CHAPTER 283: KAI’S PAIN

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Chapter 283

~Valerie’s POV~

I blinked when I heard what Kai said. He wanted me to know and ask?

I suppose not everyone felt as offended as Axel did. But still. My eyes drifted from Kai to Xade.

Xade shrugged his shoulder as he gave me that ’I don’t know’ kind of smile.

"Are you sure?" My attention drifted to Kai.

He tucked his hands in his trousers pocket, the look on his face now calm, as he stepped further in.

"I am. What do you want to know, Valerie? I want you to be able to trust me."

It felt like a big ticket, and yet here I sat, too scared to say it.

Xade sighed from where he was close to me. "V wants to know how we all got our blue eyes. Axel and I have already told her. And that just leaves Dristan and you."

I watched Kai closely, the way his shoulders tensed, how his breathing changed, how rigid his posture felt like he was reliving a horrifying moment.

I quickly decided to sit it down as it wasn’t worth putting him through all these.

"No, Kai. I don’t want to know. It’s okay."

Kai blinked cutely as he made his way to my reading chair and turned it to face us.

"It’s okay. I doubt he’d want me to brood for all eternity."

Xade and I exchanged glances once more. "You sure?"

"Very." He answered.

"Let’s hear it then," I said, rubbing my palms together while trying not to seem nervous.

"It was a huh... we were young, umm, around age 14 or 15 when we were going out. My then-best friend never intended to leave that day, but I... I forced him to go with me. There was a breach in our region’s security system, and luckily, we caught the culprit."

"That’s great but..." I began but he shook his head to cut me off.

"However, they needed to interrogate him to find out what he knew and who he had sold regional secrets to."

I nodded in understanding.

"But he wasn’t budging. He wouldn’t talk, and then during one of my sneaks at the torture chamber, I spotted someone else, spying on the interrogation."

He had my undivided attention at that one. This was where this went downhill—I could tell.

"I immediately texted my friend telling him I’ve got a tail. If I could confirm what it was... then maybe Dad would let us in on the next interrogation. Weird interest, I know, but I wanted to..."

"Prove yourself, right?" Kai halted but nodded much later.

"Yes."

"Then how did you know that the guy was a spy?"

"First off, he recently joined our ranks. They had just settled in our region and looked for work, so they applied for pack warriors about three weeks before his friend was caught. On two occasions, I had seen them together."

"Okay, he could just be a concerned friend," I reasoned, wanting to clear all possibilities.

"Yes. I thought of that, but when I saw him video and then leave... I followed. You don’t video your friend being interrogated, Val."

"Alright, noted... what happened next?"

"Well, Onyx wasn’t really thrilled in chasing but being best friends, we promised to do literally everything together. That and the fact that he teased me about getting in trouble if he didn’t come along."

My jaw slackened a little. I closed my eyes, already picturing what went wrong next.

"Then, I followed him closely and just as he got into an unknown vehicle, Onyx and I followed after. We drove until we left our border, and then we saw their hideout. We overheard them talking and discovered they were rogues, trying to breach and, you know, invade."

I glanced at Xade. He wasn’t saying anything but the way he intertwined his fingers made me realise he was already reliving his own experience.

"I was going to inform my dad when we got shot with darts, containing wolfsbane."

My eyes stung when I heard that. They were both young. Knocking them out with wolfsbane was a bit extreme, but so were these people. Some rogues couldn’t be reasoned with, especially with their stupid Alpha leading them. Some could be saved and offered a new home but...

I shook my head and focused on his story.

"By the time we woke up, however... we were bound with silver chains on our wrists, ankles and..." he shook his head and sighed.

"It’s okay, Kai, we can stop here, please. I don’t want you to..."

"I’ll be fine."

I couldn’t argue anymore. So, I let him continue.

"We woke up not scared. I’ll admit that my overconfidence ultimately ruined the situation. I mean him."

"How?"

"I tried negotiating in the wrong way, but long story short, we were used as hostages to release their comrade, amongst other things."

"Such as?" It was Xade who spoke now, after all this time.

