Xena's POVThe night air was cold, brushing against my skin as I followed Kael through the woods. I didn’t ask questions. I just walked. Every step we took brought us closer to the one place I didn’t want to be—Chloe’s grave.Kael didn’t speak. He had a shovel in one hand, and his face looked carved from stone. Focused. Dangerous.We stopped at the small heap, hidden behind the trees, where only moonlight dared to fall. I wrapped my arms around myself as he stabbed the shovel into the dirt.“This is insane,” I whispered, but my voice didn’t stop him. He kept digging.I stood there, helpless, as each scoop of dirt tossed aside reopened a wound inside me. I could barely breathe. “You’re hurting her again,” I said, voice trembling. “This—this is like tearing her soul in half all over again.”Kael paused, just for a second. “Then pray she’s not here.”“Why do you so badly think that Mirabel is Chloe?” I asked again. Chloe's death happened two months ago, even if she managed to survive
Author’s POVThe dining room was quiet except for the soft clinking of plates and cutlery as the chefs moved around, preparing the meal. Warm golden light spilled from the chandelier above, bouncing off the silverware and casting long shadows on the polished wood of the table.Kael sat stiffly, his elbows on the table, fingers laced. His eyes were fixed on Mirabel like a predator surveiling its prey. Ready to bounce at any time. Mirabel on the other hand sat across from him, looking calm and composed in a cream-coloured gown. Her hair was neatly pinned back, and her smile never wavered. But Kael wasn’t fooled. He wasn't the type of person that believes in coincidence. He knew something was off— something big. Kael's eyes moved to Orion, who was still talking to Mirabel. Kael didn’t trust Orion—never had. And now, seeing Mirabel seated at his table as the so-called bride-to-be for Ben, everything screamed setup.Xena sat beside Kael, her body tense, hands curled into fists on her la
Kael’s POVThe office was quiet, to my taste. I have just been away for a while and the company didn't make half of what we get in a day. The first thing I am going to do on Monday is to fire all the workers who can't use their brains to think. Damn. Dumb humans. I sat behind the desk, flipping through reports and contracts that didn’t matter anymore because my mind wasn’t in the room. It was on Xena and a final decision that I would not look for my mate. Xena was going to die one way or the other— I did promise her protection but that was if she had given in to the end of the deal and since she could not— it wasn't like she chose the gender of the child but a deal was a deal. And she didn't stick to it, so keeping her alive was her every day Christmas. The door creaked open, and Ben walked in. He was the last person I wanted to see or imagine I would see. Ben and I were cousins but we had no relationship at all. We lived under the same roof before he left for college but I didn't
Xena’s POVThe road back home was quiet. Kael didn’t say much during the drive or when we were in the plane, he had returned to his annoying and dickhead personality. His jaw was clenched, his eyes focused on the road ahead like he was trying to drive away from something in his mind. When we finally pulled into the pack house compound, he killed the engine and looked at me. “I have to take care of something. It's urgent,” he said. Unfortunately I was too slow to get the message. “Don't tell me you want me to walk you inside,” he frowned. My hands moved at instinct, I opened the door and got out of the car, slamming the door shut behind me. The car started almost immediately, driving back to the gate. I rolled my eyes, letting out a faint scoff. I was back to a place where I'm constantly reminded that my secret could be out anytime and they could kill me for it. The door burst opened and Susan ran straight to me, arms wide open, and pulled me into a hug that almost killed me.
Xena’s POV. I stared at the pendant in my hand like it was some ghost from the past. My fingers trembled as I traced the small engraving at the back.This wasn't just any type of pendant. My mother had made me specially for both of us, I could still remember that Chloe was so pissed that she broke hers. Chloe insisted that she was not going to wear the same thing with an impure wolf, so she broke hers and grinded it to shreds then threw the dust on me, that was how it became just me and my mother. So how the hell did this piece get here? I looked up at Kael, who picked up his plates. My mouth opened but no words came out, I was too scared to talk. “But… how?” I whispered again, still looking at it.Kael sat back down, leaning back on his chair. “That was what I was hoping to find out?” “Where did you get this?” My voice cracked as I looked up at him. “Kael, this pendant was made specially for me and my mother, there is none like this except ours.”“Then I guess it is a popular
Xena’s POVI couldn't do it, I just couldn't go through with it. This wasn’t right. I can't just leave like that and besides, Jared might be sweet and all but he doesn't really have the means to protect me and my baby and most importantly, I don't know him too well. I pulled my hand away and shook my head slowly.“Xena?” he asked, confused.“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I... I can’t go.”“Why?” His voice cracked. “You said you wanted to leave.”“I thought I did,” I mumbled. “But I don’t know anymore. I just... I need to go back.”He stared at me like I had betrayed him. Maybe I had.Without another word, I turned and walked away. I didn't want to but it was the best choice. I had no option. The guards led me to the car and we drove home. By the time I got back to the house, my feet hurt and my head felt like it was full of bricks. The moment I walked in, I froze, my nose flaring up. Food. Perfect timing. I was thinking I was going to die out of hunger. I followed the scent into the