Ch. 286..290: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 286-290
Chapter 286
One thing was certain. The view outside of the country house was indeed beautiful.
Once Asher and I pulled ourselves out of bed, we stepped outside and took a look at the wildlife surrounding us. Beyond the house, a great stretch of open field seemed endless. Green plants covered the field and colorful wildflowers grew everywhere. They dotted the field like confetti, and their perfume filled the air with a pleasant aroma.
For a moment, I completely forgot our circumstances and simply enjoyed the gorgeous sight. We hadn’t had a moment of peace in so long. Life had been an endless string of battles, violence, and schemes, and it felt nice to breathe.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t rest for too long or enjoy the scenery for more than a few minutes. We had to think about what to do next.
A meeting was called soon after. We all gathered around the backyard, save for Erika, Helene, and the children.
Once we were all gathered, the Alpha of Red Stone began to speak. He told us that this house was located near the borders of Wegalla and Yurene. It was a forgotten place and very few people lived out here. He assured us that the smells from the flowers and fruit trees would make it nearly impossible for outsiders to track tour scents, so we were safe here.
He then explained that there was a channel only a few miles away through which we could leave the country. The sentry post that should have been filled with Yurenian soldiers had been abandoned long ago, so it would be easy for us to leave through the channel. But it would cost us more time.
We took a moment to deliberate. We needed to get back to Wegalla as soon as possible but we had to do it strategically.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in Vlokwell,” I said. “Kaleb and Ronald sought to destroy each other and it’s hard to say who would win. Regardless of the victor, they would surely consider this channel, so we’d better not take this chance lightly.”
Asher nodded. “We should move out as soon as possible.”
I knew he was right, but we needed time to get some rest and tend our wounds. Rayden and a few of the men had been wounded pretty severely, and although Asher continued to claim he was alright, he was still very pale.
Admittedly, I was still exhausted too. My muscles ached and I had quite a few wounds that could use some care before we left.
We went back and forth for a while until finally, we decided we would need to leave this place in
three days. That would be more than enough time to rest and ready ourselves for the next half of this mission.
The Alpha of Red Stone recommended that we should go with him to his Pack. He assured us that we would be safe from any soldiers and invited us to stay as long as we wanted until we recovered.
It was a tempting offer, but we knew we couldn’t take it. We needed to go back to Wegalla and deal with the chaos there.
Rayden insisted that he would come with us, but Asher commanded him to go to Red Stone and remain there until he was fully recovered. Rayden seemed reluctant, but Asher reminded him that even
if he took the three days to rest, his condition would be too poor for him to travel back to Wegalla, and Wild Crawler couldn’t lose its Alpha.
After she was given the option to stay or go, Helene decided that she would go with the Alpha of Red Stone. She didn’t want to get herself in trouble and she wasn’t a citizen of Wegalla.
“I have no place there,” she mused. “I need to figure out my next step, so Red Stone seems like the rational option.”
She then presented the idea of taking Lila with her, which surprised me greatly. She explained that she liked the little girl very much and considered her to be a friend. She swore she would take care of her as if she were her own.
While it was a surprise, when I saw the glittering tw inkle in Helene’s caramel brown eyes, I knew Lila would be in good hands.
Once that was settled, I advised Erika to go with Helene. Anemond would be too dangerous and I didn’t want to risk my dear friend to get hurt. Erika was like a mother to me. I couldn’t lose her when things were so precarious.
As for Finnick, I wasn’t sure what to do. I couldn’t make a decision. I knew I shouldn’t leave him behind, but I was worried about what could happen if he came with us. Just as I feared Erika’s safety, I feared my son’s too, so I decided I needed to have a discussion with him. He was such a young boy, but he was mature beyond his years, so I knew he would understand if I explained things to him.
Once our meeting was over, one of Rayden’s men came over and told me that Raven had woken up. The sorceress had apparently refused to eat, drink, or say anything aside from wanting to see
me.
