Chapter One Hundred-Twelve – War Brews

Chapter One Hundred-Twelve – War Brews
The war room was dim despite the morning sun. Maps cluttered the table, sealed scrolls unopened, the fire in the hearth long cold. Caius stood at the head of the table, his hands braced against the edge as if it were the only thing keeping him upright.

Kalen leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, watching him unravel one minute at a time.

"It’s Alder," Kalen said at last, voice grim. "We’ve confirmed it without a doubt. His beta was seen escorting a concealed carriage beyond the southern ridge hours after her disappearance. The trail leads straight to his territory. Cass is with him—and she’s not there by choice."

Caius’s jaw tightened. "He wouldn’t dare."

Kalen pushed off the wall and stepped closer. "He wouldn’t have. Not before. But with the king gone and the court fractured—he sees an opportunity. He knows how much she means to you. He knows what she carries."

Caius’s eyes burned, but his voice was flat. "And the court?"

Kalen exhaled. "It’s worse than we thought. Several powerful alphas have already declared they don’t recognize your claim to the throne. They’re rallying around Alder. They say he’s the stronger bloodline. That with Cass and the pup, his rule would be... cleaner."

Caius went still. "He’s using her."

Kalen nodded. "He’s making it look like she supports him. Like she chose him. And with her under his roof—"

"They’ll believe it," Caius finished, voice raw.

The silence between them was thick, only broken by the wind outside the window.

Caius straightened, but the movement lacked its usual resolve. His eyes remained locked on the table, haunted. "The last thing I said to her..." he whispered. "I asked her to be better. To be more. As if she hadn’t already bled enough just to stand at my side."

He looked up, guilt carved deep in his expression. "And now she’s gone—taken—and I wasn’t the one to protect her. I was the one who pushed her away."

He drew a sharp breath, straightening slower this time, not with steel but with sorrow. "So no... I won’t just remind them who I am. I’ll earn the right to be who she needed me to be in the first place."

Kalen arched a brow. "You want to strike now?"

"No," Caius said, his voice deadly calm. "I want to find her. I want to bring her back. And then... I want the wolves who backed him to watch me burn their rebellion to the ground."

The doors burst open before Kalen could respond.

Eira stood there, pale and trembling, her hands clenched at her sides. "I need to speak with you. Both of you."

Caius turned slowly, his expression darkening. "Speak."

Eira stepped into the room, her voice cracking. "I knew. I knew Alder was going to take her. He told me—he didn’t give me a choice. I didn’t help him. I swear it. But I didn’t stop him either. I said nothing. I let it happen."

Kalen’s face twisted in disbelief and disgust. "You knew? You knew he was going to take Cass and you said nothing?"

"I didn’t know it would go this far," she pleaded, eyes flicking desperately between them. "I didn’t think he was bluffing—I was afraid. I stayed quiet because I thought if I said anything, I’d lose Kalen. I didn’t know how to stop it without losing everything."

Caius’s voice cut through her desperation like a blade. "Guards!"

Kalen’s eyes were locked on her, cold and disbelieving. "Cass trusted you," he said, his voice low but sharp. "She confided in you. You braided her hair and laughed with her. And all the while, you knew what Alder was planning?"

Eira’s lips trembled. "I was scared. I didn’t know what to do—"

"You did nothing," Kalen snapped. "You let it happen because you were afraid of losing me. But what you lost was yourself."

She took a step toward him, but he stepped back, the disgust on his face deepening.

"You were supposed to protect her," he said, almost to himself. "And instead you stood in silence. That’s not fear. That’s betrayal."

Two soldiers entered at once.

"Take her to the dungeon," Caius ordered. "She conspired with the traitor. Let her rot with the rest of his loyal dogs."

Eira turned to Kalen, her voice breaking. "Please... you’re my mate—"

But Kalen wouldn’t look at her.

He didn’t answer her plea—not with words. His eyes met hers, but they were hollow with betrayal. "You chose Alder," he said finally, his voice quieter now, but no less cutting. "Cass trusted you. I trusted you. And you handed her over with silence."

Eira flinched like he’d struck her.

"You may still be my mate by bond," he added, backing away, "but right now, all I can feel is disgust."

The guards dragged her out as her sobs echoed off the stone, and the war room fell into silence once more—this time heavier, darker than before.

Caius stayed where he was for a long moment, then slowly turned to Kalen. The sharp edge in his expression had dulled, but something heavier lingered.

"You alright?" Kalen asked, his voice quiet.

Caius exhaled, a sound caught between a scoff and a sigh. "No. She was one of the only people Cass trusted here. And now..."

He ran a hand over his jaw. "This betrayal—it cuts deeper than I expected. She was one of us."

Kalen's eyes stayed fixed on the closed door. "I looked at her and all I could see was Cass—sitting by the fire, telling her secrets to someone she thought was safe." He shook his head slowly. "And Eira just stood there and let it happen. I don't know how to come back from that."

Caius gave him a long, steady look. "You're not to blame. She made her choice. You did what needed to be done."

Still, Kalen’s jaw tensed. "It doesn’t feel like enough. I was supposed to protect them both—Cass and Eira. One was my queen, the other my mate. And I failed them both in different ways. Cass trusted Eira with her heart, and I... I stood beside someone who let that trust get shattered."

Caius stepped closer, placing a hand on his beta’s shoulder. "Then let’s make sure we don’t fail them again. Starting now. Let’s get our queen back."