Chapter 85
THIRD PERSON POV
(Following Kael's return and Ryker's downfall)
Kael, having reclaimed leadership of the pack from Ryker, was now seated at his desk. Ryker and his surviving followers—who had refused to yield after the battle—were imprisoned in the dungeons.
Elara was there in body, but her emotions remained detached, casting her as a quiet specter in his world, despite Kael's desire for something deeper. She was enveloped in an unyielding grief that he couldn't breach, particularly since her departure from Ronan's palace had been so recent.
Kael was deeply absorbed in a financial document, his forehead creased with focus, when the office door flew open with enough violence to shake the framed pictures on the walls. Seraphina charged inside, her gaze burning with rage. Two guards sprang forward to intercept her, but Kael lifted a hand, halting them immediately.
"Allow her to stay," he ordered. The guards nodded respectfully and stepped back, exiting the room.
Seraphina spun around, her expression filled with indignation. "Has it really come to this? Your own guards hauling me away? I am the LUNA of this Pack!" she shouted, her words reverberating through the spacious office.
Kael simply raised an eyebrow, his face a deliberate facade of apathy. He exhaled heavily, conveying his exhaustion and irritation, as though dealing with her was an burdensome obligation he resented.
"What is it you want, Seraphina?" he inquired, his tone emotionless and devoid of any affection.
"Why is Elara still here?" she demanded, her words laced with poison, her stare locked on him with jealous intensity. The name 'Elara' escaped her lips like a bitter toxin.
"Because I choose for her to be, because I require her presence," Kael responded, his voice allowing no debate.
"And why is that? It can't possibly be just to serve as a healer again!" she persisted, grinding her teeth. "She's lounging in one of the most luxurious rooms in this Palace!" she added, her hands balled into fists.
Kael's eyes narrowed, his tolerance fraying. "I have no duty to explain myself to you. Kindly depart. I have matters to handle."
"Matters?" She rolled her eyes and let out a derisive laugh. "He's lecturing me about matters," she muttered, as if incredulous to herself. In a surge of anger, she approached him, snatched the document from his grasp, and tore it to pieces, sending fragments fluttering across the desk. "Now you have no matters to handle—let's have this conversation."
The bold outburst propelled Kael to his feet, his inner wolf stirring aggressively. The impulse to strike back, to assert his dominance, was nearly irresistible, but he suppressed it, drawing in a steadying breath.
"Seraphina, I won't say it again. Leave immediately," he cautioned in a low, menacing voice.
"And what if I refuse?" she retorted defiantly, crossing her arms and staring him down.
Before Kael could reply, the door opened with a soft creak, and Elara entered, her arrival instantly shifting the tense air in the room. Kael's demeanor softened at once, his eyes brightening with a tenderness that had been missing seconds earlier. Seraphina observed this, and a pang struck her heart; not even she elicited such a response from him.
"Oh," Elara murmured, her gaze shifting between them, a mix of bewilderment and unease flashing across her features. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," she whispered faintly. She pivoted to exit, anxious to flee the uncomfortable scene, but Kael's words held her back.
"No," he said, clearing his throat, his attention now on Seraphina with clear contempt. "She was on her way out."
Seraphina's eyes widened in shock. "I can't fucking believe this," she hissed at him, her tone dripping with malice. She shoved past Elara, intentionally jostling her shoulder, and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Standing in the hallway, her breathing ragged, a storm of feelings raged within her like a whirlwind. Her wolf was restless, torn between unleashing chaos or eliminating Elara entirely, erasing her from existence forever.
As she descended the stairs, her gaze landed on the corridor leading directly to the dungeons... where Ryker was confined.
Since discovering his scheme to assassinate Kael, she had despised him, but now she found herself regretting his failure. If he had succeeded, Kael would be gone, but so would Elara, sparing her this torment.
Heading back to her chambers, she pondered methods to sabotage both Elara and Kael, yet she realized she couldn't manage it alone, especially with Ryker in custody. She needed an escape, but how? Where to seek help? Or an ally? Was there anyone bold enough to challenge Kael? Ryker had misjudged him as vulnerable, but under Kael's rule, the territory was unassailable.
Lost in her sinister musings, she didn't notice colliding with a guard, almost stumbling.
"I'm sorry, Luna," the guard said, helping her regain her footing, his tone respectful.
"Thank you—" she began, but paused upon examining his face. "I don't recognize you. You're not one of Ryker's or Kael's men..."
The guard laughed lightly. "I'm with Lycan Kael; I'm a recent addition to the guard."
"Oh," she said with a frown, pulling her arm free from his hold. "Proceed, then."
The guard grinned and continued on. Unbeknownst to her, he was a pivotal threat to Kael and Elara. He was actually an operative placed by Darius, assigned to observe the pack's activities and identify Kael's vulnerabilities. Though the mission was challenging and he had failed to gather intel on several occasions, he had achieved one success: he was the individual behind the anonymous, blank letters placed in Elara's room.
Messages from Darius.
Intended to instill terror in Elara and disrupt the pack's harmony.