CHAPTER 65: HE HAS TO UNDERSTAND

Magnus

"Golden Lake is now officially under Alpha Windthorne’s rule," Christian, the King’s first assistant, announces, sliding a map across the table toward me.

I uncross my arms and pull the map closer, quickly scanning the blurred borders—inkblot shapes representing the shifting territories of the packs.

"Alpha Arcanis didn’t have a wife," I muse aloud, resting my chin on my interlaced fingers. "No heir either. And considering Windthorne paid the rogues to reclaim his mistresses, there’s no doubt this acquisition was part of his plan all along."

Christian sighs deeply, running his long, unusually slender fingers through his thick blonde hair before shaking his head with a faint air of disapproval.

"We don’t interfere in pack politics unless it threatens the kingdom’s safety."

His words only deepen the crease between my brows. "Am I not the one who judges what threatens safety?"

Christian scoffs softly, though his eyes held no humor. "Alpha Reiner," he says coldly, standing and crumpling the map as if dismissing the topic. Then, leaning in slightly, his voice drops to a serious tone: "We all have our roles. The King rules the land. Pack leaders control their territories. And you..." He pauses, emphasizing each word. "You do whatever the King commands. That’s all there is to it."

He turns and leaves before I can respond—and honestly, I am not sure I have anything to say.

No matter how pathetic it sounds, Christian is right—my job is to protect my people and serve the King. My duty is to do whatever it takes, no matter the cost.

"Ugh, just seeing that prick always sours my mood," Aksel’s voice cuts through the silence as he steps into the room the moment Christian leaves. "What kind of bullshit nonsense did he spout this time?"

I recoil in my chair, crossing my arms tightly over my chest to hide my clenched fists. "Just some paperwork to sign. Updates from the King."

Aksel spins his chair around and drops into it, resting his hands over the backrest. "Still refusing to investigate that bastard Windthorne, huh?"

I sigh, fighting to mask the sting of disappointment. "Our hands are tied without his orders." I know Aksel supports me, trusts my instincts, but I can’t abuse his loyalty for my own stubbornness. If I’m to take risks, I’d rather it be my own position on the line.

Changing the subject, I ask, "What about the report on the missing girls? Anything from the patrol?"

Aksel’s face darkens as he shakes his head. "No trace. It’s like they vanish into thin air."

I study his expression, searching for a flicker of hope or certainty. "Do you really think they’re just running away? Tired of disrespect and abuse, they just pack their things and disappear without a trace? All of a sudden––just out of the blue... Do you really want to stick to that theory?"

He shrugs, but the tension in his eyes betrays a silent suspicion—he’s as unsettled as I am, and for that, I am entirely grateful. I am fucking tired of being the only one who acts like a damn paranoid.

"The situation is unstable, I agree," Aksel sighs, "and let’s be honest––we are only getting these reports from overprotective parents at best. However..."

I catch on quickly, leaning forward as I set my elbows firmly on the desk. "All these girls are either unmated or unmarked. Some haven’t even shifted yet. The council has already noticed a sharp decrease in mating opportunities for the male wolves, so it would be far too reckless to simply write this off as a coincidence."

"But what about Luna Rosalie?" Aksel asks, his tone careful, evaluating.

Yes, Luna Rosalie is the one that threw us off course. Older, marked, and married, her abduction doesn’t really fit the pattern we’re seeing. Still, her disappearance could easily be a calculated trap—an attempt to distract us, to keep us focused on her case, while whoever is behind the other kidnappings continues their horrific work without interference.

I stifle a groan that wells up deep within my chest and instead release a loud, exhausted sigh. I can hardly think anymore. My mind is a constant chaos of worries and responsibilities, swirling endlessly without any clear resolution. No matter how hard I try to untangle the mess, nothing seems to come close to being settled.

"By the way," Aksel says, adding weight to my already stiff shoulders, "Cecilia was looking for you earlier. I told her you had a busy schedule today, but I don’t think you can hide from her forever. You know what will happen if she comes back here without a definite answer. Again."

He pauses, fixing me with a long, assessing look—as if he’s trying to fish something out of me with his eyes alone. I don’t look away, but the pressure I feel in this moment is dangerously close to snapping me.

"Is it still because of her?" He raises his eyebrows slightly. "The new girl?"

Once again, I say nothing. Because honestly, I have nothing to say. Yes, it’s because of her. It’s because of her that I’ve lost all sense of direction—I don’t know what to do anymore.

"Your birthday party is the deadline," Aksel sighs, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. He sets the chair neatly in place before continuing. "I don’t care much about Cecilia or her father, but I do care about you. You need to make up your mind and stop torturing yourself. Whatever it is... I’m sure the King will understand. That’s the least he can do, right?"

He offers me a faint, almost fragile smile before turning and leaving the room. I don’t know how long I sit there alone in the suffocating silence, but somehow, my eyes remain fixed on the door he closed so firmly behind him.

The King will understand. He has to. That’s the least he can do.

But I know him. I know him in ways others don’t. And that man... he doesn’t even know what understanding means.