulous. “He… searched through trash? That doesn’t sound like him at all.”
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Kade’s smirk widened. “Of course he did. And he didn’t find it at first. Got scolded, too, but he didn’t give up. Told the adults that if he didn’t find it, he’d come back to the dumpster every day until he did.”
“That’s… stubborn.” Lana murmured, clearly impressed despite herself.
“Exactly,” Kade said, leaning back, glass in hand. “Eventually, the adults had to help him find it. Even then, the wheels were broken, the paint chipped, but he took it apart. Piece by piece. He never let anyone else touch it. Why? Because it was his. He loved it. Destroyed it rather than letting it go to someone else.”
Lana shivered, gooseflesh rising along her arms.
Kade’s eyes glinted, almost wolfish, as they locked onto Lana. “And you? You’re the only woman my little uncle ever truly acknowledged. What he loves… even if it’s destroyed, no one else touches it.”
Lana’s lips twitched in a dismissive smirk. “You’re joking. He didn’t care that much about me. I had to chase him–he only agreed because I wouldn’t let it go.”
Kade shook his glass, letting the wine slosh gently. His wolfish expression softened ever so slightly, though the predatory edge remained. His uncle–Victor–was a cold, calculating wolf. No one could simply coax him. And yet, all of that resolve, all of that control, was mirrored in the loyalty and protective grip he now held over Lana.
Kade’s smirk returned as he poured himself another drink. “By the way, don’t forget. If I get drunk, someone’s gotta make sure I make it home. You don’t want me wandering the Capital streets alone.”
Lana sighed, finally giving in. “Fine. Drink, Kade. But don’t make me regret it.” She remembered her own nights of drowning heartbreak in wine–some wounds were best numbed, if only temporarily.
Meanwhile, Caelum stumbled back toward his mansion, almost dazed. The villa was a sprawling fortress, a statement of wealth and power built over the years after he rose as Alpha of Silverfang Pack. Freya had left him with nothing after their Lunar Severance Phase–every personal belonging gone, all except for the cheap wedding bands. And even those weren’t safe
in the end.
these
“Caelum,” Giselle chirped, stepping into the room with her usual haughty poise, “you finally returned. Look at these–Mother went to the matchmaking agency today. She says women are far superior to Aurora!”
Eleanor, his mother, smiled smugly as she set a stack of glossy profiles in front of him. “You spent all that money building your company, Caelum. Don’t waste my investment now–you
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Chapter 260
owe me this!”
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95
+20 Free Coins
Caelum’s face darkened, eyes narrowing into slits. “Investment? Do you even realize that my company’s cash flow is on the brink of collapse? And you spent money… on this? Do you want to see me ruin myself completely?”
Giselle clutched the papers closer, slightly pale but defiant. “Brother, mother spent a fortune. Surely you can at least humor her?”
Caelum’s wolf growl reverberated low in his throat, a warning and a curse rolled into one. His mind churned with fury–not just at his mother, but at every injustice that had been piled upon him: Freya’s departure, Aurora’s manipulation, the chaos in his finances. The wolf within him stirred, claws unsheathed, craving vengeance.
Every shred of civility and human restraint was being tested tonight. And in the cold, sterile light of his mansion’s study, Caelum felt the full weight of his failures–both as an Alpha, and as a man who had underestimated the wolves around him.
He picked up the top sheet of the profiles and slammed it down on the mahogany table. The paper rattled like distant thunder. “I don’t want women. I don’t want introductions. I want control–over my company, over my life. Over everything that’s mine!”
Giselle and Eleanor flinched. Even they, used to Caelum’s temper and commanding presence, sensed the predatory storm building. In that moment, the Alpha of Silverfang Pack was not just a man; he was a wolf cornered, his pride and territory violated, and nothing–no matchmaking, no maternal interference–would satisfy the hunger for retribution simmering deep within him.