Chapter 21: Chapter 21
Nathan’s POV
"KYRA!" I shouted as soon as I opened my eyes, Alaric, my wolf, howling in pain. The last thing I remembered was Alpha Darian’s warning through the mind-link about threats to Kyra’s life, then the crash—
"Son..."
My mother’s scent—lavender and pine—filled my nose as she worriedly caressed my cheek. "You’re in the pack hospital."
I looked around. "Where’s my mate? Where’s Kyra?"
Her hands trembled as she shook her head slowly.
My heart almost stopped when I saw her reaction. "MOM!"
"The Raven Shadow Pack took her. Her father is...furious."
"What? Mom, I need to see her. I need to know if she’s okay."
"No, Nathan. You can’t see her for now. Her father is—"
"I don’t care about her father, Mom. I want to check on my mate—"
"Unfortunately, you have no right to call her your mate anymore, Nathan."
My father’s voice sent a chill through me. He stood by the window, his Alpha aura dominating the room. "You severed that bond when you rejected her."
He’s right, but...Kyra was still my best friend. At least I had the right to see her as her best friend, right?
I swallowed hard. "Then let me see her as her best friend."
Mother looked away. "I’m sorry. It’s better not to see her again for now, son. You nearly died because of the accident—"
"Mom, you can’t stop me from worrying about her." My voice cracked. "The Monroes aren’t her family—we are! She hates her father!"
Mother cupped my face, her eyes wet. "I’m not stopping you, Nathan. I’m just saying you should focus on your recovery for now. She will be fine."
I stared at Mom, pleading. I needed to see Kyra and confirm that she was alright, to calm myself, because I’d die of worry if I didn’t see her.
She smiled sadly and held my hand. "I’m sorry for forcing you into an unhappy marriage, son. We won’t...meddle in your personal life again. I hope you can finally be happy. You’re free to be with your...fated mate now."
I shook my head. No! I’m not unhappy. "What? I never said—"
"Nathan!"
I froze when Sophia suddenly appeared and threw herself at me. She started crying in my arms out of worry as I looked at my parents.
Why is she here?
My parents, who’d always despised her, didn’t stop her. Father stared at me coldly before silently leaving the room, while Mother smiled encouragingly.
’What the hell is this?’ Alaric growled.
"You scared me to death!" Sophia sniffled, pressing her scent onto me. "But guess what? Your grandmother blessed our union!"
"What?" My blood ran cold. Grandma gave us her blessing? That’s impossible! She liked Kyra so much. She wouldn’t change her mind that easily. This was impossible.
"Your grandma was so worried when you got into an accident," Mother said gently. "She wants you to be happy, son. No more arranged marriage. Just...love."
I stared at my kind and sweet mother. Grandma gave us her blessing. Mom accepted Sophia. Dad wouldn’t control me anymore. I should be happy because finally I had the life I’d been dreaming of, but...marrying Sophia meant losing Kyra completely. I couldn’t lose...my best friend. She was my light. My wings. My companion.
"We can finally get married, Nathan. I’m so happy."
My chest tightened. This should have been my dream—freedom from duty, my fated mate in my arms. So why did it feel like a death sentence?
"I need to see Kyra." The words tore from me.
Mom was shocked. Sophia’s nails dug into my arm.
"She’s my best friend, Mom. I need to see her in person and confirm she’s fine. Only then could I live...peacefully."
"But, Nathan..."
I looked at Sophia. "She’s part of my life, Sophia. She’s important to me. I need to check on her or I will lose my mind thinking about her. Please..."
I looked at Mom again. "Please, Mom... I just want to make sure she’s okay."
***
Kyra’s POV
I slowly opened my eyes and a blinding light greeted me. It hurt my eyes, so I closed them again.
’Nathan!’ Sylvia, my wolf, howled in my mind. ’Where is he? Is the pup—?’
I forced my eyes open, wincing. The last thing I remembered: icy water swallowing us, Nathan’s unconscious body, the searing pain in my—
"Awake, little wolf?"
I sat up in the bed and looked around. My lips parted in shock when my eyes landed on a familiar man. Kieran Carver lounged on the couch, his tailored suit jacket hanging open to reveal a glimpse of his toned chest where his dress shirt parted at the collar. The fabric stretched slightly across his shoulders as he manipulated the Rubik’s cube with one hand, a cigarette dangling carelessly from his lips.
Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet mine—and with one final twist of his fingers, the cube clicked into perfect alignment just as our gazes locked.
’No,’ Sylvia recoiled. ’Why is HE here?’
"K-Kieran..." I whispered, feeling my heart skip a beat. What was he doing here?
"I’m glad you still remember the devil in a suit, Kyra. Isn’t it nice seeing me again?" he mused. "Miss me?"
I slowly shook my head. "W-What are you doing here? Where’s Nathan?"
"Alive. Unfortunately." He clenched his jaw and threw his cigarette in the ashtray. He walked toward my bed, moving his fingers over the Rubik’s cube in his left hand, scrambling the colors again.
Every step toward my bed made Sylvia snarl.
Kieran was my stepbrother; he was my father’s most trusted executive at Monroe Real Estate Holdings—the billion-dollar empire that built the Raven Shadow Pack’s dominance. As the adopted heir to our pack’s Alpha, Kieran commanded respect both in corporate boardrooms and among pack members.
He was the coldest man I had ever known. A man who’d once torn out a rival’s throat during a pack battle. He was labeled the devil in a suit. However, he was also the man who had protected me before.
"Why are you here?" I demanded.
"I’m here...to fix your life." His smile didn’t reach those frozen eyes.
