Kayla's POV“This… isn't funny… don't do this please” Not sure if anyone could hear me. I pressed my back against the door, my vision was tainted and I could barely see a thing.I couldn't tell where the fire started, but there was a strong smell of petrol that filled the air, and my throat began to tighten almost instantly. Whoever did this… it wasn’t an accident. Someone had set this room on fire purposefully.Did Kain do this? Was that why he mentioned the room knowing I would walk into his trap?Why go through all this trouble so he could burn me alongside his brother's first mate's memory?I couldn't think straight. Luckily, the room was large but it would only be a matter of time before the fire would reach me.Fear crawled through my veins forcing me toward the door, slamming my fists against the hard surface.“Help! Please, someone!” My voice cracked, coughing frantically, the stench clawing at my lungs swallowed by the roar of the growing flames. The air was thickening with s
Kayla's POV“Kayla…”I turned quickly, breathless, my head snapped to the side, my eyes scanning the room simultaneously but all I could see was darkness.I couldn't feel my body, my legs, my arms, I couldn't even speak.“Help…”The voice came again. This time, it was so soft, almost fragile, like a breeze that touched the edges of my mind. I squinted, trying to see something, anything. But nothing moved except that sound, like it was coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once.Then, in the darkness, I saw her. A woman, her hair dark like shadows, wild and desperate. Her face was etched with sorrow, her lips trembling as she pleaded for something. "Please, my baby... save my child." Her voice shattered in the stillness, full of agony. I felt it ripple through me, her grief, her fear.I reached out toward her, but the darkness swallowed her whole, her cries fading into nothing.And then it was gone. All of it.I shot up, gasping, my skin damp with sweat. My body felt heavy, like I
Kayla’s POVThe dagger slipped from my hands falling with a thud. I stepped away from it quickly, feeling the locket in my hand. I had to get rid of it.I dashed out of the room, heading to mine, my fingers trembling slightly as I slid the locket into a drawer. It felt like it burned against my skin. I pressed my palms against my temples, squeezing my eyes shut. I had to convince myself that maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t losing my mind.I took a deep breath. "It’s just the fire," I muttered under my breath. "It triggered something. I almost died, and now my mind is playing tricks on me."But the memory of that woman, her haunting voice, lingered like smoke in the corners of my mind. No matter how hard I tried to push it away, she was there, waiting. Pleading.A sudden knock startled me, breaking my thoughts. My heart lurched, but I forced myself to act natural. I opened the door to see a maid standing there, her head bowed slightly."The King sent me," she spoke softly, keeping her gaze
Kayla's POVThe room seemed frozen in time, every face was locked in a state of disbelief as Kain’s announcement hung in the air.“I will be a better leader than the one who betrayed you all. I promise to grow our pack stronger than ever before.”“And now,” Kain continued, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, “enjoy the party. Celebrate the future.”His tone was casual, like he didn't just declare the death of his twin brother. I watched as he turned, his cloak swirling behind him as he made his way out of the hall. Without thinking, I followed him, my heart pounding in my chest. My footsteps were quick, but quiet, slipping through the crowd unnoticed until I was right behind him in the corridor.“Kain,” I called, my voice sharper than I intended. He stopped, not turning immediately, but I saw the tension in his shoulders.“I need to speak with you,” I insisted, moving to face him. His eyes met mine, unreadable, and I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm.“Killing
Kayla's POVI had never seen a corpse before, especially one that reeked badly and was rotting with age, I couldn't bear staying in the room. My legs moved on their own accord before they buckled in the middle of the living room.I gasped, my knees colliding with the tile and a sickening crack rippled through the room, my body shaking uncontrollably. “No... no...” My voice cracked, barely audible between sobs.Raymond didn't follow and I was grateful. I let myself break down alone for a lady I didn't know.Eventually, his boots echoed down the hall. He stepped out, cradling a small, worn box in his hands. His expression was dark, almost unreadable, but his jaw clenched as he stopped in front of me."She didn’t die peacefully," Raymond murmured, eyes flicking down to the box. “Whoever did this made sure it wasn’t quick. Suffocation. Likely with a pillow."I wiped at my face, though my hands trembled, smearing tears across my cheeks. My body felt heavy, weighed down by guilt and sorrow.
Kayla's POV“You didn't pose the same claim when Kain handed in the first DNA reports”“Watch your tone Kayla!” The elder snapped back. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was infuriating how he could easily dismiss my claim, but they could let the same papers determine if the King would live or die.“There was a mix-up in the blood samples,” I insisted, my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest. “I swear, the first DNA reports aren’t accurate.”The council members exchanged glances, their whispers like the hiss of leaves in the wind. It felt like the entire room was holding its breath, waiting for someone to make the first move.“And you can prove that how?” The same elder spoke first.“The nurse Clara who had conducted the test. she is dead. She was killed to cover the tracks of the person who had deceived the entire pack”“That is a bold claim you're making Kayla. Especially one without any evidence. Your DNA reports prove nothing. If that will be all, we bid you fare
KLAUS' POV“Argh!” I screamed in pain and my body throbbed with the impact. The guard didn't stop using me as a dummy. My hands were chained while he attacked me like an animal.This had been my life since Kain locked me up. His way of trying to teach me a lesson, to show me what he endured when he was taken.I understood the message, but I wouldn’t break. I wouldn't let myself turn into the mad person he was.The man in front of me didn’t hold back. His knuckles cracked against my ribs, his breath labored from exertion. The room smelled of sweat and blood, my blood. It dripped from my busted lip, metallic and bitter as I swallowed down the taste of it.Footsteps echoed down the hall. They were slow, deliberate, sending the man back a step, worry flashing in his eyes. He didn’t hit me again. Instead, he lowered his fist, glancing toward the entrance with a nervous twitch in his jaw.A council member appeared, his robe sweeping the floor as he entered. His gaze swept the room, settling
Kayla's POVI sighed satisfied as I stretched out my arms, turning in the bed before blinking awake, I hadn't slept so well in days. Every muscle in my body felt relaxed till the unfamiliar scent of lavender and herbs filled my nose.I sat up with a blanket sliding off my legs. I could tell I was no longer in the palace; the walls were different and it looked like a garden had erupted in the middle of the room.“Ohh you're awake” A lady stepped in holding a wooden tray and a bowl nesting in the middle. The smell made my belly rumble but I forced myself to focus on the important things.“Where am I? What happened?”“You’re in my place, I rarely get visitors but mi casa tu casa” she reassured me, her tone soft. “You collapsed after the council meeting. I felt guilty and brought you here so you could recover.”The memories rushed back to my mother, the vision, the burning sensation when the seer used the wand or whatever it was she did. I swallowed hard, trying to piece it all together.