Betrayed By One. Bound To Three-Chapter 88: Resentment?

The night air was cool, carrying the distant hum of the pack and the faint scent of smoke from torches.

Kael and Edris walked along the winding roads outside the packhouse, their clothing plain, their faces smudged with dust and a hint of grime. Travelers. That was the story they told anyone who glanced their way. Nothing more, nothing less. They had come to the pack to gather information, see what they can find to be able to expose Silas and help selena be reinstated as the rightful heir.

Ronan had stayed back at the cave to tend to Selena needs.

The red moon pack loomed ahead, lights flickering in the windows, shadows moving inside. The two brothers moved carefully, eyes scanning, ears alert. Every detail mattered. Even the smallest slip could cost them everything.

They got to the pack bar and decided to see what they could find.

Inside the bar, the air was warm and heavy with the chatter of the pack members and warriors. They followed at a distance, blending with other travelers, listening. What they heard wasn’t exactly surprising, they hit harder than they thought it

"Tomorrow," a guard muttered to another, "he’ll be crowned king. The ceremony starts at sunrise. No one can stop it now."

Kael’s jaw tightened. "Crowned king," he muttered under his breath. The words tasted bitter.

Their thoughts whirled with images of Silas seated on the throne, the pack at his command, and the lies he’d spun.

The mere thought was infuriating but there was nothing they could do. There was no proof, nothing tangible to stop him.

Edris exhaled slowly, pushing the unease down.

"We have to be careful," he said quietly. "We gather evidence first. One wrong move and... everything we’ve worked for is gone."

Kael nodded. The thought gnawed at him, the helplessness biting harder than any blade.

They lingered a few more moments, ears straining for anything, whispered conversations, hints of Silas’s plans, but nothing useful came.

Night deepened, and they melted away from the pack bar, retracing their steps to their old home. The house had stood empty since the events that forced them away, its windows dark, its halls silent except for memories they didn’t speak aloud.

Inside, they moved like shadows, careful not to disturb even a single creaking floorboard. Dust coated the surfaces, and the smell of abandonment clung to the air. Every corner, every cabinet, every drawer became a potential source of truth.

Hours passed in silence. They tore through closets, sifted through old papers, rifled through books. Every nook was searched, every space examined. But there was nothing. Nothing that could be used against Silas, nothing that could expose him before he took control of the pack.

Frustration pressed down on them like the weight of the ceiling above.

"We’re wasting our time," Kael muttered, his voice low, almost a growl. "Everything is gone. They have cleaned the house too well. There’s nothing left."

Edris’s hand brushed against a cracked section of wall. He froze for a moment, instincts pricking at him. Something wasn’t right. Slowly, cautiously, he pressed against it. The wall shivered under his touch, and then, with a soft, sudden give, a stack of papers tumbled down onto the floor.

Kael and Edris exchanged a stunned look. The papers were old, yellowed, brittle at the edges. Their hearts leapt. These could be something. Evidence, proof, anything that might expose Silas.

Before they could even reach for them, movement outside the house made them freeze. Shadows flitted past windows, low voices murmured. They crouched behind the wall, holding their breath.

A young couple appeared, sneaking across the yard, whispering to each other, laughter quiet and nervous.

Kael pressed back against the shadows. "Just some kids," he murmured. They were oblivious to the brothers’ presence, looking for a place to be alone, to steal a moment away from watchful eyes.

Soon the sound of the young couple kissing and having sex filled the air. And though, the brother would want to be anywhere else but there. Coming out of the house that moment would mean exposing them and they didn’t want that, so they waited until the couple have had their fill.

The brothers exchanged a knowing look after there was some calmness from the young fellas.

Moment later, the couple disappeared into the night, murmuring and giggling, and finally, Kael and Edris relaxed. Carefully, they grabbed the papers, shoving them into the folds of Kael’s coat.

They moved as quietly as they could out of the house, slipping into the darkness of the surrounding woods.

Once they were a safe distance away, Edris broke the silence. "What if the goddess is punishing Selena?" he asked suddenly. "For the crimes her father committed against our parents?"

Kael’s hand froze on the papers. His mind recoiled. That thought—harsh, bitter—wasn’t something he had meant to voice. It lingered, heavy and strange in the quiet night.

Edris’s voice was soft now, almost hesitant, but the words still held their weight. "I... I don’t mean her. Not really. But there it is. I can’t help it. I’ve never felt this before, this... anger, this resentment toward her. It feels so overwhelming"

Kael stared at him, chest tight. Then he realized he felt it too. A flicker of bitterness, a sharp edge of accusation he hadn’t expected.

It wasn’t fair, but it was there—fear and frustration twisting into bitter resentment.

For a long moment, neither spoke. The revelation was heavier than any physical threat. It was insidious, a seed of discord planted in their own hearts.

Finally, Kael exhaled, forcing the bitter thought down, burying it beneath careful reasoning.

"To be honest, I understand how you feel," he said, voice low, tense. "But for now, we focus on the papers. On Silas. Nothing else. Not anger. Not resentment. Not thoughts we don’t mean."

Edris nodded, but even he did not speak again. There was a strange clarity in admitting it, but it left them uneasy.

They had glimpsed a side of themselves they did not like, a shadow of judgment they had never felt before.p