Kael’s POV

Mia’s words hit me like ba /bw to the chest.

“Miss Riley was beaten, young Alpha. By the Alpha himself

I had already noticed the bruises–angry red welts band /bpurpling stripes cutting across Riley’s too–pale skin. But ball /bmy focus had been on her severed finger. I hadn’t truly seen the rest.

Now I did. And I couldn’t unsee it.

My fists clenched bas /bI tried to breathe through the storm building inside me.

“Why?” I asked, voice low, struggling to stay in control. “Why did he bhit /bher?”

Mia hesitated, eyes darting toward the closed doors of the operating room. I could see the conflict warring in her gaze. She didn’t want to speak–but she was more afraid of what would happen if she didn’t

Scarlett imed Riley pushed her down the stairs.” Mia said finally. “Alpha ric didn’t even question it. Just… snapped. Took his belt and-”

She trailed off, eyes watering.

I shut my eyes.

It bwasn’t /blike I didn’t know bwhat /bmy father was capable of when he was angry. I just never imagined it’d be turned on Riley like this. Not to this degree.

Mia’s voice trembled. “Young Alpha… forgive me, bbut /bdon’t you think the whole bpack’s /bbeen too harsh on her? Even you…”

I looked up sharply.

She flinched and bowed her head.

Good. She should. I wasn’t in the mood for lectures.

But the guilt crept in anyway.

Because she was right.

I’d seen Riley’s pain. F’d ignored it.

Now it was bleeding all over me.

I stood and paced outside the emergency ward, every second dragging like a chain around my throat.

bFinally/b, the door opened, and Theo Hale–our lead healer–stepped out, pulling down his bmask/b.

“Is she- My voice cracked.

Theo bgave /ba short nodito Mia. “Take her to recovery.”

Mia bowed and wheeled Riley’s bed toward the private ward,

When we were alone, Theo turned to me, face grim.

“It looks worse than it is,” he said. “The injuries are mostly superficial. The finger was reattached. She’ll heal

1 exhaled bslowly/b.

But Theo didn’t bmove/b. He looked troubled.

I knew that look

336 PM bd /b

1

+8 Pearls

“What is it?” I asked.

He hesitated.

Theo. bSay /bit.”

He sighed. “While treating herb, /bI noticed an old scar. Lower left side of her back. It’s bclean/b, surgical. Maybe a year old.”

I bfrowned/b. “And?”

“Kael. Riley’s missing ba /bkidney.

Everything inside me stilled.

“What

“Her left kidney. It’s gone. Removed cleanly, with precision. Likely during her time in confinement. I don’t know how the hell it happened–those records are sealed tighter than a vault–but it’s gone.”

My legs almost gave out

Theo saw bit /band reached for me, but I waved him off.

I stumbled bback /ba step, then caught myself. My chest heaved with every breath, the air feeling thick, poisonous.

She’d lost a kidney.

In prison.

And we’d bnever /bknown.

No–worse.

We’d never asked.

Theo stepped forward. “Kacl… that bkind /bof trauma? It might exin something else.”

I looked up.

“Riley’s wolf”

My heart skipped.

b“You’ve /balways wondered why she never shifted. Why her bond with her wolf never formed. Well, if her body bwas /bmutted, if her wolf was forced into deep submission from pain or betrayal, it could suppress the transformation.”

He paused.

“She didn’t reject the wolf. The wolf was caged”

Based on the faint trace of wolf pheromone I just caught from Riley, it suddenly all made sense.

I had always bassumed /bshe was too weak toplete her shift–but it wasn’t that she didn’t have a wolf.

Her wolf had been trapped all along… because she was missing a damn kidney.

I’d forgotten–she carried pure bAlpha /bblood. She was supposed to have a powerful Alpha wolf.

I stood there, reeling. My sister bhad /bbeen torn apart, piece by piece, inside and out, while I sat on my throne and believed every word Scarlett fed me.

I didn’t deserve the title of Alpha.

Theo ced a hand on my shoulder, then walked off.

I stood bthere /ba long time.

+8 Pearls

Eventually, I went to her.

At the threshold of her room. I hesitated. I wasn’t ready to face her–not like this. Not when the truth bhad /bstripped me bare.

I heard Theo’s voice from insideb. /b“You’re awake!”

A long silence. Then a rustle of sheets.

“You know, every time I see you, you’re covered in wounds. It’s like you’ve made it your thing

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