Chapter 6 - The Brother Who Never Died
The man standing outside the cathedral whispered: "Arthur... I waited five years for you to discover the truth."
Arthur stopped.
The voice was impossible.
Not because he didn't recognize it.
Because he did.
Every memory.
Every childhood moment.
Every conversation.
Every fight.
Every promise.
It all came back in one second.
"Alexander..."
The name left Arthur's mouth like a confession.
The figure standing in the doorway slowly stepped into the light.
The cathedral became silent.
Because everyone knew that name.
Alexander Pendleton.
Arthur's older brother.
The first son.
The man who was supposed to inherit everything.
The man who died five years ago.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
Arthur stared at him.
His mind refused to accept what his eyes were seeing.
"No."
Alexander looked at him sadly.
"I know."
Arthur stepped back.
"No."
His voice became stronger.
"You died."
Alexander didn't argue.
"Yes."
The answer shocked everyone.
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?"
Alexander looked around the cathedral.
At the people watching.
At the people who had lied.
Then he looked at Arthur.
"It means everyone here has been living inside a carefully created lie."
Arthur felt his anger rising.
"Start explaining."
Alexander took a slow breath.
"Five years ago, Kora discovered something about our family."
Arthur looked toward Kora.
She lowered her eyes.
"What?"
Alexander continued.
"Something our father spent his entire life hiding."
Arthur's expression changed.
"Our father?"
Alexander nodded.
"The Pendleton bloodline was never as clean as everyone believed."
The adviser standing nearby suddenly moved.
"Enough."
Everyone turned.
Arthur immediately noticed the fear on the man's face.
Not anger.
Fear.
Alexander smiled slightly.
"You always were impatient."
The adviser clenched his jaw.
"You should have stayed dead."
The words shocked the entire cathedral.
Arthur looked between them.
"So you knew."
The adviser remained silent.
Arthur stepped closer.
"You knew he was alive."
No answer.
Arthur's voice became colder.
"How many people knew?"
Still silence.
Then Kora spoke.
"Too many."
Arthur turned toward her.
"Explain."
Kora held Lily closer.
"When I discovered the truth, I tried to tell you."
Arthur looked at her.
"But you disappeared."
"I was attacked before I reached you."
Her voice shook.
"They wanted me gone."
Arthur looked at Alexander.
"And you?"
Alexander looked away.
"I found her after the attack."
Arthur froze.
"You found her?"
Alexander nodded.
"She was injured."
Kora closed her eyes.
"I was barely alive."
Arthur felt pain in his chest.
He imagined it.
Kora alone.
Bleeding.
Fighting to survive.
While he believed she was already gone.
"What happened next?"
Alexander answered.
"I took her away."
Arthur's expression darkened.
"You kidnapped my mate."
"No."
Kora stepped forward.
"He saved me."
Arthur looked at her.
"I don't understand."
Alexander looked at him.
"Because you were never the target."
Arthur became still.
"What?"
"The attack wasn't meant to kill Kora."
A cold silence filled the cathedral.
"It was meant to force her to disappear."
Arthur stared.
"Why?"
Alexander looked at Lily.
"Because of her."
The little girl held tighter onto Kora's hand.
Arthur immediately stepped closer.
"Don't look at my daughter like she's a threat."
Alexander shook his head.
"She isn't."
"Then explain."
Alexander looked at Arthur.
"Your daughter carries a rare combination of two Lycan bloodlines."
Arthur remembered the adviser’s words.
"Power."
Alexander nodded.
"Power that certain people believe belongs to them."
Arthur looked toward the adviser.
"Who?"
Alexander didn't answer immediately.
That hesitation made Arthur nervous.
"Who?"
Finally, Alexander said:
"Your father."
The words hit the room.
Arthur stared.
"My father died."
Alexander looked at him.
"No."
Nobody moved.
Arthur felt like the ground disappeared.
"My father is dead."
Alexander's voice became quiet.
"That is another lie."
Arthur's breathing changed.
Too many lies.
Too many secrets.
Every person he trusted had hidden something.
His family.
His friends.
His council.
Everyone.
"Where is he?"
Alexander looked toward the floor.
"Waiting."
Arthur's eyes sharpened.
"Waiting where?"
"Somewhere he knew you would eventually find."
Arthur took a step forward.
"Where?"
Alexander reached inside his coat.
The guards reacted instantly.
But Alexander only removed a small key.
Old.
Metal.
With the Pendleton family symbol carved into it.
He placed it in Arthur's hand.
"This opens the room beneath our family estate."
Arthur looked at the key.
"There is no room beneath the estate."
Alexander looked at him.
"There is."
A memory suddenly returned.
Arthur was twelve years old.
He remembered hearing strange noises beneath the old house.
His father had told him never to enter that area.
Never.
Arthur had forgotten.
Until now.
"What is inside?"
Alexander's expression changed.
"The truth."
Arthur closed his fingers around the key.
"About Kora?"
"About everything."
The cathedral lights flickered.
Everyone looked upward.
Then the old sound system turned on.
A recording started playing.
A man's voice filled the room.
Arthur froze.
Because he knew that voice.
His father's voice.
"My son..."
Everyone became silent.
The recording continued.
"If you are hearing this, then Alexander failed to stop you from finding the truth."
Arthur looked at Alexander.
His brother's face changed.
The recording continued.
"Arthur, you were always the strongest of my children."
A pause.
"But strength without knowledge makes a dangerous king."
Arthur listened carefully.
"Do not trust Alexander."
Everyone looked at him.
Alexander's expression became painful.
The recording continued.
"He was never protecting you."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
Then another voice appeared.
A woman's voice.
Kora's voice.
But younger.
Terrified.
"Please..."
The recording stopped.
Nobody breathed.
Arthur looked at Kora.
She looked like she had seen a ghost.
"What was that?"
She said nothing.
Arthur stepped closer.
"Kora."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Arthur..."
"What was my father doing with you?"
Silence.
Then Lily suddenly covered her ears.
"Mom."
Kora immediately kneeled beside her.
"What happened?"
The little girl looked toward the floor.
"There is someone under us."
Everyone froze.
Arthur looked down.
Then he heard it.
A sound.
A knock.
Coming from beneath the cathedral floor.
Three slow knocks.
Everyone stepped back.
The old stone beneath the altar moved slightly.
A hidden mechanism activated.
Arthur stared.
Because beneath the cathedral was not empty space.
There was a hidden passage.
And carved into the stone door below was one name.
KORA HASTINGS.
Arthur reached for the handle.
May you like
It was already unlocked from the inside.
Someone was waiting for him.
