Kael

The warriors’ infirmary near my quarters had never felt this suffocating before.

I stood beside the scout’s bed, watching the rise and fall of his chest while the healers moved around him quietly. The man was alive, but barely.

His body carried the marks of whatever he had encountered during his mission, and the single word he had repeated before losing consciousness continued to echo in my mind.

Vampire. I have heard many things in my lifetime.

I had heard threats from rival Alphas, desperate pleas from weaker packs, and whispers of war spreading across the realm.

But that one word unsettled me more than anything else because it connected everything.

The assassins, Selena’s disappearance, the sudden interest of the Velmorian Alphas and now vampires is being mentioned by the scout.

"What else did he say?" I asked, wanting to know if there’s anything I needed to be prepared for than this.

Beta Bastian stood beside me, his eyes fixed on the scout. "He didn’t mention anything else aside from that. So there’s nothing."

I looked at him with a creased brow. "Nothing at all?"

He shook his head. "When he arrived at the gates, he was already injured. The guards tried questioning him, but the only thing he kept muttering was that word."

My jaw tightened as I mentioned the word before he could. "Vampire."

"Yes." He said and I turned back to the scout watching as the healers had managed to stabilize him, but until he woke up, we were left with pieces of information that created more questions than answers.

I need him to wake up and let me know what he meant by Vampires and that way, I’ll be able to prepare instead of getting caught off guard.

"Has anyone else been informed about this?" I asked.

"Not yet."

"Good."I muttered and looked at the healers.

"His presence here remains confidential. No one outside this room needs to know he returned." I ordered and they immediately bowed.

"Yes, Alpha." He said simultaneously and after they moved away, I faced Beta Bastian.

"The imposter is still missing." I said with a frown plastered on my face.

His expression darkened as he muttered. "Yes."

That alone was unacceptable. Someone had entered my castle. Someone had deceived my guards. Someone had gotten close enough to Selena to attack her and I still didn’t know who they were.

My hands tightened into fists. "I hate the fact that motherfucker is still roaming around my castle freely. The thought alone hicks me so much."

Beta Bastian looked at me. "We would definitely get hold of him sooner or later."

"Yes, we will but it’s not funny." I said with a scoff.

Beta Bastian hesitated then suddenly asked. "Where is Selena?"

I paused for a moment before answering. "She’s in my chamber."

His eyebrows lifted slightly in shock. "She’s in your chamber?"

"Yes, I know she would be safer in my chamber than she is in the maid chambers."

Beta Bastian was silent for a moment then he let out a loud sigh. "Alpha Kael."

I already knew that tone. I’ve known Beta Bastien for far too long to know when he wasn’t in support of something I did or said. "What?" I reluctantly answered him.

"Is that really a good idea?" He asked, staring intently at me that it almost felt like he was the Alpha instead of myself.

Beta Bastian looked away briefly before continuing. "You know what happens if the bond takes over."

My jaw tightened. "I know."

"You won’t want to hide her anymore from everyone in the castle."

I didn’t answer because he was right. The mate bond was already becoming harder to ignore.

Every time I was near Selena, every time I saw her, every time I heard her voice, it became harder to remember that she was the daughter of the man I hated.

I finally looked at him and with a shrug, I answered. "She is protected there in my chamber."

"That isn’t what I’m asking." Beta Bastien suddenly said and the silence between us stretched.

Beta Bastian stepped closer to me and continued in a low voice so others won’t hear, "You’re keeping your mate alone in your chamber."

My expression hardened as I was fed up of being lectured. "Nothing will happen so stop saying such words. Also, I can control myself around her so drop it."

He studied me for a moment and reluctantly said."I hope so."

I ignored the meaning behind his words because I knew. I knew exactly what he was warning me about.

The mate bond was the one thing I had spent days trying to control. The one thing that became harder every time Selena looked at me still, I won’t have to let it out to Beta Bastien. It’s my own secret.

I walked away before he could say anything else.

—

When I returned to my chamber, I found Selena exactly where I had left her.

She was sitting quietly, but the moment she saw me, her expression changed. "You’re back."

Her voice was softer than I expected but I ignored the reaction it caused in me because I needed to focus. "You need to return to your chamber."

Her eyebrows immediately pulled together. "Why are you saying this?"

"You should just leave and return to the maid chamber."

She stared at me. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because it is safer there." I said making sure I didn’t meet her eyes. I didn’t want to be mesmerized by the mate bond.

Her expression changed from confusion to irritation. "I’m already in your chamber because you said it was safer."

"And now I’m telling you to leave." The sudden coldness in my voice surprised even me.

Her eyes narrowed. "Alpha Kael..."

I looked away because the longer I stayed near her, the harder it became. "You need to trust me and just leave."

She looked like she wanted to argue.

"I don’t understand what changed." She suddenly said and I almost rolled my eyes.

Nothing changed. Everything changed but I couldn’t explain that. "I assure you that you will be protected at the maid chambers. No harm will come to you."

She stared at me for a moment before finally standing. I could see the disappointment in her face and I hated that I caused it.

I felt the urge to stop her but I had no choice but to let her go.

When she left, my wolf immediately protested. Why did you send her away?

I ignored it because keeping her close was dangerous.

Not because I didn’t want her there because I did and I might truthfully end up marking her as mine which was a dangerous step to take.

A short while later, I received the mindlink that the scout is awake.

I immediately headed back to the infirmary and The moment I entered, the now conscious scout tried to sit up.

"Don’t move," I quickly ordered and he lowered himself again.

His face was pale, but his eyes were clear. "What happened?" I asked.

He swallowed. "Alpha..."

"You can talk to me. What happened?" I question impatiently.

He looked at Beta Bastian, then back at me. "I reached Nightbane territory."

"And what happened?"

"I was leaving when I saw them."

"Who did you see?" I was almost running out of patience. I hated being left in suspense.

His answer came quietly. "I saw the Vampires."

My expression changed as I quickly said. "Explain well."

"They were at the border gates."

Beta Bastian stepped closer. "Vampires inside Nightbane territory?"

The scout nodded as he continued. "They were fighting with Nightbane warriors."

I felt my stomach tighten. "Why?"

The scout hesitated. "They were obviously looking for something."

I already knew. "They are searching for the Alpha Williams daughter, right?"

His eyes widened slightly. "Yes." The room became silent. "They kept mentioning Alpha William’s daughter."

My fists clenched.

"They said she was a special demand and they even had to kill Alpha William Beta as a warning for him to get them his daughter."

My memory flashed to Selena telling me her father had promised her to vampires since birth which means, she really did mean a lot to them.

The answer had been in front of me.

Immediately, an alarm sounded and everyone turned.

A guard rushed inside. "Alpha!"

I faced him quickly. "What?"

"The imposter has been discovered near the maids’ quarters."

"Capture him quickly ."I didn’t wait as I made the order. "Do not allow him to hurt anyone."

The guard bowed and moved as I followed but before I reached my chamber, a mindlink came.

"Alpha, We lost him."

My blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"

"He escaped."

My wolf roared as I changed direction immediately heading to the maids’ quarters.

I knew I was risking everything by showing up there. I knew people would notice but I didn’t care. Not when Selena was involved.

When I reached the quarters, servants scattered immediately.

No one spoke as I pushed through the crowd and straight to Selena’s room.

The door was open so I stepped inside and the room was empty.

Selena wasn’t there.