CHAPTER 69: SUSPICIOUS OF SOPHIA

Kael’s POV

Pushing aside the thoughts of everything I had heard from Liam and that bitch, I made my way to the hospital.

Sophia had requested to see me, and I came only to make sure this wasn’t another trick orchestrated by her mother. If it was, then they’d be taught their final lesson—one they wouldn’t forget.

I entered her room quietly. She lay reclined on the hospital bed, propped up enough to hold a book in her hands. The moment she saw me, she turned with a bright smile.

"Kael!" she called, her voice sweet and soft, laced with a kind of affection I didn’t bother to return.

I gave her a faint nod and glanced at the book. She noticed.

"You know how much I love romance novels," she said, gently closing it. "I was just reading to entertain myself. It reminded me of the sweet times we had together... it made me feel better."

Sweet times?

My brows creased slightly, but I said nothing. If her definition of sweetness was clinging to me constantly while I tolerated it only for my mother’s sake, then sure, I supposed that was her version of it.

I sat down in the chair beside her. "You asked for me?"

She nodded with a light hum. "A few days ago, my birthday passed... but we couldn’t celebrate because of my condition. I’m so upset I couldn’t enjoy it with my people—you, our friends."

"You’ll be better soon," I said, my tone flat, detached.

"I can’t wait," she replied, smiling wistfully. "When is the treatment scheduled? I just want to get out of here and celebrate properly. Is that she-wolf still not healed?"

Yesterday she asked the same thing. I let out an inward sigh and replied the same, "Not yet," I answered. "We have to wait."

Before I was kind and careful towards Sophia, but something had changed in me after I confronted her parents yesterday. It was as if I had lost my all patience with this family now.

The compulsion of care I had been forcing myself to feel towards her, was breaking away slowly.

Had it started yesterday or even before that, I couldn’t quite figure it out.

Sophia stared at me for a moment, her smile slowly fading. Her tone dropped to something quieter, more uncertain.

"Kael... are you falling for that she-wolf? Just because she’s a pureblood and can give you a child without trouble?"

Finally she asked what must have been eating her for days now, and her mother must have poked her as well.

"You’re overthinking it."

"What if she’s faking it?" she pressed. "Just trying to gain your sympathy. You’re the Alpha of this pack, Kael. Every she-wolf wants you. That pureblood are scheming Vixens. Don’t fall for her tricks."

"She’s not," I said firmly. "I told you—she was trafficked. She was abused."

Sophia’s expression hardened.

"Kael, she’s a pureblood," she insisted. "They’re made for getting fucked. Even if multiple Alphas like you fucked her at once, she wouldn’t be hurt. That’s how they’re built. What possibly can be wrong with her?"

The way she said it—multiple Alphas fucking Eira at the same time—it got under my skin.

My gaze darkened as I replied coldly, "Your mother is a pureblood she-wolf, so it seems you know them better. Scheming and only build to be fucked?"

Her expression twisted the moment I brought up that whore of a mother. She was left speechless, lips parting slightly as if the weight of my words had knocked the air from her lungs.

"Kael..." she whispered, almost pleading.

"Even a pureblood isn’t immortal," I said, referring to Eira. "There are ways they can be hurt—brutally. Even to the point of losing their wolf."

Her eyes widened. Panic flickered in them instantly.

"Don’t tell me... she’s lost her wolf. If she has, I won’t be healed, Kael."

"She hasn’t," I said. "But we need to recover it from whatever’s left of it."

Sophia finally gave a soft hum of agreement. "I’m sorry. I was in haste. Just make sure she heals."

I offered no response, only a silent nod, and stood to leave. But then she spoke again.

"Kael, even if I can’t go outside yet, how about calling everyone here instead? You and our four friends. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them. This VIP room is large enough to host a small celebration."

I nearly scoffed. Our friends?

I wanted to tell her the truth—that they were my friends. They merely tolerated her for my sake. They would never come here willingly.

"They’re busy," I told her, tone final. "They won’t be able to make it."

"Then... how about a video call?" she offered, her voice a touch too sweet. "They must be busy helping you with pack matters. Or perhaps they’re guarding that pureblood she-wolf. We could include her in the call too. That way, I get to meet her without bothering having to come here."

My brows furrowed.

Now I understood. This wasn’t just about seeing old friends or celebrating a delayed birthday. It was strategy.

Her mother must have finally told her the truth—that other four were not just friends, but my sworn mate-brothers now. And if she wanted to be my mate, she needed them to accept her as their mate as well. She was going to get on their good side and maybe try to seduce them with her gentle act.

And she also wanted to see the pureblood herself, confirm the threat with her own eyes.

"Involving her isn’t possible. She needs to rest," I repeated. "I’ll make sure to send you a gift. I forgot earlier."

She gave a hollow laugh. "What kind of gift can I even use in this situation?" Her voice softened. "All I wanted was to feel connected to those I care about. But even that’s being denied to me."

"For now, just focus on getting better," I said, firm. "The rest can wait until you’re out of here."

She fell quiet for a moment, then her voice dropped, laced with nostalgia and bitterness.

"I can only hold on to the memories of my last birthday. The one we celebrated six years ago. Everyone was there... it was such a lovely evening." Her gaze drifted to her arm, where a faint scar still lingered. "But that bitch Eira ruined it."

She looked back at me, eyes narrowing.

"She hurt me out of jealousy, because I was your girlfriend. I wonder how obsessed that traitor must’ve been with you to lash out like that. No wonder she ran to our enemies when she couldn’t have you."

For a moment I wondered if she knew the pureblood I bought was Eira, but it wasn’t possible. Maybe she was just trying to stir my emotions to keep me bound to her.

At that moment, the memory of that evening resurfaced.

Something had happened between Eira and Sophia. In the end, Sophia’s arm was injured.

Back then, Sophia insisted it wasn’t intentional. She even tried to defend Eira, claiming it was just an accident. But her defense only cast more suspicion—people began to wonder if Eira had tried to harm her out of jealousy or some deeper grudge.

I remembered Eira shaking her head silently, her innocent eyes brimming with tears as she struggled to speak. But no words came.