Chapter 32 Chapter 32

Chapter 32 Chapter 32
Kael’s POV
In that moment, my heart throbbed violently.
I turned my head toward her. I couldn’t see her, but I could feel her. Her presence, her breath, her heartbeat. She was forcing herself to stay calm in front of everyone. She had to act like a warrior.
I hated my eyes. I hated this damn darkness. If I could see, I’d look at her. I’d tell her "I’m here" with just a glance. I’d give her strength. But I couldn’t. I had to stand there, expressionless and cold, just like always. Because if I showed any sign of caring, everyone would notice. They would know what she meant to me, and that would make her a target. She would become my weakness. So I had to stay silent. I had to stay ice-cold.
The meeting ended. People started to file out. I turned and walked out of the hall.
“You’re heartless,” Alec said in my head.
“Shut up.”
“She needs you. She’s scared. She needs your support.”
“I know.”
“Then go to her!”
“No.”
I went back to my cabin and slammed the door. I leaned against it, taking deep breaths. To drown out my emotions, I pushed myself through an intense workout.
Hundreds of push-ups, pull-ups, and squats. Soon, I was drenched in sweat. My muscles were screaming, but it kept me focused. It kept me from thinking about her.
An hour later, I was finished. I stripped off my clothes and splashed water on my face. I felt it sliding over my skin, over my scars.
The deepest scar on my back was from Dorian. A silver dagger to the spine. It nearly paralyzed me. I survived, but the price was permanent pain—a constant reminder of the blood feud between us.
The Ashland Pack. Dorian’s territory. Thousands of well-trained, well-equipped warriors. And Dorian himself—a powerful Alpha, cunning and cruel. Ten years ago, when I could still see, we were equals. Every fight ended in a draw. But now? I’m blind. I’ve been weakened by silver. My strength isn't what it was. Exile’s Rest has fewer than forty warriors. No resources, no allies, no advantage. Fighting the Ashland Pack? It’s impossible. We can’t even beat the Stillwater Pack, let alone both of them combined.
I kept thinking. Derek and Dorian’s alliance—enemies on the surface, partners in reality. That was their weakness. If I could make them doubt each other, the alliance would crumble. And the key to breaking them… was Sabrina. Derek’s former Luna. The woman who ran away with his child. If Derek knew where she was, if he knew the kid existed, he’d go feral. He’d do anything to get her back, even turn on Dorian. It was my only shot. My only chance.
But the cost? Sabrina’s safety. Her pain. Her fear. I’d be pushing her back into that hell. Back into Derek’s hands.
“You can’t do this,” Alec said, his voice low and heavy.
“I have no choice.”
“You do!” Alec roared. “You could give up on revenge! You could take her and leave! Go somewhere else!”
“And then what?” I asked coldly. “Dorian would hunt me forever. Derek would hunt her forever. How far could we run? How long could we hide?”
“At least you’d be together!”
“Together?” I let out a bitter laugh. “A blind man and a fugitive with a child. Is that the life you want for her?”
Alec went silent.
My plan was simple: expose Sabrina to Derek. Let him lose his mind over her. Create a rift between him and Dorian to break the alliance. Then, I could take them down one by one.
But it meant Sabrina would be the prey again. She’d be running again. She’d be terrified again. And I… I would be the one who caused it.
I stayed silent, trying not to think about her dark future. I kept running through the plan until the middle of the night.
“Kael!” Alec suddenly shouted, sounding excited. “She’s here!”
I froze. “Her scent! I smell it! She’s outside!”
I took a deep breath. He was right. Daisies and rain. And a faint… milk scent? Did she bring the kid? No. It was the doll. That old rag doll. I could hear Sabrina’s heartbeat. Fast. Uneven. She was nervous. She was right outside the door, hesitating, wanting to knock but not daring to.
“Go open the door!” Alec urged.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because…” I paused. “Because I don’t want to see her.”
“Liar!” Alec snarled. “You do! You want to see her so bad!”
“I can’t,” I said. “If I see her, if I talk to her, I’ll… I’ll change my mind.”
“Then change it!”
“No,” I said firmly. “I’ve made my decision.”
I heard Sabrina’s footsteps. She was pacing, torn. Then, the sound started to fade. She was leaving. “Let her go,” I told myself. “It’s for the best.”
But my body wouldn't listen. I stood up and walked to the door.
"Wait."
The word was out before I even realized I was speaking.
“Ha!” Alec laughed triumphantly. “I knew it!”
“Shut up.”
I pushed the door open. The moonlight hit my face. The wind carried her scent straight to me. She was standing there, turning around to look at me. I could feel her eyes on me. That’s when I realized I was only wearing thin pants—my chest was completely bare.
I stepped out. One step, two, three. With every step, her scent got stronger. Her breath felt closer. My heart started racing out of control.
I stopped right in front of her. Her heart was thumping like a drum. Mine was doing the same.
I smelled the fragrance of her hair and her own personal scent—under the daisies and rain, there was the warm, soft smell of a mother. It made me want to pull her into my arms.
“Say something,” Alec prodded. “Don’t just stand there like an idiot.”
I opened my mouth, but the words came out cold and harsh.
"We have a mission tomorrow," I said, my voice hoarser than I expected. "Go to bed early..."
“No, no, no!” Alec screamed. “What are you doing? You’re kicking her out?”
I stopped. Dammit.
"Early..." I tried again. "Go check your gear?"
Stupid. Total silence. Then, a laugh. A soft, bell-like laugh. Was she laughing at me? My face started to feel hot. My neck, my chest—everything was heating up. Hell. I’ve been alive for thirty-two years and I’ve never been this embarrassed.
"I’m going." I turned around, desperate to end the awkward silence.
But the moment I turned, she grabbed my hand.
"Alright," she said, her voice full of humor. "Let’s go check the gear together."
My mind went blank. “She’s touching you!” Alec was losing his mind with excitement.
“I know.”
“Her hand is so soft!”
“I know.”
“She’s smiling!”
“I damn well know! Shut up, you stupid wolf!”
I turned back to face her. Even though I couldn’t see, I could feel her smile. She was still holding my hand. She didn’t let go, and I didn’t pull away. We just stood there, holding hands in a slightly weird way.
"Fine," I said, my voice still gravelly. "Let’s go."
“Woohoo!” Alec howled. “A midnight date to check gear? That’s a first for me!”