.Chapter 24-2
“Jensen,” my father warned, but the man was beyond listening to reason.
“Three months!” Jensen shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Kane. “Three months my mate has been in that bastard’s dungeons while you’ve been what, taking nature walks?”
“I was hiding like a damn coward,” Kane admitted, his words falling into the sudden silence that
followed.
Everyone stared at him in shock. I’d expected him to make excuses, to justify his absence with the truth about being cursed, unable to return. Instead, he’d just owned up to his failures with brutal
honesty.
“I will not make excuses for my actions,” he continued, his voice carrying across the room. “You just need to know I had my reasons, and I thought isolating myself was the best decision for my kingdom. Now I see it was not, and I’m set on making everything right. For that, I will need your
help.”
Most of the alphas were now looking at him as if he’d grown two heads as the pack leaders processed what they’d just heard. I couldn’t help the feeling of wanting to speak up and tell everyone they could trust him. The words were right there on the tip of my tongue, an instinctive defense of my mate that I had to physically bite back.
But how could I?
I didn’t even trust him myself. He’d betrayed me, hadn’t he? I’d heard his men calling him by name, seen how familiar they were with him, how fast he’d agreed on taking me to them. The timing had been too convenient, too perfect, right when I was “sleeping”.
I couldn’t bring myself to unveil that piece of truth, though. I didn’t know if it was my wolf’s fault or just my own confused heart, but I didn’t want to hurt him. Not when I’d thought he was dead until a
few hours ago.
I decided to confront him later about the last time we’d seen each other, and keep pretending in front of others that we didn’t know each other. It was easier that way. I could avoid awkward questions and uncomfortable conversations about how I’d ended up pregnant with the enemy king’s child.
“I think it’s good to have an inside opinion,” Dash intervened, stepping forward to speak in Kane’s favor. “We’ve been talking these past few days and he has good ideas for a counterattack.”
I was surprised that Dash was the first one to come to Kane’s defense. They must have bonded during the time Kane had spent at Indigo Peak. My brother was a good judge of character, and if
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Chapter 24-2
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he trusted Kane, that meant he’d seen genuine remorse and determination to make things right.
The alphas looked at each other, having one of those silent conversations that came from years of
working together. Slowly, they began to nod, accepting Dash’s assessment.
“What kind of counterattack?” Elonso asked, his tone still wary but no longer openly hostile.
“We know where Kellan is keeping the prisoners,” Kane said. “And I know the castle’s weaknesses. There are passages that aren’t heavily guarded, times when the patrols are weakest.”
“You’d help us rescue our people?” Jensen asked, hope creeping into his voice despite his obvious
distrust.
“I’d lead the rescue myself if you’d let me,” Kane replied. “Your mates are prisoners in my castle, suffering because of my son’s actions. That makes their freedom my responsibility.”
London leaned back in his chair, studying Kane with calculating eyes. “And what do you get out of
this? What’s your angle?”
“My angle,” Kane said, “is that I want my kingdom back. I want my people free from magical manipulation. I want my son either cured of whatever darkness has consumed him, or stopped
before he can hurt anyone else.”
“And if we help you accomplish all that?” my father asked. “What happens to the treaty between
our peoples?”
“There will be peace,” Kane said without hesitation. “True peace, not just a cessation of hostilities.
Trade agreements, mutual defense pacts, whatever it takes to ensure our children never have to
go to war again.”
The offer was generous, more than any of us had dared hope for. But I could see the skepticism in
the room, the wariness that came from years of conflict.
“Big promises,” London said. “How do we know you can deliver?”
“Because,” Kane said, his eyes finding mine, “I have personal stakes in seeing peace established between our peoples.”
The way he looked at me when he said those words made my heart race. There was so much
emotion in his gaze. Love, longing, determination… And a promise that he’d move heaven and earth
to protect what mattered to him.
My life seemed like a completely wild dream now. My mate was back, hotter than ever. He was in
my pack territory, was apparently friends with my brother, and wanted to help overthrow his own
son.
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Chapter 24-2
What the hell kind of cosmic joke was the universe playing on me?
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