Semua Bab Masked Desire: Bab 81 - Bab 90

Lord Ravenscrest's POVThe remains of my dungeon still smolder from the lycan prince's assault. Three levels of carefully constructed security, decades of planning, all reduced to ash and corpses in a single night. Dr. Thorne's body has been removed, but his blood still stains the stone floor where he died.My most valuable asset—gone. My son's betrayal—complete. My reputation among the supernatural community—damaged beyond immediate repair.But I am not a man who accepts defeat.I stand in my ruined study, glass crunching under my boots from the windows the lycans shattered during their retreat. The morning light streams in, illuminating the destruction, but my mind is already moving beyond this setback to the next phase of my plan.The secure phone in my desk drawer rings twice before a familiar voice answers."My lord?""Kaelen." His name comes out as a growl. "I trust you've heard about last night's... incident.""Yes, sir. The entire supernatural community is talking about it. Th

Kaelen's POVI sit at my desk with my laptop open, staring at the photo editing software on my screen. The calls to the board members went perfectly yesterday, but now I need visual evidence to back up my claims. Evidence that will convince them Jason is truly dangerous.The original photos I took during the rescue mission show Ivan fighting the guards, his claws extended, blood on his hands. But these photos show him defending himself, protecting Jason. I need something more damning.I open the first image—Ivan with his claws out, standing over a fallen guard. With careful editing, I can remove the dungeon background, replace it with the academy courtyard. Make it look like Ivan attacked an innocent student on campus.My fingers hover over the keyboard. This is it. Once I do this, there's no going back.I think about Avalon, and my chest tightens. He's somewhere on campus right now, probably following Jason around like a lost puppy, begging for forgiveness that will never come. Does

Kaelen's POV The council chamber is darker than usual, lit only by flickering candles that cast long shadows across the stone walls. Lord Ravenscrest sits at the head of the table, his presence commanding even in this room full of powerful supernatural beings. I stand behind his chair, watching as he addresses the assembled council members. "Gentlemen, ladies," Lord Ravenscrest begins, his voice carrying the authority of decades in power. "Thank you for agreeing to this emergency session." Around the table sit twelve of the most influential supernatural leaders in the region. Vampire elders, werewolf pack leaders, fae nobles, and others whose names carry weight in our world. Most look skeptical, some openly hostile. He did not call the Lycan leaders. "Ravenscrest," says Elder Blackthorne, a vampire whose family has held power for centuries. "This better be worth our time. Calling an emergency council session over some academy politics—" "This is about much more than academy poli

Ivan's POVI carry Jason to the nearest empty room I can find—a small office in the administration building. The moment I close the door behind us, I can smell how intense his heat has become. The stress and humiliation triggered it fully, and now he's caught in the grip of something his body can't control."I'm sorry," he whispers against my chest, his voice broken. "I'm so sorry, Ivan. My parents, the heat, all those people—""None of this is your fault," I tell him fiercely, setting him down gently but keeping my arms around him. "None of it, Jason. Not your parents' crimes, not the heat, not the way those people treated you."He's shaking, overwhelmed by everything that just happened. The heat is making him hypersensitive, every emotion amplified beyond normal levels."They all think I'm some kind of freak," he says, tears streaming down his face. "Maybe they're right. Maybe I am broken, defective—""Stop." I cup his face in my hands, making him look at me. "You are not broken. Yo

Avalon's POVThomas Hillson leads me into his study, gesturing for me to take a seat in one of the leather chairs by the fireplace. The room smells of old books and pipe tobacco, comforting in a way that reminds me of what a real father should be like."Tea?" he offers, but I shake my head."This isn't a social call, Mr. Hillson. I need to tell you what your son has done."His expression grows serious as he settles into the chair across from me. "I was afraid you might say that. Kaelen has been... different lately. Secretive. Angry."I tell him everything. The fabricated evidence, the bribes to council members, the orchestrated public humiliation of Jason. Thomas's face grows paler with each revelation, his hands gripping the arms of his chair until his knuckles turn white."My God," he whispers when I finish. "I knew he was ambitious, but this... this is monstrous.""He destroyed an innocent person's life to try to win Lord Ravenscrest's approval," I say, leaning forward. "And he nea