Kieran pov

My bfather /bwas killed by Ethan.

When I was a child, I lived in a small home here in the Emberfang Pack with my parents, a hardworking father and a loving

mother.

They were everything to me. They were all that mattered.

I still remember the warm scent that drifted from the kitchen when my mother cooked, and how my fatherughed heartily whenever she called him a pig for asking for more portions.

I remember it all.

I also remember the day my father bcame /bhome, not with smiles and a gift like he usually did, but bloody and injured.

That night, I thought my father was one of the monsters he used to tell me about. I had run back into the house, screaming

that a monster hade

I can still see the look on my mother’s face when she ran out of the kitchen and saw him like that. She cried as she treated

his wounds.

And as I peeked out from behind the wall, frightened by the sight of all that blood, I heard him speakb: /b

“We’ve been found out. The Alpha discovered that I’ve been working with the rogues to overthrow him. He killed my men. I barely had time to escapeb./b”

I could still hear bmy /bfather’s bvoice /bas he told bus /bwe had to run that night.

But bwe /bhadn’t made it far before we were captured by Ethan and his guards

My gaze dropped to the shattered ss on the ground as memories from that night surged back.

The way Ethan didn’t hesitate as he raised his sword and shed my father’s neckb, /bsevering his bhead/b.

And the cold, unreadable look he gave my mother and me before turning away.

Instead of killing us too, he banished us from the pack,

After that, our lives became a nightmare. With no shelter or the protection of a pack, my mother used her body so we could survive. She gave herself to the rogues every night in exchange for even the smallest scraps of food and she did that until I was old enough to work.

Back then, I was happy. I was finally strong enough to work with the rogues, even if it meaning from pack to bpack/bb, /blooting, killing, and bringing back captives.

I didn’t care. Because if there was one thing I had learned living among rogues, it was that in order to survive, you had to trample over others.

10:16 Thu 31 Jul

On my first night killing people, I felt nothing. In fact, I felt satisfied when I received my payment.

With that money, I bought my mother’s favorite food to surprise her.

But when I returned home, all I found was her corpse.

She had taken her own life.

And next to her was a note she had left behind:

Dear Kieran, this is not your fault. I wanted to take my life after your father died and follow him, but you were the reason stayed alive this long. I couldn’t leave you alone, so I waited until you were strong enough to take care of yourself. I don’t want you to live like this anymore, working with the rogues. I want you to do what makes you happy. I know you still me Alpha Ethan bfor /byour father’s death, but don’t. Even though I always loved your father, I’ll admit… he was a greedy man, going after Alpha Ethan’s position even knowing the risks. Alpha Ethan is not a bad man. He spared both of us, bhe /bonly took your father. He did what he had to do. So please, let go of everything and return to the packb. /bBe happy

That was her final message.

She had taken the side of the man who ruined our lives and asked me to let everything go. And maybe I could have done that, forgotten everything and started a new life but I refused.

Instead, I met him, the king of the rogues who helped me train and get to this pack, where I swore I’d take my revenge on Ethan. I promised to make him lose everything and everyone he bloved/b… especially his daughter, Nyssa.

And when I arrived and found out that my mate was Nyssa’s best friend, it only made my ns easier. I used her to get

closer to Nyssa.

But now…

“I’ve done too much to let everything fall apart now!” I hissed, fury burning through me as I mmed my bhand /bdown on the shattered ss.

“I can’t lose Nyssa. I can’t let that cursed bastard take her to his pack!” I muttered under my breath, knowing that if Nyssa left, the leverage I had would be gone too. Ethan, who had already been suspicious of me might start investigating, and my position in the pack’s army could decline, especially if he no longer had a reason to keep me around.

I had to speak to Aria about my new nb. /b

It was clear now–Nyssa already knew what had been going on between us, which meant I had only one option left: convince Aria to take the me for everything. If she could tell Nyssa that she had tried to seduce me, but I rejected her

advances…

That might just make Nyssa forgive me.

I had to try.

I drew in a deep breath and stood up from the ground, staggering a bit as I headed toward the stairs. Running a hand through my hair, tried to ster a smile on my face and began thinking of the words I’d say to Aria, knowing they’d work. Whenever she was upset about me being with Nyssa, a bfew /bsoft words of reassurance bwere /benough

to make her bcave/b.

This time would be no different. I’d touch her the way she needed, toll her everything I was doing was for her

Yes, that’s exactly what I’d do.

“Aria, baby,” I called out, reaching for the doorknob. But just as I was about to open the door, the sound of something crashing to the ground made me freeze.

“What–what did you do to me?!” Aria’s voice rang out in panic.

My brow furrowed as I quickly pushed the door open and rushed inside… only to find Aria copsed on the floor, clutching her throat.

And standing before her was Nyssa.

She didn’t even nce my way as she spoke.

“I

poisoned you, Aria. And you’ve got ten minutes before you die.”

C