Ian stood outside Kai's room, undecided. The matter with Sienna and her parents has been weighing heavily on his mind. He was unsure where to start from, but he felt determined to know what they had against him.
Kai, who was about to get in bed could tell that someone was standing outside his door. He let his senses activate. The scent that filled the air was familiar to him. He let out a heavy sigh before linking Ian to get inside.
The beta was caught off guard. After all, he has been lost in thoughts before Kai's tired voice rung in his head. He walked inside without further ado and made himself comfortable on the couch.
The king's bedroom was designed in such a way that it appears like an apartment. In addition to having a spacious washing area, it had enough space to sit around and chat. One side of the room was also petitioned and made into a small kitchen.
One might wonder why he would have a kitchen within his room. What many didn't know, was that Kai enjoyed cooking. It was a way of relieving stress for him. Since he couldn't do it in the main kitchen, he made a private space for himself.
Ian normally gushes about how cool Kai's room is whenever he gets inside. Today, he was in a bad mood and felt a little anxious. " Kai, we have been friends for almost all our lives. Before becoming Alpha and Beta, we were brothers. Is there something I need to know about the Edward's?"
" I have tried to dismiss my doubts on several occasions, however, I can no longer do that. I saw how rudely they treat you. They don't respect your authority nor treat you like a king. At every turn, they insult you. Is there something that they have against you? Whatever it is, I promise to find a way out. I am your friend and brother. Please, let me in."
Kai listened to Ian's words. Maybe it was time he told someone else the truth. Ian was someone he trusted with his life.No matter what happens to him, he always had his back. Kai walked towards his friend and joined him on the couch.
" A few years ago, when both the realms were in harmony, I accidentally crossed one of the forbidden areas within the human territory. At the time, it felt like nothing was wrong. At first, nothing was wrong. But then, things changed.
I stayed there for a few days without a hitch. On the day I was to return home, I met up with a man. He attacked me intending to kill. Fortunately, I survived his attack after slashing him across the chest.
It didn't take me long to get out of their territory. When I got back, I kept thinking about the predatory look in that man's gaze. My curiosity got the better of me when I went back home. Albeit the misfortune that I experienced, something even more sinister happened. I overhead my stepmother telling one of her friends that she has planned for me to die.
She even went as far as mentioning something about using venom to poison me. At that time, I was but a young boy. When I got back, they were shocked to see me unscathed. They hid it well though.
It was too perfect that I began to doubt what I heard. That was around the same time that Sienna appeared in my life. Since I had no friends except for you, I couldn't share such a thing. I was cautious of everyone and everything.
Things went well for me, up until I got enamored by Sienna. I had a crush of sorts on her. Little did I know that she didn't appear in my life coincidentally. She was planted in my life by my stepmother and brother.
Sienna was his sweetheart. I began to dream of being my person to stand on my own. I hated the mansion that I shared with my step-family. What I hated, even more, was my father who brought the two vipers in.
As I planned to conquer the world, Sienna was planning to poison me using the frost venom. She was a host. She carried both the VENOM and the cure in her body. This again was something I had no idea about at the time.
It all started after I managed to conquer the different territories and made all the alphas submit to me. The only state left to kneel before me was the golden royal state. I began from the minor families and climbed to the top.
Sienna's family refused to comply at first. When I dug for their reason, I discovered that I was poisoned with venom that is both rare and could easily incapacitate me. The collaboration between my stepfamily and Sienna's parents came to light.
Fortunately, I wasn't in love with her. It disgusted me how someone I trusted with all my heart would poison me just to enslave me. The frost venom makes the victim submit to the carrier. If it goes untreated, it causes madness and may kill the wolf. Additionally, It can only manifest ten years after it was administered.
I don't know how I managed it. My wolf was stronger than I anticipated and could fight the urge to submit. I later discovered that it won't kill me either. But I was not completely immune to it. Every three months, I suffered excruciating pain for an entire week.
This is also my moment of weakness. Whoever wishes to get rid of me can do so in that state. Even so, taking over my responsibilities wasn't easy. Edward tried it once and almost got killed. It was this discovery that brought him to my door to make a deal.
Every three months, I get the antidote delivered to my door. The condition is that I marry Sienna on her 25th birthday. In addition, I fulfill all the requests that Edward and his family make. I agreed to the first condition but negotiated on the second. This is what they have against me. I have tried looking for another host to get the cure from, but to this date, I have yet to succeed. "
Kai finished his tale and looked at Ian who had a disturbed look in his eyes. Kai's gaze had a look of hostility in it. The day he finds a cure for the venom that runs in his blood, he will wipe out the entire generation of the family.
