Chapter 49

Chapter 49
OMARI

The house felt heavier that evening.
Even with the lights on, there was something dark sitting in the air, something I couldn’t name.

No one said much during dinner. The triplets sat across from me, quiet and tense.

Ashton kept staring at his plate, Leighton was tapping his fork against the table, and Paxton’s gaze moved toward the door every few seconds, like he was expecting something to happen.

Kael didn’t come down to eat.
No one mentioned him, but he was all I could think about.

My stepfather tried to start a few small talks, but even he gave up halfway through.
Mom kept glancing between us, her fingers tight around her glass. When I looked at her, she smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes.

After dinner, the triplets went to the training yard. Mom stayed behind with my stepfather, talking in low voices. I slipped away quietly, heading upstairs.

Halfway up the stairs, I paused.
A sound came from outside , a faint sound of metal, then a muffled thud. Probably just one of the guards, I told myself. But my chest still felt tight.

I went to my room and sat on the edge of my bed. The rain had stopped earlier, but the air still smelled damp. The window was slightly open, and the wind carried in the scent of wet sand.

I rubbed my arms, trying to shake off the chill.
Kael’s words kept replaying in my head.
They were looking for someone.
You.

Every time I remembered them, my stomach twisted tighter. Why me? What could they possibly want from me?

I tried to think back to every attack, every strange moment, every scar.
The burn on my neck. The glowing mark.
Was that why the rogues kept coming back?

A soft knock on my door broke my thoughts.
“Omari?”
It was Ashton. His voice sounded calm, but a bit lower than usual.
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah,” I said.

He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. His hair was still damp from the night air, and his shirt clung to his chest.

He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “You didn’t finish dinner.”
“I wasn’t hungry.”

He nodded slowly. “You’ve been quiet lately.”
“So have you.”
A small smile flickered on his lips. “Fair point.”

We both stood there for a moment, just staring.
Something about the silence between us felt different tonight, not awkward, but almost charged.

He walked closer. “Is something wrong?”
“Would you believe me if I said I don’t know?”
He frowned.

“You look scared.”
“I guess I am.”
“Because of Kael?”

I hesitated. “Because of everything.”
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You shouldn’t let him get into your head, Omari. He’s not who you think he is.”
“I don’t even know who he is,” I said. “That’s the problem.”

He looked at me for a long moment. Then his voice dropped, softer. “Whatever happens, you don’t have to face it alone. You have us.”

The warmth in his voice made something ache deep in my chest.
“I know,” I said quietly. “But sometimes it feels like I’m the problem everyone’s trying to fix.”

He stepped closer again, so close that I could feel the heat from his skin.
“You’re not the problem,” he said. “You’re just caught in something uncertain”

His eyes moved down to my lips before darting back up to my face. For a moment, it felt like the air wasn’t enough.
Then he cleared his throat suddenly and stepped back.

“Get some rest. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
He turned and left before I could say anything.
When the door closed, I sat there for a long time, my heart still racing.

The next morning came with sunlight, thin and pale, leaking through the curtains.
The air felt more fresh, like the world was pretending everything was fine again.

I went downstairs to find Mom in the kitchen. She was helping one of the maids slice fruits, her hair pulled up in a loose bun.
“Morning,” I said softly.

She turned with a bright smile that looked too forced. “Good morning, honey. How
Did you sleep?”
“Okay, I guess.” I sat on one of the stools. “Where’s everyone?”

“Your stepfather went to the training yard with the boys. Kael left early. Again.”
I looked up. “Where did he go?”
She hesitated for a second. “He didn’t say.”
Of course, he didn’t.

She noticed the look on my face and came to stand beside me. “Omari, you shouldn’t get too close to him.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” I asked quietly.

“Because people who hide things often bring trouble with them,” she said. Then her voice softened. “But I do know he saved your life. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”

Her eyes grew wet as she cupped my face gently. “When I thought I lost you that night, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

I hugged her tight. “I’m here, Mom. I’m fine.”

