Chapter 87
Elara's POV
I watched Kael's hand fall to his side. Watched the concern in his eyes die like someone had flipped a switch.
He didn't argue. Didn't defend himself. Just... accepted it.
Like he'd been here before. Like he'd always expected this.
"Sorry," he said. Voice flat. "Didn't mean to interfere."
Victoria looked away. Wouldn't even meet his eyes.
Something hot and angry twisted in my chest.
I'd seen a lot of cold shit in my life. Seen alphas torture their enemies. Seen pack members turn on each other. But I'd never seen someone treat their own kid like this.
Like he was nothing. Like saving her life meant nothing.
I took a breath. Forced myself to stay calm.
"That's not fair," I said.
Both of them turned to look at me. Victoria's eyes went sharp with warning. Kael just looked confused.
"Harrington," I said. Kept my voice steady. "That's not fair and you know it."
Victoria's face went tight. "Elara—"
"In the basement," I cut her off. "You told me everything. Remember?"
Her mouth snapped shut.
I kept going. Looked right at her. "You said you pushed him away because you were scared. Because the Harrington family would kill him if you tried to run. You said it wasn't his fault."
"Stop." Victoria's voice cracked. "You don't—"
"You said your biggest regret was not protecting your first son. But that doesn't mean Kael deserves this."
Kael was staring at me. I could feel his eyes on my face but I didn't look at him. Kept my focus on Victoria.
She tried to step toward me. Almost fell. Her legs were shaking so bad she could barely stand.
"Those were just words," she said. Voice desperate. "I was emotional. You can't—"
"Bullshit." The word came out harder than I meant it to. "If it was just emotion, why did you refuse his help just now? Why would you rather let those wolves drag you back than accept that he came for you?"
Kael made a small sound. Not quite a gasp. More like someone had punched the air out of his lungs.
I finally looked at him.
His face was blank. Carefully blank. But his eyes... God, his eyes.
They were wide. Lost. Like a kid who'd just figured out the monster under the bed was real.
"You..." He looked at Victoria. "You said you were protecting me?"
Victoria's face crumpled. She covered her mouth with her hand.
I felt the anger building in my chest. Hot and sharp. Because I knew this feeling. Knew what it was like to be alone. To have no one.
But at least in the north, I'd known where I stood. No one had pretended to care while pushing me away.
"You're not protecting him," I said. Voice shaking now. Couldn't help it. "You're protecting yourself."
Victoria flinched like I'd hit her.
"You use 'safety' as an excuse. But you never told him the truth. Never explained. Just let him think you hated him. Let him grow up believing his own mother couldn't stand to look at him."
My hands were shaking. I shoved them in my pockets.
"That's not protection. That's cowardice."
The word hung in the air between us.
Victoria's legs gave out. She slid down the tree trunk. Sat there in the dirt with her hands over her face.
Kael stood frozen. His mouth opened. Closed. Like he wanted to say something but couldn't remember how to make words.
I felt the fight drain out of me all at once.
Shit.
I'd said too much. Way too much.
The forest was quiet. Just wind in the trees and Victoria's muffled breathing.
Kael was still staring at his mother. His whole body was tense. Rigid. Like if he moved even a little bit, he'd shatter.
"So you..." His voice came out rough. Broken. "All this time, you were just... pretending?"
Victoria didn't answer. Kept her face hidden.
That was answer enough.
I watched something change in Kael's expression. Watched the blank mask crack just a little.
Not anger. Not hurt.
Just... emptiness.
Like he'd been holding onto hope for so long that now it was gone, there was nothing left.
He took a step back. Then another.
"I should..." He stopped. Swallowed hard. "I should make sure the perimeter is clear."
His voice was steady. Professional. Like we were talking about a training exercise instead of his entire life falling apart.
He turned and walked into the trees.
Didn't look back.
I stood there. Watched him disappear into the shadows.
My chest felt tight. Like I couldn't get enough air.
I'd seen soldiers die in the north. Seen them take their last breath. But somehow this felt worse.
Because Kael was still breathing. Still walking. Still functioning.
But that look in his eyes...
That was the look of someone who'd just lost everything.
Victoria made a sound. Half sob, half gasp.
I looked down at her. She was still sitting against the tree. Mascara running down her face. Hands shaking.
Part of me wanted to feel sorry for her.
The other part wanted to shake her until she understood what she'd done.
"You need to tell him," I said. Voice quiet now. "Tell him the truth. All of it."
She looked up at me. Eyes red and swollen.
"It won't change anything," she whispered. "He'll still hate me."
"Maybe." I crouched down. Met her eyes. "But at least he'll know why. At least he'll understand it wasn't about him."
She shook her head. "You don't understand. If the family finds out I told him—"
"They're already after you," I cut her off. "You just got kidnapped. They know you're a liability."
That shut her up.
I stood. Looked toward where Kael had disappeared.
"He deserves the truth," I said. "Even if it hurts. Even if it's too late."
I started walking. Needed to move. Needed to do something with all this anger and frustration burning in my chest.
Victoria called after me. "Where are you going?"
"To make sure he's okay."
"He won't want—"
"I don't care what he wants." I didn't look back. "Someone needs to check on him. And it sure as hell isn't going to be you."
The words came out harsher than I meant them to. But I didn't take them back.
I followed Kael's path into the trees. His footprints were easy to track. Deep impressions in the soft earth. Like he'd been moving fast. Running from something.
Or running from everything.
I found him about fifty yards out. Leaning against a tree with his back to me. His shoulders were tight. Hands clenched at his sides.
I stopped a few feet away. Didn't say anything.
The silence stretched between us. Long and heavy.
"You shouldn't have done that," he said finally. Voice low. Controlled.
"Probably not."
"It wasn't your place."
"I know."
He turned around. Looked at me.
His eyes were dry. Face calm. But I could see the tension in his jaw. The way his hands were still fisted tight.
"Why?" he asked. Simple question. But it felt loaded.
I thought about lying. Making up some excuse about justice or fairness or whatever.
But I was tired of lying.
"Because I know what it's like," I said. "To be alone. To have no one."
His expression didn't change. But something shifted in his eyes.
"And I know what it's like when people who should care about you... don't."
The words came out quieter than I meant them to.
Kael was quiet for a long moment. Just watching me.