Semua Bab Masked Desire: Bab 101 - Bab 109

Jason and I follow Captain Kael through the winding stone halls of the palace, each step tightening the knot in my stomach. The snow has thickened outside, the wind howling through the towering trees that frame the Lycan border like sentinels.When we finally reach the front gates, I spot the figure immediately.Avalon stands just beyond the iron boundary, dressed in thin clothing wholly unfit for this kind of cold. His hair is damp, clinging to his forehead, and his lips are tinged blue from exposure. Snow has gathered at his boots and shoulders, yet he stands unmoving, arms crossed tightly over his chest like it’s the only thing holding him together.Jason lets out a quiet, anguished sound and moves to open the gate, but I stop him with a firm hand.“I’ll do it,” I say.I step into the snow-laden night, the cold biting at my skin instantly. Avalon’s head lifts at the sound of my approach. His eyes—so similar to Jason’s in color but dulled with something broken—meet mine.“Avalon,” I

Jason's POVThe guest quarters are warm compared to the freezing night outside, but I can still see Avalon shivering under the thick blankets Captain Kael helped me wrap around him. His lips aren't blue anymore, which is good, but his hands shake when he tries to hold the mug of hot soup I brought him."You need to eat," I say, sitting in the chair beside the bed. "When's the last time you had a proper meal?"Avalon doesn't look at me. He just stares at the soup like it might bite him. "I don't need your charity, Jason.""It's not charity. It's basic human decency.""I don't deserve decency from you." His voice is rough, probably from the cold and exhaustion. "Not after what I did."I want to argue with him, but part of me knows he's right. What he did to me, the betrayal, the way he handed me over to his father like I was some kind of prize - it still hurts. But seeing him like this, broken and alone, makes my chest ache in a different way."Maybe not," I say quietly. "But you're gett

Kaelen's POVThe sound of my cell door opening feels different this morning. Instead of the usual clank that means meal delivery or shower time, it opens with a smooth, deliberate motion that makes my heart jump."Hillson," the guard calls. "Pack your things. You're being released."I sit up on my narrow cot, blinking in confusion. "Released? But my sentence isn't—""Pack your things," the guard repeats. "Your father is waiting in processing."My hands shake as I gather my few belongings. Three weeks in this place feels like three years, but I never expected to walk out early. The magical dampeners have left me feeling weak and disconnected from my wolf, like part of me has been cut away.The processing area is sterile and bright after the dim lighting of the cell block. My father sits in a plastic chair, looking older and more tired than when I last saw him. When he sees me, his expression doesn't change much, but I catch a flicker of something that might be relief."Father," I say q

Jason's POVWe've been walking through the forest for hours, and I can tell Avalon is struggling. His breathing is still labored from his time in the cold, and every few minutes he has to stop and lean against a tree. The snow has stopped falling, but the ground is covered in a thick white blanket that makes every step difficult."We should rest," I say when Avalon stumbles for the third time in ten minutes."I'm fine," he says, but his voice is weak and his face is pale."You're not fine. You're exhausted and still recovering." I look around and spot a fallen log that's partially sheltered by overhanging branches. "Come on, sit down for a few minutes."Avalon doesn't argue this time, which tells me how tired he really is. We make our way over to the log, and he sinks down onto it with a sigh of relief."I'm sorry," he says quietly. "I'm slowing us down.""You're not slowing anything down. We don't have anywhere specific to be." I sit down beside him, close enough to share body heat b

Jason's POVThe walk back to the Lycan stronghold feels different this time. Ivan's hand is warm in mine, but I can feel the tension radiating from him with every step. He's angry - not just at me, but at the whole situation, at his mother, at the impossible position we've all been put in.When we reach the main gates, the guards snap to attention, but their expressions are carefully neutral. Word has probably spread about what happened, about my expulsion and Ivan's pursuit. In a place like this, gossip travels fast."Your Highness," the lead guard says. "Your mother is waiting for you in the throne room."Ivan's jaw tightens. "Of course she is."As we walk through the corridors, I can feel the stares from servants and guards. Some look curious, others disapproving, a few sympathetic. I keep my head up, trying to project confidence I don't feel.The throne room is exactly as imposing as I remember - high ceilings, ancient tapestries, and the massive throne where Queen Lydia sits wait