KAI’s
Two massive Italian doors greeted my deep exhale before the guards pulled them open, welcoming my entrance.
Far to the south sat my father, settled in his usual one seater, lost in the crackling firewood. His face was caught in the fireplace glow as I approached, the sound of my boots becoming the only other noise in the space.
I leaned against the mantel as I cleared my throat. "Father, you called for me," I began, catching his gaze before he stared back into the flames once more.
"The Council brought me reports," he finally spoke, his aura carrying through the air with every word. "Apparently, you’ve been doing a poor job."
I swallowed, goosebumps creeping over my skin. "Uh, isn’t the warmth too much? The weather’s rather still."
Instead, Father leaned forward, his brows thinning.
Shit, he didn’t buy that.
"Two months. I left the throne in your care for two months, and you can barely lead the people, much less your supposed mate," he declared.
"Father, that’s not true. Leo is..."
"Surprisingly strategic. He’s been visiting me often. He keeps me updated when my own son wouldn’t. You’re to become the Alpha of this pack right after your mating ceremony, and he is the perfect candidate to bear the heir. You didn’t just choose him, the throne did. He passed every fertility test." Father muttered, rising to his feet.
His shirt, fur lined at the collar, aided his towering demeanor as he maintained only an inch of suffocating distance between us.
"Son." From arm’s length, he assessed me carefully. "You’ve had enough time to enjoy yourself, to pursue endless pleasure. It is high time you focused on what awaits you. My footsteps." His words settled heavily, forcing a nod out of me.
"Yes, Father."
He turned away and settled back into his seat.
"With that in mind, you’ll publicly announce your mating ceremony. The entire pack needs to be prepared. Once that’s settled, I’ll continue my scrutiny. Prove to me that you can continue your ancestral lineage, and the title of Alpha King will remain yours."
I swallowed harder. "Yes, Father." My brows darkened, defeating the mask I had worn earlier.
Leo...
My hands balled into fists, anger seeping from the pores of my skin.
How could he go behind my back to meet Father, knowing the pressure it would place on me?
I turned toward the exit, and Father’s words lingered in the air just before I stepped out. "Remember, Kai, SilverFang is far too large a pack. Its Alpha cannot afford distractions, not even the smallest fraction."
As I stepped outside, Clawface trailed behind me. He maintained his distance, clearly having noticed the anger laced within my scent. I hated how Leo was beginning to gain the upper hand in this situation. He could not even prove anything between Alex and me, yet he had already gone this far.
And the councilmen, playing their dirty games alongside him behind my back, made me nauseous.
The air swirled with salty scents, and I flared my nostrils as I shut my eyes. I let my thoughts drift for a moment.
Clawface stayed inches away, and I muttered, "I used to think it was absolute that we followed whatever society laid out for us. For me, it was my father’s footsteps. Becoming the next Alpha." I scoffed, darting my gaze toward the shore. "I never even wanted the role of acting Alpha. Exhausting is an understatement."
Silence settled between us, Clawface smart enough not to interfere.
"That was until I met someone who changed that."
Those beautiful blue eyes that captured sunlight in just the right way. Freckles dusted over his nose like scattered rose petals. And finally, that petite frame of his. I had missed touching him, feeling his warmth against my skin, taking him as mine.
Fuck...
When did I become this soft, this affected?
I had never cared this much about myself or my lineage when we were together. Yet I still let him go without chasing after him.
"Until tomorrow, Kai. Please, let me go." His words echoed through my ears.
No.
"No, I can’t let him go. I can’t..." I spun toward Clawface, stretching out my hand.
"Sire?"
"Pass me the car keys. Get back home however you can." That was all I said before heading out of the mansion.
Father’s penthouse sat at the countryside edge of the Pack, surrounded by towering woods and grounds painted with dried leaves and brittle twigs.
Starting the engine, I sped into town. By the time I arrived at the three story apartment building, evening had already settled in.
I checked my phone to confirm the location. The entire time, I had known I could never let Alex go, and when I wasn’t certain of his next move, I had Clawface place a tracker on Alex’s phone.
And now that I had found him again, this time without Leo around, I planned to crush the agreement of staying apart from one another.
But then, when the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, my steps carrying me toward Alex’s front door, I froze.
"Fuck, uh... hello, Alex?" I smacked my forehead. "Fuck you, Kai. You fucking left him," I muttered beneath my breath.
Letting myself imagine the way he’d look at me was the worst part of it all. What if he lashed out because I let him leave and never searched for him all this time?
Or shit, what if Leo found him again and hurt him, and Alex blamed me for it all over again?
I could take him right now, but my duty as Alpha... Father’s words rang inside my head, twisting everything into something more difficult.
I let my senses reach for Alex’s presence. My nostrils flared at the scent of pancakes while he sang along to a song playing faintly in the background.
That was the confirmation I needed. Alex was enjoying himself without me. He was doing fine without me, right?
So I shouldn’t disturb that.
Or should I?
Torn between my feelings and my duty, my hand lingered in the air, only inches away from knocking on the door and announcing my presence.