The Alpha’s Forbidden Love

CHRIS

I couldn’t get Cade’s words out of my head, the more I thought of it, the more it sent hot chills down my spine. Could what he had said be the truth? Could it be that Cade, the man I had always seen as my enemy, actually be innocent of my father’s murder?

I stood before Cade in the dungeon not knowing what to do, my heart pounding heavily on my chest as I sought answers from him. “What do you know about the man that killed my father?” I demanded.

“I already told you all that you need to know,” Cade said, his words leaving me in a state of confusion.

“You haven’t said anything to salvage the situation. Who is responsible for my father’s death?” I asked.

“That’s for you to find out, Chris. I have done my part,” Cade insisted.

I pondered on his words. Why was he keeping the truth from me? Was it one of the elders?

Cade sighed. “I know you suspect the elders ’cause they are in league with me. Yes, they have always supported my course from the get-go but they are not smart enough to go against the alpha.”

The revelation that some of the elders were in league with Cade shook me to the core. It was a betrayal that I never saw coming. If some of my elders were responsible for the happenings in the pack then they had to be punished.

As I left the dungeon, lost in thought, I stumbled on the face of Lucy who had gone missing since the night of the attack. She looked troubled, her eyes filled with a sense of urgency.

Before I could say a word, she dragged me to a secluded corner of the palace, her grip firm.

“Why did you leave without saying a word to me?” I asked, my tone laced with hurt and concern.

“I’m sorry, Chris. I didn’t know what to do, I only followed the instructions given to me by the elders,” Lucy replied in a hushed tone, her voice trembling slightly.

“I know but why didn’t you confide in me? I was going to protect you from them no matter what,” I said.

“I said I’m sorry. I didn’t know who to trust,” she said. “The elders blamed me for causing trouble for you and the pack. My absence was supposed to calm the situation down but I was wrong.”

“You are my mate, Lucy, the Luna of this pack. You can’t just opt out like you did because of what the elders said to you. Your stay in this pack is my decision to make,” I said, my brows furrowed in frustration.

“I was only trying to protect you,” she said softly, her eyes downcast.

I pulled her tight in an embrace, my heart aching at the thought of losing her again. “I understand you, Lucy. But we can’t keep apart from each other. Not now that everything is falling apart.”

“Your life is in danger, that’s why I am here. You have to be careful, those elders are up to no good, I know it,” Lucy said, her voice certain.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I smiled. “I know that already, my love. I know that those elders are up to something, but I have everything under control. I spoke to Cade earlier and he said he wasn’t responsible for my father’s death.”

“And you believe him?” she said, her gaze searching mine. “Cade has always been an issue to you and your family from the start and you believe him. Whatever he said are the mere words of a grieved man pleading for a second chance at life.”

“Something in me tells me to believe him. I know it sounds crazy but I feel like he is telling the truth,” I insisted.

Lucy stared at me perplexed and I understood her. I was surprised at my own words too but that was the truth. A part of me wanted to doubt him but his words sounded so true. Cade wasn’t the man who would say what he didn’t mean, he was a man who stood by his words.

“I do not doubt that whoever is responsible for my father’s death is within the palace,” I said.

“What about mine? Cade killed my father, remember?” Lucy said, her voice shaky as she spoke.

Just then, a distant noise caught our attention. We rushed to where the noise had come from only to realize that the elders were having a heated conversation with Lothar and my guards. I gathered knowledge that they were on their to set Cade free when Lothar and the guards stopped them.

“What is going on here?” I demanded, my voice cutting through the heated exchange.

Oryn turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “This is none of your concern, Chris. We the elders are handling matters of the pack.”

“I beg to differ, Orvyn,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Anything that concerns the safety of the pack is my concern.”

Before Orvyn could respond, one of the guards stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. “I’m sorry Alpha, forgive us for the chaos, but the elders are trying to release the traitor from the dungeon. We cannot allow that to happen.”

I clenched my fist in fury. “How dare you go against my order? Are you out of your mind?” I exclaimed incredulously.

“I tried to reason with them but they refused to listen. They are determined to set him free,” Lothar said, his expression conflicted.

Leading me away from the elders, Lothar whispered to me, “We need to do something about Cade before things get out of hand.”

“what do you suggest we do? I asked.

“We need to get rid of Cade before he takes your place as alpha of this pack. It would be a taint to your father’s legacy if his killer took your place as ruler of this pack,” Lothar suggested. His words cut deep into my heart, but Cade’s denial of being responsible for my father’s death confused me.

Was he playing mind games with me? Was all of this a strategy to get the elders to kick me out of my pack? No, for some unforeseen reasons, I trusted his words. If he truly killed my father like Lothar had said, cade wouldn’t hesitate in bragging about it to me and others who wished to know.

“I’ll think of what to do with Cade. He stays alive until I say otherwise, there is a lot I need to know about before he is executed,” I ordered.

“Cade remains in the dungeon, keep the council elders away from the dungeon. Lock up anyone that tries to flaunt my orders,” I ordered my guards.

Leading Lucy, I returned to the dungeon to speak with Cade again, this time about his involvement in Lucy’s father’s death.

“What more do you want?” Cade groaned on seeing me again.

“To seek the truth,” I said.

“I already you the truth. What else do you want?”

“If Chris believes the bullshit you told him, I don’t,” Lucy spat, her fury raging. “You killed my father and his, you said so yourself.”

“I told you what you wanted to hear!” Cade snapped. “Yes, I killed your father, Lucy. I killed him for trying to expose my intentions to the hallowed manes. I couldn’t let him ruin my chance of getting the throne.”

“As for your father, Chris, I wished I did. I always dreamt of that day and he stole the chance from me. Your father’s killer stole my chance to slice his throat for stealing my position from me,” he continued.

“You are going to pay for hurting my father,” Lucy screamed.

“What more punishment can you offer? I already lost everything, Lucy, nothing matters to me anymore,” Cade sobbed.

“You deserve everything you got. Your greed caused you Nathan’s life,” Lucy said, her words biter and full of grief and pain.

“Let’s get out of here,” I urged, pulling Lucy away from the dungeon as she continued to rain curses on Cade. I understood her pain and didn’t know the right words to say to ease her pain. I wrapped my arms around her and whispered in her ear.

“I’ll make sure he pays for hurting you and your father.”

I hugged her again so she couldn’t see the hurt in my eyes. They would all pay for causing a rift in our families, Not one would be spared, not even Cade.