I could tell he may have heard the news before, maybe from Kai or someone else, but he asked. He was genuinely concerned and involved.

Kai must have picked up on my thoughts, perhaps through my expression or something else, and explained it.

"I never told them in detail, if at all, we ever brushed the topic. So Xade doesn’t really know."

"In detail," Xade added, and I smiled softly.

"I understand."

"Okay, but trust me, the next part’s gonna get dark, though," Kai informed us.

He looked out the window briefly, like gathering the strength to relive what was coming next.

I reached out, brushing his hand lightly. Kai flinched slightly at first, but then relaxed. I didn’t say a word. He just needed to know I was there.

"They tortured Onyx. Not me."

"Because you were the Alpha Kings’ Heir or?"

"Yes, and no. They knew he was softer, more empathetic, but they were wrong. Onyx was stronger. However, when I was interrogated as to where the secrets were kept and how to get them in and out of the packhouse undetected, I refused and cursed at them."

"That angered them."

"Yes. And to ensure I cooperated while waiting for my own Dad’s corporation, they made me watch. They made me... listen while he was being tortured."

I shut my eyes, recalling the death that was all around me when my family and pack members were mostly killed.

"That was their goal—to break me by hurting him," Kai continued. "And as much as I wanted to give in, Onyx made me promise not to."

My throat tightened. I could see Kai eyes glisten.

"And I couldn’t do anything. They kept telling me they’d stop if I gave up the patrol routes, the codes, the core names in our hierarchy. But I didn’t... I couldn’t. And Onyx..." His voice cracked. "Onyx didn’t blame me. Even when he could barely speak. He just smiled and said, ’We did everything together... even this.’"

A tear escaped down my cheek before I could stop it.

And at the same time, Kai looked down and sniffed. My chest hurt so badly... I mean, the guilt he had to live through was just unimaginably so... painful and...

"But that wasn’t what hurt the most. It was watching them slowly cut off his dick while injecting him with something to give him an erection that broke me."

And this time, the tears Kai had been holding back finally dropped.

"Onyx screamed and for years, till now, I still hear his ear-piercing, deafening scream as he was tortured. And by the time he had any life left in him, he... they slit his throat and sent the video of what they had done to my father as a warning for what they’d do to his heir next."

I did not know this Onyx boy, but I felt immense rage for their brutality.

"And when the rescue team finally came with my father, it was too late. He died three minutes before they arrived. Three minutes."

No one said anything. Even Xade’s face looked strained, pale.

Kai let out a bitter laugh. "They said I got my blue eyes because of what I saw. But I know the truth. I earned it because of what I lost and the guilt that literally never went away from that loss."

I swallowed. "I’m sorry," I whispered.

"It’s okay. My father, Alpha Draven, ensured they all died gruesome deaths. However, before he left after breaking my chains, his words to me were, ’playing hero while the lives of your pack members are at stake is not only stupid but careless and foolish, I wouldn’t punish you, but I’ll let that guilt be your punishment and teach you what happens when you behave recklessly.’"

More tears rolled down Kai’s cheeks.

"But, you were just a little boy seeking his father’s approval."

"At the cost of a life? No. I was no ruler. I behaved irresponsibly and the cost was far more than I could have ever imagined."

"I know, Kai. But had you gone alone," Kai shook his head, "then maybe it would have been yo..."

"I don’t care if I was the one. I fucking do not care!" he half yelled.

I did not flinch; I could feel his pain.

"No, Valerie," he said softly this time, placing a hand on his chest.

"I wished for years for me to have been the one, for the Moon Goddess to have taken me back to that day, but I couldn’t. I watched my friend suffer for two days because I put my father in a difficult position. Us for the whole region."

"Shhhh, Kai, please." I rushed from the bed and knelt before him, my hands resting on his thighs. "Look at me, I’m here."

He nodded but didn’t speak. His eyes glistened with more unshed tears.

"I never wanted to talk about it... But now I feel like maybe... maybe I should have."

"You don’t owe anyone your pain, Kai," I said gently.