Chapter Thirteen
Kyle's POV
I woke with a jolt, head pounding, my memory fragmented like shattered glass. For a disorienting second, I had no idea why I was sprawled across my long office chair, Dave and Lypon rigid on the floor beside me like overly vigilant guardian angels. My stomach churned violently, a burning nausea clawing its way up.
"Oh, godess…" I groaned, staggering toward the bathroom. My body betrayed me, and I barely reached the sink before expelling a dark purplish mass. I rinsed my mouth, splashed cold water on my face, and tried to focus on the reflection staring back pale, exhausted, and trembling under the weight of what had nearly ended me.
When I emerged, Dave and Lypon were already on alert, sitting upright on the floor, eyes fixed on me like some rookie sentinels. My beta and gamma stared at me with a mix of fear and disbelief, their expressions softening as if I had been resurrected from the dead.
"What the hell are you two doing, looking like cringey babies checking up on your father?" I barked, trying to mask the raw unease gnawing at my chest.
They didn't answer with words. Instead, they ran forward, throwing themselves at me in a frantic hug. I froze as their tears soaked my sleeves.
"I thought I was going to lose you!" Lypon choked out, his voice trembling.
"Me too, Alpha… I can't…" Dave's words cracked, emotion bleeding through the carefully composed facade they usually maintained.
I shoved them both off, shock and awkwardness warring inside me. "Okay! Enough! Stand down. Now tell me what happened. Why all the drama?"
They straightened, finally assuming the composure I expected. Lypon spoke first, grim and serious: "Someone… dared to poison you, Alpha."
My stomach lurched. Poisoned? My instincts screamed at me, a familiar, dangerous tension firing along my nerves. "Poisoned? Huh… where's the maid? And the guards?"
"All of them. The maid, the guards, and the guests who attended the mating ceremony," Dave replied, his tone cold and precise. "They're locked in the dungeon, undergoing questioning. Some… less pleasant methods are being used to extract the truth.", then Dave explained everything that had occurred and
a sharp edge of satisfaction cut through my fury. "By the end of today, I want to know exactly who did this," I said firmly, fists clenching at my sides.
"Of course, Your Highness," Dave replied, then smirked knowingly. "But you're forgetting something, Alpha."
I raised an eyebrow, wary. "Oh? And what might that be?"
Lypon let out a slow, heavy sigh, the kind that carried the weight of experience. "Hmmm… You won't thank the Luna for what she did. I mean… she saved you. Healed you."
I scowled. "Do I have to?"
"Yes," Dave said, a teasing note in his voice, though his eyes betrayed the seriousness of the situation.
"Fine," I grunted, rolling my eyes. "Fine, I'll consider it."
Dave and Lypon excused themselves and strode toward the dungeon, their boots echoing in the hall.
The dungeon was dim and cold, a place designed to break willpower and test endurance. Torches flickered along the stone walls as Dave and Lypon worked methodically, interrogating the guards and a few suspicious noble guests who had lingered too long at the ceremony. The methods employed were brutal yet precise, a blend of intimidation and pain calibrated to extract the truth without unnecessary deaths.
"You're lying," Dave said sharply, pressing a clawed hand against a nobleman's chest. "Tell me the truth now, or this will get worse."
"I swear, I don't know anything!" the man gasped, sweat dripping down his temple.
Lypon knelt beside another, voice calm yet chilling. "We know someone planned this. Speak, or you'll regret not speaking sooner."
Minutes stretched into tense hours. Torture, confessions, and denials blended into a harrowing symphony. Yet, despite the pain and fear, the suspects were innocent. Dave wiped sweat from his brow, his jaw tight. "They're clean, but the truth isn't here. Not among these fools."
Lypon's jaw tightened as he nodded. "Then we move. If someone's talking, we need to intercept them. We can't waste any more time."
As they exited the room, Tess appeared in the corridor, eyes flashing with information. "Someone has finally spoken," she said, a mix of triumph and relief in her voice. "This could lead us to who did it."
The men exchanged a look of satisfaction, then followed her down the shadowed stone hallways, anticipation and urgency propelling their steps.
In Louise bedroom
Kyle's pov
I approached Louise's room, hesitating before opening the door. She was sprawled across her bed, hair tousled and arms scattered in a way no other woman dared. My chest tightened a raw, unfiltered vulnerability radiated from her, something that both intrigued and unnerved me.
Could I trust this feeling? Or was it just the mate bond playing cruel tricks on my heart? My father's shadow loomed over me, a warning of what could happen if I let myself fall. I couldn't. I wouldn't.
Still… I needed to wake her. Procrastinating my gratitude or worse, leaving it unspoken would be exhausting later.
I stepped closer and gently tapped her shoulder. No response. I tried her hand next, and without warning, she unconsciously pulled me toward her. I stumbled forward, landing on top of her. Her arms immediately wrapped tightly around my neck, holding me like she wasn't letting go.
For a moment, I struggled, caught between panic and fascination. Then her eyes fluttered open. Her gaze locked on mine, a mix of shock, irritation, and something else something raw and unspoken.
"What the hell… Kyle?"
Her voice, low and incredulous, sent a shiver down my spine. I blinked, trying to maintain control as my pulse raced. How could she make me feel so unsteady while lying in disarray, half-asleep, arms clinging to me like this?