Adrik

**Angel**

The tension in the mansion was palpable, like a taut wire ready to snap. After discovering Lucian’s letter, it felt like every step we took was drawing us closer to an invisible abyss, a place where all certainties dissolved into distrust and fear. Dimitri was quieter than usual, lost in thoughts he didn’t share, and I could see the weight of this new revelation in his every move.

Kael was a problem, but now he was a problem with roots that extended far beyond what we had imagined. Lucian was still haunting us, even in death, and the connection between the two put our entire alliance at risk. Worse, it made clear that there was so much we still didn’t know about the true players in this game.

I found Dimitri in his office, staring at the letter as if trying to pull answers from the yellowed, stained paper. His expression was a mix of anger and frustration, and I knew he was struggling to maintain control.

“We need to talk,” I said, entering without ceremony. “This changes everything, Dimitri. We can’t keep Kael here.”

He didn’t look up immediately, but when he did, there was an intensity in his eyes that made me shiver. “I know it’s risky, Angel, but we still don’t know enough. If we expel him now, it could trigger something worse.”

“Do you really think he’ll cooperate after this?” I asked, trying to keep my tone calm, though urgency was bubbling inside me. “Kael has secrets, and those secrets can destroy us.”

Dimitri sighed, running a hand through his hair in a weary gesture. “We need to play this carefully. Expelling Kael might seem like the answer, but it’ll just push him back into our enemies’ arms. We need to find out more before making any move.”

I knew Dimitri was right, but I also knew we were treading dangerous ground. Every day Kael stayed in the mansion was a risk, an opportunity for him to gather information on us and use it against our pack. “So what do we do?” I pressed. “We can’t wait for him to stab us in the back.”

Before Dimitri could respond, the door suddenly opened, revealing Leonardo with a look of alarm. “We have a problem,” he said quickly. “Kael is in the meeting room. He’s asked to speak with you, Dimitri... and he’s not alone.”

Dimitri exchanged a glance with me, and I saw the tension in his eyes increase. “Who’s with him?”

Leonardo hesitated for a second, as if still processing what he had seen. “He brought one of the wolves that were missing from the last patrols. And... they seem agitated. Something has changed.”

Dimitri stood up immediately, his face clearly showing concern. “Stay close, Angel,” he said, and I knew that whatever was happening, we weren’t ready.

We followed Leonardo to the meeting room, where Kael was waiting with a wolf beside him whom I didn’t immediately recognize. The man had a grim air about him, with scars marking his face and eyes as cold as ice. There was something about him that put everyone on edge, a presence that made the skin prickle.

“Dimitri,” Kael began, his voice firm, but there was a note of something else—a calculated tone, as if he were playing a final card. “We need to talk, and I think it’s time to lay all the cards on the table.”

I watched closely as Dimitri approached, each of his movements reflecting the tension we all felt. “What’s going on, Kael? Who is he?”

The wolf beside Kael stepped forward, revealing a crooked smile. “My name is Adrik,” he said, and the weight of his words seemed to fill the room. “And I have some things you need to know, Dimitri.”

Adrik reached out and threw something onto the table—the same symbol that was on the envelope, the mark Dimitri had found. “You’re looking for answers about Kael’s past,” he continued. “But there’s more than you think. I was one of Lucian’s trusted men, and Kael... well, he has bigger plans than just survival.”

Adrik’s revelation dropped like a bomb. Kael remained silent, but the look in his eyes wasn’t surprise; it was defiance. He knew this was happening, and the fact that Adrik was here, bringing this information, changed everything.

“Kael, what is this?” Dimitri demanded, his voice filled with anger and disbelief. “Did you know he was coming?”

Kael shrugged, a cold smile crossing his face. “I said our alliance was one of convenience, Dimitri. But that doesn’t mean all my cards were on the table.”

Before any of us could react, Adrik continued. “There are others like me, waiting to join the true leader who emerges from this conflict. And Kael... he isn’t what he seems.”

The air in the room grew even heavier, and the sense that we were all being manipulated intensified. Kael, with one last defiant look, turned to me and Dimitri. “You want to know who I really am? Keep playing. But remember, Dimitri... not everything you see is what it seems.”

That phrase hung in the air as Kael and Adrik left the room, leaving behind a wave of distrust and unanswered questions. We were in the middle of a dangerous game, and now, more than ever, we knew that the true threat was still unfolding.