Chapter Twelve: Spiral

Asher

I had learned twice over to never underestimate our youngest, for even in his compromised state, his aim was precise, as was his element of surprise.

 I narrowly escaped getting stabbed in the arm by the knife he hurled in my direction, dodging it by a hair's breadth.

 His speed had been remarkable; I had barely registered his movement as he produced the knife, reacting purely on instinct to evade his attack. 

The knife flew across the room, striking the wall and sending sparks flying before clattering to the floor. 

Kai looked immensely displeased that he had missed his target, his brooding expression darkening further. His head lolled forward, his hair brushing against his sweat-matted forehead as he sat, shutting me out. He wore a loosely buttoned shirt and a pair of shorts he must have managed to slip into after crawling into his room.

"Easy there, troublemaker," I cautioned as I approached him again, maintaining a safe distance to avoid any further threats. "Just checking up on you," I told him, my words carrying a subtle undertone. 

Kai caught the unspoken meaning behind my words but remained silent, though I noted the waves of guilt emanating from him.

 "She's not awake," I informed him, "and the probability of her waking up is critically low." 

Kai's muscles tensed further, despite keeping his head lowered. Though I couldn't see his face, his body language revealed that he was acutely aware of the consequences of his actions. 

I took another step forward, folding my arms across my chest. "What's your deal, Malachi Kael Darko Ragnar?" I said, adopting my father's tone of reproof – a tone he reserved for when we had done something egregious.

 Kai raised his head, and the mention of our father seemed to stir up more pain than I had intended. Deep anguish and hurt were etched in his eyes, and I recalled that he still blamed himself for the disaster that had befallen our family.

 "Don't tell me you're still dwelling on the past, Kai. You were clearly at fault." 

"What are you talking about?" Kai spoke harshly, his body tense with controlled aggression. 

"Kaida," I said, shifting the focus from our parents to the main issue at hand. "What's your reasoning?"

"She trespassed," he growled. 

"And you thought killing her was the right punishment?" 

Kai yanked at his hair, shifting uncomfortably on his seat. He winced as he snapped harshly, "I didn't intend to kill her. I just wanted to scare her a bit... I don't know... I just lost control."

 I narrowed my eyes. "You lost control while trying to kill Kaida, yet your intention was to scare her?"

 Kai exhaled a frustrated breath. "Just leave, Ash."

I watched Kai in silence, trying to gauge his reaction and understand the motivations behind his actions. "What if she doesn't survive?"

 "She will survive!" Kai countered with venom and a hint of desperation in his voice.

 I pursed my lips, adjusting my stance. "Let's hope she does. Otherwise, Caspian will have your head." That drew Kai's attention. "She's his mate," I informed him, the words rolling off my tongue with a hint of skepticism.

 I still found it hard to accept, but Caspian had staked his claim, and I had no choice but to respect that. I would maintain my distance from Kaida, as he wished, although I had looked forward to befriending her.

 Of all the ladies who had come here for employment, she was the one who had piqued my interest. I knew it was her fiery spirit that drew me in, rather than the submissive and authority-pleasing personality of the others.

"No," Kai spat, his eyes flashing. He sat up abruptly, as though he wanted to leap out of his seat and rip someone's throat out.

 I shifted my head to the side, lowering my hands. My brows furrowed as I began to analyze Kai's behavior. The pieces clicked into place in my mind. Everything seemed to make sense now. "You have feelings for Kaida," I observed.

Kai looked away, his jaw clenched, his hand balled into a fist over his knee. 

My mouth parted, caught between smiling in amusement and incredulity. I understood now. "Tiernan," I said, and Kai's jaw tightened further, his hand clenched tighter. His posture became even more rigid. "Was it because she reminded you of Tiernan that you lost control?" I probed further. 

Tiernan had been Kai's teenage love, a member of another supernatural species, and the catalyst for our problems.

