Chapter 166 Kaden's POV
I sat alone in my tent, staring at the tactical maps spread across the makeshift table.
But I wasn't really seeing them. My mind was elsewhere on Ethan.
It had been over a week since he had died. Since he had taken that cursed blade meant for me. Since I had held his body while life drained out of him.
Everyone expected me to move on to focus on the war. To be the strong Alpha who didn't let grief slow him down.
And I had tried to evacuate the pack. Planning defenses. Preparing for Xavier's next attack.
But late at night, when I was alone, the grief caught up with me.
Ethan had been more than my Beta more than my best friend. He had been the brother I never had, the one person who knew me completely and still chose to stand by my side.
And now he is gone.
A single tear slid down my cheek. I didn't bother wiping it away. No one was here to see. No one would know that the strong Alpha was falling apart inside.
"I'm sorry," I whispered to the empty tent.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you, sorry you had to die for me, sorry I failed you."
The tent flap opened. I quickly wiped my face, trying to compose myself. "I said I didn't want to be disturbed-"
Kira entered and she wasn't alone. Damian was with her, leaning heavily on her shoulder. He looked worse than I had seen him yet. The black veins had spread to his neck now. His face was gray, his breathing labored.
"Kaden, we need to talk," Kira said. "It is important."
"What is wrong? Is it Elara? Adrian?"
"They are fine, this is about Damian."
She helped him sit in one of the chairs. "Tell him."
Damian took a shuddering breath. "Xavier called me last night. He knew I'm dying and he offered me a way out."
My blood went cold. "What kind of way out?"
"He said if I denounce my loyalty to the light, if I serve Erebus instead, the curse will break. I'll live."
"And you are considering this?"
"I told him I needed time to think he gave me until tomorrow night. Midnight said to meet him at specific coordinates and he'd take me to Erebus."
"This is a trap. Obviously Xavier wants to turn you against us."
"I know but it is also an opportunity.”
Damian looked at me with clear eyes despite his dying body. "If I go to that meeting, I can get Erebus's location. Find out where his fortress is, send you the coordinates before I die."
"Before you die? What are you talking about?"
"The curse is killing me faster now.”
“Xavier said I have less than forty-eight hours. So even if I go, even if I pretend to accept his offer, I won't live long enough to actually betray you but I can get the information to let you know where to strike."
"And if you fail? If Erebus breaks the curse and you survive?"
"Then I will kill him myself and destroy his physical form from the inside. It is a suicide mission either way but at least this way, it means something at least I die accomplishing something useful."
"No." I stood up.
"Absolutely not this is insane-"
"It is our best option. We have been searching for Erebus's fortress for weeks with no leads. This is a direct path to him we have to take."
"I won't send you to die-"
"I'm already dying! This way at least my death serves a purpose!"
"Damian-"
The tent flap burst open again. Elara ran in, holding up her phone and several ancient-looking books. Her face was flushed with excitement.
Kara followed, carrying Adrian who was sleeping peacefully.
"I found it!" Elara was breathless. "I found the cure! I know how to save Damian!"
Everyone froze.
"What?" Damian asked.
"The cure! To break the curse!"
Elara practically threw the books onto the table. "I have been researching since yesterday reading every text we have on ancient curses. On dark magic on the bloodlines affected by Erebus."
"Elara, there is no cure-"
"Yes there is! You just didn't know where to look!"
She opened one of the books, pointing to a passage written in old script. "This text describes the exact curse your father received. The one that split his sons between light and dark."
"I've read that text there's no cure mentioned-"
"Because you didn't read far enough! Look here!"
She flipped several pages. "It says the curse can be broken by the blood of the blessed by the power of the heavens flowing through the cursed person's veins."
"The blood of the blessed?" I moved closer to look at the text. "What does that mean?"
"It means Adrian.”
Elara looked at Damian with tears in her eyes. "My son carries the lunar pulse, the heavens blessing in his blood. If we inject even a small amount of Adrian's blood into Damian, it should counteract the dark curse."
"Should?" Kira asked. "You are not certain?"
"Nothing is certain with magic this old but the text is clear.”
“The blessed blood neutralizes dark curses. It is the same principle that let Adrian's mark burn Selena when she tried to touch him with the same power that let us break through the dark barrier at the cave entrance."
Damian was shaking his head. "You want to take blood from your newborn son? Risk his health for me?"
"It is just a small amount, a few milliliters. Adrian won't even notice it missing."
Elara knelt beside his chair. "Please let us try this, let us save you."
"What if it doesn't work? What if you risk Adrian for nothing?"
"Then at least we tried at least we didn't just give up and let you die."
"And what if it does work but has side effects? What if Adrian's blood does something to me we don't anticipate? I could become a dangerous threat to the pack."
"Or you could live," I said.
"You could survive this curse and help us fight Erebus properly from within our ranks not as a dying man on a suicide mission."
Damian looked between all of us. Elara pleading. Kira hopeful me determined Kara holding Adrian like the precious gift he was.
"This is insane," He said finally.