Chapter 2 Episode 2

The man standing at the center of the bloodstained garden was none other than Lord Regent Darius Thorn, a powerful warlord and the younger brother of Alpha King Ronan Thorn.

Raina had never met him before. By the time she entered the palace, Darius had already been stationed at the northern borders, commanding the Pack's armies.

Rumors whispered that the two brothers had once been inseparable, but something had changed between them. Now, their relationship was nothing more than cold formality.

Some said Darius had left on his own. Others claimed he had been sent away. Either way, he had remained at the borders for thirteen long years, only returning two years ago, draped in glory and battlefield honors.

And now, here he stood, silver sword in hand, his golden armor gleaming under the moonlight, his icy gaze scanning the carnage before him.

Was this his doing?

Did he return not as the Alpha's right hand, but as a traitor?

The thought sent a chill down Raina's spine. Her pulse pounded in her ears.

No... It can't be...

Then, a voice cut through the stillness.

"Lord Regent, It is done! The Alpha is already-"

Raina's breath hitched.

A pain pressed against her chest, her arms wrapped protectively around Kai's trembling body. She felt him stiffen, his breathing slow and uneven. A wet sensation spread across her fingers.

Tears.

Kai was crying, though he made no sound. His lips were pressed into a firm line, his expression frozen. Only his dark eyes, once filled with mischief, now burned with silent, unbearable grief.

Raina clenched her jaw, her own heart aching for him.

Meanwhile, the questioning continued.

"Where is the young prince?" Darius's voice was unreadable.

"Not yet found, Lord Regent. We're searching everywhere. These servants all served in the prince's wing of the packhouse. We've brought them here."

A group of terrified pack members was forced forward, their hands bound with silver chain, their eyes darting around in sheer terror. Raina recognized some of them, servant she had seen serving in the prince's quarters.

She swallowed hard.

Kai had been alone with her when he ran off. No one knew where he had gone. That meant... these people wouldn't have any answers.

Would Darius believe that?

Or would he simply kill them?

A heavy silence filled the garden, suffocating and thick. Raina could hear her own heartbeat thundering in her ears.

Then, a scream shattered the night.

A young omega wailed in terror as a body hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Darius's voice remained cold, unwavering. "If no one gives me an answer, I will kill one servant every minute until I do. Count the time, and decide how long you wish to live."

The words sent a wave of horror through the prisoners.

The first death was followed by another. And another.

The stench of blood thickened in the air, soaking into the earth, staining the stone path beneath them.

Raina squeezed her eyes shut. Every scream was a dagger to her chest. The headless bodies, the spreading pools of blood, each one carved into her mind like an inescapable nightmare.

Her body trembled with the urge to stand up, to beg Darius to stop this senseless slaughter.

But before she could move, Kai's cold fingers wrapped around her hand.

She looked down.

The boy who had been sobbing in silence now had a face carved from ice, his tears had dried, replaced by something else entirely.

Rage.

Then, a desperate voice rang out.

"Spare my life! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Raina's heart skipped a beat, the voice belonged to Cathan, a young servant from Kai's quarters!

He crawled forward on his knees, trembling as he begged, "Lord Darius, Raina must know where the young master has gone! After he spoke with Raina, we never saw them again. She must know!"

"Raina?" Darius repeated coldly. His voice was like a blade against Raina's skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

Through the gaps in the bushes, she saw Darius strike Cathan down in one swift motion, his silver sword slicing through flesh as if the boy were nothing more than an insect. Blood splattered onto the ground. Without pause, Darius turned toward Mira, who knelt nearby, her small frame trembling violently.

"Tell me," he ordered. "Where is the boy?"

Mira, Raina's niece who also a servant in the palace, looked pale but kept calm. Her lips trembled, but her voice was steady: "My Lord, I don't know."

Raina's breath almost stopped. Would Darius really kill her?

The overwhelming fear made her want to leap out and stop him, but Kai clutched her hand tightly, as if sensing her thoughts. His grip was cold, his body still as stone.

The silver sword flashed.

A sharp cry tore through the air as Darius drove his blade into Mira's shoulder. She collapsed, blood seeping into the stone beneath her.

Raina froze, eyes wide with horror. Through the swaying bushes, Mira's eyes suddenly met hers.

For a split second, time seemed to stop.

Then, as if nothing had happened, Mira let out another scream and curled into herself, her hands clutching the wound.

"Where is he?" Darius demanded.

"I-I really don't know!" Mira's voice was barely above a whisper. Her body trembled violently before finally going limp.

Tears streamed down Raina's face. Mira had seen her, yet she said nothing. She was protecting them.

And now... she was dying for it.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed from outside the garden. A soldier rushed in and knelt before Darius.

"My Lord! The enemy forces are storming the north gate. We are being attacked!"

Darius cursed under his breath. "Take these people away and lock them up. The rest of you, follow me now!"

With that, they left, vanishing into the blood stained corridors of the palace.

Silence settled over the garden once more, but it was the silence of death.

Raina gasped for air, shaking off Kai's grip as she scrambled toward Mira but Kai's grasp stopped her..

Raina frowned, "She saw us, Kai! She could have spoken, but she didn't. She was loyal to you, how can we just leave her like this?"

Breaking free from Kai's grasp, she crawled from their hiding place and rushed toward Mira's motionless body.

And at that moment, she noticed something was wrong.