Chapter 61: Chapter 61
Kieran’s POV
My claws extended involuntarily as I gripped the phone, the screen cracking under the pressure. Beside me, Kyra slept peacefully, her delicate floral scent wrapping around me even as Ronan snarled in my mind.
"The old wolf escaped," Ronan growled, his voice dripping with bloodlust. "We should have torn his throat out when we had the chance."
I watched Kyra’s sleeping form—the way her satin nightgown clung to her pregnant curves, how her golden hair fanned across my pillow. As usual, she looked incredibly hot, but I wasn’t in the mood to make love to her tonight. I kept thinking about what Emily must have told her to make her consider visiting her father.
Fuck!
I loathed her father for killing my mom. He deserved to rot in hell, but his current mate, Amanda, contacted me, saying Alpha Darian had managed to escape. I thought everything was going perfectly, just as I planned. I thought at least one of my schemes was going smoothly. I was wrong.
"Fucking hell," I muttered under my breath, seething at the thought of that bastard breathing free air. He’d murdered my mother in cold blood, used me as a pawn in his pack wars, then discarded me like garbage. And now his new mate—Amanda—had failed to keep him contained.
It might be Emily. She knows what I’ve been doing, and this is probably her fault. The reason she visited Kyra is to ruin my plans, plans that are already falling apart.
My affection for Kyra changed some of my intentions, but not all of them. I still wanted to torment Kyra’s father for ending my mother’s life. I still wanted to get back at him and make him pay for ruining my life. He had used me to dethrone my biological father, just so he could finally get rid of the people who bore him a grudge.
I gritted my teeth after I received another message from Amanda about her failure. She had let Kyra’s father escape even after arrogantly assuring me she had him under her claws. Pathetic bitch!
"Kieran..." Kyra murmured sleepily, her warm palm sliding up my thigh in a way that made Ronan whimper with need.
I tossed the phone aside and gathered her against me, letting her orange blossom scent drown out my rage. "Sleep, mate," I whispered against her hair, fighting to keep the Alpha command out of my voice.
"Why are you still awake?"
She nuzzled into my neck, her breath warm against my skin. "She trusts us," Ronan murmured, suddenly uncertain. "What happens when she learns the truth?"
I lay beside her and pulled her closer. She immediately wrapped her arm around my waist, and I hugged her, gently planting a soft kiss on her hair.
"Go back to sleep," I whispered against her ear.
My arms tightened around her possessively. I couldn’t lose her. Not to Nathan, not to her father, not to the ghosts of my past.
"We’ll protect her," I told Ronan silently, "even from the truth if we have to."
As Kyra drifted back to sleep, I pressed my lips to her temple. This woman was mine—my mate, my future Luna.
I knew Alpha Darian would do everything to get back and take his daughter away from me. I knew he would use all his power to manipulate me again. However, I wasn’t the same boy he could play with. I had changed, and he made me this way.
No one would take her from me.
The next morning, after ensuring Kyra arrived safely at her shop, I drove straight to Emily’s penthouse, my knuckles white on the steering wheel.
Ronan paced restlessly in my mind. "Make her bleed," he demanded. "She dared interfere with our mate."
I really suspected that she had mentioned Kyra’s father. That bitch needed to learn her lesson. Just because she’s the daughter of another rogue faction doesn’t mean she can backstab me like this.
I didn’t bother knocking. The door splintered under my kick, the wood exploding inward with the force of an Alpha’s rage.
"What did you say?" My voice rolled through the penthouse, making the omega maid shrink back in fear.
"I-I’m sorry, Alpha," the maid stammered, her scent sour with terror. "Miss Emily left for Europe this morning."
"She’s fled like the coward she is," my wolf growled. "Track her. Hunt her down."
My fist connected with the marble wall, leaving spiderweb cracks. "Damn it!"
Ronan howled with rage as I stormed out. "She knew we’d come," he seethed. "This was planned."
The elevator doors barely contained my fury as they closed. Emily thought she could run? That treacherous she-wolf would learn what happens to those who cross the Raven Shadow Alpha.
I couldn’t help but laugh sarcastically.
You’ll pay for this, Emily.
***
Kyra’s POV
Sylvia paced restlessly in my mind as I stared at my silent phone.
I’ve known Kieran, and I’m starting to know him more deeply now that we’re in a relationship. I could definitely tell something was bothering him. Something was wrong, and he refused to tell me anything. I knew he had the right to keep things about his personal life, but what am I if he’s not going to share with me?
If it was about the company, I had a right to know, because that company is owned by my dad. However, I felt it wasn’t just about the company. Something complicated was involved—I could feel it.
Biting my bottom lip, I grabbed my phone and dialed my father’s number again. I’d been calling him since last night without telling Kieran, and it was unusual that he wasn’t answering. He would never ignore my call.
"Answer, Dad," I whispered.
Yara’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. "You okay, Miss Kyra? You’ve been staring at that phone for ten minutes."
I forced a smile, tucking the phone away. "It’s nothing."
"Okay. By the way, we have a VIP client coming today," she giggled. "She’s a big catch. I heard she’s the wife of one of the successful businessmen in our country."
"Oh! What time will she come? I should touch up, then. She might be ordering flowers for an event."
"That’s for sure, ma’am. I heard her only son is getting married soon."
The door chime interrupted our conversation. My head snapped up as Sylvia recoiled in shock. "Nathan’s mother?"
Luna Marlene stood in the doorway, her designer dress worth more than my monthly rent. The woman who’d once told me I’d never be good enough for her precious Alpha son.
"Miss Kyra, this is—"
"I know who she is," I interrupted Yara, my voice steadier than I felt.
The older she-wolf met my gaze, her eyes softer than I remembered. I suddenly remembered the bond we shared, but all of those memories turned bitter when she told me to get out of her son’s life and forget about him. Something about her had changed. Was it the gentleness in her eyes? No! I must be hallucinating.
