Chapter 17 SEVENTEEN

Chapter 17 SEVENTEEN
KAEL’S POV

Die.
The word hit harder than anything else.

My chest tightened, something unfamiliar and sharp digging into me as I looked at Ilyana—pale, shaking, breaking under the pain.

No.
Not her.
Not like this.

My hand hovered uselessly at my side before I dragged it through my hair, pacing once, twice, my wolf going feral inside me.

I should have been here.
I should have protected her.

A low, dangerous growl built in my chest, my eyes burning as they locked on the wound on her neck.

I’ll kill him.

I’ll kill all of them.



It took a total of three hours before Atasha was able to remove all the venom from her body. Carius and I held her down, allowing Atasha to clean the wound, disinfect it, and make sure everything was done properly.

After she finished, Ilyana still looked the same—pale and lifeless, like something else was still draining her, like she was on the verge of turning into a vampire. 

I frowned, “What’s wrong? Why is she not getting better?”

Atasha sighed tiredly. “He took so much blood from her.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, something primal blooming inside me.

She turned to give me a pointed look, clearly tired of my questions but with no choice but to answer. “It means it’s going to take a while for her to get back on her feet. You don’t expect her to immediately spring back to life and start laughing, do you?”

My jaw ticked, irritation and annoyance dancing together inside me. “How long would it take for her to wake up?”

“Are you eager to fuck her that much, brother? Or is it that you’re actually worried?”

My hands clenched instantly. If it had been anyone else, I would have killed them on the spot, fed them to the hounds, or turned them into a rogue.

The moment the words left her mouth, she sighed, exhaustion pulling at her features.

“I’m tired, brother. Forgive me.”

I ignored her apology. “I don’t want my mate dying on me two days after bringing her to the pack. Make sure nothing happens to her,” I replied coldly.

“Of course, your highness.”

She turned back to Ilyana, and my gaze lingered on her for a second too long. Anger surged inside me again, my fist tightening before I turned to Carius and walked out. He followed without a word.

We walked in silence until I reached my study, and I slammed my fist straight into the desk.

What was wrong with me?
Why was I this worked up?

The image of Ilyana lying lifeless on that bed flashed in my head again. Atasha’s words echoed.

“Or are you worried for her?”

That couldn’t be the reason.

I’ve only known her for two days. I’ve had people I’ve known for years—advisors, guards—die, and I didn’t react like this.

Her face flashed again. Her curly hair. Those eyes. Her perfect face. She didn’t deserve any of this.

I’ve never even seen her smile since I brought her here. The only thing I’ve seen on her face is disappointment, tears in her eyes after Lucienne. No laughter. No happiness. Nothing.

And that thought dug deeper than it should have.

And now she was dying.

“Fuck!” I roared, rage bursting out of me.

No. I couldn’t be angry about this. Not about her. I didn’t bring her here to learn her smile or her laugh. I needed an heir. Someone to leave behind for Atasha and the others when I die.

That was all.

I was angry about something else.

The attacks.

Two attacks in the span of a day made no sense. Not rogues. Not wolves. Outsiders. Creatures I had signed treaties with. Creatures that promised to stay away from wolf land.

And now they were attacking—not randomly, not in small groups—but calculated. And it was taking something from me. 

Ilyana–her name tugged in my brain, her pale face. I pushed the thought down. 

I didn’t know if they were foolish or bold, but I would make sure every single one of them regretted it.

Carius entered, his gaze flicking to the dented desk before returning to me.

“You’re angry.”

“Of course I’m angry! What do you expect? Under my command, she was injured. She might die, and you ask if I’m angry?” I snapped.

His eyes widened. “You’re angry because of the girl?”

Her face flashed again. Her teary eyes. Her disappointed gaze. How had she not smiled in the two days of her being here? Not once. 

No. Not because of her. It couldn’t be.

I gritted my teeth, turning away. “How many casualties?”

He didn’t say anything for a while, staring at me like I'd grown two heads until I glared, “Ten drained wolf families. Six children.”

A low growl rumbled in my chest, my rage climbing higher, my wolf craving blood.

I’ll kill them.

No. The last time, we signed a treaty. As long as they stayed out of wolf territory, I let them be.

And they broke it.

This time, there would be no mercy. I would hunt every single one of them.

“Send a message to both the Lycans and the vampire queen. Ask if they know about this attack. Give them a week to find whoever is involved and submit them. If they don’t, I’ll attack—and this time, I’ll wipe them all out.”

“Of course, my lord.”

“Were any of the guards injured?”

“Five, my lord.”

“Dead?”

“No. Just injured. They’re in the pack hospital. Everything is in order.”

I nodded, some of the anger easing as I shut my eyes and leaned back into the chair.

Two attacks.
One day.

It made no sense.

“And how do you feel? You look drained.”

I opened my eyes and met Carius’s gaze. He walked to the bar, poured a drink, and placed it in front of me.

“You need to stop shifting. When you do that, it gets worse.”

I picked up the glass and downed it in one go. He refilled it.

“And let my people die?”

“And let me take care of it,” he countered.

“And what would be my use after that? What use is a king that cannot protect his people?”

His hands shook slightly as he poured again, his voice low.

“What use is a king…and a friend…when he’s dead?”

My shoulders stiffened. My grip on the glass tightened before I swallowed the drink and stood.

“I worry for you, Kael.”

“And you worry too much,” I replied, harsher than I intended. I didn’t need another person watching me, not after Atasha. Someone else needed that worry. Someone that was spilling into my thoughts in just two days of knowing her.

Fuck! What is wrong with me? 

I pushed it down again, “Send the message to the king and queen. I want an explanation.”

When he spoke again, all softness was gone. “Of course.”

I turned and made my way back to my room.

The moment I stepped in, I froze.

Atasha was hovering over Ilyana, moving frantically, checking her neck, pulling at her clothes, her expression filled with shock.

“What are you doing?”

She turned to me, eyes wide. “Look at her.”

I frowned and stepped closer.

Two minutes ago, she had been lifeless.

Now…

Now it looked like she was sleeping.

Color had returned to her face.

“She’s healing on her own,” Atasha said, her voice uncertain as her hands moved over Ilyana again. “I… I don’t understand. It’s like something inside her is replacing the blood. Replenishing it.”

She looked up at me, her eyes widening even more, something like realization hitting her.

“She’s self-healing a vampire wound.”