bChapter 186 /b

    Vessa’s POV

    The silence hung heavy in the air, almost suffocating. It wasn’t the kind of quiet that feltfortable, like the calm before a storm. No, this one felt blike /bthe pause after a grenade had just gone off and no one knew how to move.

    Vessa’s eyes flickered around, avoiding everyone’s s gaze. She bit her lip, looking like she wanted to disappear, but finally, the pressure of the moment

    cracked her resolve.

    “Well… yeah. I am… actually,” she sighed, her voice softer than expected.

    Cael’s eyes went wide, a fire igniting in them as he stood taller, his voice a thunderp in the quiet room. “You’re pregnant, and you still thought leaving me was a good idea?! Are you out of your damn mind?!”

    Vessa snapped her head up, fury burning in her gaze. “Did you hit your head or something, Cael? You dumped me, you idiot! What was I supposed to do, huh? Stick around, have your baby, while you move on with the next girl?!” Her words cut through the tension like a knife.

    “NO!” Cael shouted, hands trembling as he took a step forward. “I didn’t mean to dump you-”

    “Didn’t you tell me we were over?” Vessa’s voice trembled, the disbelief in her tone matching the anger. “Didn’t you say it was done?”

    Cael’s face twisted in frustration. “I did… but…”

    “Really? You just said those words and expected me to sit around and wait for you? You’re an idiot, Cael,” ra interjected, crossing her arms with a sharp, disappointed frown.

    “Irresponsible,” Thorne added coolly, his tone dripping with disdain.

    “HEY!” Cael spun on Thorne, finger pointed. “Youb, /bof all people, don’t get to say a damn word!”

    Thorne didn’t flinch. He simply raised an eyebrow and went quiet, arms folded across his chest.

    Running a hand through his hair, Cael let out an exasperated groan, bhis /bfrustration palpable. “Okay, listen. I said I wasn’t happy with how things were going… I’m tired of being just your boyfriend, alright? I want more than that, I want us to be… serious. More serious.”

    Vessa froze, her mouth hanging open, shock flooding her face.

    The entire room seemed to hold its breath, exchanging confused looks. Even ra, who normally had no problem keeping herposure, was taken aback.

    “Wait,” ra said slowly, her eyes narrowing, “So, you weren’t breaking up with her?”

    “Of course not!” Cael snapped, his frustration turning into confusion.

    b“/bThen why the hell did you say you wereb?!/bb” /bVessa fired back. “Stop lyingb, /bCael!”

    Cael’s cheeks reddened, the anger in his eyes fighting to keep hold. “Fuck–okay, I said yes to downy it! I… I wanted to prepare youb, /bmake bit /beasier, you know? Gradual bad news before the big surprise! It’s called… building up for the climaxb!/bb” /b

    “What surprise?” Vessa shook her head in disbelief. “What the hell are you talking about?”

    Cael’s face turned scarlet, and with a shaky hard, he reached into his pocket and pulled bout /bba /bvelvet boxb. /b“bNow/b, I look like a damn bfool/bb,/bb” /bbhe /bbmuttered /bunder his breath, opening the box to reveal the sparkling diamond ring.

    Vessa gasped, her hands flying to her mouthb, /btrying to stifle bthe /bshock that brattled /bher.

    The entire room seemed bto /bbinhale /bbsharply/bb. /bbMaids /bbon /bbthe /bbfar /bbside /bbof /bbthe /bbroom /bbstood /bbon /bbtheir /bbtoes /bbto /bbget /bba /bbglimpse /bbof /bbthe /bbdisy /bbunfolding /b

    b1/4 /b

    b10:19 /bbMon/bb, /bb18 /bbAug /bo

    “I had this all nned,” Cael continued, his voice faltering with embarrassment. “After ra got back from her trip tonight… I was going to proposeb… /bdidn’t expect you to freak out and vanish on me like that.”

    ra couldn’t hold herself back. “Of course, she would freak out! You asked for a breakup, you idiot!”

    Cael’s face twisted, the awkwardness only growing. “I… I said it to soften the blow…”

    ra wasn’t having it. “You’re a goddamn idiot. No wonder she vanished. If I were her, I’d tell you to shove it.”

    Cael couldn’t find a response to that, left speechless as his gaze flicked nervously to Vessa, who was still processing everything.

    “Well,” ra said, breaking the tension, “We’ll leave you two alone now. Let you figure this out.” She turned to the staff in the hall, her voice light but firm, “Everybody out.”

    b201 /b

    The maids and servants filed out quietly, closing the door behind them as they left the two of them in the room, still caught in the whirlwind of confusion

    and emotions.

    Outside, the staff muttered excitedly, gossiping in hushed voices about what had just happened. A few of them giggled, some seemed too shocked to

    speak, but the energy in the air was electric with anticipation.

    “So, that was something,” Thorne muttered, walking next to ra as they headed down the hallway, his voice light but with an edge of sarcasm.

    “Yeah,” ra sighed, rubbing her temples. “Guess I didn’t expect to clean up Cael’s mess on my first day home.”

    “They’ll figure it out,” Thorne said. “They’ve always had strong feelings for each other. Maybe Cael just didn’t see it before.”

    ra gave a small nod, ncing up at him. “They’re not mates, but they’ve stuck together for nearly a decade. Maybe love really is that powerful.”

    They reached the staircase, and as ra put one foot on the first step, Thorne’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist firmly.

