Alle Kapitel von Rejected by my Mate, Claimed by His Rival: Kapitel 41 – Kapitel 49

"Kael. Open the door." Nyra knew that voice. She had heard it beneath the northern house, coming from the back of the carved door with her family name etched into its surface. She had also heard it in the passage, where the darkness seemed to carry her father's words from one end of the stone corridor to the other. This was different. It was clearer, closer. And there was the same impatient tone she remembered from childhood, the one Darian Vale used when he found her in places she wasn't supposed to be For one breathtaking moment, Nyra forgot the warnings Kael had made about the voices. She took a step toward the door. Kael gripped her shoulder."It's not him.""Who's to say?""I do.""Then prove it." Kael's jaw tightened, but he didn't answer. The voice beyond the door spoke again, closer this time"Kael... Nyra, sweetheart. Open the door." Her heart twisted. Her father had used that pet name when she was little, w

"If Garrick is alive, Nyra, he isn't the only one who survived the fire." Kael's words echoed in the hallway long after he had finished speaking. Nyra looked at him, waiting. When he didn't explain, she folded the tiny scrap of paper with the number seventeen on it and tucked it into her pocket."Who else survived?""I don't know.""You said it like you did.""Because my father wasn't the only one to disappear that night.""And the other one was?" Kael's gaze flicked toward Ryker. Nyra followed his eyes. "Don't look at him. I'm asking you.""Someone not officially associated with the records office.""Name.""Edmund Hale." Ryker's expression changed and Nyra turned to him. "You know him?""I knew the name. He was a council archivist prior to resigning. He was responsible for old pack records, property transfers, birth notices...and the sealed family dossiers.""He was in the building when it burned?""He was supposed to be.""Supposed to be?"

"Give it to me, son." Kael looked down the corridor. Although the voice was older and more gravelly than he remembered, the pause before saying 'son' was exactly the same. This was how his father always talked when he wanted Kael to do something without question. He instantly remembered being seventeen, standing in the courtyard outside Westbridge as the smoke filled the upper levels. He remembered waiting for his dad to return home. He remembered asking his mum where the search parties were and she refused to answer. But above all, he remembered the funeral."Kael,” Nyra whispered. He didn't respond. The voice came again.“You've kept me waiting long enough.” Edmund dragged his chained leg across the floor making the metal clatter. He flinched as if expecting to be hit.“Don't answer it,” Kael gripped his weapon tighter. "You said my dad was following a voice that night. What voice?" Edmund s

Edmund Hale wasn’t there anymore. Nyra stood in the doorway of the safe house and looked at the empty chair that Edmund had left just under two hours ago. A rope was still on the ground, along with a cup of untouched tea. The rear window was open. Ryker stood by the window inspecting the broken latch."He couldn’t have gotten far." Kael walked past and surveyed the area. "How long were you out?""40 minutes. I had to talk to one of my contacts to see if they knew anything about Westbridge.""You left him on his own?""He couldn’t really walk.""I’m not asking that." Ryker turned to face him. "You want to accuse me of letting him go?""I’m asking how someone with an injured ankle managed to disappear from a locked room.""Ask better questions.""Both of you stop," Nyra called out. She walked over to the chair and looked at the floor underneath. There were some scratch marks close to one of the legs of the

Nobody moved. Nyra could hear the woman breathing on the other side of the door. It was quiet, but it made the hairs on her arms stand."Nyra? I know you're there." Nyra tugged her wrist."Let go.""Not until I know who is out there.""It's my mum.""That's what it wants you to believe." Nyra's stomach churned. Ryker edged closer to the door, his weapon still raised. He stopped a few feet away and peered through the small window. His face twisted."What?" Kael asked."There's a woman outside." Nyra's heart raced."Can you see her face?""No. She's too close to the wall." The woman tapped on the door."Please, Nyra. I don't have much time." Nyra edged around Kael."Ask her a question." Nyra looked up at him."One only your mum would know." Nyra swallowed. She edged closer to the door."What did you tell me when I was little?" There was