I was annoyed at the interruption but decided to see her anyway. I wasn’t too pleased with the young woman, but I had brought her with us for a reason.
When I entered the room she’d been placed in, Raven’s eyes lit up and trailed over me,
“Cassandra!” she practically shouted. “Look at you! You’re a great sorceress now! How do you feel?
I’ve heard that great sorceresses can predict their own fates. I bet you feel amazing, hub? You should thank me for that, because without my brilliant idea, Kaleb would never have known how to cultivate your potential.”
I stared at her coldly. “Could that terrible fire really be called a brilliant idea?”
She nodded manically, “Without the fire, you never would have been able to connect with your past, your painful memories… Your potential was linked to your bad memories, Cassandra. You needed to see them. The method may have been unorthodox, but it was brilliant nonetheless”
As irritation swelled within me, I fought the urge to hit her.
“What do you want?” I asked her coldly. “I was told you refuse to eat or drink. Do you want to die?”
Raven tilted her head slightly. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that question? Why did you bring me here, Cassandra? Do you want to torture me like we did to the gui nea pigs? Or do you plan to dismember my body and see what a sorceress would be like on the inside? I know you’re a healer, so the research could be-”
“I don’t have twisted interests like you,” I cut her off before she could continue and I stifled a suarl “I want you to tell me how to command the magic within me. I haven’t been able to control my newfound power freely and I want to learn how
“And why should I do that?” Raven wondered and she rolled her pretty eyes in annoyance,
“Because your life is in my hands,” I replied, and then I extended my nails into claws and narrowed my eyes at her. “If you don’t want to die, you’d better cooperate. And you better not play any tricks or attempt to fool me, Raven. I can assure you that if you try to cross me, I’ll slit your throat without hesitation.
I’ve heard that great sorceresses can predict their own fates. I bet you feel amazing, huh? You should thank me for that, because without my brilliant idea, Kaleb would never have known how to cultivate your potential.”
I stared at her coldly, “Could that terrible fire really be called a brilliant idea?”·
She nodded manically. “Without the fire, you never would have been able to connect with your past, your painful memories… Your potential was linked to your bad memories, Cassandra. You needed to see them. The method may have been unorthodox, but it was brilliant nonetheless.”
As irritation swelled within me, I fought the urge to hit her.
“What do you want?” I asked her coldly. “I was told you refuse to eat or drink. Do you want to die?”
Raven tilted her head slightly. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that question? Why did you bring me here, Cassandra? Do you want to torture me like we did to the gui nea pigs? Or do you plan to dismember my body and see what a sorceress would be like on the inside? I know you’re a healer,
so the research could be-”
“I don’t have twisted interests like you,” I cut her off before she could continue and I stifled a snarl. “I want you to tell me how to command the magic within me. I haven’t been able to control my newfound power freely and I want to learn how.”
“And why should I do that?” Raven wondered and she rolled her pretty eyes in annoyance.
“Because your life is in my hands,” I replied, and then I extended my nails into claws and narrowed my eyes at her. “If you don’t want to die, you’d better cooperate. And you better not play any tricks or attempt to fool me, Raven. I can assure you that if you try to cross me, I’ll slit your throat without hesitation.
Chapter 287
Yesterday, during a Pack meeting, Darwin waited until we concluded with business to mention that he had heard that I was a famous womanizer back in Anemond. It was said in an almost mocking, condescending tone of voice.
“Nothing but a rumor,” I said evenly, though anger swelled within me. It was indeed a rumor, one I spread deliberately long ago in an attempt to stop Margaret from meddling with my love life. She had great enthusiasm when it came to the prospect of coupling me with a high-born lady from a prestigious family, so I fashioned myself a cad to keep the women at bay.
Kiara seemed stunned by this information. Her hazel eyes glanced away from me and she bit her full lower lip. Just her horror alone was enough to make me want to reach across the table and place my hands around Darwin’s throat.
