Chapter 85: I Made Mistakes

Slowly, Kaleb’s tense lips twitched. The harsh line of his mouth softened, stretching into a broad smile. The amber glint in his eyes dulled, losing its defensive edge as he looked down at Rhea.

"Calm down, Rhea," he said smoothly, his tone instantly turning lighter. "You took that far too seriously. I was only joking."

Rhea’s face remained a mask of cold stone. She did not share in his humor, nor did her pulse slow its thudding against her ribs.

"You just lost an entire kingdom, Kaleb," she said, her voice firm, laced with pure irritation. "True kings do not laugh when their power is stripped away. I am wondering what you find so amusing right now, or why you think this is the time to joke around."

Kaleb’s smile did not fade, but a playful spark flashed deep within his pupils. He took a short step closer, the faint heat of his body cutting through the damp mountain chill.

"Well, that is why you are here, right?" he murmured, his tone teasing, completely unfazed by the anger radiating off her.

Rhea’s jaw remained locked tight. She kept her silver eyes fixed on his face, refusing to offer him even a flicker of warmth. "Tell me if you are ready to do this or not," she demanded, her words clipped and hard.

Kaleb searched her face for a long moment. The teasing light in his eyes slowly dimmed, replaced by a calculated focus. His posture shifted, his broad shoulders rising as he drew in a deep breath.

"Let us do it," he said quietly. He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze locking onto hers. "What is the plan?"

"The first step is for you to tell me exactly what happened," Rhea said, her voice deadly serious. "I need to know how Ironfang fell into shambles."

Kaleb’s smile vanished completely. His gaze drifted past her shoulder, staring into the dark, mist-shrouded trees. A deep growl vibrated low in his throat, a primal sound that made the air around them feel heavy. His hands curled into tight, white-knuckled fists at his sides.

"Those bastards," he spat through clenched teeth, his jaw muscles straining. "They staged a coup. They betrayed their own king."

He paused, swallowing hard as if the memory of his downfall was a physical pill of poison in his throat. When he turned his head back to Rhea, his amber eyes burned brighter, filled with a bitter intensity. The metallic scent of his bruised pride and lingering rage flooded her nose, cutting through the damp smell of pine.

"Their little alliances did not even last three days," Kaleb sneered, a dark chuckle breaking from his chest. "Look at them now. They are all preparing to fight a bloody war just to see who gets to claim the Ironfang throne. My throne."

Rhea’s eyes narrowed into tight slits. A war was brewing? The realization chilled her to the bone. The worst part was that she had walked straight into the middle of the fire. She exhaled a breath to steady her jumping pulse before looking Kaleb in the eyes again.

"When did this happen?" she asked softly. "Was it right after you returned from the Grand Council?"

Kaleb’s jaw hardened so tightly it looked painful. The golden light in his wolf’s eyes flared brilliantly against the gloom of the forest, the raw scent of his fury rising like heat off a sun-baked rock.

"While you were all dragging me before the Elders to strip me of my title, Jaxon was already busy mobilizing my warriors," he spat, the bitterness thick in his words. "Before the Council even took my crown, he had told everyone in the packhouse that I was powerless. He convinced them I was stripped of my Alpha authority and no longer worthy to rule. And those gullible fools believed every single word that came out of his mouth."

Rhea watched him closely, processing every detail. "The man sitting on your throne right now told a very different story," she said, her voice dropping lower. "He claims you ran away like a coward before his forces even reached the grand hall."

"I made mistakes," Kaleb admitted, his voice dropping. "But Jaxon and those traitors were waiting for them. The moment the Council stripped me of my authority, they moved. They had already poisoned the pack against me. The few loyal warriors who chose Ironfang over a traitor now live in these mountains with me, banished to the cold as rogues."

The pain in his voice was raw, bleeding through his defensive posture. Rhea let her eyes wander past him into the dense shadows of the mountain ridge, her sharp wolf instincts picking up the subtle rustle of hidden watchers in the brush.

Her mind was already working fast, calculating how a faction of banished, loyal fighters could be turned into a sharp weapon for her own strategy.

She turned her focus back to Kaleb. "And you trust these men?" she asked softly.

"With my life," Kaleb answered without a second of hesitation, his tone absolute. "No stranger can cross these mountain lines to find me. They will meet the Moon Goddess before they ever catch a glimpse of my shadow."

Rhea let out a quiet scoff, glancing down at her own mud-stained boots before looking back up into his eyes. "Well, I am standing right here in front of you," she pointed out, tilting her head. "Why did your loyal guards not tear me apart?"

Kaleb shook his head, a faint smile returning to his face. "Hanging around that crazy uncle of mine is clearly affecting your mind, Rhea," he said softly. "You used to be much smarter than this."

Rhea’s brows pulled into a deep frown. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I asked them to bring you directly to me," Kaleb explained, his eyes locking onto hers. "That old woman selling bread in the village? The little boy who led you up the path? They are all true to the Ironfang pack. They are loyal to their crowned king."

Rhea felt her breath catch slightly as her mind raced to connect the dots. "How did you even know I would come here?"

"I did not know," Kaleb admitted, his voice dropping into a quiet rumble. "But the moment you stepped through those gates, I was informed. I did not believe you would ever return after you publicly denounced Ironfang, so I needed to see your face with my own eyes."

Rhea remained still, her brain sifting through his words. "Did you already have a plan to take back the throne before I walked into these woods?"

Kaleb fell silent. He stared at her, his amber eyes searching hers intently, as if he were measuring her loyalty and trying to figure out if she was a savior or a threat. Instead of answering, he turned his back on her, his heavy cloak sweeping through the tall grass.

"You should get some rest, Rhea," he said over his shoulder, his tone suddenly distant. "And stay close to the camp. These mountains are dangerous at night."

"Do not walk away from me, Kaleb," Rhea commanded, her voice slicing through the quiet forest and forcing him to freeze in place. She took two sharp steps forward, closing the distance between them. "What is your plan to take back your throne?"

Kaleb paused. Slowly, he turned his head to look back at her over his broad shoulder. "All you need to know is that every single person who betrayed me will pay," he whispered. His amber eyes flashed with a sudden, terrifying light in the growing darkness. "And I will collect my payment in blood. Nothing less."

The sheer coldness in his voice sent a sudden shiver down Rhea’s spine, making her heart skip a heavy beat.

She knew she had not betrayed him, but looking at the fire burning in his eyes, she had no idea if he still considered her a friend. Or an enemy waiting to be slaughtered.