Our parents had warned Kai, while they lived, about his association with the young witch girl. But Kai had been young and foolish, hopelessly in love. His obstinacy had cost us our parents and pack their lives. 

It turned out that Tiernan had only been using him, and since that betrayal, Kai had developed a deep-seated distrust of women, bordering on misogyny. He had avoided women like the plague, responding harshly to any who crossed his path. He had attempted to scare Kaida away, likely due to his growing attraction to her. Kaida's wildness and features bore a vague resemblance to Tiernan's, which must have triggered his violent outburst.

I clamped my mouth shut as I concluded my analysis. "I understand. I believe you didn't intend to kill her. But whatever feelings you may have toward her, you need to let them go. She's Caspian's mate. You need to accept that." If my analysis had been inaccurate, Kai would have corrected me. I knew I was right when he offered no rebuttal. He simply sat rigidly in his chair, his gaze averted.

Ruffling the back of my head, I excused myself from his room. Today had been filled with too many shocking revelations, and my brain seemed to be reeling. I needed a drink.

****

Kai

I scratched my thighs with my extended claws, clenching my hand into a fist. Asher's words sparked a surge of outrage within me. I struggled to maintain a sitting position while he was in my room, my wolf fighting to break free from my skin. But I controlled my rage. 

A primal growl rumbled within me, "Mine," as my body began to shift. I restrained the urge to unleash Malfoy, my wolf, and kept it caged instead. 

Perhaps it was fortunate that she already belonged to another; I didn't have to act on my impulses. Malfoy had misled me once, and at that reminder, he became less aggressive, more controlled.

A wave of guilt washed over me, the memories of bloodshed and destruction from the past clouding my mind.

 I slid further down in the chair, throwing my head back against the cushion. The pain in my side was now mild and bearable, as it was almost fully healed. 

"They are all the same," the same voice that had influenced me earlier in the hall with Kaida whispered again. I felt the surge of dark energy pulse within me, the gradual buildup of something sinister.

I hadn't meant to strangle Kaida; in fact, I had no recollection of the act until Caspian attacked me. The details of my actions were often hazy, but the consequences gnaw at me afterwards.

 The urge surged at moments I least expected it. I had been irritated to find Kaida trespassing; however.... I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my palm as I reflected on my emotions. Neither outcome would have been favorable.

My reaction to Kaida was like a consuming inferno, a destructive force eating away at my rationality. If my dark side hadn't surfaced, I might have committed an equally reprehensible act that would have forced Caspian to take my head. 

That possessive urge had emerged since the day I stepped in behind her at the store. I had observed her interest in me, and if I had pursued her, she would have easily given in to the simmering chemistry between us.

However, that would be courting disaster. I had already suffered the consequences of being enticed by a captivating visage—I had no desire to relive that ordeal. Therefore, I opted for the only feasible course of action: retreat. 

I had to ensure she detested me, feared me. Now, she would.

 Yet, it was perplexing that my thoughts continued to dwell on her. "Mine," Malfoy growled menacingly. 

"They're all the same," the other voice in my head hissed, the eerie whisper that triggered an intense, maddening itch in my ears whenever it spoke. 

I closed my eyes and raised my shoulder to my ear in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort, but the itching sensation persisted, akin to an insect burrowing through my cerebral tissue.

As the pressure began to build, I became cognizant of the impending episode—a dissociation, one more consequence that I would inevitably regret come tomorrow. And, judging by the relentless whisper, I knew who would be the focal point of my turmoil. 

With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I sprang out of my chair, shattering the windowpane as I launched myself out of the bedroom and fled as far as possible from the house before the darkness completely consumed me.

 Mid-air, I underwent a transformation, landing deftly on my paws before sprinting at breakneck speed. 

The cacophonous voices in my head reeled me, but I persisted in my frantic flight, driven by a desperate need to distance myself from the target of the abyss that threatened to engulf me, even as my surroundings blurred into an indistinguishable haze.