Free Web NovelChapter 189: Chapter 189
Nathan’s POV
"What are you doing here?" I growled, barely containing myself from attacking him right there in the elevator.
As the doors slid closed, sealing us together in the small space, I realized my errand for pastries would have to wait.
Kieran Carver. The rogue leader that every pack was hunting. The Alpha Council wanted him dead or alive. And he had the balls to show up here, right in the middle of a hospital full of guards.
"This isn’t the place for this conversation," he said quietly.
I clenched my jaw but nodded. "Five minutes. Around the corner."
The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out first.
I stalked toward a quiet side street near the hospital, away from the main entrance.
I studied him. The expensive suits he used to wear were gone. Everyone used to call him the "the devil in a suit" because of those suits and his ruthless reputation. Now he wore a plain gray sweatshirt and athletic pants. The clothes couldn’t hide his build, but they made him look ordinary. His face, once clean-shaven, now had a beard. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.
So this was what being a fugitive did to the mighty Kieran Carver? The man who had terrorized Kyra and tried to claim her through manipulation now looked almost human.
The moment we were out of sight, I spun around and let my fist fly. It connected with his jaw with a satisfying crack.
"That’s for everything you put her through," I snarled.
To my surprise, he didn’t fight back. He just wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his expression barely changing.
"I deserved that," he said quietly. "And more."
His lack of resistance only made me angrier. "You’re damn right you deserve it! You manipulated her, used her grief, tried to trap her!"
"What are you doing here?" I demanded again, stepping closer."You’ve got some nerve showing up here. Every pack in the region is hunting you."
He straightened up, still not raising his hands to defend himself. "I wanted to make sure she was okay, but you’ve got her guarded so tightly I couldn’t get close."
"I’m protecting her from people like you," I spat.
He sighed. "I won’t hurt her."
"You already did."
"I made mistakes," he admitted. "A lot of them."
I barked out a laugh. "Mistakes? Is that what you call what you did to her?"
"I wasn’t thinking straight after my mother died. I was consumed by revenge. Kyra got hurt because of it."
"She’s not collateral damage!" I stepped closer, my voice dropping dangerously low. "She’s a person. My mate."
This time when I swung at him, he caught my fist. His reflexes were still sharp despite how rough he looked.
"Enough," he growled, his own Alpha power flaring. "I didn’t come here to fight you."
"Then why are you here?"
He released my hand and stepped back. "To give you something. Something Kyra needs to see."
I watched him reach into his pocket and pull out a small flash drive.
"What is this?"
"A video from her father," he explained, holding it out. "I found it in his personal belongings after... after everything happened."
I didn’t take it. "Why should I trust anything from you?"
His expression hardened. "Because despite what you think, I do care about Kyra. I always have. Before I fell for her, she was my sister. I treasure her as much as you do and I’m always around to protect her. I’ve always tried to protect her. I just... I failed her when it mattered most."
"You have a funny way of showing it."
His eyes flashed. "And where were you when that bitch Sophia was tormenting her? When you abandoned her like garbage? If you’d really loved her back then like you claim to now, I never would have had the chance to get into her life!"
His words hit hard because they were true. I had failed Kyra back then. I’d let my own weakness hurt her.
"Don’t you dare blame me for Sophia," I shot back. "I was dealing with my own mess, but at least I never manipulated Kyra like you did." ƒrēewebnovel.com
"I’ve changed," I said through gritted teeth.
"For her sake, I hope so," he replied. "Because I screwed up, but at least I admit it. Can you?"
Before I could answer, he pressed the flash drive into my hand. "She needs to see what’s on this. I’ve been holding onto this, waiting for the right time. With everything that’s happening to her now, she deserves to know the truth about what happened the day her father died."
I closed my fingers around it.
I studied his face, looking for lies. "Why help her now?"
Something dark passed over his features. "Because whatever else I did, I never wanted Kyra to get physically hurt." He turned to leave, then stopped. "Don’t trust anyone except people who’ve proven they’re loyal. Even people close to you might not be who they seem."
The warning sounded too much like my father’s advice. "Who should I watch out for?"
"Start with anyone who benefits from chaos between packs," he suggested. "And anyone who’s been around for every attack."
He started walking away. I could have stopped him, arrested him. Legally, I should have. But something held me back.
"Kieran Carver," I called. freёwebnoѵel.com
He stopped but didn’t turn around.
"If this is some kind of trick, if this hurts Kyra in any way, there won’t be anywhere you can hide from me."
He glanced back, and for a moment, I saw something unexpected in his eyes. Not the cold calculation I was used to, but something almost like regret.
"Take care of her," he said quietly. "Do what I couldn’t. Make her happy."
Then he was gone, disappearing around the corner.
I stood alone in the empty street, turning the small flash drive over in my hand.
