Chapter 119

Chapter 119 Dangerous game
KANE
That same night, I hadn’t anticipated Asher’s visit, but at the same time, I wasn’t surprised to see him.
“Come in, brother,” I said when I opened my chamber door, and I held it open for him to enter. As Asher crossed the threshold, I detected a look of sullenness in his expression, though his greeting was kind enough.
“How are you?” he wondered as he took a seat at the chair beside my small desk. As he crossed his legs and stared at me with those piercing gray eyes of his, I considered my words carefully. The Alpha King didn’t seem to be in too great of a
to escalate the situation. mood and the last thing I needed was
“Fine,” I remarked as I studied him carefully and folded my arms against my chest. “How are you?”
what is it that you want? I know
“I’ve been better,” Asher replied, and then his eyes narrowed. “Tell me Kane,
I you visited Cas sandra today and I also know that you lied to her about the ‘gift’ I allegedly asked you to deliver on my behalf. I don’t understand. Why did you deliver her a tea set and some jasmine tea and say they were from me? What are you playing at, brother?”
“I don’t want anything,” I stated as calmly as possible. “This is a
misunderstanding, Asher. The only reason I lied to Cas sandra was so that she would accept the gift. Jasmine tea was Cora’s favorite and I didn’t want to make her panic by giving it to her out of the blue.”
The Alpha King’s face paled and his eyes widened. Asher attempted to hide his disbelief, but he wasn’t the best of actors. His expression betrayed his emotions, and his nostrils flared as he searched for the right words to say.
“How did you know?” he asked quietly.
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I offered him the smallest smile I could manage. “It wasn’t too difficult to uncover the truth, considering how different you’ve become as of recently.”
“What do you mean by that?” he demanded.
“Only that you aren’t merely attracted to Cas sandra as I’d once thought, but because you’re clearly obsessed with her,” I explained gently. “You’ve only ever loved one woman, Asher, and that’s Cora. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”
The realization that he’d been caught made Asher’s face grow even more
somber.
“Be cautious, brother,” I advised him as I took a step forward. “If I could figure it out, so could the enemies of Cas sandra’s family-”
His eyes darkened and he rushed to his feet and advanced toward me.
“Stay away from her, Kane,” he practically growled at me. “I mean it. I want you
to stay away.”
“Calm down, Asher,” I insisted as I stared back at him. “There’s no need for
malice.”
“I mean it,” he pressed, and his hands clenched into fists at his side. “She isn’t your concern. I don’t need you anywhere near her.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I countered.
“You know exactly what it means,” Asher retorted. “You have no business being anywhere near her-”
“We’re just friends, Asher-”
He scoffed. “Oh, please, Kane. Since when have you ever been friends with a woman? You’re nothing more than a womanizer, and I won’t let you try to get involved with her.”
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My voice caught in my throat. I was taken aback by his sudden ferocity, and I realized that this was the first time we’d quarreled like this. Since I moved into the palace with my mother, the two of us had never argued. Despite Asher’s clear dislike for Mother, our relationship remained strong, as if we were biological brothers.
However, with the way Asher was snarling at me, I wondered if there were some ill feelings I’d never picked up on.
This vexation was unfamiliar and made my stomach churn.
“Wow,” I breathed. “Who could have guessed you thought so little of me, Asher.
Cora had a way of bringing out the more primal side of my brother.
All of those years ago, I’d never wanted to take Cora from Asher. I had always. admired Cora for her kindness and empathy, especially during the difficult times when I was viewed as nothing more than the useless stepson of the former Alpha King. However, Asher made Cora happy, and I was content with that.
I’d kept my distance from the happy couple and became what others in Merliscire referred to as a “playb oy” Much to the dismay of the upper families in Anemond, I found pleasure in the company of other women while my brother’s heart opened to Cora.
When they had become mates, I’d been incredibly happy for them.
Yet, despite being her fated mate, Asher hadn’t been able to protect Cora well. As much as I hated thinking this way, I couldn’t help but think if I hadn’t stayed away from her like Mother had instructed, and had taken care of her, she might not have gotten hurt at all.
Part of me wanted to rub that idea right into his face, but insulting him wasn’t my intention. I would only be acting out of spite, and besides, despite how he was behaving, I didn’t hate or even dislike Asher. He was my brother, after all.
But that didn’t mean I was going to let her go without a fight.
My expression grew more serious as I studied him. Now that Cora was back
and had a new name and identity, things were different than they’d been back then. She wasn’t his mate anymore; she had lost both her wolf and her scent in the
inferno.
“Cas sandra isn’t some object for you to possess,” I emphasized with my head. held high. “She is an independent woman capable of making her own decisions. You don’t own her and you certainly can’t speak for her. You have to respect her free will and her right to choose for herself.”
“What are you implying she has to choose?” Asher asked calmly as his eyes. trailed over me. “There’s no decision for her to make. She’s always been my mate,
Kane-”
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“You’re married,” I reminded him. “Which is a fact you keep forgetting, by the way. Even if you wanted to pretend that things could go back to the way they were before the fire in Rosepetal, you’re still bound to Adalyn and Prince Marco. If I you, I’d keep that in mind going forward. I didn’t mean any ill will toward you, brother, but others… others may feel differently.”
Asher clenched his jaw.
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” I advised him. “I won’t be the only one to figure it out if you keep acting this way. And if Adalyn were to find out… I wouldn’t want to be Cas sandra, or even you for that matter.”
“Spit it out, Kane,” Asher whispered as his cheeks paled. “Speak plainly.
“Be careful,” I emphasized. “That’s all.”
When he didn’t say anything further, I gestured to the chamber door.
“You should go,” I suggested. “Unless you have something more to say, brother.”
Silence fell between us for a moment, and then he shook his head.
“I don’t,” Asher uttered, and without another word, he stormed out of the room.