Chapter 179: Nothing but Silence

Words : 1271 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 179: Nothing but Silence Zane~ I stood there, rooted to the polished obsidian floor of my father’s private chamber, as his voice punctured through the thick tension in the room. "Don’t look so shaken, Zane," he said, folding his arms behind his back, his tone maddeningly calm. "I wouldn’t have her killed. She’s Katrina’s daughter. There’s too much history there. But I’ll make sure she never sees you again." My mouth parted. I felt the floor tip sideways beneath me. "What?" I croaked, but it wasn’t a question. It was disbelief. Shock. Fury. "She’ll live," he added with a dismissive wave of his hand, like we were discussing some far-off inconvenience. "But she’ll be far away. Hidden. Removed. Whatever it takes." "You—" My voice broke. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Call them back. Whoever you sent. Call them back now!" He blinked at me, slowly... and then laughed. A full, unbothered laugh that scraped every nerve in my body. "The deed’s already done, boy. You can’t save her now." I staggered back a step, the breath leaving my lungs in a violent gust. But it wasn’t fear for Natalie that gripped me. "No..." I shook my head, hard. "That’s not why I’m afraid." His smirk faltered, just a little. I stepped forward, voice rising with a sudden edge. "I’m not afraid for Natalie, Dad. I’m afraid for them—the poor bastards you just sent to their deaths. They won’t come back." He laughed again, but this one was shorter, almost scornful. "Grow up, Zane. Find a better lie. A weak wolfless woman with no backbone, barely a future—do you think I’m intimidated?" "You should be," I growled, voice sharp as broken glass. "Dad, I’m begging you—call them back. Right now. Those men don’t deserve to die because of your stubbornness. They’ve got families, lives... don’t turn them into casualties of your arrogance." He turned his back on me without a flicker of remorse, walking toward his bed like he hadn’t just lit a match and watched the world burn. "I’m tired," he said without facing me. "Leave my room. We have a very busy day tomorrow." My jaw clenched so tightly I heard my own teeth grind. I stood still for a breath. Two. Then I turned on my heel and stormed for the door, fury racing through every nerve. But just as I reached it— "Don’t even think about leaving the palace," his voice rang out again. I froze. "As we speak," he said, with a sigh as if he were discussing tomorrow’s wine list, "every guard on the premises has orders to stop you. Any means necessary. Even if it costs them their lives." I spun back around, heart pounding. "You—what?" "If you want to paint the palace red today, go ahead," he said lazily, climbing into bed. "But you’ll be killing loyal guards following my orders. Their blood will be on your hands, not mine." I stood there, stunned. He knew. He knew I wouldn’t kill them. Not my people. Not like that. And that’s why he did it. "You’ll regret this," I said, voice low and vibrating with fury. He said nothing—just pulled the silk covers up and laid his head back like this was over. I didn’t give him another glance. I yanked the door open and stormed out, nearly ripping it off its hinges. I was already reaching for the mind-link, my heart pounding like battle drums. "Natalie." Nothing. "Natalie, please. Answer me." Still silence. A cold, unfamiliar panic slid into my chest. That had never happened before. I tried again, harder this time, shoving more of myself through the bond. "Natalie, come on. Say something. Anything." Nothing. Not even a flicker. My pulse started hammering. "Alex?" Dead silence. "Fox. Jacob. Bubble. Tiger. Eagle—" No response. Like every line had been severed. I was unraveling. My hands trembled, and I felt Red pacing violently beneath my skin, claws scraping, breath ragged, a beast ready to tear this entire palace apart, stone by stone. I flung my focus toward another thread. "Abel. Roland." "Your Highness?" Roland’s voice filtered through—sleep-rough, confused. "Something’s wrong," I growled, my voice sharp with panic. "Get to the Vareth estate. Now. I need eyes on the property. Every inch. Call me the second you get there." Abel chimed in, already alert. "On it. We’re moving." I severed the connection and slammed my fist into the marble wall. The stone cracked with a deafening crack, shards raining down like ice. I didn’t care. Let the palace bleed. The guards stationed at the entrance of my father’s private chambers moved instantly, stepping in just enough to intervene but staying out of arm’s reach. They knew better. My aura was wildfire, barely contained. "Mr Lucky," Commander Daren approached carefully, hands raised, "we have orders—" "I know exactly what orders you have," I snapped. "Don’t make me turn you into a memory." He hesitated. Swallowed. "We don’t want trouble." Neither did I. Not with them. Not now. Because they weren’t the enemy. I could feel Natalie—strongly. But our bond felt choked. Like a candle trapped under water. But it was there. She was fine. So was Alex. I knew it. I felt it. That thread tying us together hadn’t snapped. But something was coiled around it—heavy, unnatural, like a storm made of shadows. Still, I wasn’t scared for them. I was scared for the guards my father had sent after them. Innocent men. Trained to follow commands, not question them. Men who probably thought they were doing the right thing. Men with families. Lives. Futures. Men who were now marching straight into a hell they didn’t understand. I couldn’t blame Natalie or her brothers if they fought back. Goddess, I wouldn’t. If they struck first, they’d be justified. Those men weren’t innocents in the way normal people were, but they didn’t deserve to die because of my father’s arrogance. Still... I hoped Natalie and her brothers wouldn’t kill them. I hoped there was still time. I didn’t sleep. I couldn’t. I spent hours pacing the palace like a caged animal, flinging my thoughts into the bond, calling Natalie’s name again and again. "Please, Nat. Just let me know you’re okay. Please don’t kill them." The silence pressed down on me like iron. Then—finally—at exactly 4:13 a.m., Abel’s voice crackled through the link. "We made it to Vareth," he panted. "But—Your Highness, something’s wrong." My stomach dropped like stone in water. "What is it?" "There’s a shield," Roland said quickly. "A force field, covering the whole estate. We tried to break through—it just pushes us back." "Magic?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. "No," Abel murmured. "Older than magic. Colder." I went still. Natalie wasn’t just surviving—she was fighting and protecting. That barrier? It wasn’t hers alone. It meant her brothers were there too. All of them. The Vareth house wasn’t just locked down—it had become a fortress. And my father’s men? They’d walked straight into a lion’s den. My heart pounded loud in my ears. Red was howling now, full beast, clawing at my ribs, desperate to run, to fly, to tear apart the sky until I got to her. "Natalie. Alex. Please. Just let me know you’re okay. And if you have to fight... don’t kill them. They’re just pawns. They didn’t know." Still no answer. I clenched my fists, claws piercing skin, blood dripping down my wrists. I welcomed the pain. The sun hadn’t risen yet. But I already knew— Today would be a graveyard. And my father would regret the day he ever crossed Natalie Cross.

Chapter 179: Nothing but Silence

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