Page 40

KYSON

The situation is spiraling out of my grasp, slipping through my fingers like fine sand. Our visit to Ester’s parents gives us little information. They seem genuinely clueless about the identity of Peter’s father, yet I can tell Trey is hiding something, or maybe he too is trying to make sense of everything. According to Peter’s grandparents, he had been left on their doorstep with a letter from Ester, pleading for them to care for him. It was an odd visit to say the least. Throughout the drive back home, Azalea remains unusually quiet, her thoughts hidden from me.

I can’t fathom what she hoped to find by visiting his grandparents; all I know is that it leaves us with more questions than answers. Trey, on the other hand, sits in brooding silence, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window.

As the gates of our castle loom into view, Azalea turns to look at me. She knows that Peter’s fate has been sealed by his grandparents, but I can’t comprehend why she still wants to save him after everything he has done. Once we arrive back at the castle, I ask Liam to take Azalea back to our room. She glances at me, searching my eyes for something, but I have already shut her out.

I can see the unspoken question lingering on her lips, but she remains mute, choosing instead to open the door to head inside. Trey moves to exit the car, but I hold onto his shoulder firmly.

“Stay where you are,” I command, keeping a watchful eye on Liam and Azalea until they disappear from sight. Only then do I release my grip on Trey.

“Why didn’t you tell me that Ester was your sister?” I question him, my voice laced with an undercurrent of frustration.

“She’s not my sister!” Trey growls, shaking his head vehemently.

“By blood, she is your half-sister,” I remind him, trying to inject a sense of reason into our conversation.

“Not by choice. I should have killed her back in Landeena,” he snarls, his voice dripping with bitterness.

“You have a twin. Is it possible that he is the father?” I probe further, a nagging doubt tugging at the corners of my mind, though I am reluctant to admit it.

“We’re not some inbred family,” Trey retorts, turning to face me directly in the passenger seat.

“She wanted to escape from her parents, and I can’t blame her. You’ve seen what they’re like. Her mother accidentally revealed that she had brothers, and that’s when she came to us. We took her in. Little did I know that it would be the biggest mistake of my life,” Trey confesses, his voice heavy with regret.

“How long ago was that?” I inquire, trying to piece together the timeline.

“Almost fifteen years ago,” Trey replies.

“Peter is fourteen. Is it possible that his father is from Landeena?” I press, my mind racing with possibilities.

Trey falls silent, refusing to provide an answer.

“Was she already pregnant when she arrived?” I probe further, determined to uncover the truth.

“No, she wasn’t. I didn’t even know she was pregnant. She left a few months before the attack,” Trey admits, his voice tinged with pain.

“Was she involved with anyone else during her time with you?” I ask cautiously.

“She’s nothing but a whore,” Trey spits out bitterly but also evades the question.

“You know that I plan on killing Peter, right? Will that cause any issues between us?” I question him directly, searching for any signs of hesitation or conflict within him.

Trey shakes his head firmly. “If you want, I’ll do it for you,” he offers coldly, his eyes glinting with an unsettling mix of detachment and hatred.

“And Ester?” I inquire further, needing to understand the depth of his feelings towards her.

“She’s dead to me,” Trey declares through gritted teeth, his anger palpable.

“I want Peter out of the picture, but I have a feeling Azalea will resist. Liam has taken her to our room. Do you have the stomach for it, or should I ask Gannon?” I ask, my words carrying a weight of finality.

“As I said, I’ll do it for you,” Trey replies, his voice devoid of emotion. The ease with which he accepts the task unsettles me, making me curious how he could instantly hate Peter more knowing he is his nephew, but there is no turning back now.

“Good. We’re heading down to the cells while Liam distracts Azalea,” I declare, my mind made up. Trey nods in silent agreement, though I know that my decision wouldn’t have changed even if he had voiced opposition when another thought occurs to me since Trey was one of the King and Queen’s guards there.

“One last question,” I interject as Trey opens the car door. He pauses, turning to face me with a questioning look.

“Are you sired to Peter?” I ask, my voice laced with curiosity and a hint of trepidation.

“No, no, I’m not,” Trey answers firmly.

“Is there a chance that this could be considered treason?” I probe further, seeking reassurance in his response.

“With Garrett, there’s always that chance,” Trey replies, venom dripping from his words.

His response confuses me; if he is sired to the Landeena bloodline, shouldn’t Peter fall under that same sire if Ester was fooling around with the King? The questions continue to multiply in my mind, but for now, I have a pressing matter to attend to.

I will seek answers regarding this sibling rivalry and the intricacies of their lineage at a later time. As we step out of the car and approach the castle, the sound of heated arguing reaches my ears, reverberating through the corridor. It is Azalea, her voice filled with defiance as she turns her fiery glare towards me the moment I enter the hall.

“No! Don’t think I can’t sense your intentions, Kyson. We need to talk to Ester first. I won’t let you harm him,” she snarls, her words cutting through the air like a sharp blade. Can she truly be serious? This boy has taken the life of our child.

“I am not seeking your permission. I told you that nothing will stand in the way of me killing him,” I retort firmly, my resolve unyielding.

“He’s just a boy! Ester should...”

