165

165

Keegan moved through the dim hallway with careful steps. His heart beat fast, but he forced himself to stay calm. He knew the guards changed shifts around this time, which gave him a short window to get inside the royal archives.
The old advisor walked behind him. His hands shook a little, but his eyes were sharp.
“Are you sure these files are still here?” Keegan whispered.
“They should be,” the advisor replied quietly. “If Kevin did not burn them already.”
Keegan swallowed hard at the thought. If Kevin had destroyed the records, then everything they had done so far would be useless.
Ahead of them, Rosa stood near a corner. She acted like she was checking the lantern on the wall. When she saw Keegan, she gave a small nod.
“All clear,” she whispered. “Two guards are talking in the courtyard. No one is heading this way.”
Keegan brushed her hand as he passed. It was brief, but it gave him strength.
They reached the large wooden door of the archives. Keegan pulled a small bronze key from his pocket. The old advisor had given it to him earlier. He slid it into the lock very slowly to avoid making noise. The door opened with a soft creak.
They hurried inside.
The royal archives were filled with shelves that stretched from the front to the back. Piles of scrolls, sealed boxes, and thick books stood everywhere. The room smelled like old parchment.
Keegan closed the door behind them and whispered, “Let’s split up. The quicker we find the documents, the better.”
The old advisor nodded. He moved toward the right side of the room. Keegan walked straight to the back, where the king’s most important files should be kept.
Rosa stayed by the door, listening for footsteps.
Keegan opened drawer after drawer. He searched through folded papers, records of laws, and old tax documents. His frustration grew.
“Nothing,” he muttered.
On the other side of the room, the old advisor whispered loudly, “Keegan. Over here.”
Keegan rushed to him. The advisor had pulled out a thick wooden folder wrapped in cloth. Dust covered the top.
“This is the king’s private folder,” the advisor said. “He used it for matters he didn’t want the council to see.”
Keegan took it and untied the cloth. Inside were several handwritten letters and one long parchment sealed with the royal crest.
His breath caught.
“This is the Alpha transfer document,” Keegan whispered.
“Open it,” the advisor urged.
Keegan broke the seal carefully and unfolded the parchment. His eyes moved quickly across the page. His hands tightened as he read the signature at the bottom.
“It says… it says Father chose me,” Keegan said. His voice shook. “He wanted me to be the next Alpha. Not Kevin. This is the original document.”
The advisor placed a hand on his shoulder. “This is the truth the king tried to protect.”
Keegan felt heat rising in his chest. All the pieces were falling into place now. Kevin had taken the throne through lies. He had forced their father to sign a different document and then made sure the truth would never come out.
“What else is inside?” Rosa whispered from behind them. She had left her post for a moment, unable to stay away.
Keegan looked deeper into the folder.
There was a small crystal device. The advisor recognized it immediately.
“A voice recorder,” he said. “The king used these only for private messages.”
Keegan pressed the small button on the side.
A soft crackling sound filled the air.
Then the king’s voice came through.
“Keegan… if you are hearing this, something has happened. I need you to understand that Kevin has become dangerous. He is not the son he once was. His hunger for the throne has grown stronger. I fear he may challenge me soon. If anything happens to me, know that I chose you. You must protect the pack from him.”
The recording ended.
Rosa placed a hand over her mouth. Tears gathered in her eyes.
Keegan felt like the ground had disappeared under him. He closed the recorder slowly, unable to speak for a moment.
The advisor looked even more serious. “This… this is enough proof. You can take this to the council.”
Keegan shook his head. “Not yet. If Kevin finds out we took these documents, he will kill everyone involved.”
“At least hide them,” Rosa said. “We can’t stay here much longer.”
Keegan nodded. He placed the parchment and the recorder inside his jacket. Rosa returned to the door and listened again.
Suddenly, she raised her hand sharply.
“Someone is coming,” she whispered.
Keegan and the advisor froze.
“How many footsteps?” Keegan asked.
“Two guards,” Rosa whispered. “Fast footsteps.”
“Hide!” Keegan hissed.
They rushed behind a tall shelf. Keegan pressed Rosa close to him and covered her mouth gently so she would not gasp. The old advisor crouched behind a stack of books.
The door opened.
Two guards stepped inside.
“I thought I heard something,” one of them said.
“It’s probably rats,” the other replied. “This place is old.”
“Still, the Alpha said to check everything tonight. He felt something was wrong.”
Rosa’s eyes widened. Kevin was awake. He felt uneasy. He sensed danger.
Keegan held her tighter.
The guards walked farther into the room. One of them headed toward the back where Keegan had been searching earlier.
Keegan whispered very softly, “If they find the open drawers, we’re done.”
Rosa touched his arm and whispered, “We have to stay still.”
The guards continued walking. Their boots scraped the floor. One of them paused.
“Why is this drawer open?” he asked.
Keegan felt his heartbeat jump.
“It’s dusted,” the other guard said. “Probably the last archivist forgot to close it. Don’t overthink.”
“Let’s finish this quickly,” the second guard replied. “I want to go to bed.”
After checking a few more shelves, they finally turned toward the exit.
“Nothing here,” one of them said. “Let’s move to the study.”
The door closed behind them.
Keegan let out the breath he was holding. Rosa covered her chest with her hand and whispered, “That was close.”
The old advisor stood slowly. His legs trembled. “We have to go now before they return.”
Keegan nodded. “Rosa, lead us out.”
They slipped from shelf to shelf. Rosa checked the hallway twice before signaling that it was safe. They hurried toward the stairs, staying in the shadows. The palace was darker than usual, which helped them.
As they reached the upper hallway, Keegan suddenly stopped.
“Wait,” he whispered.
They heard loud footsteps above them.
A voice shouted, “Search every room!”
Keegan recognized that voice.
It was Kevin.
Rosa whispered, “He knows something. He’s awake and angry.”
Keegan looked down at his jacket where the king’s documents were hidden. “If he finds out we took these, he will kill us.”
“We need to move,” the advisor said. “Now.”
They rushed through a side corridor and slipped into an unused laundry room. Rosa shut the door quietly. They stood in the dark, listening to Kevin’s voice echo through the hall.
“Find them! Someone is in the palace tonight!”
Keegan felt cold fear slide through him. Kevin was not guessing. He knew something had happened.
Rosa whispered, “We can’t go back to our rooms. Kevin might wait for us there.”
“We go through the east stairwell,” Keegan said. “No guards patrol there at night.”
The advisor agreed. “Let’s go before he reaches this side.”
They opened the laundry door slowly and hurried down the hall. They kept close to the wall each time they heard approaching steps. Twice they hid behind pillars. Once they crawled behind a bench to avoid being seen.
Every second felt heavy.
When they reached the east stairwell, Keegan looked around one last time. “Let’s go.”
They ran down the stairs and reached the lower hallway where the investigation group usually met.
Rosa locked the door behind them.
Keegan pulled out the parchment and the recorder. He placed them on the table. His hands were shaking.
Rosa touched his arm. “You did it.”
The old advisor nodded. “This is the proof that will save the kingdom.”
Keegan stared at the documents for a long moment. His chest felt tight.
“We have to be careful,” he said. “Tonight showed us how close Kevin is to finding out. If he learns the truth before we are ready, he will not stop. He will destroy anyone who knows.”
Rosa moved closer. “Then we move faster.”
Keegan nodded.
Kevin’s voice still echoed in his mind.
Something told Keegan that Kevin would not rest until he crushed anyone who threatened his throne.