I didn’t know what Kiara was thinking, but I suspected she might be wondering if I had proposed to many women easily without any sense of responsibility.
It was infuriating. I had made mistakes in the past, but I didn’t think I was making one here. Though we didn’t know each other well, I didn’t think of Kiara like that.]
Darwin grinned at me coyly, and again I wanted to hit him.
It was ironic that he had made such a specific dig at my character, especially after what I’d heard from a group of ser vants just the other day. They had been in the far corner of the room, gossiping amongst themselves when they thought no one could hear them. I wasn’t one to stick my nose where it didn’t belong, but I heard them mention Darwin, so I couldn’t resist.
As it turned out, he was the son of a shameful mistress. According to the se rvants, his mother was a shifty, calculated woman who manipulated herself into a position of power. It was funny really, since my mother was the same sort of person.
I considered bringing up Darwin’s mother at the meeting but decided it was beneath me to administer such a low blow. I would hold onto that information and potentially use it later.
Darwin’s intentions were clear. He wanted to expel me and prove I didn’t deserve to be the future ruler of Sky Pride.
Of course, he couldn’t act on his impulses, not when Alpha Arthur was still unconscious.
X
Emergency calls only MO
*
12:36
The morning after the meeting, I caught the Alpha’s healer outside of his room in the hallway and ushered him
over.
“Lord Kane,” he greeted me politely. “How may I help you?”
“I wanted to ask about the condition of the Alpha,” I said quietly as I glanced around to make sure we were alone. “How is he?”
”
The healer’s face grew solemn. “His condition has deteriorated swiftly. He… he likely won’t survive past a week.”
I nodded, shocked by the news, and I waited until the healer was gone to sigh. A week? That news was far more grim than I’d hoped.
I knew that if Arthur died, Darwin would get full command of the Pack and would sweep me out in no time. I also knew that Kiara would be condemned to live as Darwin’s wife, and I couldn’t decide which fact was worse.
I decided to visit the Alpha to see his condition for myself, and when I opened the door, I was surprised to see Kiara. She was sitting in a chair beside the bed and she was crying so hard she didn’t notice me at first. When she finally did, she cried even harder.
I rushed to her side and swept her into my arms, pulling her close. Her blackberry perfume filled my nostrils with its pleasant aroma, and I stroked her long hair as she wrapped her arms around me. Her curls were incredibly soft.
She cried against my shoulder, and the moist, warm feeling against my shirt left me speechless. Kiara loved her father dearly and it was clear she wasn’t handling the news well.
“Why would the Moon Goddess take him away?” she whimpered, her voice underscored with hurt and anger. “He’s always been so strong and healthy, Kane. For him to suddenly be so sick… it makes no
sense to me. Even the healer couldn’t figure out what happened. I… I don’t know what to do. I can’t lose him.”
She dissolved into sobs and I pulled her in tighter. We stood there for a while, locked in each other’s embrace, and as Kiara continued to cry, I looked over at Alpha Arthur. His face had a strange sheen to it and his lips were deep purple.
My eyebrows knitted together and I slowly pulled away from Kiara just enough to look into her eyes.
“When did this start?” I wondered. “When did he get sick? And what do the healers know?”
“It started around a year ago,” Kiara lamented. “The healers said they couldn’t identify what the cause was, but every part of my father’s body started deteriorating quickly.”
“Had he been taking any medicine or drugs?” I wondered.
Kiara stared back at me in confusion and then nodded. “The healer prescribed some medicine and nutritional products, but they haven’t been useful at all.”
“Do you remember the first symptom of the disease?” I asked as suspicion rose within me. Something about this seemed familiar.
She nodded again. “It started to appear after a hunting trip he went on with Darwin and a few soldiers. They were deep in the forest and he passed out all of a sudden. It was all so strange.”
I didn’t want to scare Kiara, but her words stirred up a bold assumption.
I didn’t think the Alpha was ill because of a disease.
