Chapter 18: The Truth Kane Could No Longer Hide

Kane stood between me and Richard Vale, his expression colder than I had ever seen it.

Richard gave a quiet laugh.

"So the Alpha finally decided to play the hero."

Kane's eyes narrowed.

"You won't touch her."

"Why?" Richard asked. "Because she's your mate?"

Kane didn't answer.

Richard smiled.

"You dissolved that bond yourself."

The words struck the silence like a blade.

Kane's fists tightened.

"I made a mistake."

"No," Richard replied. "You made a choice."

I looked at Kane.

For years, I had wanted him to admit those words.

Now they came too late.

Richard suddenly lunged toward the chest.

Kane moved faster.

He grabbed Richard by the collar and slammed him against the stone wall.

"Where is the rest of the evidence?" Kane demanded.

Richard laughed through clenched teeth.

"You think this box contains everything?"

Kane's expression changed.

"What did you do with the original Wren records?"

Richard's smile disappeared.

"They're gone."

My heart sank.

"You destroyed them?" I asked.

"Not all of them."

Richard looked directly at me.

"Your mother kept one copy."

I froze.

"My mother?"

"She knew Elias didn't trust the council. Before she disappeared, she hid the original bloodline record somewhere even I couldn't find."

Kane released Richard and turned toward me.

"Evelyn, your mother may have left another clue."

I shook my head.

"She died years ago."

"But she left you the pendant," Kane said.

I looked down at the broken moonstone pendant I had recovered from the oath stone.

The pieces were still wrapped carefully in cloth inside my pocket.

Richard's eyes widened when he saw them.

"You still have it."

I immediately noticed the fear in his expression.

"Why are you afraid of a broken pendant?"

Richard didn't answer.

Kane stepped closer.

"Tell her."

Richard remained silent.

Kane's Alpha command filled the chamber.

"Tell her the truth."

Richard's knees nearly buckled.

"The pendant isn't just a bloodline token."

He swallowed.

"It's a key."

I stared at him.

"A key to what?"

"The Wren inheritance vault."

I remembered the black stone Elias had left me.

The pieces of the pendant suddenly made sense.

My mother hadn't simply given me a family keepsake.

She had given me the means to reclaim everything that had been stolen from me.

Richard's voice dropped.

"If you open that vault, you'll find proof of what the Calder family did."

"And you'll find the names of everyone who helped them."

Kane looked at him.

"Including you."

Richard smiled bitterly.

"Including me."

The guards arrived moments later and took Richard away.

I remained in the vault, staring at the broken pendant in my hands.

Kane approached slowly.

"Evelyn."

I didn't look up.

"What?"

"I know I can't undo what happened."

His voice cracked.

"But I want to help you uncover the truth."

I finally looked at him.

"Then do one thing for me."

"Anything."

"Don't ask me to come back to you."

Kane went completely still.

I held his gaze.

"If you really regret what you did, let me walk away without trying to make me yours again."

Pain crossed his face.

But this time, he nodded.

"I will."

For the first time, I believed him.

Not because I trusted him again.

Because he had finally understood that loving me did not give him the right to keep me.