+8 Pearls
Third Person’s POV
Kael Vale’s fist came down hard on the <b>metal </b>side <b>table</b>, the loud ng echoing off the sterile <b>walls </b>of the Stormridge Pack infirmary
???
His father flinched at the outburst. Even while confined to a hospital bed with both legs broken, Alpha ric still tried to keep his spine straight, his <b>jaw </b>clenched <b>in </b>defiance.
“Don’t forget,” ric snarled, voice hoarse with pain and rage, “you were the one <b>who </b>testified against Riley at the High <b>Tribunal</b>. You were the one who pointed the finger, Kael. Don’t you dare try to pin this on me and your Luna.<b>” </b>
Kael <b>froze</b>. His heart pounded like a war drum. Those words hit harder <b>than </b>any blow his father had ever struck him with.
How could he forget?
The memory was carved into his bones–standing in that cold courtroom, Riley’s golden eyes burning with disbelief <b>and </b>betrayal as he, her own brother, had dered her guilty. Even then, a part of him knew the truth. But he hadn’t fought <b>for </b>her.
“You think I don’t remember?” Kael growled through gritted teeth. His canines <b>sharpened</b>, ws flexing involuntarily as his <b>wolf </b>stirred beneath the surface, agitated by his guilt. ‘Every night, I hear her screams from that cell. Every Damn. Night. You think these broken legs are punishment? No. They’re karma.”
He turned his cold, furious gaze on his father. “You destroyed her. And you made me help.”
Luna Zara, lying in the next bed, winced. The pain in her legs must’ve red again, but it was nothingpared to the look she gave her son–equal parts disgust and disappointment.
“How dare you speak to your Alpha that way,” ric spat, his pride still more intact than his bones, “You’ve been brainwashed by that girl–she’s nothing but <b>a </b>defect. A stain on the Ebonw bloodline.”
“Don’t call her <b>that</b><b>, </b>Kael hissed. His voice dropped low, a predator’s growl rumbling in his chest. “Don’t you dare.”
<b>ric </b>surged forward, ignoring the agony in his <b>legs</b>. Veins bulged in his neck, face red with fury. “Get out! Get out before 1 make you<b>!</b><b>” </b>
<b>hut </b>Kael <b>didn’t </b>move. He stood still, like a monolith carved of stone and regret.
ric’s breath became ragged, his body trembling from both pain and rage. His eyes fluttered, <b>and </b>for a moment, Kael thought he might faint. A sliver of satisfaction curled in Kael’s gut.
Was that <b>wrong</b>? Maybe.
But <b>watching </b>the Alpha who’d once ruled their pack with an iron fist now reduced to this–<b>sweating</b>, <b>gasping</b>, helpless–it felt like a sliver of justice.
“You two did everything to break Riley,” Kael said, quieter now. “<b>You </b>framed her. You locked her <b>away</b>. You let Scarlett take everything that should’ve belonged to her <b>and </b><b>you </b>expected her to <b>thank </b>you?”
<b>Luna </b>Zara’s voice quivered. “We were just trying to <b>protect </b>the pack.”
Karl scoffed. “<b>No </b>You were trying to protect Scarlett. The perfectughter. The <b>fake </b>one”
Zara’s eyes welled with tears. “Scarlett never wanted to <b>hurt </b>Riley-”
She let Riley take the fall for her Kael snapped. “Don’t act <b>like </b><b>you </b>don’t know <b>that</b>.”
Zara fell silent. Her hand clutched the bedsheet <b>tightly</b>, knuckles white. The silence thickened until she finally <b>spoke </b>again, this time with a tremor of maternal worry
“Marder’s returning from Northhaven today She’sing to pay respects to Matriarch Dusk <b>grave</b>. You need to call her. Tell
+8 Pearls
Karl blinked “What?”
“If Riley sees her,” <b>Zara </b>pressed, “she’ll retaliate. You know how she is–vengeful. She’s dangerous now,
ric grunted in agreement. “Scarlett’s still <b>weak </b>from her <bst </b>recovery cycle. She <b>won’t </b>survive another confrontation
Kael stared at them. The same parents who once celebrated Riley’s birth with pride now feared their own daughter like <b>a </b>rogue beast.
Good. They should.
He thought of Scarlett’s bruised face <b>back </b>in the tribunal’s holding <b>cell</b>. He <b>hadn’t </b>dared tell Zara what had happened. That Riley had left those bruises after Scarlett begged for mercy. <b>That </b>it had <b>taken </b>three Enforcers to pull her off.
His voice <b>was </b>t when he <b>said</b>. “I’ll think about it.”
Without waiting for another word, Kael turned and left the room.
Each step out of that infirmary hallway felt heavier than <b>the </b></divst. He wasn’t sure if it was guilt… or something deeper. Regret had hollowed him out, and now all that remained was duty.
He stepped into the fluorescent–lit corridor–and stopped short.
Theo <b>Hale </b>stood near the exit, arms crossed. The <b>silver </b>Omega’s <b>sharp </b>eyes locked on <b>him</b>.
“Kael, Theo <b>said</b>. “You’re leaving <b>already</b>?”
Kael nodded. “I’m going to find Riley.”
Theo’s expression didn’t change, but his stance <b>straightened</b><b>. </b>“You <b>know </b>where she is?“.
“No. But I’ll find her.”
There <b>was </b>a <b>pause</b>. A beat of understanding passed between them–both men bound to the same girl in different ways.
“I’ming with you, Theo said.
Kael narrowed his eyes. “Why<b>?</b>”
“I need <b>answers</b>,” “Theo replied. “About her past. Her <b>medical </b>history. Her missing records. <b>And </b>I <b>think </b>she’s the only one who
has them”
<b>Kael </b>studied him for a moment. Then nodded.
They didn’t trust each other, notpletely. But they both trusted Riley <b>more </b><b>than </b>anyone else. <b>And </b>maybe, for now, <b>that </b>was enough
Together, they left the infirmary <b>and </b><b>vanished</b>