Chapter 288
Though it was a bold theory I had yet to find evidence to support, I knew it was a stronger guess than anything
else the Sky Pride healers made.
Even though it had been many years since then, I could still remember what Asher’s father looked like when he’d died. His face had the same yellowish sheen as Alpha Arthur’s and his lips were unusually purple. The two men had the same dryness in their skin, and the same frigid bodies.
It was too much of a coincidence to not be true.
If my assumption was correct, that would indicate that the head healer was complicit in this scheme.
But why?
What were the motivations behind it all?
“Is the healer still administering medicine to your father?” I asked Kiara, my eyes still locked on the unconscious
Alpha.
“Yes,” she replied. “The treatments have been more frequent lately because the healer thinks the medicine will help him live longer.”
I knew at once that wasn’t the truth. I could almost be sure that the “medicine” Alpha Arthur was taking was in fact poison. The mastermind behind this plan seemed impatient and couldn’t wait any longer for the Alpha’s death, so the frequency of the treatments had been increased.
Kiara took notice of my expression and wiped the tears away from her face. Her eyebrows knitted together and
she studied me closely.
“What’s wrong?” she wondered suspiciously. “You seem… intrigued. Is something going on?”
I parted my lips, unsure of what to say. I didn’t want to alarm her since she was in such a fragile state, but then again, I couldn’t keep her in the dark. This was her father’s life. She deserved to know my theory.
“I’m wondering if there’s something wrong with the medicine,” I said calmly.
1 X
X079% 11:05
Kiara’s doe-like hazel eyes widened even further. “What makes you say that?”
“There are… signs,” I answered vaguely. “Signs that there might be foul play involved-”
“Foul play?” she repeated back, interrupting me. “I don’t understand, Kane. The head healer has served my father for more than twenty years.”
“I know it’s hard to believe,” I said, raising my hands up a little as if to calm her. “But I’ve known and seen someone who had been taking chronic poison under the guise of medicine before. He shared certain traits with your father, Kiara.”
The Alpha’s daughter fell silent. Without thinking, I reached out and took her hands in mine. They were deadly cold and she was trembling.
I wished I could find a way to soothe her. It was an instinctual need, the desire to make her feel better. We didn’t know each other well and yet… it was almost as if I’d known her spirit for a while. It was a strange feeling, one l wasn’t used to. I wasn’t known for my ability to connect with people but this girl was different. She was kind and had a good heart. The depths of her compassion felt endless.
As my mind filled with thoughts of her, she gazed up at me through her thick dark lashes. She seemed disoriented as if this news was too much to bear. Her lips parted a few times but then closed again as if she didn’t wish to speak.
Finally, she sighed.
“I don’t understand,” she said as she continued to tremble. “I’ve always trusted the healer and I’ve helped administer the medicine quite a few times. What if it’s poison after all? That would mean that I helped someone kill my father-”
“It’s not your fault,” I interrupted her sternly. “You mustn’t blame yourself. You had no reason to suspect otherwise, Kiara.”
“Who would have done this?” she wondered as she shook her head. “My father has always been kind and generous to his people. Everyone loves and respects him.”
Though I had a name in mind, I didn’t tell Kiara my theory. It would be too much of a blow to her and she was too fragile to handle it.
“I don’t know,” I lied and I shrugged to reinforce my unsureness.
X
She released a sigh, clearly buying my lame answer.
“What do we do next?” she wondered. “We clearly can’t keep letting the healer give my father poison.”
O
“We need to confront the healer and force her to tell us the truth,” I replied. “We can’t let this go on any longer, not when your father’s life is in the balance.”
Kiara nodded solemnly. “The healer is supposed to come back in two hours. We can confront him then.”
Though that seemed like the natural answer, I shook my head.
“This place is full of soldiers,” I remarked. “The healer needs to be questioned by someone in a high position, someone she wouldn’t dare go against. If we question him here, we might not get the truth. Do you know which road the healer usually takes to get home?”