She smiled against my shoulder, then stepped back. “Go take a walk, sweetheart. Clear your head. The roses have started blooming again.”

The garden looked brighter that morning. The sunlight touched the wet leaves, making them sparkle.
I bent down to pick a fallen petal when a voice said, “You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

I didn’t even need to turn.
“I thought you left,” I said.
“I came back,” Kael said, walking closer. His shirt was loose, sleeves rolled up. His hair looked messy, but in a way that suited him.

“You have a habit of doing that,” I said. “Leaving and showing up when I least expect it.”
He smiled faintly. “Guess it’s my thing.”

I stood up, brushing dirt from my hands. “So, are you going to tell me what else you’re hiding?”
He looked at me quietly. “You wouldn’t believe me if I did.”
“Try me.”

He stepped closer. “The rogues aren’t acting on their own.”
My heart skipped. “What do you mean?”

“There’s someone controlling them. Someone who knows where you are, every time.”
My throat went dry. “You’re saying someone in this house?”

“I didn’t say that,” he replied. “But someone nearby. Someone who wants you.”
The word wants made my chest tighten.
I stared at him. “Why me?”
“I don’t know yet,” he said, voice low. “But they won’t stop until they get you.”

His words sent a chill through me. The garden suddenly felt smaller.
I stepped back without meaning to, but he reached out and caught my wrist gently.

“Hey,” he said softly. “You’re safe here.”
I looked at his hand on mine, warm, strong, steady. “Am I?”
He met my eyes. “As long as I’m breathing.”

Something in my chest fluttered, sharp and confusing. I didn’t know if I wanted to pull away or step closer.
Before I could do either, someone called from behind us.
“Omari?”

Leighton again.
I turned, heart pounding, as he came toward us with his usual unreadable face.

His eyes dropped to Kael’s hand, still holding mine. The muscle in his jaw ticked.
Kael let go first.
“What are you doing out here?” Leighton asked me, voice clipped.
“Talking,” I said.

He looked at Kael, his tone colder. “You seem to be doing a lot of that lately.”
Kael gave a short laugh. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you.”

Leighton’s eyes flared gold for a second, and I quickly stepped between them. “Stop it. Both of you.”

Kael’s expression softened again as he looked at me. “You shouldn’t let him order you around like that.”
“And you shouldn’t keep picking fights,” I snapped.

He smirked faintly, then looked past me toward the house. “Be careful who you trust, Omari.”

Before I could ask what he meant, he turned and walked away again. His steps quiet, his shoulders tense.
Leighton exhaled sharply beside me. “One day, I’m going to kill him.”

I turned to him, tired of it all. “Then what? You’ll feel better? Or will you realize too late that he’s not the enemy you think he is?”
He stared at me, eyes dark. “You’re defending him again.”

“I’m trying to understand what’s going on!” I said. “Nobody tells me anything. I’m just supposed to sit and smile while everyone hides the truth from me.”

He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
For the first time, he looked... guilty. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
I looked at him, surprised. “For what?”
“For not telling you sooner.”

My chest tightened. “Telling me what?”
He hesitated then his voice dropped. “Kael isn’t who you think he is.”
The way he said it made my blood run cold.
“What do you mean?” I whispered.

Leighton’s gaze moved toward the woods. “He’s being watched. And if I’m right, he’s not just working with the guards. He’s reporting to someone else.”
Before I could speak, a sound echoed from the fence.
A faint hum. Mechanical, strange, wrong.
We both turned at once.

A blue light flickered between the trees the same shade I’d seen on Kael’s wrist.
But this time, there were two of them.
Both moving. Both closing in.

“Leighton,” I whispered, stepping back.
His hand reached for mine, his voice tight. “Get inside. Now.”

I couldn’t move. My eyes stayed locked on the faint lights flickering in the dark. Glowing, and coming closer.

And then, through the thin mist, I saw a figure step out of the woods.
Not Kael.
Someone else. Someone wearing the same blue light on their wrist.

They stopped just at the fence, their faces hidden by the dark .
But when they lifted their heads, I saw their eyes, glowing red.
And they were smiling.