Chapter 171 Mate Bond Completion

Chapter 171 Interrogation
Lyra POV
 
"Are you okay?" Gabriel's voice cut through my thoughts as he caught up to me outside the medical center.
 
I couldn't help but smile. After everything we'd just been through, his concern for me remained unwavering.
 
"Well," I teased, slowing my pace slightly, "I thought you were supposed to be able to feel my pain through our mate bond. So what exactly are you sensing right now?"
 
Gabriel's expression faltered, his usual confidence momentarily shaken. "Nothing..." he admitted reluctantly.
 
"That's it. I'm fine. Totally." I quickened my steps again, heading toward the cells where Kade was being held. "My abilities seem to have improved after recovering my memories. I can purify it much faster now, and I don't feel any fatigue," I confided to Gabriel.
 
"We're becoming what we were always meant to be," my wolf whispered, stirring with satisfaction.
 
Gabriel matched my stride, his brow furrowed with concern. "That doesn't explain why I can't feel anything through our bond."
 
"Maybe it's because there's nothing to feel," I suggested. "You know, I should probably thank Dominic. I think it was him calling my name on the battlefield that triggered my memories to return." I shrugged. "Just a theory, of course."
 
The irony wasn't lost on me. The man who had caused me so much pain had inadvertently helped unlock my full potential. Life had a strange way of balancing accounts.
 
"I still don't feel good about this..." Gabriel muttered, his jaw tightening.
 
I stopped abruptly, turning to face him with mock indignation. "Looks like I have to delve into your mind and see if something's wrong with your energy too." I raised my eyebrows challengingly.
 
A hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. "Go ahead, make me what you like."
 
I deflated, unable to maintain my pretense of anger. "You! I'm not talking to you anymore!" I huffed, but couldn't stop the affection from seeping into my voice.
 
Gabriel's expression softened as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Alright, no kidding. Let's get back to business. What are you going to do with Kade?"
 
My expression turned serious. "You'll see."
 
The interrogation room was sparse, just a metal table with chairs on either side. Kade sat alone on one side, his body wrapped in silver chains that glinted harshly under the fluorescent lights. Gabriel and I took our seats opposite him, the tension in the room palpable.
 
Despite his restraints, Kade's smirk remained firmly in place, his eyes gleaming with defiance. The silver was clearly causing him pain, but he refused to show it. Angry red welts had formed where the chains touched his skin, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead from the effort of maintaining his composure.
 
"I want you to tell us everything," I stated calmly. "Your plans, who in the Council is working with you. All of it."
 
Kade's smirk widened. "Thirsty," he rasped. "Water."
 
Gabriel glanced at me, and I nodded. He left briefly, returning with a plastic cup of water. As he leaned forward to help Kade drink, the prisoner took a large gulp. In a flash, he spewed the water directly into Gabriel's face, then tried to spray me too, but I was sitting just beyond his reach. The water droplets only managed to splatter across the metal table between us.
 
"I ain't tell you shit!" Kade howled with laughter as water dripped down Gabriel's now-rigid features.
 
Gabriel's eyes flashed dangerously, his hands curling into fists as he slowly wiped his face. I placed a restraining hand on his arm before he could react further.
 
"It's fine," I said loudly, my mind working quickly. If direct questioning wouldn't work, perhaps I could trick him into revealing information. "Your mother, Eleanor, right? She has told us everything. We just wanted to verify it." I shrugged with feigned indifference. "It's okay if you don't tell me. Guess I'll proceed according to the information she provided and root out those corrupt elements in the Council."
 
The effect was immediate. Kade's face contorted with rage at the mention of Eleanor's name.
 
"That bitch doesn't know shit!" he spat, straining against his chains. "She's lying to you!"
 
I leaned forward. "Oh? Is that so? Then what is the truth?"
 
Kade's eyes gleamed with malice. "I'm working with Malcolm and—" He stopped abruptly, his expression shifting from rage to calculation. A cold smile spread across his face. "Almost fell for your little trick. I have nothing to tell you about that!"
 
I silently cursed myself. My eagerness had shown too plainly on my face, alerting him to my deception. I needed to redirect.
 
"Let's talk about something else then," I suggested, keeping my voice steady. "Why did you push me off that cliff? That we can talk about?"
 
As soon as the words left my mouth, Gabriel exploded beside me.
 
"You did that?" he roared, half-rising from his chair, his eyes blazing with fury.
 
The air in the room suddenly felt charged with electricity. Gabriel's scent changed, becoming sharper, more dangerous: the scent of an Alpha ready to kill. The veins in his neck stood out prominently as he fought to control his rage.
 
I placed a firm hand on his arm, silently urging him to sit down. After a moment of tension, he complied, though his body remained coiled with rage.
 
Kade's cold laugh filled the room. "That we can talk about. Your white wolf bloodline can only be activated through rebirth, and rebirth requires severe trauma, both physical and mental." His eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure. "Your brother Jason had just died, revealing that bombshell about your family. Your spirit was already broken. I just needed to add some physical trauma to complete the package. There was no better timing."
 
He leaned forward as far as his chains would allow. "In fact, you wouldn't have died in the ocean. The saltwater would have actually accelerated your white wolf awakening. But," he glanced at Gabriel with contempt, "this fool pulled you out and marked you, forcing me to change my plans..."
 
Kade suddenly stopped himself, leaning back with a smug smile. "I've said too much. That's where we enter territory I won't discuss..."
 
I stared at him, frustration building. Kade was being careful, revealing just enough to taunt us while keeping the crucial information hidden. I recalled how he had impersonated Council member Zachary to deceive me, and anger ignited fiercely within my chest.
 
Standing abruptly, I turned to Gabriel. "He's all yours. Find out what he knows, but don't kill him. I'm going back to the medical center to check on the wounded."
 
Gabriel's eyes darkened with anticipation as he cracked his knuckles. "Leave it to me."
 
I walked out of the interrogation room, closing the door firmly behind me. Almost immediately, Kade's scream came muffled through the door, followed by his taunting laughter.
 
"If you want me to talk, you'll have to try harder than that!" His mockery was cut short by the sound of a heavy impact, then another scream.
 
As I walked away, I couldn't help but wonder what secrets Kade was still hiding, and just how far Gabriel would go to extract them.