Chapter 221: A pawn
"Is she asleep?" Xavier asked softly, a trace of genuine concern lacing his voice.
Kaden’s upper lip twitched in annoyance at the subtle shift in his friend’s tone. "Hopefully," he said dryly, rolling his shoulders to work out a knot of exhaustion. "Do you need a drink?"
Xavier shook his head, declining with a slight wave of his hand. "I’ve had more than enough alcohol at the wedding. I still have to drive myself back, unless you expect me to run home through a thunderstorm in my wolf form."
A faint, genuine smile briefly touched Kaden’s lips, melting some of the sharp tension coiled in his frame. "Now that would be a sight," he murmured, turning to lead the way into the living room. "Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to deal with a drunk wolf tonight."
They moved into the spacious living area, surrounded by dark leather furniture and heavy velvet drapes. Xavier made himself at home, sinking comfortably into one of the armchairs, already deeply familiar with the villa’s layout.
Kaden, however, remained standing. His wet clothes were still heavy, clinging uncomfortably to his damp skin and dripping small droplets onto the polished hardwood floor. He crossed his arms over his chest, standing directly opposite Xavier, his sharp gaze fixing on the younger man.
"Speak," Kaden urged, his tone clipped and flat.
Xavier sneered slightly at the command, shaking his head. "Still as impatient as ever, I see."
Kaden merely shrugged, utterly unbothered. He was physically and mentally drained. What else was he supposed to be when a man barged onto his property close to dawn after the night he’d had? Still, beneath his fatigue, a quiet curiosity flickered. Whatever brought Xavier here at this hour had to be serious.
Right on cue, the humour vanished from Xavier’s face. His features hardened, his posture growing rigid as he leaned forward slightly.
"I need a favour," Xavier said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, deadly serious register.
"You already mentioned that," Kaden replied calmly, though his posture stiffened.
Xavier hesitated for a fraction of a second, tapping his fingers against the armrest before lifting his gaze to lock onto Kaden’s eyes. "It’s about Yuki."
The temperature in the room dropped instantly.
The air turned frigid, thick with a sudden spike of suppressed Alpha intent. Kaden’s dark eyes narrowed into dangerously slit pupils that flashed gold, his jaw tightening so hard a vein throbbed against his temple. Yet, despite the sudden lethality radiating from him, his voice remained deceptively smooth and controlled.
"What about Yuki?" Kaden asked, every word dropping like heavy stones.
Xavier didn’t flinch. He met Kaden’s darkening gaze head-on, cutting straight to the point. Funny, he had expected this reaction from him. "I’m serious about her, Kaden."
There was no provocation in Xavier’s tone, no challenge for dominance or hidden taunts. His gaze was entirely earnest, entirely sincere, and that absolute honesty made Kaden far more uncomfortable than an open fight ever could.
A sharp, cruel sneer cut across Kaden’s face. "And what the hell does that have to do with me?" he spat, his hands tightening into hard fists against his biceps. "You call yourself my best friend, yet here you are, telling me you’re interested in my ex-mate?"
Xavier let out a quiet, breathless chuckle, shaking his head slowly. "Can you really even call her that, Kaden? Did you ever actually consider her your mate when you had the chance?"
Kaden fell abruptly silent. The harsh words hung suspended in the air between them, striking a raw, unhealed nerve that Kaden refused to acknowledge. He clamped his mouth shut, his chest heaving with a slow, heavy breath.
Seeing that he had struck a chord, Xavier leaned back into the leather chair, his tone shifting into something far more pragmatic. "I heard Aevia is pining to match her with Declan," Xavier explained, his voice smooth and calculated. "She wants Yuki married into the Silverthorne pack. It’s not a stretch. Declan is influential, and the connection serves them well."
He paused, letting the reality of the situation sink in. "In other words, Alexander is completely on board. He’s more than willing to use his newly adopted daughter to cement a political alliance with Silverthorne."
A bitter, cold smile touched Kaden’s lips. It was almost funny, though he had known it all along. His father was no saint; Alexander Ravencourt never acted without a calculated return on investment. Alexander had never possessed a daughter of his own, so naturally, he was eager to parade someone as striking and noble-blooded as Yuki to secure power. Silverthorne wasn’t as dominant as the Ravencourt pack, but they controlled vital, resource-rich territory, mines Alexander had cast greedy eyes on for years.
"Yuki is just a pawn to him," Xavier said quietly, his eyes searching Kaden’s stony face.
Kaden shifted his gaze towards the dark window, listening to the first heavy raindrops begin to lash against the glass. "More accurately," Kaden corrected, his voice devoid of warmth, "she is letting herself be a pawn."
Xavier’s brow furrowed in disagreement, but he couldn’t deny the brutal simplicity of Kaden’s words. Yuki was desperate to escape the suffocating shadow of the Ravencourt territory.
She might very well agree to marry Declan simply to put distance between herself and the ghosts of her past. At the very least, Declan showed open interest in her and possessed a soft enough reputation that she likely believed he would never harm her.
And yet, something about the whole arrangement felt deeply wrong.
Kaden turned his head back, a mocking edge glinting in his eyes as he looked at his friend. "Look at you. Someone’s getting paranoid about his rival," Kaden teased dryly, though his eyes remained dark. "I thought you were the type who was always willing to fight for what he wanted."
Xavier’s expression tightened, the teasing remark sliding right off him.
"If you want her, all you have to do is step up and win her over," Kaden added, though deep down, a cynical voice reminded him of his father’s relentless nature. If Alexander’s mind was truly set on selling Yuki off to Declan, she wouldn’t have much of a choice anyway, and Alexander had a terrifying knack for manipulating people into thinking his choices were their own idea.
Xavier leaned forward, his eyes burning with quiet determination. "Well, at least I know how to fight for what I want," he countered smoothly, throwing Kaden’s own words back at him. He paused, letting a small, knowing smirk pull at the corner of his lips. "Besides, I heard you were having Declan investigated yourself."
Kaden’s frame went motionless.
"You seem pretty damn concerned for someone who claims to hate her," Xavier murmured, his voice dripping with subtle implication.
"And?" Kaden snapped back instantly, his tone flat, entirely unbothered by the accusation. He didn’t offer a single explanation, standing tall and unreadable in the dimly lit room.
Xavier rolled his shoulders, a pragmatic gleam returning to his eyes as he reached into his inner jacket pocket. "I might be able to get you the intel you’re looking for," he offered quietly, holding Kaden’s unblinking stare. "It seems we’re on the exact same page about one thing, Kaden. Neither of us trusts Declan Silverthorne."