Chapter 138: Something is wrong
The private dining room of one of Raven City’s most prestigious restaurants overlooked the glittering skyline of the capital. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city like a masterpiece, the countless lights of towering buildings stretching into the distance beneath a blanket of stars.
Crystal chandeliers cast a warm golden glow over polished marble floors, while a quartet played softly in the background, their music blending seamlessly with the quiet murmur of expensive conversation.
A long mahogany table occupied the centre of the room, dressed with crisp white linen, gleaming silverware, and crystal glasses that reflected the candlelight. Plates of expertly prepared cuisine sat untouched between bottles of vintage wine.
Alexander Ravencourt sat at the head of the table with the effortless authority expected of the Alpha King. Across from him sat Alpha Thobias Ashbourne and the senior representatives of the Ashbourne Pack.
The meeting had begun with discussions over crystal mining rights, trade routes, and future investments. Now, with the contracts nearly finalised, the atmosphere had become considerably lighter.
One of the Ashbourne elders launched into another story. "...and then my wife insisted the hunting trophy deserved its own bedroom."
Laughter erupted around the table. Killian, seated to Alexander’s right, lifted the corner of his mouth into a polite smile. He had heard far worse attempts at humour. The jokes were getting tiring.
His fingers lazily rotated the stem of his wine glass as he observed the Ashbourne delegation without appearing to. He noticed every smile, every pause before answering, and every fleeting exchange of glances between Thobias and his advisers, quietly cataloguing them in his mind.
Thobias was trying too hard. The older delegates laughed a little louder than necessary and complimented Alexander a little too often.
They were nervous. Killian couldn’t blame them.
Only weeks earlier, Ajax Ashbourne had become the centre of a scandal involving wolfbane poisoning at a private party. Three people had nearly died because of his recklessness, one of whom was the son of a top Ravencourt official. The incident had shaken relations between several packs, forcing Thobias to spend weeks repairing the political damage.
One of those concessions had been extending Ravencourt’s mining licences across every Ashbourne crystal mine. Killian took a slow sip of wine.
It must be nice, he thought, to have a father willing to empty half his treasury every time his son made a mistake.
His thoughts drifted briefly towards Alexander. If Killian had been responsible for such an incident, he didn’t want to imagine what would have happened, but he knew for sure the punishment would have been swift.
Alexander wasn’t an unreasonable father. He was simply uncompromising. His rules were simple. Mistakes carried consequences.
Kaden had always been the only exception. Killian almost smiled. His youngest brother had inherited every ounce of Alexander’s stubbornness.
Growing up, Kaden had been a walking catastrophe. Broken training halls, exploded workshops, several unfortunate instructors, and more than one occasion when Alexander had simply handed him over to the Gamma for "additional training", which usually translated into an excuse to beat some discipline into him. As a teenager, even without his wolf, Kaden was already sparring with the Gamma.
Alexander had disciplined him every single time. Yet somehow, there had always been just a little more patience reserved for Kaden.
Who said parents didn’t have a soft spot for their youngest child?
"...our partnership has remained prosperous because of your leadership, Alpha Alexander," Thobias said smoothly, drawing Killian back to the conversation.
Alexander inclined his head. "And because both our packs honour our agreements," Alexander replied.
Killian knew his father. He was going to use this accident to milk the Ashbourne Pack.
"Indeed." Thobias nodded eagerly, then smiled before casually adding, "I also heard another piece of wonderful news. Congratulations seem to be in order. I understand you intend to officially adopt a daughter."
Killian remained silent. That wasn’t exactly secret information. Once Alexander married Aevia, the adoption would become official.
His attention wandered towards the enormous windows overlooking Raven City. Thousands of headlights flowed through the streets below like glowing rivers.
Without meaning to, his thoughts drifted towards Kieran. Something about his brother hadn’t been sitting right. For weeks, Kieran had buried himself inside Central Hospital’s research division.
He left before sunrise and returned after midnight. He barely slept or ate. Even his wolf had grown unusually withdrawn.
Killian had quietly looked into it. Kieran had been pushing an experimental regenerative drug through clinical trials at an alarming pace.
Officially, it was for coma patients. Unofficially, Killian had a strong suspicion exactly who that medicine had been created for.
"...I also heard," Thobias continued pleasantly, "that you intend to find your future daughter a suitable husband."
Killian only half-listened.
"My son would make an excellent match," Thobias eagerly suggested.
His wine glass stopped halfway to his lips.
Very slowly, he lowered it onto the table. The faint clink echoed across the suddenly quiet room.
His blue eyes settled on Thobias.
"Which son?" he asked, his voice calm. Far too calm.
Thobias blinked. "Lord Killian..." he blurted, his smile freezing for a moment.
"I asked," Killian repeated evenly, "which son?"
Silence spread across the table. Even the Ashbourne advisers shifted uncomfortably.
Killian wasn’t Alpha. Yet the pressure radiating from him rivalled men twice his age.
"I merely thought..." Thobias began carefully, "...an alliance between our families..."
Killian’s thumb slowly traced the rim of his wine glass.
"If memory serves me correctly," he interrupted quietly, "the only unmarried son you have is Ajax."
No one spoke.
"The same Ajax who nearly caused an international incident."
Still silence.
"And you believe the future Princess of Ravencourt should marry a man with that reputation?"
Thobias swallowed. "I was only making a suggestion," he stuttered.
Alexander, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up.
"You needn’t concern yourself." His voice carried effortless confidence. "Aevia and I have already found someone suitable for our daughter."
Killian frowned. This was the first he had heard of it.
Since when? he asked through the mind link.
Alexander didn’t even look at him.
Aevia and I discussed it some time ago, he replied.
Who is it? Killian pushed.
Alexander was just about to answer when suddenly, a sharp pain exploded through Killian’s skull without warning.
His breath caught.
The wine glass slipped from his fingers, striking the table with a sharp crack before rolling onto its side.
His vision blurred.
For one terrifying instant, he wasn’t sitting inside the restaurant anymore.
He was somewhere else.
Strapped into a car seat, tyres screamed against wet asphalt. A steering wheel jerked violently.
Blood splattered across pale fingers gripping black leather.
Bright headlights burst through the darkness, growing impossibly larger.
A horn blared.
Kieran’s ragged breathing echoed inside his head.
His brother’s vision tilted sharply, and the world spun as metal groaned and glass shattered. Everything lurched sideways.
An overwhelming feeling of weightlessness swallowed him.
Then...
Nothing.