Chapter 5 : Beneath the Surface

Kane's POV

Kane’s arms tightened instinctively around Lyra as he carried her down the hall, her limp form barely stirring against his chest. Her skin was cold, her breathing faint but steady, and he could feel every scar, every bruise, as he held her close. Each mark on her skin seemed to sear into his own, fueling a fury that made it nearly impossible to keep his Lycan from taking over completely.

They arrived at the guest quarters, and Kane shot a pointed look at the pack servants hovering nearby. “Prepare a room. I want it spotless and warm, and I want it now.”

One servant nodded quickly, darting ahead to open the door to one of the best guest rooms in the house. Kane entered, lowering Lyra carefully onto the bed, brushing a tangled strand of hair away from her face. She looked so small, so fragile, lying there against the crisp sheets. His heart twisted, both in protectiveness and outrage.

“Penelopa,” he called, signaling his own healer. She stepped forward, her expression calm yet sympathetic as she took in Lyra’s bruised and battered form.

“I’ll do everything I can, Your Highness,” she murmured, already setting to work cleaning Lyra’s wounds. “But she’s in a delicate state, and she’ll need rest probably for days.”

Kane nodded. “Let me know if you need anything. I don’t want her left alone for a moment.”

As Penelopa began to tend to Lyra, another figure appeared in the doorway - the pack healer, an older woman with a wary expression. She cleared her throat nervously. “Prince Kane, my name is Evelyn, the healer of Blackstone. I… I know a bit about her,” she said hesitantly, gesturing toward Lyra.

Kane’s gaze snapped to her, sharp and unforgiving. “Then speak. Tell me why she’s been treated like this.”

Evelyn glanced away, as if gathering her thoughts. “She’s been… a slave in this pack for years. Her parents were Omegas, accused of treason three years ago. The Alpha and Luna claim they tried to kill Luna Regina. They were executed, and since then, Lyra was… left behind, forced to serve as their slave.” She swallowed hard, clearly shaken. “It was decided that she would be treated like an outcast. Her mate rejected her, she’s been beaten regularly, and no one in the pack has dared to stand up for her. It’s…” Evelyn’s voice trailed off, her tone heavy with shame.

Kane clenched his fists, his breath coming in harsh, barely controlled inhales. He could feel his Lycan stirring inside him, growling low, demanding justice.

“She’s innocent, isn’t she?” he asked, his voice tight.

Evelyn nodded. “Yes. Her parents… they were framed, but it was never proven. And as their daughter, she bares the consequences.”

Kane’s jaw clenched, and he nodded curtly, motioning for Evelyn to continue tending to Lyra. He took one last look at her face, pale but softened now in sleep, her breathing steady.

Without another word, he turned and strode from the room, each step fueling his rage, his Lycan’s fury simmering just beneath the surface. His patience was gone; his tolerance for the Blackstone leaders who had ordered such cruelty had vanished.

He headed straight for Alpha Caden and Luna Regina’s quarters, his presence so charged that every member of the pack he passed shrank away, sensing the lethal storm brewing within him.

In the private quarters of Alpha Caden, laughter and the faint sound of music from the celebration below echoed through the hall. When the door swung open, both Alpha Caden and Luna Regina looked up in surprise at the sight of the Prince, his eyes blazing with barely controlled fury.

“Prince Kane,” Caden greeted, his tone almost jovial. “Is everything to your satisfaction?”

Kane’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t answer, his gaze flicking between Caden and Regina, each word cutting through the air with deadly precision.

“Care to explain why there’s a young girl in your dungeons, beaten to within an inch of her life?”

The color drained from Luna Regina’s face, and even Caden’s smug expression faltered. Regina tried to recover, plastering a nervous smile on her face.

“Your Highness, surely you misunderstand..”

“Misunderstand?” Kane’s voice was low and dangerous, his eyes gleaming with suppressed fury. “There is nothing to misunderstand. That girl is broken and bloody, and I had to carry her out of that filthy cell myself. And yet I’ve been informed that she is your prisoner, treated worse than an animal.” His voice dropped to a growl. “I want answers. Now.”

Caden’s expression hardened, though his eyes flicked to Regina for confirmation. She nodded, though her face was pale. “She… she’s the daughter of traitors, Your Highness,” Regina stammered, but Kane caught the flicker of fear in her gaze. “Her parents tried to kill me ... ”

“Enough!” Kane’s voice was sharp, his anger palpable. He stepped closer, his presence looming, the unrestrained power of his Lycan pressing down on both of them. “I know what happened to her family. And I can see how you’ve used that excuse to justify your cruelty. You allowed an innocent girl to be beaten, humiliated, and left to suffer alone because it was convenient for you.”

Caden’s composure cracked, and he looked away, his tone defensive. “With all due respect, Your Highness, she is a traitor’s daughter. It’s customary to ensure loyalty”

“Loyalty?” Kane spat the word, his face contorted with disgust. “By enslaving and brutalizing her? This is how you ensure loyalty in Blackstone?”

Regina’s hand twitched nervously, her voice desperate. “Prince Kane, surely you understand the importance of pack loyalty. And besides… she’s an Omega. Hardly worth the concern”

Kane’s fists clenched, his patience finally snapping. “She is worth more than anyone here if this is how you treat your own. This is not loyalty; it’s cowardice. And it ends now.”

Caden attempted to regain some authority, straightening and trying to meet Kane’s stare. “We meant no disrespect to you or your visit. We had no idea she’d catch your attention”

“You’re fortunate my patience hasn’t worn thinner,” Kane interrupted, his voice cold. “Tomorrow, I’ll be overseeing a formal review of your treatment of this pack’s members. And if I find even the slightest indication that you continue this barbaric behavior, I will take personal action to ensure it stops.”

Alpha Caden’s eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. “You… you can’t simply take over Blackstone’s affairs, Your Highness.”

“I am the Lycan Prince,” Kane stated, his voice a final, deadly warning. “And I can.”

Luna Regina’s face twisted in fury, her eyes narrowing at him, but her voice was tight with forced politeness. “As you wish, Your Highness. We… apologize for any misunderstanding.”

Kane’s gaze burned into hers, unwavering. “There was no misunderstanding. You’ve been warned.”

Without another word, he turned on his heel, leaving the two of them in a tense, suffocating silence.