KALEB


    “What a pleasant surprise,” Iughed as I spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Asher Collins was here, and I hadn’t known it until now. Judging by the way he stood beside


    Cassandra, I surmised that he’d been under my nose for at least a day or so, and I was amazed by the


    absurdity of all this.


    On any other day, the self-righteous Alpha King of Wega would have been a worthy adversary. I


    would have engaged in a battle to the death with that co cky leader of my country’s enemy, yet as I


    watched him leave with Cassandra and her maid, I couldn’t stopughing. This situation had escted


    far beyond my expectations.


    My soldiers seemed ready to follow the ck and white wolves, but I ordered them to stop at once.


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    “There’s no need to chase after them,” I announced as they stared at me with expressions of


    confusion. “No one is able to leave the castle tonight, not even a fly. Besides, I have a more important


    rival to deal with now.”


    deal with


    As if on cue, Ronald approached with a group of soldiers surrounding him. My cousin’s face was


    extremely cold and brutal. His blue eyes, usually as soft and blue as a slightly cloudy sky, had iced over


    and shot daggers in my direction as he advanced. I wasn’t used to seeing such a disy of hatred on


    his unassuming features and it brought a smile to my face. It appeared he had finally given up


    pretending to be a gentleman. It was a relief to see his true intentions so readily shown.


    For years, I’d told people that there was more to Ronald than what was on the surface. It had been


    infuriating to see them be so easily swayed by my fool of a cousin, but no one could mistake his


    expression for anything other than malice. His hatred for me brought made my smile widen.


    “In our hatred, we are the same, cousin,” I whispered. “Let us see who will be the winner once and for


    all.”


    Ronald gave a signal to his soldiers, and mere secondster, the muscr men hastened their pace


    and readied themselves to attack.


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    My own soldiers reacted timely. They readied their weapons and fired at Ronald’s men at once, and at


    my signal, they struck. I seemed to have the upper hand, given the number of soldiers at my disposal


    versus Ronald, who had much fewer. But quickly, my men’s store of bullets and arrows ran out.


    The fight against Cassandra hadn’t gone in our favor and my men had wasted too much of their


    ammunition trying to take her down. I silently chastised myself for not making sure they would have an


    additional arsenal, but I hadn’t exactly expected this oue.


    I realized I wasn’t in a favorable position because my cousin could use his wretched sorcery to heal his


    wounded men. It was an unfair advantage, but I would have to make do with what I had.


    This fight was unexpected. Ronald and his men were meant to perish in the fire of the main building, so


    I hadn’t been adequately prepared for a battle. I hadn’t brought enough of my soldiers with me either,


    so when Ronald finally stood right in front of me, he had a clear path. All of the soldiers on my side had


    been dealt with, so I was wide open.


    I extended my nails into ws and prepared to shift into my second form. I was still quite weak from my


    fight against Cassandra, but I wasn’t incapable of defending myself. I was a formidable fighter and I


    needed no weapons but the natural ones I possessed.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    My muscles tensed just as Ronald stopped ten away from me.


    “This will be thest day of your miserable life, Kaleb,” he said almost mockingly. His arrogance was


    almost apudable, but I wasn’t about to give up so easily.


    “I don’t think so,” I replied with a raised eyebrow. I spat out another mouthful of blood and then lowered


    my body, ready to shift at any given moment.


    As I moved, Ronald’s soldiers seemed ready to spring into action, but my cousin raised a hand to stop


    them.


    “No,” he ordered quietly, and then he took a step toward me.


    My eyebrow raised higher. What was his next move?


    “We didn’t have to be this way, Kaleb,” he said. “If you hadn’t done all of this, I never would have


    considered taking your life. And yet…”


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    He nced at the burning building behind us. “It was supposed to be a beautiful wedding.”


    I wanted tough. That was nonsense. I knew Ronald would have done the same to me if he’d had the


    opportunity. The wedding was an excuse to drum up his aplices. It was nothing more than a


    prelude to usurpation.


    “How could it be a beautiful wedding?” I mocked him as I looked at the sky and sneered. “It wasn’t even


    blessed by the moon. Besides, I don’t think it’s beautiful to have to hypnotize your own bride and force


    her to marry you. In fact… some could say it’s a little pathetic to have to go such lengths to make a


    woman want you.”


    Ronald smiled coldly. “I’m not crazy lil


    like you are, Kaleb.”


    “Aren’t you?” I countered with a smile. “Don’t underestimate yourself, Ronald. Weren’t you nning on


    taking this castle over after the wedding ceremony? I suppose I would have been found dead in my


    bed, reeking of alcohol, if I hadn’t uncovered your n beforehand.”


    My cousin’s face hardened. “You don’t seem to understand the situation. You are nothing more than a


    dead man now. That being said, I suppose if you’re willing to kneel and beg for my forgiveness, I might


    show some mercy and consider sparing your life.”


    He seemed certain I would take advantage of the opportunity, but I had no intention of doing so. I


    remained unmoved,


    “You’re weak,” I said calmly. “Even if you took my ce on the throne, you couldn’t rule Yurene


    properly. A mediocre sorcerer like you doesn’t deserve to be a king.”


    My words seemed to hit hard. Ronald instantly looked vexed. He turned to his soldiers and ordered


    them tounch their attacks against me.


    I had two seconds to breathe and then the fightmenced. I fought hard against the soldiers and


    managed to avoid most of their attacks, but there were still so


    many


    of them. As the minutes dragged on, it began to feel as if they were undefeatable with the help of


    Ronald. I shifted into my wolf form and it still didn’t feel like it was enough. For every swipe or wound I


    inflicted, my cousin used sorcery to heal his men.


    I was also fightingpletely alone. None of the guests on my side dared step over


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    or go against Ronald under such a circumstance. It was apparent that no one expected me to win.


    It was infuriating. I was still their king and yet, they were all thrilled to see me fall.


    I fought until my knees were weak. I sank to the ground and shifted back into my human form. Blood


    dripped from my numerous wounds and the metallic taste of it filled my mouth. I couldn’t even sense


    the pain now. I could hardly even move. I was so numb I barely even felt alive.


    Ronald stepped forward and then ced his hand on my head, forcing me to lower it.


    “You’re weak like a puppy without Roxy here to help you,” he said harshly and then he softened. “If only


    we had been friends before. We were both abandoned, Kaleb. I was the pawn of the king and you were


    the unwanted son. We could have been a united front, and yet here we are.”


    His voice was so grating that I couldn’t take it any longer. I shifted myself away his touch and then spat


    a mouthful of blood onto his face.


    Ronald’s mouth jerked at one corner as his eyes filled with anger. He stole a knife from the sheath of


    one of his nearby soldiers and then raised it in the air. He used


    his other hand to grab me and aimed the de at my heart.


    I closed my eyes.