Yesterday, during a Pack meeting, Darwin waited until we concluded with business to mention that he


    had heard that I was a famous womanizer back in Anemond. It was said in an almost mocking,


    condescending tone of voice.


    “Nothing but a rumor,” I said evenly, though anger swelled within me. It was indeed a rumor, one I


    spread deliberately long ago in an attempt to stop Margaret from meddling with my love life. She had


    great enthusiasm when it came to the prospect of coupling me with a high-borndy from a prestigious


    family, so I fashioned myself a cad to keep the women at bay.


    Kiara seemed stunned by this information. Her hazel eyes nced away from me and she bit her full


    lower lip. Just her horror alone was enough to make me want to reach across the table and ce my


    hands around Darwin’s throat.


    I didn’t know what Kiara was thinking, but I suspected she might be wondering if I had proposed to


    many women easily without any sense of responsibility.


    It was infuriating. I had made mistakes in the past, but I didn’t think I was making one here. Though we


    didn’t know each other well, I didn’t think of Kiara like that.]


    Darwin grinned at me coyly, and again I wanted to hit him.


    It was ironic that he had made such a specific dig at my character, especially after what I’d heard from


    a group of ser vants just the other day. They had been in the far corner of the room, gossiping amongst


    themselves when they thought no one could hear them. I wasn’t one to stick my nose where it didn’t


    belong, but I heard them mention Darwin, so I couldn’t resist.


    As it turned out, he was the son of a shameful mistress. ording to the se rvants, his mother was a


    shifty, calcted woman who manipted herself into a position of power. It was funny really, since my


    mother was the same sort of person.


    I considered bringing up Darwin’s mother at the meeting but decided it was beneath me to administer


    such a low blow. I would hold onto that information and potentially use itter.


    Darwin’s intentions were clear. He wanted to expel me and prove I didn’t deserve to be the future ruler


    of Sky Pride.


    Of course, he couldn’t act on his impulses, not when Alpha Arthur was still unconscious.


    2/4


    X


    Emergency calls only MO


    *


    092%


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    12:36


    The morning after the meeting, I caught the Alpha’s healer outside of his room in the hallway and


    ushered him


    over.


    +5


    “Lord Kane,” he greeted me politely. “How may I help you?”


    “I wanted to ask about the condition of the Alpha,” I said quietly as I nced around to make sure we


    were alone. “How is he?”


    ”


    The healer’s face grew solemn. “His condition has deteriorated swiftly. He… he likely won’t survive past


    a week.”


    I nodded, shocked by the news, and I waited until the healer was gone to sigh. A week? That news was


    far more grim than I’d hoped.


    I knew that if Arthur died, Darwin would get fullmand of the Pack and would sweep me out in no


    time. I also knew that Kiara would be condemned to live as Darwin’s wife, and I couldn’t decide which


    fact was worse.


    I decided to visit the Alpha to see his condition for myself, and when I opened the door, I was surprised


    to see Kiara. She was sitting in a chair beside the bed and she was crying so hard she didn’t notice me


    at first. When she finally did, she cried even harder.


    I rushed to her side and swept her into my arms, pulling her close. Her ckberry perfume filled my


    nostrils with its pleasant aroma, and I stroked her long hair as she wrapped her arms around me. Her


    curls were incredibly soft.


    She cried against my shoulder, and the moist, warm feeling against my shirt left me speechless. Kiara


    loved her father dearly and it was clear she wasn’t handling the news well.


    “Why would the Moon Goddess take him away?” she whimpered, her voice underscored with hurt and


    anger. “He’s always been so strong and healthy, Kane. For him to suddenly be so sick… it makes no


    sense to me. Even the healer couldn’t figure out what happened. I… I don’t know what to do. I can’t


    lose him.”


    She dissolved into sobs and I pulled her in tighter. We stood there for a while, locked in each other’s


    embrace, and as Kiara continued to cry, I looked over at Alpha Arthur. His face had a strange sheen to


    it and his lips were deep purple.


    My eyebrows knitted together and I slowly pulled away from Kiara just enough to look into her eyes.


    “When did this start?” I wondered. “When did he get sick? And what do the healers know?”


    “It started around a year ago,” Kiaramented. “The healers said they couldn’t identify what the cause


    was, but every part of my father’s body started deteriorating quickly.”


    “Had he been taking any medicine or drugs?” I wondered.


    Kiara stared back at me in confusion and then nodded. “The healer prescribed some medicine and


    nutritional products, but they haven’t been useful at all.”


    “Do you remember the first symptom of the disease?” I asked as suspicion rose within me. Something


    about this seemed familiar.


    She nodded again. “It started to appear after a hunting trip he went on with Darwin and a few soldiers.


    They were deep in the forest and he passed out all of a sudden. It was all so strange.”


    I didn’t want to scare Kiara, but her words stirred up a bold assumption.


    I didn’t think the Alpha was ill because of a disease.