Chapter 331

AURELIA’S POV I blinked, thrown off by the shift in his tone. Kael looked away for a moment, running a hand through his hair, before continuing. “Draven,” he said finally. “His uncle. The man who raised him, trained him, made him who he is. The same man who destroyed everything he ever loved.” My breath caught. Kael nodded grimly. “You know how Alphas talk about legacy and loyalty, right? Derek grew up believing in those words. He fought for his pack, for Draven’s approval — until he realized that his uncle wasn’t building an empire. He was building a kingdom of control. Derek lost everything because of that man — his friends, his trust, even himself.” I stared at him, unable to speak. “So when he found you,” Kael continued softly, “he wasn’t thinking like a mate. He was thinking like a soldier. Cautious. Calculating. He thought you were another piece in Draven’s plan — another way for his uncle to win.” I swallowed hard, my anger faltering beneath the weight of Kael’s words. “He didn’