“Ester isn’t here, and she doesn’t have a say,” I interject, redirecting my attention to Liam.

“Bring him to me,” I command, watching as Liam hurries off to fulfill my orders. Turning towards Trey, I instruct him,

“Lock her in the room and wait until Liam returns. Then join us downstairs...”

“What? No! I won’t allow this!” Azalea protests, stepping away from Trey’s reaching hands.

“Azzy, go to the room,” I urge, but she shakes her head adamantly, evading Trey’s grasp.

“No!” she exclaims, slapping away Trey’s hands. I gesture for him to proceed and he swiftly scoops her up, hoisting her over his shoulder.

“Put me down! You’re sired to me, not him!” Azalea screams, thrashing against Trey’s hold and delivering blows to his back.

“I’m sired to protect you and this is me doing that, you don’t want to witness his death,” Trey reasons with her, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

She continues struggling as Trey carries her towards our chambers causing quite a commotion along the way. Clarice emerges from a nearby room, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight.

“Kyson please! He’s just a boy,” she pleads, rushing over to me.

“What is it with you and her defending him?” I snap, my frustration boiling over

“Because no one else is. Not his family, not anyone,” Clarice explains, her voice filled with compassion.

“He killed my baby, and nearly took the life of my mate! Your Queen!” I exclaim, my words heavy with the weight of grief and anger. Clarice flinches under the weight of my accusations, just as Liam emerges from the kitchen down the hall. Trey turns towards the stairs, but not before Azalea’s gaze catches on Peter.

“Please! Please, Azalea! I didn’t mean it! I didn’t mean it!” Peter’s voice echoes through the hall, his pleas desperate as he drags his feet in a futile attempt to resist Liam bringing him to me.

Anger flares within Liam, and I feel Trey grunt. Azalea lunges at Liam in a desperate bid to protect Peter, but Trey swiftly intercepts her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back.

“No! No, Kyson!” she wails, her voice filled with anguish. What is wrong with her? This monster has taken the life of our child, yet she will fight tooth and nail to protect the bastard.

“Please, Kyson,” Clarice pleads, her voice filled with desperation as she stands beside me. I shoot her a glare, silencing her momentarily, only to witness a blazing fury erupt from Azalea. The intensity of her emotions sends a shiver down my spine as her aura erupts.

From the end of the corridor, I can feel her command resonating like a shock wave, bursting forth with undeniable force. “Let me go!” she demands, her voice carrying an authority that makes even Trey, who had been restraining her, release his grip under the weight of her command.

“You will not kill him! Not until I have spoken to Ester. Unhand him, Liam!” she orders, and Liam groans, struggling against her command. But in the end, he succumbs to her power, succumbing to her even from a distance. I grit my teeth in frustration; this is the last thing I needed – for her to discover her damn power over that insignificant mutt!

Peter attempts to flee, but I seize the back of his shirt and yank him towards me. His screams pierce through the air, assaulting my ears. Clarice whimpers, and even the guards and staff present seem to tremble in fear as I forcefully hurl him out the doors. He crashes onto the ground and skids across it before scrambling to his feet and fleeing.

My voice reverberates loudly as he tries to escape. “Freeze!” I command, and instantly he freezes in his tracks, straining against my order as I advance towards him.

“I warned you, Azalea, that I would do this. So if you wish to witness it, so be it,” I inform her coldly, stalking towards Peter with determination.

But Azalea launches herself at me, her hands grasping onto my arms tightly. I spin around and seize her face in my grip.

Her tear-stained face reflects her desperation back at me. “He killed our baby. He almost killed you!” I remind her, and her eyes flicker towards Peter. Her Lycan side flares up, her gaze burning brightly before dimming in defeat.

“Please, don’t make me do this,” she whispers, her voice trembling.

“I’m not making you do anything. Just go inside and I will handle him, you don’t have to watch,” I insist, my tone firm. She shakes her head defiantly.

“We lost our baby,” she murmurs, and I nod, closing my eyes momentarily to gather my thoughts.

“But that doesn’t mean we should lose ourselves. We are not child killers. We are not monsters. At the very least, Ester should be able to say goodbye,” she pleads softly.

How could she even suggest that? Peter never afforded her that opportunity. I open my eyes, finding her lip quivering as more tears spill over. I wipe them away with my thumbs and plant a tender kiss on her forehead, causing her to whimper. Deep down, she knows she won’t change my mind.

“Go inside,” I urge her, releasing my grip on her. She crumples to the ground, broken and defeated and I turn back to Peter.

“No! No, no, no, please! Please!” Peter begs desperately, but he remains frozen under my command. Suddenly, a scream pierces through the air, causing me to turn towards Azalea. However, it isn’t her who screams. Azalea is still on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably as she turns her head to the side.

“Mom!” Peter’s voice echoes in anguish, and when I follow his gaze, I see Ester standing just outside the gates.

Instead of looking at her son, her gaze is fixed upon Azalea. Trey rushes out the doors with a ferocious growl, and Ester jumps in surprise when Azalea rises to her feet with astonishing speed. It’s a wonder she doesn’t faint from the sudden motion. With a swift gesture of her hand towards Trey, Azalea unleashes her command, sending it surging out from within her along with an intense blast of her aura.