7- DO YOU STILL LOVE HER?

KYMON'S POV

I stare at the fire igniting from one of the many torches lighting up the massive plush front gate as I sit on a haddock on the balcony of my room.

I can just imagine her and Adena chit-chatting while walking through the gate with smiles on their faces. I can see Freya's chestnut eyes smiling up at me as she giggles.

" Who's that?" I say not turning around when I feel someone behind me.

" Who else would ever dare enter your room?" Stepmother says, and I peel my eyes from the torch and stand to see her standing by my door with a smile.

I bow my head in respect and she shakes her head and walks into the balcony. " The Alpha bows to no one."

She takes a cigarette out of the many on a table adjacent to the haddock, and I snatch it from her hand before she can light it up.

" Old habits die hard." I smile down at her seeing the disappointment in her face. " Or maybe I have lost every form of authority when it comes to my mother."

I raise up the cigar to her. " Well, except stopping you from taking this and alcohol."

She sighs and lowers to sit on a stool, and I quickly put a cushion on it before she can sit.

She looks at me with amusement flashing in her eyes. " You are unbelievable Kymon. Stopping me from doing what comforts me and then indirectly professing your love towards me."

A low laugh evades my mouth as I crash back into the haddock. " Love doesn't make me blind mother. Because I adore you doesn't mean I'll watch you kill yourself by taking that shit."

" But you take it too!" She accuses and I exhale tapping my chin.

" You see that's exactly what I've been anticipating." My smile slides off my face and I return my gaze to the front gate. " Heavy is the head that wears the crown. I will bet a million that, everyone is waiting for the day my head is off my body with the crown on it."

There's no comfort in this pack or this world exactly. Everyone is one big sycophant, pretending to like you just to get something from you.

Freya, mother, and father have been killed by people they trusted. Although I would have killed father myself— at least I never pretended to like any damn thing about him.

" I know this isn't about the pack," Stepmother says, and I sneer. " This is about Freya, isn't it? It's been two years Kai—"

" And I had been with her for four." I jump in, my gaze not wavering. " Maybe this is about Freya but we both know what those vile wolves I rule are capable of."

I have been attacked numerous amounts of times in my life but ever since Adena's death, my attack seems to happen because of a particular cause. By a particular weeping heart. I have tried everything I can to find out the bastards behind my attack, but to no avail; all I managed to find out is that one of the attackers had a symbolic tattoo on his torso.

If my eyes read well, I saw a smidgen of that exact tattoo on Caspian's torso.

Of course, I'm not one to act without reason because I would have killed him right from the moment I saw him with Lyra. But, putting the pieces together, he is Adena's brother and we have never quite gotten along.

He had warned Adena countless times to stay clear from me because he knew the circumstances surrounding my birth.

I clench my fist, my eyes not leaving the torch.

" You've been staring at that same place for what? Two hours now?" Zade says with mirth hanging by the corner of his voice as he sits on the stool Mother was occupying minutes ago.

" Forgive me for appreciating a good artistry."

He scoffs and drags the wine glass from my hand before gulping it down his throat and having the audacity to fill up the empty glass.

" Sarcasm doesn't suit you," He raises a brow at me and then smirks.

" And foolishness suites you like a glove," I remark and he raises a middle finger to me while drinking my wine.

If it was anyone else, their blood would be in the glass and I'd be drinking it.

He drops the glass, leans into the chair, and releases a breath before his face presses into something calculating. " Did you tell Keeper the truth about his sister?"

" He wouldn't still be crying like a pussy if I did," I growl, grabbing the empty glass and filling it up.

I know if I had told him I killed his sister, he would raise a sword to me despite the fact we are close friends. He hadn't stopped crying since the news of her death came to light. It makes me sick seeing a male cry and also angry because I feel a bit remorseful for what I did.

Lyra has no idea what I have done for her but I don't care the least about what she thinks. I know she despises me and prefers she continues feeling that way towards me.

At least I do know someone who genuinely hates me without pretense.

" I had no damn clue Bryn would be capable of such a thing," Zade says while rubbing his temple.

I give him a coup d'oeil before grimacing at my wine. I can tell he still loves Lyra. He's been far from himself since they broke up. I knew she wasn't the one for him the very moment I set my eyes on her.

" Do you still love Lyra?" I ask just wanting to be sure.

I can feel his confused eyes on me and it takes a while for him to answer. " Yes, but why do you ask?"

I want to see exactly how much she loves her dear friend.