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155


Keegan started his search early in the morning. The palace halls were quiet, and only a few servants moved around. He made his way to the storage area where old belongings of guards were kept. His steps were steady, but his mind was full of questions.

When he reached the door, he checked both sides of the hallway before entering. He did not want anyone spying or reporting back to Kevin. The room was dusty and dim. Wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with boxes and old weapons. Keegan walked straight to the section labeled with the guard’s number.

“This should be it,” he whispered.

He opened the shelf and froze. The box that should have held the guard’s personal items was almost empty. Instead of old letters, worn boots, and service badges, there were a few random items that did not match anything in the guard’s record.

“This is wrong,” Keegan said, picking up a new knife that still had no scratches. “These things do not belong to him.”

He searched deeper, checking every corner of the shelf. Everything looked replaced. Someone wanted to erase the guard’s history.

Kevin.

Keegan clenched his teeth. “He is covering the truth again.”

As he put the items back, he heard footsteps outside. He straightened and prepared himself, but it was only a stable worker walking past the doorway. The worker paused when he saw Keegan.

“Alpha Keegan?” the man said quietly. “Are you looking for something?”

Keegan stepped closer. “Yes. Do you know anything about the guard who was blamed for the king’s death?”

The man looked scared immediately. He glanced behind him as if someone was watching.

“I should not talk about him,” he whispered.

“I am not here to hurt you,” Keegan said. “I just want the truth.”

The man swallowed hard. “If I tell you something, promise you will not say my name.”

“I promise,” Keegan said.

The man took a deep breath. “Before the execution, the guard tried to warn someone. He kept saying he needed to speak with the king’s sons. But the soldiers dragged him away before he could finish. After that, no one saw him again.”

Keegan’s heart tightened. “What did he want to warn us about?”

“I do not know,” the worker said quickly. “He was scared. He kept shouting that something was wrong. But the guards covered his mouth. Please, Alpha Keegan… I do not want trouble. Kevin will punish anyone who speaks.”

Keegan nodded. “You are safe. Thank you for telling me.”

The man hurried away, leaving Keegan alone with a heavier mind.

He left the storage room and moved through the palace halls, thinking hard. Kevin had already removed most servants who knew anything. Now he was erasing the guard’s history too.

Keegan whispered to himself, “The guard knew something important… something Kevin does not want anyone to know.”

Back in their room, Rosa was sorting through documents on the table. Their baby lay asleep on the bed. Rosa kept checking the door, making sure no one approached.

When Keegan entered, she looked up instantly. “You are back. Did you find anything?”

Keegan closed the door behind him. “Yes. But it is worse than I thought.”

He told her everything — the empty shelf, the replaced belongings, and the stable worker’s confession. Rosa’s face grew tense.

“So the guard tried to speak before he died,” she said. “Why did no one listen?”

“Because Kevin made sure of it,” Keegan replied. “He is removing anyone who knows what happened.”

Rosa rubbed her forehead. “This is dangerous, Keegan. What if Kevin starts watching you more closely?”

“I already know he is watching,” Keegan said. “That will not stop me.”

Rosa stood and walked closer to him. “We have a child. We must protect him. You must be careful.”

Keegan touched her arm gently. “I promise I will protect both of you.”

Rosa picked up the documents she had been hiding. “I put everything in one place. If Kevin comes, I will distract him. You will hide these.”

Keegan frowned. “You should not be doing this alone.”

“I am doing it because I love you,” she said. “And because the truth matters.”

Keegan felt a surge of determination. “We will get to the bottom of this.”

On the opposite side of the palace, Kevin paced inside his office. He was growing restless. He called two guards inside.

“Tell me again,” he demanded. “Has Keegan been asking questions?”

One guard lowered his head. “Yes, Alpha. He asked about the guard who was executed.”

Kevin’s eyes darkened. “Who did he talk to?”

“We are not sure,” the guard answered.

Kevin stepped closer. “Find out. Anyone who speaks to Keegan without my permission will be punished.”

“Yes, Alpha,” the guards said quickly.

Kevin dismissed them and walked to the window. He tapped his fingers on the table, annoyed.

“Keegan is getting too bold,” he muttered. “He thinks he can discover something. He will learn his place soon.”

He called for the council.

Soon, five council members entered the room. Kevin wasted no time.

“I want a new law,” he said. “Anyone who acts against the Alpha’s will should be punished.”

The council exchanged worried looks.

Councilor Joran cleared his throat. “Alpha… such a law may not be accepted by the pack. It gives too much power.”

Kevin glared at him. “Are you questioning me?”

Joran stepped back. “No, Alpha. I am only thinking of the pack.”

Kevin pointed at him. “I do not care what the pack thinks. I want full control.”

The council members became silent. They knew arguing would only bring trouble.

Kevin sat down again. “Write the law. Present it to the pack tomorrow.”

The council bowed and left. Kevin leaned back, breathing hard. He felt like everything around him was slipping out of his grip.

“He will not get ahead of me,” he said under his breath. “I will handle him.”

Keegan spent the evening going through the records Rosa hid. He searched for the guard’s last duty assignment. When he found the page, he stopped.

“There is something here,” he whispered.

Rosa walked over. “What is it?”

Keegan pointed at the assignment log. “Look. The guard’s last order was to deliver something to the king. The same night the king died.”

Rosa stared at the page. “Then he must have seen something.”

“Yes,” Keegan said. “And he tried to warn us before he died.”

Rosa looked worried. “Keegan… what you are discovering is serious.”

Keegan closed the document. “This means Kevin silenced the guard because he knew something about the king’s death.”

Rosa touched his shoulder gently. “And now Kevin is removing anyone who might help you.”

Keegan nodded slowly. “He is covering everything. And he is doing it faster than I can uncover it.”

The weight of the truth pressed down on him, but it also fueled him.

“I cannot stop now,” Keegan whispered. “Not when we are this close.”