My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 496

Rurik

I threw the tall one aside, hard, and he went down in a heap in the snow. "Don't say that!" I snarled. "It's not true. It's too early in the day to be drunk and talking rubbish." My chest heaved as I glared at them. "You should both go and sleep it off."

The red-bearded one bent to help his friend up. The tall one steadied on his feet, brushing snow from his coat. "It's the truth," he said softly. "And if you don't believe me, you should go and see for yourself."

I didn't answer. I turned and took off at a run, boots thudding on the frozen ground, my breath misting the air. I dashed past the man hauling his sled of wood, and he turned to gape at me. The hammer clanged from the smithy. I ran past the row of stables. My face stung from the cold, but I barely felt it.

I stopped dead in front of House Kael. Two men stood on the door, arms crossed, their faces stony.

"I'm sorry, son, but..." one of them said.

I didn't wait to hear the rest. "I want to go in."

"Vidar's orders. Nobody in or out."

"I'm Vane's son. My father's in there," I said.

"Then your father can come out to speak with you."

I stepped forward, pointing at the house. "You're telling me I can't go in there? Where else am I supposed to go? Let me see Taya!"

The guard shifted his weight and cleared his throat. "The girl in there is the Alpha's niece, kid. It's his to say who goes in."

I stared at them. Their faces didn't change. I felt a buzzing in my head. "She's my..."

I didn't have a word for her. I didn't know what she was.

"Wait," one of the men said. But it was too late. The door opened behind them.

My father came out, his sleeves pushed up, his hands still wet. He saw my face, and right away he knew.

"Is it true?" I asked.

He didn't answer. He just looked at me, his eyes empty. Silence.

I stepped closer. "Father! Tell me, is it true?"

I grabbed his arm, shaking him. "Is she in there?"

He met my gaze, still quiet. Then he spoke. "It's true," he said.

I didn't feel anything. Just a cold quiet.

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