Chapter 5 - BROTHER

Caspian’s POV

Nalani stood rigid between us, confusion and fear flickering across her face as her eyes darted from me to Kieran. The tension was so thick it felt like the forest itself was holding its breath. My little wolf took a hesitant step back, sensing the hostility rolling off both of us in waves.

My canines lengthened, spine rigid. Kieran’s gaze met mine… cold, challenging and I felt the familiar rage ignite in my chest.

“Are you brothers?” Nalani’s voice cut through the silence, small but steady.

Neither of us answered. I couldn’t tear my eyes from the traitor who’d shared my blood, my home, my life. The hate between us burned hotter than any wound. Years of betrayal, resentment, and unspoken accusations fueled every glare. He hated me for the choices I’d made, for the path I’d forced on us both. I hated him for turning his back when it mattered most, for the cold indifference that had poisoned everything we once shared.

We were brothers by blood. Enemies by choice.

“Could someone answer me?” she demanded, voice rising. Anger sharpened her tone now. She was either incredibly brave or incredibly foolish. Most wolves would have bolted at the first snarl from two Gold Moon Alphas but she stood her ground, eyes flashing like a caged cat, demanding answers even as her limbs trembled in fear.

I didn’t like her tone. A low growl rumbled from my throat… instinct, authority, warning.

“Leave, Nalani,” I ordered, voice dripping with command.

She resisted.

No one resisted a Gold Moon Alpha’s order. Yet here she was, grey fur rippling in the night wind, chin lifted, refusing to submit.

“He’s here to meet me,” she stuttered, but her voice held.

Kieran’s eyes flashed with triumph. He smirked at me… slow, deliberate.

That was all it took.

I lunged, claws extended for his throat.

We collided in a frenzy of snarls and fur. Bodies slammed together, claws raking, teeth snapping. His strike opened a gash across my shoulder; I ripped across his face in return. Blood sprayed, but we healed almost instantly… Gold Moon blood, too stubborn to bleed out.

The hate between us burned hotter than any wound. Years of betrayal, resentment, and unspoken accusations fueled every strike. 

I twisted, aiming to tear into him again, when a scream sliced through the forest.

Behind me.

Nalani.

She was on the floor, her skin deathly pale as she clawed at the birthmark I had seen before just above her breast, my chest heaved as I ran over to her side, she had transformed back and was naked, her milky white skin bare and tempting but I kept my mind on finding out what was wrong with her, she was burning with fever and I immediately carried her bridal style. “What is wrong with her” he asked but I snarled at him as I ran with her in my arms to my room, I could see him follow closely, a wary glance crossing his face as he stared at her,.. No, she couldn’t be his mate too.

The doctor burst into my room minutes later. He reached for her about to check her but I snarled, blocking him. He raised both hands in surrender and called for the female physician instead.

I didn’t know why the possessiveness surged so violently… why my wolf refused to let any male near her but I didn’t question it.

Outside the door, snarls erupted. I stepped into the hallway to find Kieran surrounded by my best warriors, ready to tear him apart on my command. Even outnumbered, he wore that infuriating smirk.

“I’m not leaving until I know she’s fine,” he said calmly, eyes flicking over each warrior. “None of you could stop me anyway if I wanted to enter.”

They snarled, hackles rising.

I raised a hand. They quieted instantly.

“Take him to the holding quarters,” I ordered.

Kieran smiled knowing he had to obey if he wanted to see her.

“I’ll deal with him later,” I murmured to myself.

Inside, Nalani had calmed. She slept deeply now, breathing even. I paced the room as the female doctor finished her final check and motioned me into the hallway.

“Alpha, may I speak freely?”

I nodded.

“Nalani is in heat. She’s been in it for weeks. That’s why she’s emitting such a strong, primal scent.”

I frowned. “What scent?”

The doctor hesitated. “The scent of a female in heat is imperceptible to her mates… but overwhelming to every other wolf.”

My stomach dropped. Shock. Fear. Confirmation of what I’d suspected but refused to admit.

The doctor watched me carefully, waiting for me to confirm her suspicion but I dismissed her with a curt nod.

“She’ll be fine,” she added. 

“Rest. And proximity to her mate or mates will help.”

Mates.

The word echoed in my skull.

I returned to her side and spent the next few hours watching over her. Her red hair spilled across my pillow like fire. I twirled a strand around my finger, tracing the curve of her full lips, wondering how she would react if she knew the truth.

I hadn’t exactly been kind to her. I’d pushed her away, acted cold, distant, trying to deny what my wolf had known from the first moment I scented her in the training hall.

She was my mate.

And if Kieran’s presence here meant what I feared… she was his too.

I had enemies who would stop at nothing to hurt me through her. I’d sworn to protect her even if it meant keeping her at arm’s length. Even if it meant denying myself.

A whimper cut my thoughts short as I looked at her, she slowly blinked open her eyes and caught my stare, for a moment we simply stared at each other, gaze locked, my eyes dropped to her full red lips and then back to her eyes. Heat surged through me, imagining how she would taste, how she would feel pressed against me. She wasn’t immune as she would like me to believe, her lips parted slightly, pupils dilating with the same need, she had the fuck me look in her eyes, but I knew if I tried to get close to her now she would resist, that is how stubborn she was … well she won’t be able to resist me for long I consoled myself.

“Water…” she whispered.

I already had the bottle ready. I handed it to her, letting my fingers brush hers deliberately. Her eyes darkened, breath catching, but she said nothing, just drank deeply.

“What happened?” she asked when she finished. “And where is Alpha Kieran?”

