Chapter 22 22

Chapter 22 22
KAEL’S POV
She’s not back.
A growl slipped past my mouth for the umpteenth time as I threw my head back against the chair, waiting for the door to open at any second and for Carrius to walk in with her.
I stood up and started pacing, an uncomfortable, restless feeling pooling deep inside me. Something was wrong. Something new and deeply unpleasant.
It was just her. Ilyana. My mate. So why did I feel like this? Why was my entire body on edge at the thought of seeing her?
I hadn’t seen her since that night.
The Lycan and vampire attacks had not been limited to this pack alone but had spread across other wolf packs too, wreaking havoc everywhere. I had traveled to some of them myself, checking things firsthand, burying myself in work to figure it all out. I had only just returned tonight.
Every nerve in my body ached with exhaustion, but I needed to see her. I flicked the small box in my hand, my heart pounding at the sight of it. It was a simple piece I had seen in one of the packs—a necklace, and I had bought it for her.
It wasn’t my first time buying something for a woman, but I had spent the entire journey back thinking about it. Would she like it? Would she wear it? Would she smile?
Fuck. I wanted to see her smile.
The door opened, pulling me out of my thoughts as Carrius stepped in—but alone.
Irritation flared instantly in my veins. The sun had long set, the moonlight already spilling halfway into the room. It was dark outside.
“Where is she?”
“The guards said they’re not back yet. Misha must have taken her around the pack.”
“Around the pack? Where exactly?”
“I have no idea.” He shrugged like it didn’t matter, but my mind was already spinning. Misha wasn’t just any maid—she had been with us for years. She knew better than to keep her out this late.
“What if something has gone wrong?” I said, my voice tightening as I met Carrius’s eyes.
“I don’t think—”
I didn’t let him finish. “Take the cars. Search the entire pack. And you better come back with her the next time you open that door.”
Carrius bowed before leaving, and the moment the door shut, the silence pressed in. Now that the thought had settled in my mind, it refused to leave.
What if something had happened to her? What if there was another attack and—
My wolf growled, restless and possessive, craving blood at the mere thought. I had things I wanted to say to her. Words I should have said to her that night. I’d thought and thought about it during my work, my brain full of it.
If she was attacked now, how would I make amends? I needed to find her.
I had just taken a step toward the door when a knock came, and my body stilled. Finally. They were back. My thoughts scattered as I quickly hid the box and took my seat before speaking.
“Enter.”
The door opened—and instead of Carrius or Ilyana, Lucienne walked in.
Disappointment twisted inside me, sharp and immediate, followed by a surge of misplaced anger.
I hope Carius finds them, and if he does, I’ll punish Misha myself.
“Kael,” Lucienne called as she stepped inside, closing the door gently behind her, a pout on her lips.
Whatever she wanted, it wasn’t going to be good.
“I’m busy, Lucienne,” I replied coldly.
“Busy?” She paused before walking toward the bar, frowning like she’d been offended. “You just got back. What could you possibly be busy with?”
I watched her pour a drink into two glasses before returning to me. She handed me one and took the seat in front of me. “You overwork yourself, Kael. At this rate, you’ll burn out… and might die.”
The room went still.
My grip tightened around the glass as I met her gaze. Only Carrius and Atasha knew about the curse—about my time.
Lucienne couldn’t know. She was just saying anything, throwing words around.
“What do you want, Lucienne?” I ground out.
She pressed her lips together, moving them side to side like she always did. “I’ve really missed you, Kael.”
She closed the distance between us, and my eyes tracked every movement, cold and sharp. I hadn’t even noticed she was wearing only a robe until her fingers reached the tie, loosening it in one smooth motion.
The robe slid down her body, revealing her half-naked.
“Don’t you miss me? Us?”
Disgust curled low in my stomach. My gaze flickered briefly to the door. Still no sign of them.
Her hand slid onto my thigh as she lowered herself to her knees.
“Lucienne…” I warned, my voice edged with restraint.
She ignored it. She always ignored it.
“Don’t you miss this? Me? Us?” she whispered, her hand moving further. “Because it was good. You know it was good, Kael.”
I caught her wrist before she could go any further, careful not to tighten my grip too much. Her eyes lifted to mine, and she smiled—mistaking it for acceptance.
It wasn’t.
I didn’t have the patience for this. Not now. Not with everything else clawing at my mind.
“Get out,” I said, shoving her hand away.
I stood and moved toward the bar, but her voice followed, sharp and wounded.
“Why? Why are you acting like I’m a plague, Kael? Why don’t you want me anymore?”
“Lucienne—”
“No. Tell me. You wanted me before. You wanted this. But now that you have that useless, whiny mate—”
I was in front of her before she could finish. My hand wrapped around her throat as I slammed her back against the wall.
My wolf snarled, rage surging through me at her words.
How dare she.
“This will be the last time you speak about her,” I said, my voice low and dangerous against her face.
If she was shocked, she didn’t show it. Instead, she leaned into it, her hand sliding around my waist.
“Good…” she murmured. “Be angry at me. Be mad at me. Just do something.”
For a second, the anger in me faltered, thrown off by her reaction. My thoughts stilled, blanking out as she leaned closer, her lips crashing against mine.
I couldn’t think. Couldn’t move.
When did Lucienne become this desperate?
“My lord, I found—”
The voice cut through everything.
Like air flooding back into a drowning chest, my senses snapped into place. I pulled away from her instantly—but it was already too late.
At the door, Carrius stood frozen, his eyes wide.
And behind him… Ilyana, as something fell from her hand.