Chapter 5 The Secrets Unfold

• Kaden’s POV
• I stepped back into the castle, each step echoing through the grand hall, the sound bouncing off the stone walls like a warning. My body was bruised, bloodied, still trembling from the aftermath of the ambush.
• It wasn't just the battle. It was the weight of what was to come. The mark on my son, the betrayal brewing in the shadows, and the growing unease in my chest.
• When I finally reached the entrance, I saw her. Zara. She stood up the moment she saw me, her eyes widening slightly in what I could only describe as a mask of surprise. But I knew better. I could sense the unease, the tension she was trying to hide.
• “Kaden... you're back,” she said, her voice trembling just enough to make me take notice.
• I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I narrowed my eyes and took a step forward. Something was off. The air between us felt thick, like a storm was about to break.
• “Of course, I’m back,” I replied, my voice blunt and sharp, too exhausted to mask the irritation I was feeling. “I was never going to stay away long. But there’s something I need to know, Zara. You know why I’m here.”
• She froze. Her face shifted, the tension in her eyes betraying her calm exterior. “What do you mean?”
• I didn’t waste any time. The anger that had been simmering in me ever since I left for the seer’s dwelling surged to the surface. “You sent those men to eliminate me, didn’t you?” I could feel my chest tighten with fury. “To take me out and set your plans into motion. I know what you’ve been scheming. And I won’t stand for it.”
• Zara’s face went still, her lips pressing into a thin line. She was trying to mask her surprise, but I saw it, clearly. I needed answers. Now.
• I took another step closer, my eyes locked onto hers, narrowing with the weight of my words. “You’ve been plotting behind my back, and I won’t allow it.”
• Her stance stiffened, but her voice was cold as ice. “Kaden… you misunderstand. I’ve done nothing of the sort.”
• I let out a low growl, the tension in my body rising. “Don’t lie to me.” My chest tightened as the anger swelled within me, and I could feel the beast in me clawing at the surface. “I’ve already dealt with your little pawns. Now, I want the truth.”
• Zara’s eyes flickered for the briefest of moments, the smallest crack in her icy demeanor. She knew it was over. The truth was coming, one way or another.
• Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but heavy with something I couldn’t quite place. “I did what I thought was necessary for the pack and for you.”
• Her words hit me like a slap, and I felt my blood boil. “You would risk everything... including our son... for power?” My voice rose with the realization of what she had done. What she was willing to do.
• I stepped back, my mind racing, the weight of her betrayal crashing over me like a wave. This wasn’t just about the pack. This was about my son and the future.
• The room was thick with silence, and I stared at her, my gaze unwavering. “You’re not fooling me, Zara,” I muttered, my words sharp as I took a final, calculated step away. “I know what’s at stake.”
• As I made my way to my chambers, my body was on fire, but my mind was a blur. The confrontation with Zara, the ambush, the betrayal, it all mixed together in a storm of thoughts. I needed rest, the e exhaustion went far deeper than the physical pain.
• My thoughts turned to my son, Hilda. I had forgotten to check on him. My son... and my wife.
• I stumbled into my chambers, too tired to care about the blood on my clothes or the ache in my bones. I collapsed onto the bed, my muscles screaming for relief, but my mind wouldn’t let me rest.
• Then I heard it, the soft sound of the door opening.
• I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. Maris slipped quietly into the room, her presence as delicate as ever, but purposeful.
• “Kaden,” she whispered, her voice like silk as she walked toward me. “You need rest. Let me help you.”
• Her hands reached out for me, gently guiding me back onto the bed. I didn’t resist. The fatigue in my body was overwhelming. My eyes closed, and for a moment, I allowed myself to drift, hoping that sleep might give me the answers I sought.
• “You’ve had a long day,” Maris whispered, her fingers brushing my forehead as she adjusted the blankets around me. “But there’s something you need to know, Kaden. Something about your son.”
• Her words instantly pulled me from the edge of sleep. I snapped my eyes open, my mind immediately alert. “What do you mean?”
• Maris leaned closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “The mark... it’s not just a symbol of power. It’s something far more dangerous. And you must protect him at all costs. Don’t let anyone harm him. Not even yourself.”
• Her words hit me like a thunderclap, rattling me to my core. My heart skipped a beat as the weight of her warning sank in. This wasn’t just about leadership, or the throne, or even my own survival. This was about my son, and something far darker than I’d ever imagined.
• I had to protect him.
• No matter what.