Chapter 48: Under the rain. 2
The air felt charged with heavy tension like the sky itself was holding its breath and refusing to exhale. Rain poured down relentlessly around them, drumming against the ground and Water slid down the pavement in thin streams, reflecting their silhouettes in broken gold.
The streetlight above the driveway flickered again, throwing uneven light over the three brothers and the drenched motorcycle between them as the cold night breeze carried the sharp scent of wet earth and ozone from the earlier lightning
Kaden stood drenched in his black hoodie and leather jacket, the water streaming down his face and plastering his dark hair to his forehead, rain dripped from his hair onto his lashes, but he did not blink it away.. He almost looked like an ordinary student who was young, rebellious, and full of defiance if not for the powerful Alpha aura radiating from him and the fact that he currently served as one of the youngest professors at Dravenhall.
Flanking him were his elder brothers. Killian wore a grey bespoke suit tailored perfectly to his frame, exuding an aura that made him seem far older and more commanding than his years. He held an umbrella over his head, barely touched by the rain except for the faint sheen of moisture along the shoulders, his presence dominating even among his brothers. Kieran stood beside him with his usual prim and scholarly elegance. A cream long windbreaker draped over his brown cashmere turtleneck and tailored trousers. Not a single strand of his hair was out of place. His gloved hand held the umbrella with calm precision.
The three brothers faced each other in the pouring rain, creating a silent, intense standoff. The downpour continued around them, yet none of them moved.
"First, we can start with your earlier attitude," Kieran stated evenly. "You stormed off, blocked everyone, and abandoned your duties. You had a security meeting with the Gamma and the regional security generals, and it had to be postponed."
Kaden smirked, water dripping from his chin. "Well, if I had not missed that meeting, I would not have spotted the intruder," he defended.
"You mean the same one you could not catch, Kaden?" Killian chimed in, his tone sharp and authoritative as always. "Incidents like that are exactly why you should take your role seriously. You may be only twenty-three, but you have responsibilities."
Kaden went silent. He knew he should not have let his emotions get the better of him, but something told him this confrontation was not truly about his mood swings.
"Leaving aside the fact that you blocked Eloise, I do not want to get into that right now," Kieran continued. His gloved hand tightened on the umbrella handle. "Where are you coming from this late with Yuki when you are presumably still injured?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with subtle hostility.
It was not a difficult question, but Kaden sensed the undercurrent. Kaden took a step forward, water splashing under his boots. His gaze moved from Kieran to Killian and lingered there. "Since we are asking questions, I have one for both of you," he drawled. Their brows furrowed in confusion.
"Do not try changing the topic," Killian warned.
Kaden ignored him. "I am not changing the topic. I want to know what is up with you guys."
Kieran’s confusion deepened, his brows knotted together. "There is nothing wrong with us. You are the one who has been acting strange today. Ever since we officially started handling pack affairs, you have been controlling your temper fairly well, but you snapped today. I want to know why."
Rain slid off the edge of his jaw as he tilted his head. "Oh, that thing," Kaden chuckled, the low sound carrying a sarcastic tone. "It is thanks to you guys. When did you two turn so attentive to other she-wolves?"
For a fraction of a second, something shifted in the air. Killian’s face went still. Kieran’s expression barely changed, but the grip on his umbrella tightened.
Killian exhaled through his nose. "You stormed out because I was talking to Yuki about her incident last night?" Killian questioned, clearly amused. "Grow up, Kaden. I was concerned because of the nature of the incident."
Kaden wanted to roll his eyes. His siblings always treated him this way because he was the youngest. Just because he had the most temper did not mean he was not smart.
"That is a nice way to say it, dear Killian," he said sarcastically. "Kieran paying attention to her might make sense since he is a doctor and has the most humane heart amongst us. But you, Killian? You are not the type to bother about people unrelated to you. Especially when this person is the sister of the woman who ruined our family." he accused
Kaden’s gaze darkened. "I thought we all agreed not to give a fuck about her. Or don’t tell me something has changed?" He paused, voice dropping to a low whisper. "Eloise will soon be our official mate. Are you planning on walking the same path our father did?"
Silence boomed between them. The rain continued to pour heavily, pounding against the umbrellas and soaking Kaden completely. For a long moment, no one spoke. The tension in the air grew thicker than the downpour itself.
The cold rain kept falling, turning the driveway into glistening sheets of water as the three brothers stood locked in a silent confrontation.
Killian smiled at Kaden, none of his brothers knew what was on his mind but that smile terrified them. "That’s quite a way you have put everything. " he smiled. Kieran remained silent, his gaze locked on Kaden like he was searching for something.
Kaden snorted at Killian. "I thought you were the one good with words. " he taunted. Killian stepped forward with his expensive leather shoes and stepped on the water.
"Am I?" He then glanced at Kieran behind him before he slowly turned back to Kaden. "Nothing changed Kaden unless you are the one who wants to see things because of what changed in you." Kaden’s fist clenched.
"Before you started accusing me because I was questioning a girl who almost got assaulted at Eloise’s birthday. The same Eloise, you were aware of her bullying someone under your watch." He paused letting the words sink in. "Check yourself first why did you drive Yuki on the same bike you hardly let Eloise on because it is dangerous. "
"There was no other vehicle. " Kaden immediately defended
"Of course I understand. " Killian scoffed. "You were doing what was expected of you the same way I was looking into what you ignored," Killian said his piece, then turned towards the door. His footsteps echoed in his wake.
