Chapter 6 THE SEEDS OF REVENGE

CHAPTER 6: THE SEEDS OF REVENGE

Sleep never came. The words on that cursed parchment carved themselves into my mind until they were all I could hear. Kael Greyson ordered it.

I sat in the dark, the paper hidden beneath my pillow, my heart trapped between disbelief and rage. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my mother’s face—the same eyes, the same warmth Kael once said he saw in me. Now it all felt like a cruel joke.

When dawn spilled across the room, I wasn’t the same Ria who had walked into the night before. Something had shifted. The ache in my chest turned into a blade, cold and precise.

A knock broke the silence.

“Enter,” I said, my voice flatter than I intended.

Lyra stepped inside with a tray of food. Her golden eyes flicked around the room before landing on me. “You look terrible,” she said, almost sounding amused.

I ignored her and reached for the cup of water. “Did Kael send you?”

She tilted her head. “Do I look like his servant?”

“You look like someone who doesn’t know when to leave.”

Her smirk deepened. “Careful, little wolf. Biting the wrong person here can cost you your neck.”

“I’m already caged,” I muttered. “What’s one more punishment?”

Lyra’s expression softened for a second—too fast to believe it was real. “You think you’re the only one he’s broken?”

The question made me pause. “What are you talking about?”

She leaned closer. “Kael takes what he wants. Always has. You’ll see soon enough.”

“Why do you hate him so much?”

Lyra’s smile froze. “Because he promised me the world and gave it to someone else.”

The venom in her voice made my wolf bristle. I forced my tone calm. “If this is about jealousy, you should find another audience.”

“Oh, Ria,” she said, brushing invisible dust from her sleeve. “You really don’t know what you’ve gotten into. The Alpha you think you love is a monster. Ask him about the woman he killed.”

The air left my lungs. “You mean—”

She cut me off with a knowing look. “You already know, don’t you?”

I didn’t answer. My silence was enough.

Lyra’s smile widened. “Then maybe we’ll finally see what happens when the Alpha’s little pet bares her teeth.”

She left without another word, her laughter soft and hollow, echoing down the hall.

I stood still, trembling, the rage simmering beneath my skin threatening to spill over. My wolf paced inside me, restless, snarling. He killed her.

I didn’t know if it was true. But I knew I couldn’t rest until I found out.

–––

By midmorning, the fortress was alive again—wolves sparring in the yard, servants rushing with supplies, and guards stationed at every door. I slipped through the corridors, unseen, the folded parchment tucked into my sleeve.

Kael was in the council chamber, speaking to his generals. I could hear his voice from down the hall—commanding, steady, dangerous.

My heart twisted. How could someone sound so certain and still hide so much?

The guards at the door tensed when they saw me.

“The Alpha’s in session,” one said.

“I’ll wait.”

They exchanged looks, unsure. Then the door opened from inside, and Kael stepped out. His expression softened when his eyes found mine.

“Ria.” He dismissed his generals with a glance. “You should be resting.”

“I couldn’t.”

He studied me for a moment, then gestured to the empty chamber. “Come in.”

I followed, every nerve on fire. The door shut behind me, sealing us in silence.

Kael leaned against the table, watching me carefully. “You read it, didn’t you?”

I swallowed. “Was it true?”

His jaw tightened. “What did it say?”

“That you killed my mother.”

The words tore through the air like claws.

Kael’s breath hitched—barely—but I caught it. “Who told you that?”

“I saw the seal, Kael. The crest of your pack.”

He shook his head slowly. “Darius.”

“Don’t,” I snapped. “Don’t blame him for everything.”

“You don’t know him like I do.”

“Then tell me!” My voice cracked. “Because right now, I don’t know who to believe. You keep saying he’s the enemy, but you never tell me why.”

Kael’s silence was worse than lies. He just looked at me, eyes heavy with something I couldn’t read.

Finally, he said quietly, “Your mother’s death wasn’t my doing.”

“Then whose?”

He hesitated. “There are things you don’t understand. Things I’ve kept from you to protect you.”

“Protect me?” I laughed, sharp and humorless. “You locked me up in a tower, Kael. You bought me like a thing. Don’t pretend this is about protection.”

His eyes flared. “You think I wanted to find you that way? You were being sold to monsters. I was saving you.”

“Saving me or owning me?”

The question hung between us like smoke.

Kael’s voice dropped, almost a whisper. “Both.”

The honesty in it stung worse than any lie.

I turned away before he could see my tears. “You could have told me the truth.”

“Would you have believed me?”

I didn’t answer. The silence was answer enough.

Kael stepped closer. His hand brushed my arm, tentative. “I swear to you, Ria, I didn’t kill your mother. But if you keep listening to Darius, he’ll use you to destroy us both.”

The rawness in his tone shook me, but the doubt in my chest refused to fade. “Then prove it,” I said quietly.

He met my eyes. “I will.”

Something in his voice made me want to believe him. But before I could speak, a sound shattered the moment—distant shouting from the courtyard, the ring of steel on stone.

Kael’s head snapped toward the window. “Stay here.”

“Kael—”

But he was already gone, moving like a shadow through the hall.

I ran to the window and looked down. Wolves clashed below—Kael’s guards against another group, their symbols unfamiliar. Smoke curled into the air.

A figure stood on the outer wall, watching the chaos unfold. Silver hair gleamed under the sun. Darius.

He caught my gaze and smiled, slow and knowing. Then he lifted a hand in mock salute before disappearing into the trees.

My pulse pounded. The parchment, the warning, the attack—everything was connected.

And I was right in the middle of it.

I turned from the window, breath trembling, and reached for the hidden paper again. But it was gone.

The pillow was empty.

Someone had been in my room.

A chill raced down my spine.

If Darius had it, he knew I’d read it. And if Kael found out, he’d know I doubted him.

The walls of the tower felt smaller than ever. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to steady my breath.

My wolf whispered in the back of my mind, soft and grim. You can’t trust either of them.

Maybe she was right.

Maybe the only way to survive was to play both sides until I found the truth myself.

I squared my shoulders, the rage inside me finally settling into focus.

If Kael was lying, I would burn his empire to the ground.

If Darius was lying, I would make him wish he’d never set eyes on me.

Either way—someone was going to pay.