Chapter 221: RUBY
Kaden’s POV
I finished buttoning my cuffs, taking a deep breath to steady the strange, erratic thumping of my heart.
I turned and made my way downstairs, determined to look every bit the Alpha King, even if my skin felt like it was on fire. I descended the wide marble staircase with measured steps, arriving in the grand foyer just as the massive front doors were pushed open.
Kane stepped inside first, accompanied by a few of his senior staff and guards carrying luggage.
I stepped forward, extending a hand to my twin. "Welcome, Kane. I can’t lie—I’m glad to have you here."
Kane took my hand, and a small smile touched his lips. "It’s good to see you, brother. Thanks for opening your doors on such short notice."
I looked at him closely, narrowing my eyes. Something was wrong. Kane and I used to tease each other relentlessly, throwing jabs back and forth the second we stood in the same room. But today, Kane looked rigid. Controlled. In fact, he had seemed strangely tense ever since I woke up.
My wolf shifted uneasily in my chest, catching the distinct scent of high anxiety coming off my own brother.
I leaned in a little, keeping my voice low so the guards nearby wouldn’t hear. "Brother... is there something you’re hiding from me? Something you want to share?"
Kane stopped. He sucked in a sharp, deep breath, his jaw clenching tightly for a split second before he smoothed his expression back over.
I knew him too well. My suspicion instantly spiked.
"I was right," I murmured, my posture hardening into that of an Alpha preparing for bad news. Whatever it was, it had to be serious for Kane to look this defensive. "Kane... whatever it is, just tell me. Are the border packs rebelling? Did you make a bad treaty behind my back? Did you lose a high-ranking territory line?"
I searched his face, ready to forgive him for whatever political mistake he had made. He was my brother, after all. "You’re my blood, Kane. Whatever you did, I’ll figure it out with you."
"It’s nothing like that, Kaden," Kane said softly, cutting off my list of political disasters. He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a heavy exhale. "It’s not business. It’s... personal."
I raised an eyebrow, the knot in my stomach tightening even further. "Personal?"
"I’ve been keeping a secret from you," Kane confessed, his voice steadying as he looked me straight in the eye. "And before I explain, I want you to meet someone."
My brow furrowed. "Who?"
Kane turned his head slightly toward the open double doors. "Ruby. My woman... and the mother of my unborn child."
My eyes widened in genuine shock. A woman? An unborn child? Kane had never mentioned a serious female, let alone a pregnancy.
"Baby, you can come in," Kane called out gently toward the doorway.
The two guards standing by the entrance stepped aside, opening the heavy wooden doors wider. A woman stepped across the threshold.
The moment my eyes landed on her, the entire world seemed to drop into complete, suffocating silence.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t blink. I couldn’t even draw a breath into my lungs.
She wasn’t dressed in anything extravagant—just a simple, red flowery gown that flowed around her legs as she walked. Her thick, chocolate-brown hair fell loose over her shoulders in gentle waves, framing a pale, delicate face. But it was her eyes that pinned me to the floor. They were a striking, sea-blue, brimming with a deep, shadowed exhaustion.
Yet, despite the tiredness written across her features, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Suddenly, a heavy, magnetic pull tugged at my very soul, dragging my focus entirely to her. Why did she look so familiar? Why did every nerve ending in my body scream at me to step forward and wrap my arms around her?
Inside my head, my restless wolf had gone completely, dead silent. He wasn’t growling. He wasn’t pacing. He was standing at full attention, staring out through my eyes at the woman in the red dress, breathless and frozen.
The woman—Ruby—kept her gaze lowered slightly as she stopped a few feet away. She gave a small, graceful bow of respect. "Alpha King Kaden."
Her voice hit my ears like a distant melody, sending a shiver straight down my spine. I just stood there, staring at her like a man possessed, my mind wildly searching through empty dark corridors for a face I knew I shouldn’t know... but somehow did.
"Brother?" Kane’s sharp voice broke through the haze. "Are you even listening to me?"
I snapped out of the trance, violently tearing my gaze away from the woman and forcing my eyes back to Kane. My throat felt completely dry.
"You..." I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to sound smooth, though my heart was racing rapidly. "You said she is what?"
"My woman," Kane said clearly.
Before I could process the words, Kane stepped closer to her. He slid his arm smoothly around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his side. He leaned down and tenderly kissed her cheek, resting his hand protectively over her stomach.
"This is Ruby," Kane said, looking up at me. "And we are expecting a child together."
"No... you’re not."
The words left my mouth before I even understood why I’d said them.
My eyes dropped to her midsection—her gown fell loosely over her, but there wasn’t even a tiny hint of a bump; her stomach was completely flat.
Kane’s jaw went tight, and his eyes snapped to mine, filled with instant defense. Beside him, Ruby pulled back slightly, her shoulders going tight as she pressed herself closer into Kane’s side.
The moment the sudden yell left my mouth, panic flared in my chest. What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I just say that?
I swallowed hard, quickly raising a hand and forcing a breath into my lungs to regain control. "I... I’m sorry," I muttered, shaking my head as I tried to calm the sudden wave of anger in my voice. "I’m sorry. I’m just... confused. I’m in shock."
I dragged a hand over my face, feeling my heart beating wildly in my head. My wolf was standing completely still in the back of my mind, staring at her with a power that made my whole body feel heavy and strange.
I dropped my hand and looked back at her, my eyes locking onto those sea-blue eyes that felt so hauntingly familiar.
"Say that again, brother," I said quietly, my voice lower this time.
Kane didn’t back down. He kept his hand firmly on her waist, holding her close as if protecting her from me.
"This is Ruby," Kane repeated, his voice calm, steady, and clear. "My woman. And we are expecting a child."
I stared at her pale, tired face for a long, heavy second, feeling that strange, strong pull tugging deeply at my soul again. Then I slowly shifted my gaze back to Kane, my forehead turning into a deep frown as a dark, restless knot tightened deep in my stomach.
"Who is she, Kane?" I asked softly. "Who is she really?"