The feeling didn’t fade the way it should have.

Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor, his hand still pressed flat against his chest where the tightening had settled into a permanent and insistent ache that no amount of breathing was easing. He had told himself it was the aftermath of the full moon. He had told himself Muffin was still recovering and his senses were unreliable.

He had stopped believing either of those things an hour ago.

He needed to leave, but there was no way he could get past his brother, who had been keeping an eye on him like a hawk and wouldn’t allow him to leave in his place.

After Natalie’s death, Alex had stepped away and remained underground for more than two years to grieve and recover while allowing Sebastian to continue being the one who went out into the world.

It was only after he married Evangeline that Alex had come out again, and then he had marked and killed her as his first act of revenge for what Sebastian had done to him. However, that revenge had little to no effect on Sebastian because he hadn’t cared for Evangeline nearly as much as Alex had hoped. Her death hadn’t struck him the way his parents’ deaths had, the only loss that had truly shattered him.

Since then, Sebastian had been treading carefully around his twin because if Alex ever sensed an opportunity to get back at him for what had happened to Natalie, he would seize it without wasting a second.

Furthermore, now that it was Alex’s turn to go out, he wouldn’t allow Sebastian to take it back simply because his mate, whom Alex would have gladly killed to hurt him, needed him.

Their relationship was no longer as close or as strong as it had been when they were children, and Sebastian was painfully aware of that. Frankly, now that he knew what it felt like to be deeply connected to a woman, he believed he wouldn’t have forgiven anyone who had killed her either.

As Sebastian tried to breathe through the pain and think of a way out, his mind wandered back to the day he had broken his brother’s heart.

The look of betrayal in Alex’s silver eyes.

The way a grown man had broken down into tears right in front of him, sobbing and clutching at his heart as though it had physically been ripped from his chest. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

That night, Alex had looked worried when Sebastian walked down into the underground mansion. He had immediately grabbed his shoulders.

"Hey, bro. I’ve been feeling restless for the past few days, and I couldn’t reach you. Is my Natalie all right? I don’t know why, but I have this terrible feeling in my chest that won’t go away."

Sebastian had been tongue-tied, unable to part his lips and tell his brother what he had done, and that silence had only made Alex more worried. He had been looking forward to his turn to leave and return to his wife.

After Alex married Natalie, Sebastian hadn’t switched places with his twin because he wasn’t the one who was married. Instead, he had given Alex more time with his wife and continued staying underground in his place. It remained that way until a battle with a rival pack arose and Sebastian needed to take over, as Alex was someone who avoided killing, violence, and warfare whenever possible.

That was why Sebastian had stepped out to take control of the situation.

And somehow, everything had gone wrong.

By the time he returned to his brother, nothing was the same anymore, and he was carrying news that would destroy Alex’s world forever.

"Talk to me, bro. What is it? You know what, if you’re going to stand there looking like a ghost, suit yourself. I’m getting out of here to check on my wife."

Alex had released him and turned to leave, but Sebastian grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"I am sorry..." Sebastian had said quietly. "Natalie is gone."

At the time, Sebastian had no idea what his twin was feeling. The pain. The agony. He had delivered the news almost as if he expected Alex to accept it and move on because, just like him, he was connected to multiple mates and could eventually find another.

But he hadn’t expected to watch a man cry like a child.

He hadn’t expected to watch a man drop to his knees and scream his heart and soul out over the death of his wife.

And then Sebastian had revealed something that had made everything even more devastating for his brother.

"You took her away from me..." Alex had sobbed, so much pain woven into every word. "Sebastian, you promised. You assured me..."

Now, years later, Sebastian couldn’t help but wonder why in the world his brother would see the need to help him get back to his own wife when she needed him, when he had ended the life of his.

As Sebastian was thinking about the past, Alex appeared in the doorway, already dressed and already preparing to step out into the world to be Sebastian Kade for the next six months.

He leaned against the frame with his arms crossed and said nothing for a moment.

"You look like hell," Alex said finally. "Are you going to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours?"

"I’m fine," Sebastian said.

Alex gave a scoff.

"You’ve said that three times since this morning, and you look worse each time you say it."

He studied him carefully.

"It’s her, isn’t it?"

It wasn’t a question but a knowing statement that made Sebastian’s jaw tighten. He didn’t answer, which was answer enough.

"Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her for you once I go out and also work on finding this person you said is trying to kill you and force you to fake your death. If only you had followed what I taught you, Seb, and if only you knew how to handle things properly instead of offending every fucker you feel the need to offend, including your own family members, no one would be after your head like this. You reap what you sow, and sooner or later you have to pay the price for everything."

Sebastian glared darkly at his brother but kept his mouth shut.

Perhaps the guilt from years ago was still the reason he allowed his twin to get away with talking to him like this and constantly taunting him. Or perhaps it was because a part of him knew Alex wasn’t entirely wrong.

"Your wife will be in safe hands."

Alex mused with a smile that felt more like a taunt than reassurance.

Because Sebastian had once said almost the exact same thing to him when he had been worried about Natalie.

Back then, he had spoken those words with complete confidence, never imagining how cruel they would sound years later when thrown back at him.

He had told him, "Don’t worry. She’ll be in good hands, and I won’t touch a hair on her head. I promise."

Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair as he rose from the bed.

"I know I messed up badly. I know I screwed you over, Alex, but you have to let me clear this case and find the person trying to kill me for the seat. I have to be the one to go out again."

Alex’s eyes narrowed.

"What makes you think I can’t clear up the case too? I can do a better job than you can, so sit your ass down and enjoy your time here. This is my turn."

He jabbed a finger against Sebastian’s chest and then pushed him back down onto the bed.

"If you know what’s best for you and your wife, bro, don’t piss me off and make me do something to her. I promised I wouldn’t touch her, and I won’t."

Sebastian’s fingers tightened around the bedsheet. He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then slowly exhaled before giving a nod.

"Okay, I trust you. But before you leave, how about we have a meal together? We haven’t done that in a very long time, and we haven’t properly caught up with each other in years. What do you say?"

Sebastian already knew Alex wouldn’t give him the chance to step out this time, so he had to do what he must, even though it was going to have consequences that would echo far into the future.

He watched as his brother looked at him suspiciously before eventually shrugging.

"You’ll do the cooking. Get on with it while I continue familiarizing myself with the life you’ve been living through those videos, because it seems you’ve done a lot without me."

Alex smirked, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes as he turned away, fully aware of what his brother was trying to do and equally determined not to let him succeed so easily.

He would win this battle.

And once he did, he would finally set his own plans into motion.

It was time Sebastian paid for what he had done to him.