I knew that the healer didn’t live within the castle, which was something we could use to our advantage.
Kiara considered my question carefully and then nodded. She told me where the healer lived and the route they took to get to the palace.
“I will wait for him there then,” I remarked.
“I’ll come with you,” Kiara offered but I shook my head again.
“It will be too dangerous,” I stated firmly.
“I need to come,” she insisted. “I would never forgive myself otherwise. Please, Kane. Besides, you have no helpers here. All of the Myriad soldiers left with the Alpha King and the Sky Pride soldiers aren’t very loyal to you. You can’t do this alone.”
She had a point. I didn’t have many allies here. Darwin had seen to that personally. I knew it would be tough to do this alone, so despite the voice in my head saying otherwise, I agreed to let her come.
“We’ll need to leave soon,” I advised. “Be ready to come with me. We’ll meet in the foyer.”
An hour and a half later, Kiara and I left the palace undetected and went to the road the healer usually traveled down.
X
Emergency calls only
079% 11:05
O
Sure enough, Kiara’s intel had been spot-on, and after a while, the healer passed by without difficulty. They seemed completely unworried, so I managed to sneak out and grab him immediately.
Taking his collar, I pushed him against the wall of the building we’d hidden behind and exposed my claws.
“Don’t make a sound,” I threatened him. Thankfully, no one was around, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
The healer’s face went pale and he looked both confused and scared.
“Kiara, please help-” he insisted, but the Alpha’s daughter wasn’t having it. Her pretty eyes shot daggers in his
direction.
“Listen to Kane,” she said, her tone so fierce it was almost a growl.
I was a little surprised by the ferocity of her voice and nearly smiled at the sound of it, but I managed to stay focused on the task at hand. I stared intensely at the healer and tightened my hold.
“You’ve been trying to kill the Alpha,” I said clearly. “Why?”
The healer’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about-”
My claws sharpened and dug into his skin.
“If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll kill you right here,” I threatened him again.
“You wouldn’t dare!” the healer blurted boldly. “That’s not how things are done in Sky Pride-”
“I don’t care,” I sneered as my claws dug in further.
“Lord Darwin wouldn’t let me-” the healer started to say but then he froze as if he hadn’t meant to speak.
I wasn’t surprised to hear that Darwin was involved, but Kiara was stunned. A long silence lingered and then she took a step forward toward us.
“Was it Darwin who ordered you to poison my father?” she demanded. “Why would he want you to do that?
Chapter 289
The healer appeared dejected as the Alpha’s daughter stared him down with a vicious expression on her beautiful face, but he seemed to know that it was too late for him to deny the truth.
“Please, forgive me, Kiara,” he pleaded pathetically. “This all got out of hand and it didn’t go the way you think. I didn’t do this for revenge or to spite your father. Darwin forced me to administer the poison. He threatened to kill my wife and children if I disobeyed his orders.”
Kiara softened slightly but I maintained my ferocity. As cruel as it sounded, I wasn’t going to wilt just because the healer had an excuse. If he was telling the truth I would let up, but until I was certain, I wouldn’t relax.
“What does Darwin want?” Kiara repeated herself.
The healer simply glanced at her without saying a word.
The answer was self-evident. If the Alpha died without a proper heir, Darwin would be the one in power. Kiara would either have to marry him or suffer the same fate as her father. Something told me that Darwin had a preference but would accept either option to get what he wanted.
Kiara seemed flustered as she started to put the pieces together, so I spoke to the healer instead.
“Can the Alpha be saved?” I wondered.
The healer considered the question for a moment.
“It would be difficult, but I could try,” he said finally. “I think if I had the proper herbs I could rouse him from his coma and then begin to treat the rest of the poison as I would anything else. It would take some time, and there’s no guarantee, but I think I could try.”
I nodded and then glanced at Kiara. She snapped out of her daze and then nodded. Once I had her turned my attention back to the healer.
approval, I
“You need to do your best to keep this between us,” I said firmly but not unkindly. “If you comply, we’ll make sure your family is safe, If not, your life might be forfeit. It’s all up to you.”
