Chapter 19
The ride to the Silver Mountain Pack was silent. Neither Kayla nor Ana said a word.
Kayla now understood why she had been feeling so uneasy all day, like something terrible had happened to Alpha Zayron.
Her instincts had been right.
But she refused to believe she was dead to him.
She must save him.
She kept repeating those words in her head as Ana drove down the long, narrow road.
Kayla tightened her grip on her phone and called Helena again.
As soon as the woman picked up, Kayla quickly asked, “Have you reached Beta Axel, Supreme mother?”
“No,” Helena said. “He’s not answering his phone.”
“Keep trying,” Kayla whispered.
She ended the call and started dialing Beta Axel’s number herself.
No answer.
She tried again. And again. And again.
Still nothing.
By late afternoon, they arrived at the Silver Mountain Pack.
Kayla didn’t even lift her head from her phone as she spoke.
“Ana, hurry and get the Silver Leaf. We need to leave immediately.”
“Kayla,” Ana said, her voice tense. “Look.”
Kayla’s fingers froze over her phone screen.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
Beta Axel stood a few feet away, leaning against his car, arms crossed over his chest. His gaze was locked on them.
Kayla frowned, questions flooding her mind.
Had Alpha Zayron rushed down here to see her?
Could he really not wait to be with her?
The thought sent a surge of excitement through her, pushing away the pain that had gripped her heart all day.
She spoke the words out loud, her voice trembling with hope.
“I’m not dead to him, Ana! He actually came to see me!”
Without wasting another second, she and Ana unfastened their seat belts, threw open the car doors, and ran toward Beta Axel.
As soon as he saw them coming, he straightened up.
“Where did Zayron go?” Kayla asked, a hopeful smile on her face. “My chamber or my office?”
But Beta Axel wasn’t smiling.
“He went to Cedric’s room.”
Kayla’s smile faded.
Her brows furrowed.
“Why?”
Axel shook his head.
“I have no idea.”
Kayla’s fingers curled into fists.
“Did he say anything about me when you arrived?”
Axel hesitated before shaking his head again.
“No. He doesn't want anyone to mention your name.”
Kayla’s heart sank.
The excitement that had lifted her just moments ago vanished.
“Okay,” she mumbled, forcing herself to stay calm.
She turned and started walking toward Cedric’s room.
But she hadn’t taken five steps before a commotion made her freeze.
Alpha Zayron was dragging Cedric through the courtyard like a common criminal.
Cedric’s body was covered in blood, evidence of his struggle to break free.
His shirt was torn, his face bruised, his breathing ragged.
Kayla stood still, her heart pounding.
She didn’t move closer, afraid she might get caught in the chaos.
Following behind them was Selene, her cousin and Cameron’s beloved daughter.
Tears streamed down Selene’s face, her expression filled with panic.
Zayron threw Cedric into the center of the courtyard.
Cedric hit the ground hard and groaned in pain.
“You and Isla conspired to kill my mate and my unborn pup!” Zayron’s voice thundered, echoing through the courtyard. His tone was filled with fury, his eyes burning with rage.
Cedric’s entire body trembled as he pointed a shaky finger at Kayla.
“L-Look at her!” he stammered. “She’s right there! She’s safe! We didn’t kill her. Your unborn pup is safe too!”
But Zayron didn’t even glance in Kayla’s direction.
It was as if he couldn’t see her at all.
Slowly, pack members started gathering around.
Warriors appeared, forming a wide circle around the scene.
Zayron grabbed Cedric by the neck and lifted him off the ground.
Cedric’s legs dangled, kicking helplessly in the air.
He gasped, struggling to breathe.
“P-Please…” Cedric choked, his hands clawing at Zayron’s grip.
Zayron’s fingers only tightened.
Then, with brutal force, he threw Cedric to the ground again.
The warriors turned to Kayla, desperation in their eyes.
“Stop him!” one of them pleaded. “Cedric helped our pack so many times. Have you forgotten?”
“He risked his life to save the young warriors and protected the Lunar Insignia when the Azure Moon pack warriors invaded our pack last week!” another warrior added.
“Without Cedric, do you think you would have successfully overthrown Cameron? Kayla, Cedric stood by you when no one else did. Please save him!”
The voices rose, reminding her of every good thing Cedric had done for the pack.
One of the guards stepped forward, his expression firm.
“If you don’t stop Zayron, we will!”
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The guard’s eyes burned with determination.
“We don’t care if he kills us all. We will fight for Cedric’s life!”
Kayla opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Zayron delivered a brutal kick to Cedric’s ribs.
A sickening crack echoed through the courtyard as Cedric coughed up blood, his body convulsing from the pain.
But Zayron didn’t stop.
He had no intention of stopping.
Kayla saw it in his eyes. This wasn’t just about punishing Cedric.
Zayron wanted him to suffer.
To feel every ounce of agony before death finally claimed him.
Maybe it was the only way to ease the unbearable grief in his heart.
The pack members who had gathered watched in silence, too afraid to interfere.
They thought this was just about Cedric, about what he had done.
But Zayron wasn’t finished.
Without warning, he turned, grabbed Selene by the arm, and shoved her to the ground beside Cedric.
Gasps filled the air.
Selene’s tear-streaked face lifted in horror as she scrambled backward.
Zayron’s voice was sharp as a blade as he spoke.
“You think I only came for him?”
His eyes burned with fury as they swept across the crowd.
“I will deal with every single one of you who made Kayla’s life miserable! Every last one! Even those who saw the injustice and kept their mouths shut like cowards!”
Kayla’s heart raced.
Alpha Zayron swung his leg and kicked Selene hard in the stomach.
She folded in half, a strangled cry escaping her lips.
“Zayron!” Kayla screamed.
But it was as if she hadn’t spoken at all.
Zayron didn’t hear her.
Or worse, her voice sounded unfamiliar.
Kayla had never seen Zayron this ruthless before.
This wasn’t the he-wolf she loved, this was a monster driven by pure, blinding rage.
But Kayla also knew one thing.
Trying to talk to him would be pointless.
She didn't want the pack to know she was dead to Alpha Zayron.
When Zayron declared that he had come for everyone who had witnessed Kayla’s suffering and stayed silent, fear swept through the Silver Mountain Pack.
One by one, they began to slip away, vanishing into the shadows.
But then, Max stepped forward courageously.