Fate betrayal

CHAPTER 23

Chapter 23: Shadows of Redemption

Darius’s POV

The taste of blood lingered on my tongue as I stood at the edge of the forest, the wind carrying the scent of wolves — my son and his precious mate. A surge of anger rippled through me, but it was dulled by something else. Something I hadn’t felt in years.

Regret.

The rune-carved charm glimmered faintly in my palm, its power pulsing like a heartbeat. My hands trembled as I tightened my grip around it. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. None of it was.

But I was too far gone now to turn back.

I stepped forward, the moonlight filtering through the canopy above. My footsteps were deliberate, every leaf and twig crunching beneath me a reminder of the inevitability of this moment. They would know I was coming. I wanted them to.

I reached Ethan’s cabin just as the door slammed open. Killian stood there, his eyes blazing gold, his wolf barely contained. Behind him, the girl — Serenity — hovered like a shadow, her scent interwoven with his.

“Father.” Killian’s voice was a low snarl, but there was no fear in it. Only fury.

“Son.” My voice was calm, steady, though the sight of him — so much like his mother — twisted the knife in my chest.

Killian took a step forward, his mate gripping his arm to hold him back. “You’ve gone too far. This ends tonight.”

I laughed, a hollow sound that echoed in the stillness. “You think you can stop me? After all I’ve done to protect you?”

“Protect me?” Killian spat, his fists clenching. “You killed her. You destroyed my life. And now you want to destroy Serenity.”

I flinched at his words, the weight of them cutting deeper than any blade. “You don’t understand, Killian. You never did. Everything I’ve done — everything I’ve sacrificed — has been for you.”

“For me?” He took another step forward, shaking off Serenity’s hand. “You bound me to Elena with dark magic, turned her into a shell of herself, and then blamed me for the fallout. And now you’re here to do the same to Serenity. You call that protection?”

I swallowed hard, the memories I’d buried clawing their way to the surface. “Elena wasn’t supposed to die.” My voice cracked, the admission like acid on my tongue. “She wasn’t supposed to break. The bond... it was supposed to make you stronger, unite the packs. I thought it would work. I hoped...”

“You hoped?” Killian’s voice rose, his anger palpable. “You gambled with our lives for power. Don’t twist this into something noble.”

I clenched my jaw, his words cutting deeper than I’d anticipated. He had no idea what I’d sacrificed.

“I lost your mother for this,” I said, my voice low but firm.

Killian froze, the fire in his eyes flickering.

“She didn’t leave because of you, Killian,” I continued, my chest tightening with every word. “She left because of me. Because I chose power over family. Over her. When I used the black magic to forge that first bond, she saw me for what I truly was — a monster.”

The silence that followed was suffocating, the weight of my confession pressing down on all of us.

“You’ve always hated me for Elena,” I said, my gaze locked on Killian. “But you don’t see the full picture. I was trying to undo my mistakes. I thought... if I could make you stronger, if I could secure your place in this world, it would make up for everything I lost.”

Killian’s jaw tightened, but his anger had dimmed, replaced by something else. Uncertainty, perhaps.

“You’re lying,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

“I wish I were,” I said, my shoulders sagging under the weight of my own guilt. “Do you think I don’t see the blood on my hands? Do you think I don’t hear her voice every night, begging me to stop? I carry that guilt with me every second of every day. And now, I see you walking the same path I did, blinded by love for a mate you’ll never be able to protect.”

Serenity stepped forward then, her presence surprising me. “You’re wrong,” she said, her voice steady but laced with defiance. “Killian isn’t you. And I’m not some pawn in your twisted game.”

I met her gaze, and for a moment, I saw something that caught me off guard — strength. Not just physical strength, but something deeper. A resilience that reminded me of... her.

My mate.

I shook the thought away, focusing on the task at hand. “You think love is enough to protect you? You’re a fool if you believe that. Killian’s enemies will come for you, just as mine came for your mother. And when they do, he’ll be powerless to stop them.”

“Enough!” Killian’s voice thundered, his wolf surfacing. “You don’t get to talk about her. You don’t get to twist this into some tragic story to justify your crimes.”

I raised the charm in my hand, its runes glowing faintly in the moonlight. “You don’t understand the power you’re up against, Killian. This charm is just the beginning. If you don’t sever your bond with her, I will. And trust me, it will be far less painful for both of you if you let me do it now.”

Serenity stepped closer to Killian, her hand resting on his arm. “We’re not afraid of you,” she said, her voice unwavering. “We’re stronger together than you could ever imagine.”

Her words struck something deep within me, a memory I’d long since buried. My mate had said the same thing to me once, so many years ago. Back when I still believed in love.

For a moment, I hesitated.

And that’s when the twist of fate struck.

A shadow emerged from the treeline, its movements swift and deliberate. Before any of us could react, a wolf with crimson eyes lunged at Serenity, its jaws snapping mere inches from her throat.

Killian roared, his wolf erupting from within as he tackled the creature to the ground. But it wasn’t just one wolf. More emerged from the darkness, their crimson eyes glowing like embers.

And then I realized — they weren’t mine.

“Killian!” I shouted, my voice breaking. “They’re not with me!”

But he didn’t listen. His rage consumed him as he tore into the wolves, his focus solely on protecting Serenity.

I turned to her, the girl who had somehow managed to awaken the last vestiges of my humanity. “Stay back,” I said, stepping in front of her.

She stared at me, her golden eyes wide with confusion. “Why are you helping us?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Because for the first time in years, I didn’t have an answer.

Another wolf lunged at us, and I met it head-on, the charm in my hand glowing brighter as I activated its power. The runes burned into my palm, but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t let her die.

Not like the others.

The battle raged around us, chaos and blood painting the night. And then, in the midst of it all, I saw him.

A figure cloaked in shadows, his crimson eyes watching from the treeline. He raised a hand, and the wolves retreated instantly, leaving us standing in the aftermath of their attack.

Killian turned to face him, his chest heaving. “Who are you?”

The figure stepped closer, his voice cold and familiar.

“Don’t you recognize me, brother?”