The healer nodded quickly. “Of course. You have my word.”
I released my hold on his collar and the healer rubbed his neck and wiped the small droplets of blood away from his skin. My claws hadn’t pressed in hard enough to inflict too much damage, but enough to still leave some marks.
We decided to return to the palace to check the Alpha’s condition together. Just as expected, the healer gave us a warning stare before we entered Arthur’s room. He pressed a finger against his lips, indicating that we shouldn’t discuss anything here within the castle.
We did as instructed and allowed the healer to examine Arthur. Kiara maintained her distance, but her eyes remained locked on her father. She seemed fiercely determined to make sure he would be okay, and I admired her greatly for it.
Once the healer was done, he gestured to the door. It took me a moment to realize he would only speak to us about the Alpha outside of the castle. It was risky to follow him out since we still didn’t know if we could trust the healer completely, but after Kiara and I exchanged a glance, we stepped out of the room.
We followed the healer out of the castle and all the way to the side road again. After the healer glanced around, he broke the silence and let out a soft sigh.
“The good news is that the Alpha is okay, he informed us. “Darwin had instructed me to increase the strength of the poison the other day, but I didn’t do it. I will stop the administration of the medicine at once and shift him over to normal nutritional pills that should improve his condition.”
Kiara lit up at this news but I wasn’t completely convinced.
“You’d better be telling the truth,” I warned the healer. “And you better not be playing any tricks. I won’t stand for any more harm coming to the Alpha. Do you understand?”
The healer nodded seriously. “Of course, Lord Kane. I don’t want the Alpha to die. That’s why I hadn’t yet used the stronger poison. I don’t want to take his life. He deserves to live on for many more years to come.”
We exchanged a few more words and then the healer left to head back to his home. After he was gone, Kiara reached out and held on to the wall, as if trying not to collapse to the ground. I rushed to her side and steadied her before she could fall.
“Kiara, are you alright?” I demanded as concern swelled within me.
She didn’t answer and instead muttered to herself. “How could Darwin do this?”
I stared into her eyes and offered her a sympathetic expression. “I don’t know, darling.”
I hadn’t meant to call her that, but the affectionate moniker slipped out before I could stop it. Kiara didn’t seem to notice. She looked like a lost little girl.
“Darwin was always loyal to our family,” she remarked sadly. “He’s always been my father’s right-hand man. He’s never done anything without involving Darwin.”
She took a breath and then continued. “He saved my father quite a few times when they were in danger. Pack disputes. Though Darwin is much younger than my father, he considered Darwin to be his
best friend. He’s always been so kind to me. How… how could he do this?”
“Werewolves are complicated,” I explained. “Men are complicated.”
“I can’t believe I even considered marrying him,” Kiara murmured as she shook her head. “How st upid am I? The rest of the Pack is right. I’m an idiot indeed.”
“You aren’t an idiot,” I insisted firmly. “Don’t blame yourself, Kiara. This isn’t your fault. Darwin may have been loyal in the past. He was probably kind back then too. When you’re close to someone, it can be hard to recognize a change right away. One also tends to trust those who have been loyal in the past. Believe me, I understand how you feel. The feeling of being deceived by one of the closest people you know is a nightmare.”
She considered my words for a moment and then nodded.
“What do we do next?” she wondered. “Darwin is very clever, Kane. If we confront him directly, he won’t admit what he’s done.”
“You’re right,” I said. “We need to find another way.”
Our biggest issue was the fact that Darwin had authority in the Pack. It would be hard to get others to go against him. And if the Alpha didn’t wake up… there was no way we could stop him.
I felt a bit exhausted.
If Darwin couldn’t be defeated, there was no way I could command the army of Sky Pride. Our chances of Alpha Arthur awakening any time soon were slim, which meant we couldn’t offer timely help if Asher and Cassandra were in need.