That was the price he shall make them pay for their greed. He has been suffering for years now because of them. This was a debt they owed him and he shall make them pay it in full.
"Now that you know about it, don't give me a hard time. It already hurts my pride to let that witch follow me around. It would feel less painful if you don't mention it."
Ian looked at the floor suddenly finding it more interesting. If he had known this before, he would have been more sensitive. Somehow, the man who could read others' moods and behaviors felt like a failure.
Kai was able to hide this little truth from him for all these years. No wonder he listened to. that woman even when he detested her. " I am sorry. I would have been more sensitive to your feelings if I had known the truth sooner."
" As your sworn brother, I solemnly swear to do all I can to never question your decisions again. I will look into the venom, and try to find as much information as I can. I promise to get you someone who won't take advantage of you."
Ian felt both guilty and mad. Those people have been making things hard for the king under his nose. As much as Kai was the almighty king, he wasn't a God. He was vulnerable too. Ian has taken that fact for granted until this moment.
Kai chuckled as he saw the look in his friend's gaze. " Hey, why do you look like a puppy right now? I am not dead yet. It takes more than a small venom to kill me. Don't think too much of it. In as much as they want to, they can't get rid of me that easily."
Wanting to change the topic Ian looked up with a knowing smile. " Tell me. How did you like the lunch today?" He smirked at the glint in Kai's eyes. The alpha king laughed heartily.
" I enjoyed my meal, thank you very much."
He thought for a few seconds and looked at Ian. " You brought her to the kitchen because you found out that she cooks better than the old woman? You should have told me sooner." Kai accused.
This was the rare moment when he can enjoy being a friend to his beta. Throughout the day, their interactions are normally very formal. They are too engrossed in their duties that they hardly get time to enjoy their youth. At the age of Twenty eight, Kai was the same man he was when he was ten.
His childhood was snatched from him by his father. Regrettably, the old man took off after leaving him in the hands of those snakes. It was something he will always despise the man for. As though cheating on his mother wasn't enough, he disappeared from his life without a warning.
Ian and Kai talked some more about the affairs of the nation. It was almost midnight when Ian left for his home. Now that his curiosity was sated, he felt anxious for his brother and best friend. Maybe, just maybe, there is something he could do for him.
Kai was left behind thinking about a certain silver-eyed beauty. While he felt irked at the sight of Sienna, he felt happy in her presence. He couldn't help it. Whenever he was near her, his mouth would run awry on its own as did his heart.
Even with that annoyed look in her eyes, she was extremely beautiful. He wasn't sure what he wanted yet. Was she going to betray him as Sienna did? If he didn't let his guard down before, there wouldn't be a chance to poison him.
Now, he was doing the same thing with Lila. He was letting his guard down. Even his wolf was cooperating with his heart this time. Kai closed his eyes and reached out for the link between him and his wolf. He needed to consult him before making a decision.
" Hey, Wolfie. What should we do about the little girl? Do you think she is dangerous?"
" Hey dude, I don't think she is dangerous. I know for certain that she is. Didn't you notice anything strange about her? Like the color of her eyes. She is not as simple as she appears. But, I can't stop feeling for her. I had a discovery when you touched. Do you want to know?" The wolf asked
" Shoot. What is it?" Kai enquired
" She is our mate. If you haven't realized it yet, we are the only ones who could read her moods and emotions without any trouble. Ask the people around her. They will tell you that she looks like a cold stone. Yo! But she is a beautiful stone." The wolf howled in Kai's head in excitement.
Kai laughed. He agreed with his wolf. She was a hot beautiful stone. The most gorgeous of them all. So she was their mate? No wonder he couldn't seem to control himself around her. The way he indulged her rudeness was something unheard of.
" Mate. I like how that sounds. What happens if we fail to acknowledge her as such?" He asked his wolf. The wolf whimpered in pain at the thought. Since they shared the same body, Kai felt a sharp stab in his heart. It was painful.
" Hey, come down. I just asked. Why does it hurt this much?" He asked again. This time, his wolf answered. " If she can't be ours, the pain we just felt would be nothing compared to what we shall feel for the rest of our lives. We are powerful. The moon goddess doesn't pair a powerful king with a weak wolf. She must be powerful too. Don't lose her."
And the connection was cut between them. The wolf didn't want to imagine losing her to any other man. Kai felt the same way too. What he felt for her, couldn't be called love at the moment, but he was sure that it won't take long before he gave in. It was a losing battle. " Goodnight, Little girl."