Chapter 25

The morning sun filtered through Kaden’s study, casting long streaks of light across the floor. The day had barely begun, yet the air felt heavy, thick with an unspoken tension. Kaden leaned against his desk, his sharp silver eyes fixed on the folded parchment sitting in front of him. It was old-fashioned, out of place among the neatly stacked papers and electronic tablets that typically filled his workspace. The parchment’s edges were frayed, and a dark wax seal, cracked and brittle, held it closed. Kaden had no idea how it had gotten there or who had delivered it, but something about it set his instincts on edge. He broke the seal, his movements slow, deliberate, as if the letter might explode in his hands. As he unfolded it, a faint metallic scent: iron, almost like blood,drifted up, making his wolf stir uneasily within him. His jaw tightened as his eyes scanned the short, brutal message. “Alpha Kaden, You’ve made a grave mistake in choosing your mate. Althea will be your undoing. S