Given, of course, that they had survived the fire in Yurene.
I didn’t know if they were even still alive, but I decided to operate as if they were.
“Darwin may have power but he isn’t undefeatable,” Kiara interrupted my thoughts. “Most of the Pack are loyal to my father. If we could find any solid evidence showing that Darwin wanted to murder the Alpha, the rest of the Pack would call for his execution.”
A splendid theory.
I nodded my head. “In that case, we would need to get solid evidence.”
The Packs wouldn’t believe in a healer or me, an outsider. As for Kiara, thanks to the rumor Darwin had spread around the Pack, many believed she was spellbound by me, at least figuratively. They believed she would do anything for me, even lie.
“Solid evidence,” Kiara mumbled and then she brightened. “If I want members to stand on my side, I need to convince a few important figures, people who have higher positions and are respected like Darwin. They need to witness how evil Darwin can be.”
Chapter 290
Kiara’s plan was far too risky, even by my standards.
I hadn’t exactly been known for my self-preservation skills, but then again, I still knew when things were too dangerous to do.
When Kiara finished speaking, I shook my head and frowned deeply.
“I can’t let you do this,” I said sternly.
“I must,” she insisted, answering my frown with one of her own. “You know I must, Kane.”
She was incorrect. I didn’t know such to be true. Kiara intended to offer herself as bait. She planned to seduce the truth out of Darwin’s mouth. She would speak with the villain in private and try to irk him into making him confess his disloyalty to her father. Meanwhile, I would summon the key members of the Pack and lead them to the room, making sure they heard what Darwin said.
Normally, it would have been a half-decent plan, but the idea of Kiara putting herself in that position didn’t sit right with me.
“I know how to protect myself,” she insisted when I fell silent. “Besides, I don’t think Darwin would dare to kill me. And you’ll arrive soon after the talk begins, so if anything happens, you could step in right away.”
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” I sighed and I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers. “If we need to confront Darwin and force him to tell the truth, I should be the one to do the job. You shouldn’t be the one shouldering all the risk. I know you said Darwin wouldn’t kill you but-”
Before I could finish my statement, Kiara stepped forward and placed her lips against mine. I was taken aback but didn’t pull away. Her lips were warm and soft, and her perfume was intoxicating.
We remained there, tightly pressed against one another until she finally pulled back and gazed up at me with warmth in her eyes.
“I understand the risk,” she said softly. “But I’m the best pick for the job, Kane. Darwin likes me he’s always considered me naive. He would be defenseless.”
I studied her for a moment, my
I was a bit puzzled.
It took me a second to gather myself and then I spoke.
“You don’t have to do this,” I said again. “Alpha Arthur might wake up soon-”
“We both know that’s unlikely,” she cut me off. “And I know you can’t wait, nor can the Alpha King. Besides, I can’t bear it anymore. I can’t see Darwin in power while my father is suffering from the poison he gave him. I’ve made
up my mind already and you can’t stop me. If you aren’t willing to help carry out the plan, I’ll just do it myself.”
Kiara asked Darwin to come to her room before dinner because he was busy all day and that was the only time he could agree to, but it gave me quite a bit of difficulty in persuading the Pack members.
They were suspicious because they didn’t believe Kiara would ask them to have a meeting in her room at such a time. I couldn’t blame them. If I were in their position, I would not have followed me so easily either. An outsider asking them for favors would be strange enough but a meeting in the Alpha’s daughter’s room? It probably sounded so odd.
Despite that, most of them had agreed to the request because they thought the lady might have something important to say. They had no reason to distrust Kiara.
Most of them anyway.
There was one elder who didn’t want to comply. He was an ancient man with a long, thick white beard and beady eyes. He seemed to see through our plan immediately.
“He’s trying to do something terrible to us!” the elder insisted to the others, among other things. With every utterance, my agitation grew. The longer he dragged, the more time he wasted, and I knew any delay might result in something terrible.
