Keiran’s POVThat asshole’s smirk didn’t falter. On the contrary, he looked more amused than ever, as if this was all entertainment for him.“Unofficially? I’m concerned about a fugitive,” he finally said, his voice dripping with pretense concern.After a short pause, there it was.I saw his eyes glistened with that same infuriating mischief that instantly made my blood boil. With a seemingly micking expression he went one with a calm and unbothered voice, “She’s a traitor who fled the kingdom. She rejected her fated mate, disrupted pack unity, and vanished after creating a political mess. Worse, there’s chaos on the border now. Patrols think she’s the one killing off the rogues they’ve been finding dead lately.”My jaw clenched, fists curling under the table. I kept my face impassive, voice cold and unreadable. “Sounds serious. Got a name?”“Madeline Wilkinson,” he said smoothly, not even blinking.The moment he said her name, my pulse kicked. His gaze sharpened, watching for any tw
Keiran’s POVWhen Felix came in through the front door like a normal person instead of lurking in the shadows, I had to admit—I was impressed by his newfound courage.Still, I wasn’t exactly thrilled that he and Adeline would be talking alone. I ordered Tom to make sure someone was stationed nearby. To my surprise, she actually let him into her room. Inside her room.I paced my office restlessly as minutes dragged on. Half an hour passed, and they were still talking. My eyes were glued to the wall clock, the ticking second hand syncing with the pounding in my chest.Eventually, I snapped.I stormed toward her room, unable to hold onto my calm any longer. And now, here I was—standing in front of her with my heart thudding like a war drum as I waited for her answer.Was she still his?The silence between us stretched like a blade against my skin. I felt like I was burning from the inside out. For the first time in a very long time, there's actually a bit of fear coursing through my body
Madeline’s POVI stared at him, questioning every life choice that led me here. Did I do something terrible in a past life to end up in this situation?Best friends to enemies, fated mates, rejected mates… and now? Now, we were sitting here like some tragic parody of support systems—him confiding in me, me listening like it wasn’t weird as hell.We hated each other for reasons we never fully understood. Maybe it was the bond, maybe it was pride. But despite that, he kept showing up… and I kept listening.Yup. Ironic didn’t even begin to cover it.Felix slumped onto the couch, his head dropping back against the seat as he let out a tired sigh. “She’s been cold and distant. It was way different from how she acted when we first got here. Now, it just feels like she’s pretending when people are around.”He closed his eyes, the pain in his voice tangible. “I know her, Maddie. I know when she’s hiding something. She’s been sneaking out, whispering on the phone when I’m nearby, barely making
Madeline’s POVAfter that deep talk with Keiran, falling asleep would’ve taken a miracle—and of course, no such miracle came.Now, staring at myself in the mirror, I looked like a mess. Dark circles puffed under my eyes like bruises—like I’d gone a round with sleep and lost miserably. I frowned. Great. I look like a damn panda.Not wanting to leave my room looking half-dead, I asked one of the servants to bring me two frozen spoons. They looked at me like I was crazy, but to their credit, they brought them anyway.I pressed the curved part of the cold spoons over my eyes, letting the chill seep into my skin. It didn’t magically erase the damage, but it at least helped a little. I sighed. It’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone…Still, the thought of sitting around all day like some love-struck idiot wasn’t appealing. If sleep wasn’t happening, then maybe training could wear out whatever storm Keiran had stirred in me last night.I changed into a pair of loose joggers, a plain white
Madeline’s POVSeeing as I was already cornered with no way to escape, I choked out a dry laugh and gave in. Turning away, I gazed at the stars above, feelings from the past creeping back into my chest like slow poison.“It’s because… before everything,” I said softly, “he was my best friend. My comrade. My partner in crime.” I scoffed, letting out a small laugh and a heavier sigh. “Inside that ice cage I grew up in, he was the only person who ever made me feel seen. I liked him. I was so excited when I found out he was my mate…”The words left my lips like a confession I'd kept buried far too long. A familiar sting bloomed in my chest, sharp and unforgiving—like a thousand invisible needles puncturing me all at once.The bond between Felix and me was gone now. There was no mate pull. But that didn’t mean the pain had vanished with it. Because the truth was, my feelings for him started long before the Moon Goddess tied us together.I turned around and faced Keiran, meeting his unreada
Madeline’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed, clutching the blanket around my shoulders, staring into oblivion. Another nightmare had ripped me out of sleep—the same one that had haunted me since the night my mother died. Her screams, the deaths, the blood… it never changed.A faint knock echoed against the door, snapping me back into the present. I didn’t answer, but the door creaked open anyway. Keiran stepped inside, his movements quiet but intense, like a storm contained behind black eyes.I sat up straighter, letting the blanket fall from my shoulders, and turned to face him as he crossed the room in long, heavy strides. There was something in his presence tonight—something stormier than usual.“What more are you not telling me?” he asked, voice low but sharp. His narrowed eyes locked onto mine, and his jaw was tight with barely restrained tension.Seriously? It was well past midnight. What was he still doing roaming around, especially coming into my room like this?“What do you me
Keiran’s POVI was tired as hell from the long day I had and all the revelations I’d faced concerning Adeline. Every muscle in my body ached, and my mind hadn’t had a moment of peace since this morning. After leaving the prison—the one located at the back of the pack house—I turned to the side path, heading toward the front.As I rounded the corner, my eyes instinctively drifted to Adeline’s room window. The curtain was pulled back just and the lights were off just like how I left it. I stood there for a second, staring at it with her face flashing in my mind while my chest tightened with some emotions I didn’t quite understand.Too many thoughts were running through my head—about her, about Jason’s betrayal, about the strange pull I felt every time I looked at her.I needed air.Deciding to take a breather, I let my legs carry me away from the pack house, letting the night's coolness seep into my skin. The wind was crisp, brushing against my face, and for a moment, it felt like it w
Keiran’s POVMy arm, acting like it has its own mind, slowly snaked around her shoulders and gently pulled her closer to my side. My hand gently guided her head to rest on my shoulder. With her so close to me, I could feel her heavy, uneven breathing that felt almost like she was still holding back tears.“You don’t have to hold me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible in the quiet night.I kept my eyes on the sky and gave a small nod. “I know…”But I want to…I didn’t say it out loud. I couldn’t because I didn’t even know why.Despite everything—her lies, the danger she brought, the storm she dragged into my territory—there was something inside me that wanted to hold her. To protect her. She looked so damn tired, and it wasn’t just physical. It was the exhaustion that came from running too long, carrying too much. And I wanted to be beside her, even if I didn’t understand why.It couldn’t be feelings. That was impossible.Francine… my heart had belonged to her, even in death. She
Keiran’s POV“Adeline…” I called her name, hoping it would break through her stubborn silence. Hoping it would be enough to make her look at me and finally give me a real answer.She did look at me, but not the way I wanted. A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she leaned her back against the tree, her gaze lifting to the night sky, to the pale moon above us.“I tried, Keiran…” Her voice was soft, tired. “Every night, I could barely sleep. I kept thinking about running—far away from here, far from everything. But I never found the right moment. I buried myself in training just to push all the thoughts and fears away. But it was all useless in the end.”She pointed toward the direction of the palace, her expression twisted with bitterness. “They found me anyway. Honestly, I think they always knew. But I figured your pack’s reputation would be enough to keep them from doing anything reckless.”She laughed again, but there’s no joy in it, just a hollow, lifeless sound.“I was wrong. So dea