Kieran’s POV

Guilt consumed me after I realized how my misguided revenge had hurt both Kyra and Alpha Darian. He had always been good to my mother and me. I planned to take down my biological father’s rogue faction and when it was over, I planned to turn myself in. But everything changed when Kyra took over her mother’s company and started facing life threatening situations.

Kyra’s wedding day gave me a new purpose again. That tiara she wore - I had it made after she accepted my proposal, with Felix helping me find the finest jewels.

I had it custom designed because I wanted my girl to have the best things in the world. She had always been my princess.Even though she married Nathan again in the end, she still wore what I had prepared for her.

In that moment, I decided to become a knight who would clear all obstacles from my princess’s path.

To protect her, I started positioning my men around her to watch over her. Ronan growled with approval in my mind.

"She deserves protection whether she wants it or not," he said.

I nodded as I drove toward the location where I thought Emily might be hiding.

I had been investigating Kyra’s maternal relatives and finally discovered that her uncle Connor had an unusual identity. The night Kyra called asking to meet, my men captured some people working for Connor and completely figured out who he really was.

The timing was really coincidental.

My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. One of my surveillance team was calling.

"Alpha, Miss Kyra was ambushed."

The tires screamed as I hit the brakes hard. My heart raced as I grabbed my phone from the dashboard.

"What did you say?" I demanded, my knuckles turning white.

"They were heading home when someone shot their tire. She’s safe, but her guards are still chasing the shooter."

Without hesitation, I made a sharp U-turn, tires burning against the pavement. It didn’t matter what I was doing or where I was going. When it came to Kyra, everything else became unimportant. I would always choose her, no matter how many times she chose someone else.

Ronan paced anxiously in my mind. "Faster," he urged. "We need to see her with our own eyes."

After getting confirmation that Kyra was safely home, I drove straight to the Nightfall Pack house. I didn’t care about the risks of entering another Alpha’s territory as a rogue Alpha with a bounty on my head. All that mattered was making sure Kyra was safe.

When I arrived, I found her sitting on the couch beside Nathan. Seeing them together sent a familiar ache through my chest, but I pushed it aside and walked toward them.

"Kieran!" Kyra looked up, surprise clear in her expression. "What are you doing here? Did you find Emily?"

"Are you okay?" I asked instead, looking her over for any signs of injury.

She nodded quickly. "Yes, I’m fine. But Emily, did you find her?"

I clenched my jaw. "I came here as soon as I heard what happened to you."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "What? You abandoned searching for Emily to come here?"

"I can look for her again after..."

"She’s lost her memory, Kieran!" Kyra cut me off, her voice rising. "If Connor’s men find her first, she’ll be in serious danger!"

"I can find her later..."

"You can’t just do this! She’s your wife..."

"I don’t care who she is in my life, Kyra," I snapped, unable to hold back anymore. "My only mission is to protect you, and nothing will change that. You are my top priority, and I’m sorry if I always choose you over anyone else!"

The words poured out before I could stop them. I needed her to understand that she would always come first for me. Yes, I would find Emily and protect her with my life if necessary, especially after the wrongs I’d done her. But if I had to choose, I would always choose Kyra without hesitation.

Kyra shook her head, disappointment clear in her eyes. It wasn’t the first time I’d disappointed her, but the pain of that look never got easier.

"You haven’t really changed at all. You’re still so cold blooded..."

"I won’t change," I admitted, my voice thick with emotion. "I will never change, and you should know that better than anyone."

My gaze shifted to Nathan, who was watching our exchange with dark eyes and a clenched jaw. The irony wasn’t lost on me. I was cooperating with the man I envied most, all to protect the one woman I treasured above everything.

"I’ll find Emily now," I said, turning away. "I’m just glad you’re safe."

Nathan stood up. "I appreciate your concern for my mate, but you should focus on finding Emily. We have increased security, and Kyra won’t be leaving the house until we catch the shooter."

I fought back the urge to tell him I didn’t need his orders. Instead, I nodded stiffly. "I’ve assigned additional men to watch the perimeter. They’ll report directly to your security team if they notice anything suspicious."

"Kieran," Kyra called, her tone softer now. "Please find Emily. I’m worried about her."

I looked back at her, momentarily lost in those eyes that had captured me from the first day Alpha Darian introduced us as step siblings.

"I will. I promise."