Chapter 242: I’m not immatured

At the table, Kieran watched Kaden’s departure with a dark, contemplative gaze. He let out a low, exhausted sigh, then slowly pushed his own chair back and stood up.

"I have urgent research files to review," Kieran stated flatly, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Excuse me." It was an excuse although everyone knew that wasn’t the case.

Without waiting for Alexander’s permission, he turned and left the room, his long stride quickening as his keen sense of smell picked up the metallic reek of Kaden’s blood trailing down the corridor.

The grand hallway stretched out looking long and desolate, illuminated only by the cold, pale moonlight streaming through the tall arched windows. The silver beams cast deep, lonely shadows across Kaden’s broad back as he walked, making his solitary figure look painfully isolated against the sprawling stone architecture.

Kaden felt the familiar presence approaching from behind, his wolf bristling. "Stop following me, Kieran," he snapped, his voice echoing off the high ceilings.

Kieran didn’t slow his pace. He jogged the last few paces, stepping directly into Kaden’s path and cutting him off. Kaden halted, staring into a face so hauntingly similar to his own. He let out a harsh, irritated hiss.

"What? Are you here to lecture me too? Tell me how immature I am?"

When Kieran didn’t answer, Kaden’s composure finally cracked. His chest heaved, his jaw trembling as years of suppressed rage and grief spilt out.

"I know my temper is shit! I know I’m not calm like you or Killian! But I can’t do it, man! I can’t sit there and act like everything is fine! I can’t watch him move on like our mother was just a mistake—like *we* were a mistake!" His voice cracked on the last word, raw and broken. "That house... that was the only place where she was actually happy."

Kieran stepped forward, his expression softening as he reached out and gripped Kaden’s broad shoulder, his fingers digging in with firm, steady support.

"I know," Kieran said quietly, his voice deep and solid. "I know what that place means to you. To all of us. Seeing her take over mother’s sanctuary feels like a desecration. You have every right to feel sickened by it."

Kaden went completely still, his jaw working as his bloody fist slowly uncurled.

"But whether we accept it or not, the world has moved on, Kaden," Kieran continued softly, his dark eyes locked onto his brother’s. "We aren’t children anymore. If it weren’t for the lack of a mate, we would already be stepping up to take the pack crown. You can rage all you want in private, but do not give Alexander or the Court a reason to use your anger against you."

Kaden stared at him for a long moment, the wild fury in his eyes slowly receding into a dull, aching exhaustion. He stepped back, pulling out of Kieran’s grip, and gave a stiff, tight nod.

"I hear you." He forced a small, strained smirk onto his face. "You sound just like Killian."

He turned to leave, but after taking two steps, he paused, looking back over his shoulder. "For the record... Killian and I didn’t plot anything behind your back. It wasn’t a coordinated plan."

Kieran raised an eyebrow.

"For me, proposing against Declan was just paying back a favour to Xavier. The engagement was Killian’s idea," Kaden explained, his voice flat. "And Killian... well, Killian was just being himself, playing chess for the ’greater good’ of the family." He scoffed quietly, tossing his head back. "Don’t overthink it, brother."

Kaden walked away, his heavy footsteps fading into the moonlit silence of the long corridor.

*******

The next morning, Yuki was brutally yanked from her sleep as the overhead lights flashed on with a blinding click. She winced, shielding her eyes with her arm as a head maid marched over to the heavy velvet draperies and yanked them open.

"Good morning, Lady Miyuki. It is time to rise."

Yuki groaned, burying her face deeper into her pillow. "What time is it? The sun isn’t even up yet..."

"It is five in the morning, my lady," the maid replied briskly, stepping up to the bedside. "By order of the Alpha, you must be prepared for important guests."

Yuki frowned, rubbing her bleary eyes as she sat up. "Guests? I thought the Gamma’s family wasn’t coming until dinner tonight?"

"There has been an immediate change in schedule," the maid explained, clapping her hands twice toward the doorway. "Your future fiancé and his family will be joining the Alpha and Luna for breakfast instead."

Before Yuki could fully process the words, two junior servants glided into the room, expertly whipping the silk sheets off her bed and ushering her toward the adjoining bathroom.

"Please step into the bath, my lady. This is an official engagement meeting; we must ensure you look flawless."

Meanwhile, on the outer grounds of the estate, Kaden had just shifted back into his human form following an intense, punishing morning run.

He had been up the entire night, unable to catch a single minute of sleep as his mind spun in circles. Thanks to his pureblood Lycan ancestry, the shift left his dark training clothes completely intact, though his hair was damp with sweat and his breathing remained heavy.

Wiping a hand across his forehead, Kaden entered the West Wing, expecting quiet corridors. Instead, he was met with a flurry of servants rushing back and forth with steaming trays, ironed linens, and fresh floral arrangements, all before the sun had even touched the horizon.

His frown deepened. Annoyed by the chaotic energy, he found his boots carrying him away from the main hub toward Killian’s private wing. This section of the manor was hushed and dim. Passing down the hallway, Kaden noticed the heavy double doors to Killian’s private study standing ajar. A warm desk lamp flickered from within. Kaden pushed the door open slightly and leaned against the frame.

Killian was still sitting at his massive mahogany desk, wearing the exact same clothes from yesterday’s dinner. The top three buttons of his dress shirt were undone, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his blonde hair was unusually ddishevelled

Pages of documents and glowing data spreadsheets reflected in his tired eyes. He didn’t look physically weak, funny enough he didn’t have dark shadows beneath his eyes but Kaden knew he hadn’t slept a single wink. Without looking up from his laptop screen, Killian’s fingers continued to clack rhythmically against the keyboard.

"What do you want, Kaden?" he asked, his tone dry and laced with irritation.

Kaden let out a low snort, stepping into the study. "Did you seriously sit here all night?"

Killian stopped typing for a fraction of a second, his jaw tightening. "I have work to review. Say what you came to say, or close the door on your way out."

"You had work, or you couldn’t sleep?" Kaden countered, his voice sharp, though a flicker of genuine concern lay hidden beneath his gruff delivery. Killian suffered from severe insomnia when his stress peaked, but he was usually meticulous about hiding it.

Killian pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a sharp, frustrated hiss. "Fine. I couldn’t sleep. Are you satisfied now? What is so urgent that you’re in my office at five in the morning?"

Kaden crossed his arms over his chest, deciding not to push his sleep-deprived brother any further. "The whole main house is in an uproar. Servants running around like the place is under attack. What’s going on?"

Killian went entirely still, his hand hovering over his keyboard. A bitter, venomous smirk touched his pale lips as he leaned back into his leather chair.

"The Gamma’s family moved the meeting up," Killian said, his voice dropping into a cold, dangerous rasp. "They’re arriving for breakfast to make the engagement official. It turns out... the dear Gamma’s son is paranoid."