Free Web NovelChapter 67: Chapter 67
Kyra’s POV
"Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Kieran’s deep voice rumbled with barely restrained fury as Amanda stormed out of the dining hall. His blue eyes burned with protective intensity as they scanned my body for any sign of harm. I could feel the heat of his wolf’s anger.
Sylvia bristled in my mind. "That venomous snake wouldn’t dare touch us—not with our mate standing there."
I took a deep breath, inhaling Kieran’s comforting cedar and musk scent that always grounded me. "I feel like she’s planning something against me," I admitted, watching Amanda’s retreating form.
Kieran’s entire body tensed, his instincts flaring at the perceived threat to his mate. He cupped my face, forcing me to meet his piercing gaze. "Don’t think about it too much. She just wants to annoy you."
"She wouldn’t risk angering an Alpha’s mate without a reason," I countered, my fingers unconsciously tracing my neck. "I know she hates me and I feel like she’s planning something against me. She wants to get rid of me."
Kieran’s jaw clenched. "Kyra..." His voice dropped to that dangerous, low register that made my knees weak. "No one touches what’s mine."
Sylvia preened at his possessive declaration, but I shrugged, frustrated he wasn’t taking my concerns seriously. So I shut my mouth and decided to think about it on my own.
"Sit," Kieran commanded gently, already moving to prepare my breakfast with those efficient movements I’d come to adore. "I’ll prepare your breakfast. What do you want?"
"Just... fresh milk and bread," I sighed, watching as he poured the milk with those careful, precise motions that contrasted so sharply with his usual predatory grace.
The silence between us was heavy with unspoken tension. When he leaned down to kiss me goodbye, his lips lingered just a second too long, as if imprinting the memory of his touch. I managed a small smile as he left, but the moment he was gone, the house felt colder and emptier without his dominant presence.
I panicked when I found Dad’s bed empty. A maid came in and bowed her head at me.
"Where’s Dad?"
"Alpha Kieran told us to bring him to the garden, miss."
The garden unfolded with eerie tension. Dad’s wheelchair sat amidst the flowers, his once-powerful Alpha frame now frail, but his eyes still sharp. When he grabbed my hand, I caught the subtle flicker of his gaze toward the maid.
She was the same maid who told me that Dad was here.
I looked at the maid. "Can you leave us for a moment?"
"I’m sorry, Miss Kyra. My job is to keep my eyes on Mr. Monroe since he’s ill."
Since when did servants disobey direct requests from the Alpha’s mate? Dad’s sudden act of knocking over his glass was a move so calculated it took my breath away.
"Get us another glass, please," I said to the maid who was cleaning the mess. She immediately nodded and left while Dad grabbed my arm tightly after the maid disappeared from our sight.
"Dad, what’s wrong?" I whispered, my wolf ears straining to catch his broken words. The scent of his fear—bitter like burnt sage—made my nose twitch.
"R...ru..." His voice was barely more than a growl, his once-powerful Alpha timbre reduced to this weak rasp. My father, the former Alpha of Raven Shadow Pack, was now broken before me.
Sylvia, my wolf, whimpered in my mind. "Something’s terribly wrong. His wolf scent... it’s fading."
I leaned closer and held his hands. "Slowly, Dad. What is it?"
"Hnngh..." A strangled sob escaped him. "Le...ave. R...un."
Every muscle in my body locked. Run? I swallowed hard as I stared at his face. He was telling me to run away. Why?
I gritted my teeth as I remembered Amanda’s threat.
"Is it Amanda, Dad?" My voice dropped to a purr. freewebnoveℓ.com
He nodded desperately, but he was still holding me so tight. He forced himself to open his mouth again to say another word when he paused and horror registered on his face. He was looking behind me, and right then, I heard a sharp noise of shoes approaching.
Amanda’s sickly-sweet perfume flooded my senses before she even spoke.
"You’re having a good time here without me? That’s rude," her voice dripped false sweetness.
She lounged in the chair opposite us, her legs crossed in that deliberately provocative way that made Sylvia snarl.
"Hello, dear," she crooned to my father, baring her teeth in what humans might mistake for a smile. But we knew better. This was dominance posturing.
"I want time with my father," I growled, letting the command roll off my tongue.
She chuckled and crossed her long legs. She was wearing a short skirt and really looked like a slut in her outfit. "Oh, but we’re family now, Kyra."
I gritted my teeth. "Amanda!"
She smirked. "Perhaps I could even... advise you. Every young Luna needs guidance on how to please her Alpha. I can even recommend a sex position so Kieran would enjoy you more."
Sylvia’s rage exploded in my mind. "I’ll rip her throat out! That whore dares—"
I gasped and looked at my dad. He was looking at me. I wanted to tell him about my relationship with Kieran, but Amanda had to spoil everything.
"Did you know your precious pups are fucking like wild dogs?" she cooed, her words carefully crafted daggers. "Your daughter and your stepson. How... shameless."
The growl tore from my throat before I could stop it. "Enough!"
My father’s hand squeezed mine so hard I felt bones creak. I could feel his anger, and I understood now why he was acting this way. It was all because of Amanda.
Amanda rose with grace, just as the maid returned. "Think about what’s best for your pack, dear," she murmured, her parting shot laced with threat. "Scandals have consequences."
When she was gone, the garden air cleared of her toxic scent. I turned back to my father. Tears tracked through his stubble, his Alpha pride crumbling before me.
"Dad, I..." My voice broke. "Dad, I’m sorry if I didn’t tell you about Kieran and me. I didn’t mean to hide it from you. I’m just... scared because you know our situation. Kieran is my mate. My wolf has accepted him. He says that we will have a mating ceremony."
His head shook violently. "N...N...o..." Each denial was a knife to my heart.
Sylvia whined. "He smells... he smells miserable. What has she done to our Alpha?"
I pressed my forehead to his. "I won’t run. I won’t let her win." My whisper was a vow. "I’ll protect our pack. I swear it on the Moon Goddess."
Dad burst into tears, so I had to pull him into a gentle hug to comfort and calm him down. Amanda did something horrible; that’s why Dad was acting like this. I needed to find a way to kick her out, but first, Kieran had to know. I knew he would help me get rid of Amanda, because from what I observed, they didn’t get along either. It wasn’t only me who wanted Amanda gone.
I caressed Dad’s back because he wouldn’t stop crying. He sounded so scared, and I knew he was scared for me. However, I still had a chance to make this right, so I would take that chance as an opportunity.
And I’d just declared myself in the fight.
