Chapter 241: Ghost he can’t forget

The rest of the dinner dragged on after they finalised the engagement. Alexander and Aevia did most of the talking, discussing their upcoming trip in hushed, affectionate whispers that felt nauseatingly performative to Kaden. He picked at his food, his jaw tight, barely concealing his disgust. Kieran, on the other hand, withdrew into complete stillness. A cold, quiet anger burned beneath his composed exterior.

He felt deliberately excluded—alienated by the fact that Killian and Kaden had made such significant security arrangements without even bothering to inform him. Since when had they started keeping secrets from one another?

Aevia’s soft voice broke through his thoughts as she rested her chin on her hand, gazing at Alexander with a coaxing smile. "I’d really love to spend a few days by the ocean, Alex. Somewhere private."

Kaden’s fork froze mid-air, his hand going completely rigid over his plate. The word *ocean* hit him like a physical blow, instantly summoning memories of the private beach estate his parents used to take them to every summer when their family was still whole. Alexander glanced down at her, a fondness softening his features.

"We can certainly do that if you have a place in mind," he said.

Aevia grinned, her eyes bright as she slid her hand down his forearm, her tone laced with playful coaxing. "What about that beach house you mentioned once? The one on the southern cliffside? You’ve never taken me there."

Kaden’s chest constricted, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp gasp. That place was sacred. It held whatever fragile, unsullied memories were left of their mother. He waited for Alexander to shut it down or to draw a firm line and keep that sanctuary untouched.

But Alexander merely smiled, a rare, genuine warmth breaking across the Alpha King’s face—a smile his sons hadn’t seen in years.

"Of course we can go there," Alexander said smoothly. "The estate holds some of the happiest memories from when the boys were small. You’ll love the view from the upper deck."

Aevia lit up with childish excitement, clapping her hands together softly, while Alexander’s gaze lingered on her with unmistakable affection.

*CRACK.*

The heavy silver fork in Kaden’s grip buckled, the metal warping out of shape under the sudden, furious pressure of his fingers. Veins bulged along his forearms as a dark, violent haze swept through his mind. He was on the verge of snapping, ready to tear the table apart, when Killian’s voice sliced through his head via mindlink, it was sharp and commanding.

’Control yourself, Kaden. Do not make a scene.’

Kaden bared his fangs in a silent, savage glare toward his older brother. ’That is our childhood, Killian! He’s giving her our mother’s home!’

Killian’s expression didn’t flicker by a fraction of a millimetre. He sat upright, his posture immaculate, staring straight ahead. ’Losing your temper won’t change his mind, Kaden. It will only make you look unstable and childish in front of the Court.’ he said coldly

Kaden’s fingers dug deeper into the ruined silver, the sharp edges cutting into his palm. ’How can you sit there so damn calm?’ he snarled through the link, his voice tight with bitter frustration. ’Do you even have emotions left in you?’

Killian let out a slow, barely perceptible breath, his chest rising and falling beneath his tailored suit. ’If I lose my head every time our father acts like this, there will be no one left to keep you and Kieran grounded. I don’t have the luxury of throwing tantrums.’

Killian’s dark eyes drifted sideways, locking onto Kieran, who remained entirely silent, staring blankly at his untouched wine glass. ’Look at him,’ Killian added quietly through the bond. ’He’s seething because he thinks we plotted behind his back.’

Then Killian paused. A flicker of realisation crossed his eyes, as if a missing piece of a puzzle had suddenly clicked into place. He turned his mental focus strictly back to Kaden.

’Why did you really go to Alexander about Yuki’s safety?’ Killian questioned, his tone probing deep. ’You can stand her the least out of all of us. Letting her die in a political marriage outside the territory would have solved all your problems.’

Kaden went dead quiet. The ambient sounds of the dining room—Aevia’s light laughter, the clinking of crystal, Alexander’s low hum—faded into background noise. He stared down at the tablecloth, his chest heaving silently as he searched for an answer.

’It was a favour,’ he finally growled through the bond, his voice rough. ’Nothing more.’

With a sudden, violent movement, Kaden shoved his chair back and stood up. The heavy wooden legs screeched against the marble floor, cutting off Aevia’s laughter mid-sentence. He dropped the mangled fork onto the table with a loud clatter.

Fresh, crimson blood dripped steadily from his palm where his own claws had punctured his skin. Alexander slowly set his glass down, his brow furrowing as his eyes narrowed into cold disapproval.

"Where do you think you’re going, Kaden?"

"I’ve lost my appetite," Kaden spat out, his voice laced with venom.

"Sit back down," Alexander commanded, his Alpha aura flaring in a heavy, suffocating wave. "You do not walk out on a family dinner because of a house."

Kaden let out a bitter, dangerous smile, looking his father dead in the eye. "If you actually understood how much that house meant to us, you wouldn’t be asking me that question."

Alexander froze, the sharp reprimand dying on his tongue. For a brief second, the Alpha King looked entirely speechless. Aevia’s eyes darted nervously between them. She quickly placed a soothing hand on Alexander’s shoulder, her tone dropping into a soft, mediating purr.

"Alex, please, it’s fine. We don’t have to go to that specific beach house if it causes trouble. I only mentioned it because I heard the coast there was beautiful..."

Her demeanour painted a picture of selfless understanding, yet the lingering disappointment in her eyes made her true desire painfully clear. Alexander’s expression hardened once more.

"Nonsense," he stated firmly, brushing her concern aside. "It is just a piece of property. We are going." He shot a cold glare at Kaden. "You are dismissed."

Kaden scoffed, turning on his heel without another word. He slammed the heavy mahogany doors behind him, his boots echoing loudly down the quiet hallway. He clenched his bleeding fist tighter, the warm blood pooling between his fingers. He hated this feeling—hated that he was the only one still bleeding over the ghost of their past.