"What trouble can a little Omega be?" Kael asked indifferently as he rose from his seat, his movements unhurried, almost careless, as if the matter held no weight at all.
The casual question seemed to jolt Crown Prince Lance. He turned sharply to look at Kael, his expression tightening. He had not expected his brother to raise such a challenge. It was abrupt, almost out of the blue, yet the undercurrent in Kael’s tone carried an edge Lance could not ignore.
Kael had no intention of letting go of the slave bond either. And this, was worrisome. When Zen had insisted that they mark the omega, he’d sensed Kael’s reluctance as well. The fact that this had changed within a week was even more worrisome.
Lance’s eyes narrowed, the brief silence between them heavy. No words were exchanged, but in the stillness, the air thickened. Their gazes locked, and though their expressions barely shifted, both brothers understood the other perfectly.
Prince Lance’s hands curled into fists at his sides, a sign of his temper straining against restraint. His voice, when it came, was sharp, clipped, edged with disapproval. "Kael. This is foolishness. That girl-have you forgotten so quickly? Wasn’t it you who told me she tried to pit Zen and you against her own pack? Wasn’t it you who warned me that she summoned the shadow wolves not only to escape but had other motives as well?"
"That alone was enough to raise every flag against her. Enough to mark her as dangerous." His jaw tightened, his eyes hardening with the weight of his reasoning. "And now... now I can see it clearly. Zen is attached to her. And worse, I see the beginnings of something similar in you. Do you have any realisation at all of how that will affect everything? Everyone?"
Kael’s lips curved in the faintest shadow of a smile, though it carried no warmth. He lifted a hand, brushing off Lance’s words as though they were no more than a passing annoyance. "Lance. What you really want is simple. You want her out of your way, out of your sight, gone before she becomes a thorn you cannot pull."
Kael’s tone was calm, but there was steel beneath it, a finality Lance could not mistake. "You will have what you want. She will be gone soon enough. Out of this palace, out of your hair. Within the next seven days, we are leaving. With her."
He met Lance’s eyes once more, steady and unflinching. "So of course, brother, you need not trouble yourself any longer."
Lance narrowed his eyes at that. "You are leaving within the next seven days? Who told you that?"
Kael’s gaze did not waver. "What is there to tell? This visit was only to give you an update and to have Emira accepted into the pack. We will decide on the next strategy in the coming days and then we leave. I didn’t think there was anything complicate in that."
"You will not be leaving this time," Lance said, as he stared at Kael, his decision final. "I need you both by my side. My enforcers, as well as my brothers."
Kael stilled at the words. His hands curled slightly, and a tightness spread across his shoulders. Every part of him wanted to push back and refuse. But he knew that there was no point. He felt torn. On the one side, was his brother’s well being. He knew Lance had suffered alone in the last three years, for their sake but staying here might...
"Let Zen go," he said slowly. "I will stay here."
"No," Lance replied at once. "I already gave you three years. That was more than enough. It is time both of you returned home."
Kael’s jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened. "Lance, don’t be stubborn. You may end up losing more than you think."
"I don’t care," Lance answered sharply. "Letting you both go was the greatest mistake I made. Tonight, during the celebration, I will announce that the new team I trained will continue the investigation. The work will move forward without you. And as for that Omega, I have already thought of a solution. Someone from the Rockfell Pack will arrive next week. I will see to it that they take her, so neither of you have to carry that burden."
Kael gave a short, humorless snort, the sound edged with contempt. "It seems the last three years have made Lance Stormhold think quite forward, hmm? You want to make arrangements, go ahead and make them. But if you believe you can send Emira away, then you are a fool. And if you think Zen and Kael will fall neatly in line with those arrangements, then I suggest you think again."
Lance’s eyes narrowed. His voice dropped, hard and unyielding. "Are you challenging me, Kael? Challenging your Alpha?"
Kael, who had already turned to leave, stopped mid-step. His back stiffened before he slowly turned to face his brother. His gaze was steady, his tone controlled. "Lance... in terms of power, the three of us are equals. You know this as well as I do. The difference is that Zen and I have enough respect for you not to turn that truth into a challenge. We have stood beside you, never against you. But in this matter, I’ll say it plainly—leave the Omega alone. She is not worth the fight you are inviting."
He started to move again, ready to end the exchange, but Lance’s words cut through the air, stopping him cold. "What about Ramona then?"
Kael froze. His entire body stilled, and for the first time, his composure cracked. Slowly, he turned back, his eyes narrowing into a sharp glare. "Playing dirty now, are we?"
Lance did not back down. His voice carried the same finality as before, only colder. "I’ll do what it takes to keep both of you here. So answer me, Kael. What about Ramona? What about your fated mate who has been awaiting your return for the last three years?"
Kael gave a snort and said," The fated mate bond has already been rejected. What is the point of waiting?"
With that, without giving Lance to say something else, Kael walked out of the large room, towards his own room.