81 jealous

Killian



I scanned the area, making sure there weren't any lingering monsters. My sword, held firmly in my grip, seemed to ward off any lingering threats.

In the distance, I saw Adriana engaged in a fierce battle with another creature. Without hesitation, I rushed to her aid, slashing at the monster with my weapon.

"Are you alright?" I asked, catching my breath.

Adriana looked up at me, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you," she said.

"Hey... hey... the last time I checked, you and Killian were childhood friends, and you were into my brother," I said, my voice laced with amusement.


We both turned to Kyzer, who was asking the question with a mocking lilt in his voice. I narrowed my eyes, a sense of unease settling over me.

What had happened to him? He had been so eager to help find food earlier, so excited to be working with the others. Was he going to turn on me like he threatened before?

"Who told you that?" Adriana demanded, her voice sharp. But my brother just shrugged, a smug grin playing on his lips.

"Then and there, don't ask, there were a lot of people that came from your palace that were still alive," he said, his words dripping with a strange kind of satisfaction.


Why did I feel like he was jealous of something? Or maybe he was just trying to get a rise out of me. It didn't really matter.

I dismissed the thought, focusing on the more immediate concerns.

"Here, I caught this," Kyzer said, tossing a massive animal at my feet.

"Can someone who knows how to cook take care of this?" I asked. "We need to eat so we can keep moving."

A few of us had brought fruit and water, enough to tide us over for now. We needed to move twice as fast. I could feel the hybrid getting closer to the portal's edge. She could break through that barrier in just a few meters.

"Killian, you should eat too," I said, looking at my brother, who had been silent since Kyzer's arrival.


Adriana handed me a piece of grilled meat, a gesture of kindness.

Before I could accept it, however, my brother, who always seemed to find ways to annoy me, snatched it away.

"Thank you, Adriana," Kyzer said, flashing her a charming smile. "How sweet of you."

"Kyzer, there is plenty of meat over there. I was just giving it to Killian because he's been so distracted lately. He hasn't seemed to eat much, with everything going on," Adriana explained, her tone softening slightly.

"I was your mate, Killian," Kyzer said, his voice laced with a hint of bitterness. "I was supposed to be the one you were giving all that attention to. And I was still considering whether or not to accept you.”



I raised an eyebrow, my gaze flickering between Kyzer and Killian. "Adriana was your mate?" I asked, my voice laced with disbelief. It was a powerful bond, a connection that ran deep, a feeling that was meant to be. For me, it had been Serena, the princess of the Crimson Blood pack. She was meant to be with the Hybrid, though her pack was here, waiting for her return. But instead, I was the one leading them.

"Yes, Killian, I just discovered it after holding her hands earlier," Kyzer said, his voice flat. "I don't know why Clode said I didn't feel it back then. I had no idea I would find my mate, the one I've been looking for since we were kids. But it doesn't matter now, because the girl who was supposed to be mine, she's been smitten with my brother since they were kids. Even knowing what I was to her, she still chose you.”

Kyzer walked away, leaving us staring after him, our mouths agape.

I shook my head, watching my brother disappear into the shadows. I wanted to warn him about the creatures lurking around, waiting for a chance to strike, but then again, Kyzer could handle himself. I shouldn't worry so much.

Adriana sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I thought he was still considering whether to accept me or not," she murmured.

It was a common sentiment among those who were destined to be mates, a kind of limbo until the feeling was reciprocated. Before Adriana could elaborate further, a man approached me.

"Joshaque," I said, recognizing him. He was Zeta's son, a friend from my childhood, just like Killian. We had grown up together, playing in the woods, under Colton's watchful eye. He had been one of Serena's guards, just like me.

I had so many questions about my life, about who I was and where I belonged. But I supposed I'd learn about that slowly.

"Adriana was always a tough one," Joshaque said, his voice laced with a hint of nostalgia. "Brave, yes, but sometimes a little too quick to snap at people. She was only kind to a few, and you were one of them. Killian, she had a crush on you since we were kids. But now, she seems different. I think it'll be hard for her to accept that your brother is her mate. What do you think?"

I shrugged, a wry smile playing on my lips. "I don't know. Lucky for them, they still remember everything. I'm struggling to piece it all together. If someone didn't tell me who they were, I wouldn't recognize them."

Joshaque smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You're a strong man, Killian. You were always the strongest of the Zeta sons. You always had a plan, a strategy. Think before you act. You can do this. We're here to help. If you have any questions, I'll answer them if I can.”


"Which way do you think Kyzer went?" Clode asked, his voice tinged with concern. He was a friend of my brother's, one of a group of wolves known as rogues. They had grown up together, since my sister and Kyzer had been separated when we were kids.

"I don't know," I said, my gaze drifting to the shadows where Kyzer had disappeared. "I wanted to follow him, but I think he's frustrated with me. Besides, I need to stay here, I can't leave this place."

Clode, however, insisted on going after my brother. "I'll find him," he said, his eyes resolute. I thanked him, knowing he would.

*****
Adriana


"I didn't know your mate was the jealous type," I said, shaking my head. "Maybe he saw the way you were threatening Killian. But if I were to keep pressing the issue," I added with a smirk, "Kyzer would surely surrender and admit he can't leave without you."

I was lost in thought, pondering Erich's words, waiting for Kyzer's return. But they were about to leave, and he was still nowhere to be found. Erich turned to Killian, his eyes searching. "Where could he be?”