    “I’m sorry,” he said suddenly, his tone raw.

    She blinked, surprised. “What for?”

    “I never gave you a proper proposal,” Thorne admitted quietly, his eyes holding a depth of regret she hadn’t expected. “No wedding, nothing. And I regret it every day.”

    His eyes seemed to gleam softly under the chandelier’s glow, like bthe /bcalm before a storm. “I know you wanted something… well, something more than what I gave you. What Cae! did for Vessa, even if it was ridiculous..! he put thought into it.”

    ra couldn’t help but let out augh, shaking her head. “You mean his ridiculous proposal?”

    Thorne smiled, a little rueful. “Not the n, but the thought behind it. I should’ve done the same for you.”

    Her breath caught, and she struggled to look away from his intense gaze. “Yeah, you should’ve. But now… it’s toote.”

    Thorne’s expression softened, the wordsing out with a sudden urgency. “It’s never toote.”

    Before she could reply, a voice from behind interrupted their moment.

    “ra!” The voice was sharp, filled with authority./

    Both bof /bthem turned to see Dorian and his men walking towards them, their steps confident but quick.

    b“/bbI /bsearched the back mountain. No sign of your friend,” Dorian said, his voice heavy with frustration. b“/bBut we’ve got bpeople /bbsearching /bthe bsuburbs /bbnow/b. We’ll find her soon enough.“.

    bThorne /bsmirked, bhis /btone dripping bwith /bbsarcasm/bb. /bb“/bDon’t bother, King Dorian,” bhe /bsaidb, /bbvoice /bbbiting/b. b“/bbI’ve /balready bfound /bbher/bb./bb” /b

    b214 /b

    bUVIUIT/b, TO bMuy /b

    20

    Dorian froze, narrowing his eyes. “…You found her?”

    “Yes.” Thorne’s smirk deepened, like a predator who’d won a battle. “You don’t know thisnd. It’s the werewolf’s territory, and you don’t belong here. Maybe it’s time you left.”

    Dorian’s cold gaze flicked to ra, his lips curling slightly. “ra invited me.”

    “Only because you forced her to,” Thorne snapped back. “Fuck off. Stop trying to drag her away from her home.”

    “Or what?” Dorian sneered, lowering his voice in challenge. “You going to try and throw me out yourself?”

    Thorne’s eyes gleamed with challenge, his lips curving into a cold grin. “Watch me.”

    With a burst of movement, the two men collided. The fight that broke out was vicious, with punches and kicks flying in a blur. Both men were powerful, but their fighting styles were different–Dorian had strength, but Thorne had experience. The room around them erupted in chaos.

    Maids screamed and scurried for cover, while the guards hurried in, weapons drawn, to break up the fight.

    Frustration seeped into ra’s bones, the headache growing as she watched the scene unfold. She just wanted peace, but these men didn’t seem capable of leaving her alone for even a moment.

    The door to the dining hall flung open. Cael stepped out, his presencemanding. He walked with purpose, grabbing a pistol from one of the guards and firing it into the air without hesitation.

    BANG! The shot rang out, and the room fell dead silent.

    Cael dropped the pistol to the floor with an icy stare that cut through the tension like a knife. “Fighting under my roof?” His voice was cold, every sybleced with authority. “I don’t wee guests like that.”

    Both Thorne and Dorian froze, their fists still clenched, mid–fight.

    “Apologies,” Thorne muttered, his tone suddenly stiff.

    “My bad,” Dorian cleared his throat, nodding. “Nice to meet you… Alpha Cael.”

    Cael’s gaze traveled over him, critically. “So, the Lycans are real. And you’re here to win my sister’s heart, just like Thorne?”

    “Yes,” Dorian said tly.

    Cael let out a snort. “I know one thing for sure. I’m not marrying my sister off to any abusive man, no matter how many territories you rule or how much money you have.”

    He turned his icy stare to Thorne. “And you, stay in my house, no violence. Got it?”

    Both men, eyes filled with animosity, murmured their agreement.

    “rab, /ba word?” Cael gestured to the dining hall.

    ra nodded, her mind still reeling. She stepped past the two men and followed Cael inside, closing the door behind her.

    “ra, look at this!” Vessa rushed over, her excitement nearly bubbling over. “It’s huge!”

    bra /bughed, shaking her head at the sight of her friend so giddy. “bCongrattions/b!” She hugged her tightly, genuinely happy for her bfriend/bb. /bb“/bbSo/bb, /bbyou /bsaid yes?b” /b

    Vessa giggled, her eyes sparkling. “Had to, right? If not to him, then at least to this bgiant /bbrock /bon my finger. bThe /bwedding’s in btwo /bweeks.

    bra’s /bjaw dropped. “Wow, more good news?b” /b

    b3/4 /b

    b10:19 /bbMon/bb, /bb18 /bbAug /b

    Vessa winked. “We need your help getting everything ready.”

    Cael wrapped his arm around Vessa’s shoulder, grinning. “And you’re the perfect person for it.”

    ra rolled her eyes. “Do I have a choice?”

    “Nope,” Cael replied smugly. “And we both agree that having a war heroine n the party would be awesome.”

    Vessa nodded eagerly. “And we were talking. We think you should officially announce who you’ll marry at the wedding.”

    ra’s eyes widened in surprise. “You both think…?”

    Vessa’s grin was all mischief. “Yes. It’ll be fun.”