“You fainted,” I said, pressing her gently back against the pillows. “You need rest. Kieran… is around. Somewhere safe. He can’t hurt anyone.”

“Hurt anyone?” She tried to sit up. I held her down. “What do you mean? He came to see me. And how are you two brothers?”

“You ask too many questions, little wolf.” I kept my tone mild. “Rest. There’s a ceremony tonight. I need you to attend with me.”

She stared at me to weak to argue, then nodded slowly.

I let hersleep.

Later that evening, she walked down the stairs in a silk green dress that clung to every curve, gold heels clicking softly. She slipped her hand into mine without hesitation.

“You look stunning,” I murmured.

“Well thank you Alpha” she purred as we walked down the stairs and outside to where the ceremony was being held, lanterns glowing, music drifting on the night air.

“I would like to see Alpha Kieran”, she said all of a suddenly, words rushing together. I looked at her and I could tell she was worried.

“Fine, let’s go see him then.”

“Why…” she began tentatively.

“Nope, no questions else we don’t go to see him” I warned mildly and she relented.

We walked farther into the forest before we came to a cave sort of, I had transformed it into a place I kept rogues or trespassers like my brother. I could hear her gasp the moment the guards opened the door and the stench of blood and gore hit us. 

“You should wait outside,” I told her.

She didn’t argue. Horror still lingered in her eyes as I stepped inside.

Kieran hung upside down from the ceiling, chained at the ankles, hands bound behind him. No torture… just restraint. As promised.

“I was wondering when you’d come,” he said, smirking despite the position. “How’s Nalani?”

I pressed the release ignoring him entirely. He dropped to the floor with a thud, rolling to his feet smoothly.

“I see you haven’t changed, brother,” he drawled. “Still as stiff as ever.”

“Shut it. Let’s go. Thank Nalani unless you would still be here chained and forgotten.”

“You wish,” he answered.

I gripped his arm and led him out.

The moment her eyes landed on him, I could see the relief in her eyes and how her body relaxed from the stiff posture she held close to me, she even spotted a smile, I felt a pang of hurt and jealousy hoping soon she would look at me that way too… unguarded

“Are you ok?” she rushed to his side

“Yeah tiger, what about you?” His voice took on a calmer and softer tone as he awaited her response, his eyes searching for any wound on her. 

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Nalani,” I cut in, “go on ahead. I’ll meet you at the ceremony.”

“You’ll come too, right?” she asked Kieran. “Maybe we can talk.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” he said, smirking.

She glanced between us one last time, then walked away.

The moment she was out of sight, Kieran’s smirk vanished.

“Let me go now,” he snarled.

“Not until you answer my questions.” I stepped closer. “What business do you have with her?”

He smiled slowly. “I’m sponsoring her.”

Shock hit me like a fist. She’d accepted him—but denied me?

Rage boiled under my skin.

“Stay away from her, brother,” I spat the word like poison.

He met my gaze directly. “That’s not going to be possible. She’s my mate.”

I could feel my whole world crash as I cursed the moon goddess for making him her mate also, I didn’t want to share her with this traitor, first it was my mother’s womb now… I walked off angrily... I needed a drink, preferably a strong one to calm down as Alpha wolves hardly ever got drunk.I stormed straight to the bar, trying to ignore the pull of her. The wolves dancing parted as they could feel the angry waves rolling off me, I was in no mood for shit right now…I need a drink I quietly said to the wolf serving drinks as my eyes searched around for her. She was smiling and talking with a man, I could tell he was eye fucking her, the bastard, but I reined in the urge to rip off his head as I could hear my wolf growl. The man whispered something to her and soon he led her to the dance floor, my eyes followed them and just like magnet her eyes met mine and held as I gulped down another drink, her green huge eyes staring at me like she was trying to figure me out as the man held her waist and twirled her, not once did we break eye contact till another man much taller than the last took over, the fleck of silver at his temples caught my eye.She stared at me as if contemplating if she should accept or not when I heard a clucking sound to my right, 

I knew who it was before I looked, her gardenia scent overwhelming my senses before I even heard her voice.

“You look tense, Alpha. It’s been a while since someone pleased you, hasn’t it? I can fix that.”

I barely registered her. My gaze stayed locked on Nalani.

She stared at the woman on my lap bopping up and down trying to get me hard. I held the woman’s neck, my huge hands holding her in a possessive manner, dragging her close to me as I whispered something filthty in her ears.

She whimpered, I could tell she was getting excited and dripping on my clothes, but my mind was not on her but…Nalani and if it meant using this woman whose name I couldn’t remember to make my mate jealous so be it.

Nalani stepped closer to the man, taunting me also, I could tell by the firm line of her mouth and the way her eyes sparked fire, she held my stare as she stepped closer to the man, her hands moving slowly, seductively up his neck as she grabbed a hold of his hair, fuck… she was going to be the death of me, I got hard immediately and the woman bopped harder thinking she was the one I was reacting to but my mind and thoughts were on my mate, she strutted round the man and then dipped suddenly giving me a nice view of her silky breast and the man a feel of her ass, standing up slowly, her hand traced her thighs slowly up.. till where they met at the centre, I felt my dick strain in my trousers. Fuck this… I stood up abruptly, the woman falling off my lap forgotten as I strode to where she was but before I got to her, a warrior stepped in front of me.

“Alpha… there’s a wolf at the boundary requesting entry. He says it’s urgent.”

I glanced back.

Nalani and her partner were gone.

I squeezed my fists until my claws bit into my palms.

“Take me to the boundary,” I ordered.

But as I followed the warrior, one thought burned brighter than the rest:

I needed to know she was safe.