Chapter 134
Kai POV
She collected the sketch from me again.
“To say the truth, I don’t think I’ve seen somewhere like this around the pack. Instead of wasting time and energy searching for the meadow, we could simply go to the pack archives. In my former pack, there’s always a record of everything the Alpha does. Marriages, achievements… that sort of thing p>
“That’s true.” I nodded.
“Every pack keeps detailed records of significant events. If you lost your memory around a specific time, there must be something in the archives about your first mate, maybe even about what happened p>
I straightened in my chair. How hadn’t I thought of that before? “You’re right. The records would have everything – marriages, deaths, significant pack events p>
“Do you know roughly when you lost your memory?” Lily asked, already gathering her things.
I closed my eyes, trying to pinpoint a timeline. “Seven years ago. I was twenty-three p>
Lily nodded decisively. “Then let’s go. The archives will have what we need p>
The pack archives were housed in the oldest building on our territory, a stone structure that predated the modern pack house. As Alpha, I had unlimited access, though I rarely used it.
The air in the archives was stale, thick with the scent of old paper and dust
Harold, the elderly Delta who had served as archive keeper for decades, looked up in surprise when we walked in. His spectacles slid down his nose as he recognized me.
“Alpha Kai,” he said, standing immediately. “This is unexpected. How can I assist you today p>
“I need to see all records from seven years ago,” I said without preamble. “Specifically, anything related to me or my… relationships during that time p>
Something flickered across Harold’s face – was that discomfort? He adjusted his glasses nervously.
“I’m afraid those particular records are unavailable, Alpha p>
Hud stirred, sensing deception. “Unavailable? What do you mean unavailable? All pack records are supposed to be preserved p>
Harold’s gaze dropped to the floor. “They were… removed from the general archives. By order of Luna Helen p>
My mother? A surge of anger rose within me. “My mother ordered records about me to be removed p>
“Yes, Alpha. She instructed me personally, shortly after you became Alpha. Said it was for your own protection p>
Lily placed a calming hand on my arm, but I was already pulling out my phone.
“Wait here,” I told her, stepping outside to make the call.
My mother answered on the second ring.
“What is it, Kai?” Her voice was calm, measured—like she had already anticipated this call.
My grip on the phone tightened. “Tell me why you had my records erased,” I said without greeting.
A pause.
Then, “I didn’t erase them p>
“You had the records removed from the pack archives. Records about me from seven years ago. Why p>
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. When she finally spoke, her voice was strained. “Who told you this p>
“Harold. I’m at the archives now. I need those records, Mother p>
Another pause. Then Luna Helen exhaled. “I’m sorry Kai, but it was necessary p>
“Necessary for what?” my voice rose. “For keeping me in the dark? For hiding my past from me p>
“Kai, you don’t understand p>
“I understand plenty!” he cut her off, his jaw tightening. “I lost my mate. I lost my memory. And I’m just now learning that you had those records erased. Why p>
“Kai, please. Some things are better left in the past. I was trying to protect you p>
“From what?” I demanded, my voice rising. “From my own history? From the truth about my first mate? The woman I can barely remember but apparently loved enough to marry p>
Another painful silence.
“How do you know about her?” she asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I’m starting to remember.” I took a deep breath, trying to control my anger. “Mother, I’m the Alpha of this pack. Whatever you’re hiding from me stops now. I want those records brought to me immediately p>
A heavy silence stretched between us.
I could practically feel her internal struggle through the phone. Then, finally, she sighed. “You won’t stop, will you p>
I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to.
“Very well. I’ll call Harold. But Kai… please be prepared. What you find may not bring you peace p>
I ended the call without responding and returned to Lily, who was waiting anxiously by the entrance.
“My mother is calling Harold. The records will be made available p>
Sure enough, Harold’s phone rang moments later. His expression grew increasingly grave as he listened to whatever my mother was saying. When he hung up, he looked at me with something like pity.
“Follow me, Alpha,” he said quietly.
He led us to a secure room at the back of the building, unlocking it with a key he wore around his neck. Inside was a single metal cabinet. Harold opened it with another key and pulled out a leather-bound book and a sealed envelope.
“These were kept separate from the other records, as per Luna Helen’s instructions,” he explained, placing them on the table. “I’ll leave you to review them in private p>
After Harold left, Lily and I stared at the items before us. The book was the official pack record, bound in red leather with the year embossed in gold on the spine. The envelope was thicker, likely containing photographs or personal documents.
“Are you ready?” Lily asked softly.
I nodded, though my heart hammered against my ribs. I opened the book first, flipping through until I found entries from around the time I believed I’d lost my memory. There it was – a formal record of a mating ceremony between myself and a woman named Serena Thorne of the Mountain Shadow Pack.
My hands trembled as I reached for the envelope next. Inside were photographs, and the first one knocked the breath from my lungs.
It was a wedding photo. Me, looking younger and carefree, my arm around a beautiful woman with striking features – high cheekbones, piercing eyes, and long dark hair that cascaded down her back in waves. She was smiling up at me with pure adoration, and I was looking at her like she was my entire world.
“Serena,” I whispered, the name feeling both foreign and achingly familiar on my tongue.
Lily leaned closer, studying the photograph. “She’s beautiful,” she said softly.
I stared at the image, willing it to trigger more memories, but there was only a hollow ache in my chest. “This was my wife. My mate. And I can barely remember her face p>
I shuffled through the other photographs – Serena and me at various pack functions, hiking in the mountains, laughing together by a lake that seemed vaguely familiar. But none sparked the clear memories I desperately needed.
“There’s nothing here about what happened to her,” I said in frustration, rifling through the remaining documents. “Just records of our mating ceremony and some pack events we attended together. Nothing about her death or disappearance p>
Lily frowned, examining the record book more carefully. “That’s strange. The entries just… stop. There’s a gap of several months, and then the records resume with no mention of Serena at all p>
I slammed my fist on the table. “Damn it! Someone deliberately removed those records. My mother is still hiding something from me p>
I knew calling her again would be futile. She’d given us these records, but clearly had ensured the most crucial information was still kept from me.
Lily was quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. Then her expression cleared. “Kai, what about your grandparents? Grandpa Marcus and Elena. Would they know about what happened p>
I looked up sharply. “My grandparents p>
“Yes. They would have been around during that time, right? And if your mother is keeping secrets, maybe they aren’t part of it. Or maybe they disagree with her hiding the truth from you p>
Hope flickered inside me. My grandfather Marcus had been Alpha before my father,. He and my grandmother Elena had moved to live with Celeste my sister at a quieter part of our territory, preferring a peaceful retirement away from pack politics. But they were still respected and beloved by all.
More importantly, my grandfather had always been brutally honest with me, even when the truth was difficult to hear. If anyone would tell me exactly what happened, it would be him.
“Lily, you’re brilliant,” I said, carefully gathering the photographs and slipping them back into the envelope. I kept the wedding photo out, tucking it into my jacket pocket. “Let’s go to Celeste’s. We still have an hour before dinner if we leave now p>
Her eyes lit up. “Do you think they’ll talk to us p>
“My grandfather has never approved of secrets within the pack,” I said, feeling a new determination. “And he always said I had a right to my own history. If he knows what happened to Serena, he’ll tell me p>
I took Lily’s hand, squeezing it gently. “Are you ready p>
She nodded, her expression resolute. “Let’s go find your answers p>