Chapter 5

Kael and I changed into our wolves immediately after the ceremony was concluded.

We would be running back to his pack and hopefully would be there by morning

“Do you not want to say goodbye to your family?" Kael asked through the mindlink and I shook my head.

There was no point saying goodbye to them; I could see the happy smiles on their faces as they sent me off.

Camille, of all people, would be especially happy that I would be leaving.

Knowing who she was, she expected me to be dead soon, and hence the reason for her smile.

With one last look at the pack I had grown up in, I ran off, Kael following right behind me.

The run to his pack had taken hours after what seemed to be forever, we got there

Eyes followed us as we walked into the pack, his people whispering.

“Is that who he got married to this time?" One of them whispered, staring at me with pity in her eyes.

“Yes, the poor girl. She still has many more years to live but yet was thrown right into her doom,"

I was unable to ignore their whispers, the rumors of Kael killing his wives coming back to haunt me.

Is that how I would die? By the hands of my husband.

The thought brought fear to my heart and it shook me.

It didn't take long before we got to his estate, the giant building staring down at me.

“Find her a room, make sure she's comfortable," Kael said to one of the maids who stood outside, turning around to walk off.

“You're not coming in with me?" I asked right before he could walk away, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

Kael didn't even bother turning before he replied coldly, “I have work,"

My face fell, but I nodded; I wasn't expecting anything else from him.

I followed the maid straight to an empty room and without looking around I fell on the bed, going straight to sleep

I blinked my eyes open, trying to adjust to the dark room.

My body ached from the restless night, and my mind was still down with exhaustion.

For a moment, I forgot where I was, but then the events of the previous day came rushing back—the wedding, the blood.

The weight of it all settled on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

They had truly married me off and now I was staying with him.

I turned my head to the side, expecting to see Kael beside me but the bed was empty.

He never came in while I was asleep.

How long had it been since I fell asleep? I had no idea.

Pushing myself up slowly, I winced at the soreness in my muscles. I felt... hollow.

The night before had passed in a blur and the fact I was married now.

So there was no way for me to feel the touch of my mate and the spark.

The thought saddened me, but I couldn't do anything about it.

There had been no tenderness, no words of reassurance. Just cold, possessive control.

Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, my feet touched the cool floor, grounding me in the stark reality of my situation.

The maids had all given me pitiful looks as they led me to my room and I knew why.

I wasn’t his bride. I was his prisoner. The thought twisted painfully in my chest.

My stomach grumbled loudly and I remembered that I needed to eat.

I moved through the dimly lit halls of Kael’s estate, the weight of my new reality pressing down on her with every step.

Where was Kael? And was it all right for me to walk around this way?

His estate was big, and at this rate, I might get lost while walking.

I felt it and I stopped in my tracks, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

Something pulled me closer, a string tugging at me and Neela pushed me forward excitedly to see what was at the end of that string.

“Hey, relax!" I said to her, feeling her excitement seeping to me.

I didn't know what we were feeling, and she wouldn't talk, but I still ran.

I turned a corner, stopping abruptly when I saw someone standing at the end of the hallway.

My breath caught in my throat.

He looked like Kael.

The same strong jawline, the same dark eyes—but there was something different.

His expression wasn’t as cold, not as hard, though his presence still commanded attention.

He stared at me, and the air between us thickened.

My heart raced, not with fear, but with something I couldn’t quite place.

What was this? What was happening to me?

“Kael?” I whispered, taking a step back, my confusion growing.

He looked exactly like Kael, but there was something different.

It wasn’t him. I could sense it.

I didn't share a bond with bond with Kael, and something pulled me toward this man.

He smirked, his eyes raking over my features. “Wrong brother.”

My stomach dropped as the realization hit me.

Kael’s twin.

Alec.

I had heard of him, the estranged brother who had been cast out of the pack, their rivalry steeped in blood and hatred.

He had the same story as I did. His brother was loved by everyone while he was hated.

They shared the same face but different fates. And nobody had seen him in a long time.

So what was he doing here?

Seeing him now, my entire body seemed to react, my heart pounding harder than it had ever with Kael.

Suddenly, the air shifted, and a deep growl echoed down the hall.

I turned to see Kael standing a few feet away, his eyes blazing with fury.

“What the hell are you doing here, Alec?” Kael’s voice was a snarl, his body already tensing as if ready for a fight.

Alec’s gaze didn’t leave mine for a second.

“I’m here for what’s mine.”

I froze, confusion swirling inside her.

What’s his?

I didn’t understand until it hit me

The connection I felt, the strange pull toward Alec. And even the excitement from Neela.

My mind raced as the truth settled in, knocking the air out of my lungs.

I wasn’t just married to Kael.

I was mated to Alec too.