I was worried about Kiara,
In the end, I had to threaten the elder, which caused more suspicion and doubt from the others. Normally, I would have conducted myself more politely, but I couldn’t just stand by when Kiara was in danger.
“I might not be an excellent fighter compared to the Myriad soldiers, but I could still deal with all of you in no time,” I warned. “If anything happens to Kiara because of your delay, I’ll kill you all, I promise.”
The members seemed confused but intimidated by my threat. All nodded and then followed me down the hall.
When we arrived at Kiara’s room, I noticed that the door had been propped open just a hair. It wasn’t enough to be detectable, but allowed us to hear what was being said immediately. When we arrived, we could hear Kiara and Darwin having an intense conversation.
“What’s going on?” the elder who’d given me trouble asked, and I held my finger to my lips to shush him. All seemed confused but obeyed my order to be quiet.
“You don’t understand,” Kiara’s voice filtered out into the hall. “I can’t decide my future because my father is so controlling. He wanted me to marry the royal lord from Anemond-”
“You shouldn’t marry that infamous womanizer,” Darwin interrupted her, and I felt all of the Pack members’ eyes on me. “I love you, Kiara, and I know you share the same feelings.”
“You shouldn’t say that,” Kiara insisted, and she began to sniffle. “My father wouldn’t agree.”
“The Alpha has no right to interfere with his daughter’s marriage,” Darwin replied, his tone irritated.
“But he’s the Alpha,” Kiara replied naively. “He has the legal right to decide everything according to his will. As long as he’s alive and wears the crown, his decisions can never be changed.”
“It’s true as long as he’s alive,” Darwin remarked. “But what if he died?”
The Pack members frowned and I fought back a smirk. Perhaps this would work after all.
“What do you mean?” Kiara wondered. “The healer said my father might die in a week, but it isn’t a solid fact.”
The members all widened their eyes and exchanged glances.
Sh t.
I forgot this wasn’t common knowledge. Luckily, before they had too long to speculate, Darwin spoke.
“I know you love your father, but I’m sure that the Alpha will die in a week,” he said. “Maybe less than a wee
“What do you mean?” Kiara asked innocently. “How are you so sure?”
Darwin laughed shortly. “Because I made the healer do something, something that could change everything
us.”
The members were all stunned. They began to whisper amongst themselves, asking what Darwin was talking about but I shushed them before they could say too much.
“What do you mean, Darwin?” Kiara repeated.
“I planned it long ago so nothing would go wrong,” Darwin said. “You don’t need to know the details, Kiara. Yo just need to prepare to be my wife. Now, come here, darling, and kiss me. If you want, this could be our weddir night.”
“We’re about to have dinner,” she said worriedly. “Please tell me what you meant Darwin. What was your plan?
He didn’t reply and instead chuckled promiscuously. I heard the floors creak like he had taken a step forward.
“Darwin, please,” Kiara insisted. “Tell me.”
The room fell silent, but she hadn’t broken the cup she’d placed on the table. We’d agreed that would be our signal, the one that would make me lead in the Pack members. I waited for a while, but when I heard a mu ffled whimper, I felt my blood freeze. I couldn’t wait anymore.
I broke into the room immediately and when I did, I saw Darwin pinning Kiara against the wall with his hand. His fingers were wrapped around her throat and he was trying to get her to expose her neck to accept his kiss.
Kiara’s hazel eyes were enormous as she tried to move away.
The other members flooded into the room behind me, and once Darwin noticed us, he realized what happened. He began to move like he was going to hold Kiara hostage, but I was swifter than him.
The moment I saw his hand on Kiara’s body, I felt a flame burning in my veins. How dare he touch her?
I rushed at Darwin, claws extended, and slashed his stomach. I began to see red and soon lost composure. I’d never been so brutal nor had I ever felt this way. The feeling of possessiveness made me want to kill Darwin and replace the dirty smell he’d left on Kiara’s skin with mine.