Chapter 9
905 Words
_Kieran’s POV_
She was gone.
I could hardly believe it.
Katherine had escaped.
For days, I had locked her away in the cellar, where no one could reach her. Guards were stationed outside the door at all times. No one—not even the pack’s highest-ranking warriors—could enter without my permission. And yet, she had managed to disappear without a trace. I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening.
This wasn’t possible.
The rogue attack had thrown the pack into chaos, forcing me to call every available warrior, including the guards watching over her. But even then, she couldn’t have escaped on her own. The cellar was locked. She had no key. No way out.
Someone had helped her.
And I had a strong suspicion about who. "Adrian," I called, my voice sharp. My Beta stepped forward immediately. "Yes, Alpha?"
"Bring Thomas to me. Now." Adrian gave a quick nod and left the room without hesitation.
I paced the floor of my office, my mind racing.
Thomas.
He was the only one who had ever shown kindness toward Katherine after I rejected her. I had noticed the way he looked at her, the way he seemed to pity her. It made sense that he would be the one to betray me.
But why?
Did he think he could protect her better than I could? Did he believe I had been cruel by imprisoning her?
I ran a hand through my hair, my frustration mounting.
She didn’t understand. None of them did.
I had rejected Katherine for her own good.
She was never meant to be my mate. I had made a choice—a difficult one—but it was necessary. If I had accepted her, it would have only led to suffering.
She was better off away from me.
So why did the thought of her out there alone make my chest tighten with something I couldn’t explain?
Before I could dwell on it any longer, Adrian returned, pushing Thomas into the room. "Alpha," Thomas said calmly, his expression unreadable. "You wanted to see me?"
I folded my arms across my chest. "Don’t play innocent. I know you helped Katherine escape."
Thomas frowned. "What?"
"Don’t lie to me," I growled, stepping closer. "The cellar was locked. She couldn’t have gotten out on her own. Someone let her out."
His expression remained steady. "I had nothing to do with it."
My wolf snarled inside me, restless and angry. "Then tell me, Thomas—who else would help her?"
Thomas held my gaze, unshaken. "I don’t know, Alpha. But it wasn’t me."
I narrowed my eyes. "You expect me to believe that?"
He nodded. "You can ask anyone in the pack. That night, I was in the kitchen, helping prepare food for the next day. I never left."
I turned to Adrian. "Bring the others who were working in the kitchen."
Adrian left once more, returning moments later with three pack members. "Tell me the truth," I ordered them. "Was Thomas with you all night?"
They exchanged glances before nodding.
"Yes, Alpha," one of them said. "He was with us the whole time."
I exhaled sharply.
Damn it.
Thomas had an alibi.
I wanted to believe he was lying, but the pack members had no reason to cover for him. So if it wasn’t Thomas… who had helped Katherine escape?
Where had she gone?
I turned back to Thomas, studying him. If he truly wasn’t involved, then that meant someone else had taken a risk for her. Someone who wanted to see her free.
Or… had she done it on her own?
Was it possible that in the chaos of the battle, she had found a way to flee without help?
No. She was weak. Injured. A rat had bitten her, and the last time I saw her, she could barely stand. There was no way she had run off into the night without assistance.
A sharp pain twisted in my chest.
I ignored it.
This was for the best.
Katherine was gone, and I had to accept it. I had done everything to push her away, to make sure she never looked back. Keeping her locked up had been the final step in breaking whatever bond had remained between us.
And now, she was free.
She would hate me forever.
She would never return.
And yet…
I clenched my jaw, pushing down the sickening feeling rising in my stomach.
Why did the thought of never seeing her again make my wolf restless?
Why did I feel… regret?
I turned to Adrian. "Increase patrols along the borders. If she’s still out there, I don’t want her returning."
Adrian hesitated. "Are you sure, Alpha? She is alone. Weak. If rogues find her—"
I cut him off. "That is not our problem anymore."
Thomas stiffened. "So you really don’t care if she dies out there?"
My hands balled into fists. "She made her choice."
Thomas let out a bitter laugh. "No, Kieran. You made it for her."
His words hit me harder than I wanted to admit. I turned away from them, walking to the window. The fires from the rogue attack had been put out, but the damage remained. The pack would rebuild. They always did.
But some things… some things couldn’t be rebuilt.
Katherine was gone.
And for the first time since rejecting her, I wondered if I had made the wrong choice.
- Writer
