Chapter 5

Kael’s POV

I woke to the sound of muffled sobs. Amara’s cries had become a cruel soundtrack to my nights, echoing through the walls and tearing at my soul. I clenched my fists, staring at the ceiling of my room, the faint moonlight casting shadows on the walls. How long could this madness go on?

Trina shifted beside me, her bare leg brushing against mine under the duvet. My stomach twisted in disgust. Her presence here was a reminder of everything wrong in my life, a forced engagement to a woman I couldn't stand, my father’s unrelenting cruelty, and Amara’s silent suffering.

Her hand slid over my chest, her touch cold and unwelcome. “Kael,” she whispered, her voice sultry. “You’re so distant these days. What’s wrong?”

I gritted my teeth and pushed her hand away. “Not now, Trina.”

She wasn’t deterred. Instead, she sat up, the dim light accentuating the sharp angles of her face. “Not now?” she repeated, her tone turning sharp. “Kael, it’s been a week since I got here, and you haven’t even looked at me. What the hell is going on?”

I sat up, running a hand through my hair to stave off the rising irritation. “Shouldn’t you have some dignity as a woman?” I snapped. “Why are you throwing yourself at me like this?”

Her laughter was cold and hollow. “Throwing myself at you? Really? We’re betrothed, Kael. This is what’s expected of us. Or have you forgotten that?”

“I haven’t forgotten anything,” I shot back. “But I’m not going to pretend this… arrangement means anything to me. You don’t mean anything to me, Trina.”

Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, her vulnerability shone through her mask of arrogance. But then she smirked, leaning closer. “You’ll change your mind. You’re just confused right now. You’ll see that I’m the only one who truly understands you.”

Before she could touch me again, I grabbed my pillow and stood. “I’m sleeping in the guest room tonight.”

She gaped at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “You’re leaving me? Again?!”

I didn’t bother responding. I slammed the door behind me, letting the loud echo emphasize my frustration. As I stepped into the dimly lit corridor, I heard it again, Amara’s cries.

“Please, Alpha… don’t do this. I’m begging you…”

Her voice was hoarse, broken, and filled with a desperation that made my blood boil. I could hear my father’s low, guttural laughter, a sound that had haunted me since childhood.

“Begging makes you more pathetic, girl,” he sneered. “But I like that. It makes it more fun for me.”

The anger surging through me was uncontrollable. My wolf growled, urging me to act. Without thinking, I stormed down the hall and kicked open the door to her room.

What I saw made my stomach churn. My father, Alpha Magnus, was pinning Amara to the bed, her wrists held in an iron grip. The duvet covered them both, but it didn’t hide the vile scene unfolding. Her tear-streaked face turned toward me, her eyes wide with terror and pleading.

“Get off her!” I roared, my wolf pushing to the surface.

Magnus barely glanced at me, his expression a mixture of annoyance and amusement. “You’re interrupting something important, Kael,” he said casually. “Go back to bed.”

I didn’t think. I acted. In a single motion, I crossed the room and grabbed his arm, yanking him off Amara with all the strength I could muster.

But he was stronger.

With a snarl, Magnus threw me across the room like I weighed nothing. I crashed into the wall, pain shooting through my back as I slumped to the floor.

“Pathetic,” he spat, his wolf surfacing. His blazing red eyes bore into mine as he stalked toward me. “You dare challenge me, boy?”

My wolf surged forward in defiance. I lunged at him, our wolves clashing with a ferocity that shook the room. But he was the Alpha, and I was no match for his power.

He slammed me to the ground, his bare foot pressing into my chest with brutal force. I gasped for air, blood spilling from my mouth as I coughed.

“Please, stop!” Amara’s voice was frantic as she crawled to his side, her hands clutching his leg. “Please, don’t hurt him!”

Magnus sneered, looking down at her like she was nothing more than an insect. “You want me to spare him?” he taunted. “Why? He’s weak. He’ll never be a true Alpha.”

Amara’s tears flowed freely as she clung to him. “I’m begging you,” she whispered.

With a final, cruel laugh, Magnus released me, shoving Amara away with enough force to send her sprawling to the floor. He adjusted his robe and shot me a look of pure disdain.

“You’re a disgrace, Kael,” he said. “You’ll never be strong enough to lead. That’s why I found myself a breeder, someone who can give me the legacy you never will.”

His words cut deeper than any wound. As he walked out, his laughter echoing down the hall, I struggled to sit up, my body screaming in protest.

“Kael,” Amara’s voice was soft, trembling. She crawled to my side, her hands gently touching my face. “You’re hurt…”

Her concern made my chest ache in a way that had nothing to do with my injuries. She was still wrapped in the duvet, her hair disheveled, her face pale and tear-streaked. Yet, she was beautiful, fragile and resilient all at once.

“Amara…” I murmured, reaching up to touch her face. My fingers brushed her cheek, and a spark shot through me.

Then I saw it.

A faint, glowing thread appeared, linking my hand to hers. It pulsed with an otherworldly light, a warmth that spread through my entire being.

“Mate,” I whispered, the word escaping my lips before I could stop it.

Her eyes widened, confusion and fear mingling in their depths. But before I could explain, darkness claimed me, and I fell into unconsciousness.