Pau Lina의 작품

The fire crackled in the hearth of my study, but its warmth didn’t touch the cold inside me. I stood by the tall window, staring out at the dark stretch of forest that surrounded the palace. The moonlight spilled over the treetops like silver blood, painting everything in a pale glow. I wasn’t interested in its beauty. I was thinking, calculating. Time was ticking, and soon, everything I’d worked for would finally fall into place. Kael was slipping. The pack could see it. His obsession with that breeder—Akira, was making him blind to everything else. Losing control. Turning away from tradition. And now, being so protective of her, like a mad wolf trying to protect his last scrap of pride. It was pathetic. Dangerous, too. A weak alpha meant a vulnerable pack. And vulnerability was the perfect opening. I walked back to my desk and opened the drawer, pulling out the sealed envelope that had arrived just before dusk. The wax stamp was unfamiliar. I’d had it checked; no scent, no c

Akira's POV The next day seemed to come too soon. I barely slept, and when I did, I had strange and fragmented dreams. I woke up tired, with a throbbing headache and a tight chest. The tension wasn't disappearing, it just kept on growing like a storm we could not stop. Kael hadn't said any word all through. We sat across from each other at the table during breakfast, barely touching our food. His mind was elsewhere, and so was mine. Something was happening in the dark, and we were only just starting to see pieces of it. "I don't trust this silence," I said quietly. Kael lifted his head, his eyebrows scrunched. "Neither do I. But we can't rush. We make one wrong step, and Zephyr runs…or worse." I nodded. The memory of Zephyr in the training room last night came back. His calm face. His eyes. How he'd asked, "You trust him?" That wasn't a casual thing to ask. That had been a warning in disguise. Kael pushed his plate aside and stood. "I'm going to the council hall. There's a mee

Akira's POV The next morning, the sun was already high, but the weight in my chest had not gone away. I stood by the window, observing outside as the pack guards marched in and out of the courtyard. I saw Kael outside giving commands, his voice sharp and crisp. But I knew better, his sharpness was just external. Deep down, he was carrying too much. After last night's conversation, I didn't sleep well. I kept wondering about Zephyr, how quiet he had been recently, how cautious. Too cautious. Last night's surprise appearance by him after our conversation was no accident. He was observing. A soft knock pulled me out of my thoughts. "Come in," I replied. Sheila-one of the maids-arrived with a tray of food. Her eyes scanned over me rapidly, as though she sensed my nervousness. "Are you okay?” I noticed you didn't come down for breakfast,” she said quietly. “I thought you'd be famished.” "Thanks," I responded, not feeling like eating. She put the tray down and waited. "I'm s

Akira's POVThe next morning, the sun was already high, but the weight in my chest had not gone away. I stood by the window, observing outside as the pack guards marched in and out of the courtyard. I saw Kael outside giving commands, his voice sharp and crisp. But I knew better, his sharpness was just external. Deep down, he was carrying too much.After last night's conversation, I didn't sleep well. I kept wondering about Zephyr, how quiet he had been recently, how cautious. Too cautious. Last night's surprise appearance by him after our conversation was no accident. He was observing.A soft knock pulled me out of my thoughts."Come in," I replied.Sheila-one of the maids-arrived with a tray of food. Her eyes scanned over me rapidly, as though she sensed my nervousness. "Are you okay?” I noticed you didn't come down for breakfast,” she said quietly. “I thought you'd be famished.”"Thanks," I responded, not feeling like eating.She put the tray down and waited. "I'm sorry about every

Akira’s POVThe weight on the room seemed to press heavily on me as I stood opposite Kael, his intense gaze piercing into me as he tried to read my thoughts. I felt uncomfortable for what I was about to say as I had struggled to confront Kael with it since I started thinking about it but at this point, I seem to be left with no choice. It wasn't just about me surviving anymore, it was about Kael's survival, and the entire pack's."It's about Zephyr."Kael's eyebrow went up, his expression going from bland to interested, but there was something in his eyes—something reserved. "What about him, Akira?" His voice was low, but I could feel under it the underlying frustration, the sense of urgency he usually reserved for problems that threatened the pack.I could feel my stomach form knots. The words were too risky to spit out, and I wasn't sure that I was ready to be burdened with them. But I was. For myself, for Kael, and for the benefit of everyone who had trusted in me."Well, I kind o

AKIRA’s POV.I paced back and forth in Kael's private chambers, frustration threatening to consume me.“F^^k it.” I cursed, pulling my hair.First, the search at Keiran's place yielded nothing. And now, Keiran was closer to being proven innocent. Which meant more trouble for me.“Why the f^^k is this happening to me?”All the evidence pointed to me, but I knew I didn't kill Kaida. Yet, Keiran wouldn't rest until I was killed. I couldn't understand why he hated me so much. What have I done to deserve this?“Maybe it is because you repeatedly promised to stop him from being the alpha of this pack, so he is teaching you a lesson on how to keep your nose on your face and out of other people’s business.” A voice in my head scorned.Or was he doing this to distract the pack from a bigger game he was playing in the shadows? I wouldn't put it past him. Keiran was cunning, always thinking several steps ahead.But what could he be planning? And why involve me in it?I stopped pacing and looked