chapter 23

Chapter 23

The fire bloomed before my face, a screech unleashing something infernal.

"Open your inner eyes. Become the Aetherblood..."

My breath seized. The fire enlarged, folding itself into the night sky.

I saw them.

"Alex, save me. Save your father. Save us..."

I jolted from the floor, muscles arching painfully from the cramped position. Music still played in the background as I wiped the sweat dripping down my skin.

Cold chills crawled up my spine. "That nightmare..."

It had become repetitive now, like something I expected every night I slept, and it was always the same scene. My parents' death. The car accident. The fire changing shape and form. And that skin crawling voice calling me Aetherblood.

Yet a tiny part of me blamed my unyielding reaction toward Nathan, where I could have gotten every answer instead of sulking here, drowning in the shallows of my own thoughts, plates scattered across the center table, with a bottle of alcohol resting to my left on the rug.

But what else could I have done? I couldn't trust Nathan, could I?

I was packing the plates into the kitchen when a knock landed against the door. I waited it out until the third persistent knock before my legs dragged me over there, eyes laden with exhaustion.

Sluggishly, I opened the door, my gaze sharpening the instant it landed on the crest plastered against the man's left chest.

A royal bodyguard...

"Good evening. You've been summoned." That was all he said before stepping aside, as though silently urging me to follow.

"I... sorry, can I know why I've been summoned by the throne?"

"I'm not in the position to disclose that, but if you'll follow me..." He drawled on, gesturing down the path ahead.

Hesitating for a second, I hurried back to grab a scarf, preparing for the night's cold. When I returned, the guard led the way.

I had expected us to head toward the pack house, except the guard instead guided me down an alley. The true plunge of fear settled in my chest, making me reconsider whether following him had been a good idea in the first place. But then again, I couldn't exactly ignore such a summons, could I?

Most importantly, why would I even be summoned?

Being a low profile Omega, nothing should have warranted a call from the throne.

The guard cut in again, snapping me back to reality. "Please..."

His hand stretched toward a vehicle parked at the side of the alley, shadows taking the form of spikes against the distant light struggling to flood the space.

Each step grew heavier as I approached the vehicle, its windows tinted black. Then the door opened by itself.

Looking inside, I saw Leo with his usual welcoming smile. "Hi, Alex."

Oh, shit. This was much worse.

With my insides crumbling, my thoughts spiraled, yet outwardly I forced on a mask as I was ushered into the backseat.

"You've settled down quite well. How did you get this spot?" Leo questioned, attempting to brew conversation and break the awkward silence.

From my peripheral vision, I saw he was battling the same discomfort I was, both of us avoiding each other's gaze.

"Please, Leo. What do you want?"

"That's no way to speak to your friend, Alex," he countered, eyes widening as he finally stole a glance at me. But it didn't last long.

Somehow, we had become strangers to each other. There was a time when Leo and I had been inseparable.

What was I even saying?

Up until a week ago, we had been best friends, but then the fractures came, and it all began with Kai. I'm no saint in this matter. In fact, I steered us toward the collapse of our friendship, and as much as I wished to redeem myself, I wasn't about to throw myself into the gutter either.

If there was one thing I'd use as a defense, it was that everything between Kai and me had never been merely physical. It had always existed beneath the surface.

My mistake was igniting it, feeding the temptation, and allowing myself to become the devil.

No more.

"Please, Leo," I repeated, my voice softening. "We both know things have changed between us."

"Still doesn't mean I don't care about you. I mean, you're the one who betrayed me."

"Leo..."

"You know I'm speaking the truth. While neither you nor Kai will admit it, I know something's there, and I'm still investigating. If you truly hadn't committed any act of treason against our friendship, your conscience wouldn't have made you leave." He spoke as though he had forgotten how unbearable he made things for me, and how I accepted every insult because I knew exactly who was to blame.

Myself.

"I'm done with this. If this is why you've come, then please, go be with Kai."

Leo grabbed my arm, eyes narrowing. "You saw the news?"

"Basically all of SilverFang has seen it. Kai being Alpha, and you becoming his Luna, finally taking over SilverFang Pack. That's always been the dream, and I'm glad it's working out for you," I muttered, whispering lies through thin lips.

Every fiber of my existence ached at the thought, but reality was cruel. Life had never once been kind to me. If anything, I had simply learned to accept outcomes however they arrived.

"Good, because I've come for that same reason."

My brows lifted, curiosity etching across my features.

"Leave SilverFang," Leo stated.

"What?" My eyes widened, the word bursting out in disbelief.

"Kai's distracted. You can lie to me about anything else, but not about the fact that Kai likes you. We both know he does."

I shook my head, words suddenly difficult to find.

"But I already left for you guys, and you're getting mated in about two or three months. Why should I leave the pack? I'm not a rogue. I didn't do anything wrong. I can't be banished."

Leo tightened his grip on my arm, his eyes pinning me like I wasn't already an open book he could read effortlessly.

"I can't risk things going wrong, or Kai asking for you later. I may not be completely certain, but the truth is obvious."

"You're delusional, Leo!" My voice rose, sharp enough to fill the cramped Jeep.

"Don't play games with me, Alex, and I won't either."

"I didn't play any games."

"I'm not a fool. Kai followed you that day. Whatever you two talked about, I don't even know."

"Then ask him," I retorted, chest heaving. "Why are you blaming me alone?"

Leo's fingers dug harder into my skin, though in the middle of my rising anger, I barely registered the pain. Leo mirrored the same instability, his own composure unraveling with every passing second.

"All my life, I've worked for this position. If there's even the slightest obstacle, I'll remove it."

"You're..." I scoffed, disbelief thick in my tone. "You're insane, Leo."

"Call me whatever you want, but you'll leave this pack, or I'll spread rumors about how you plan to steal what's mine. Kai can never look at anyone but me."

Leo's brows knitted together. He looked different from the Leo I'd known all my life, even up until last week. He had never acted this irrationally before, as though becoming Luna meant everything to him, or as though he'd die without it.

The thought planted something dreadful in my mind.

Was there more to being Luna than Leo let on?

"No." I finally spoke, snapping back to the present.

Leo's eyes darkened, an unsettling smile creeping onto his face. "Fine. Have it your way."

"No, you won't do anything. Because I know about your connection with Nathan. Imagine how Kai, who you so preciously worship, would react when he hears about it."

Leo stiffened before masking his shock. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do. You wanted to know where Kai disappeared to that night, didn't you? Stab me in the back, and you'll find out."

I finished and stepped out of the vehicle.

Without looking back, not even once, I hurried toward the building entrance. The instant I was out of sight, my hands clutched my chest as I exhaled heavily. Sweat slid down my face.

"What..." I trailed off, finishing the thought silently in my head.

Whatever was happening, something told me I had begun piecing fragments together, and in a situation where I no longer recognized the person I once called my best friend, it could only confirm one thing.

Neither of us were the same anymore.

And it was because of... Kai.

"Shit, what have you gotten yourself into?" I muttered under my breath.

Inside my room, I collapsed onto the bed, only to jerk away when something pricked through the fabric. Pulling it out from beneath the duvet, I realized it was the relic.

Remembering the note placed beneath it, I read the address written there.

"Not far," I muttered.

If there was anyone who could explain what Leo was up to, it was Nathan.

And if there was anyone who seemed to know what was happening to me, it was unfortunately Nathan too.

Seeing as I had little choice left, I forced myself to pursue the location.