The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 137

The Ceremony

The ride to the Adama Royal Castle was silent.

Too silent.

Caleb sat in the back seat, his posture rigid, his gaze fixed on nothing as the city blurred past the tinted windows, his reflection staring back at him-cold, composed, controlled.

A lie.

Because beneath that carefully crafted exterior-

He was unravelling.

“Faster,” he said sharply, his voice cutting through the silence.

James nodded immediately from the driver’s seat, pressing slightly harder on the accelerator without

question.

Caleb leaned his head back for a brief moment, closing his eyes, but the darkness behind them offered no

relief.

Only her.

Iva.

Her face.

Her voice.

The way she looked at him-

And the way she left.

His jaw clenched.

Hard.

“Focus,” he muttered under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair, his control slipping for just a second before he forced it back into place.

He had chosen not to drive.

Not because he couldn’t.

But because he didn’t trust himself.

Not like this.

Not when every thought was a blade, every emotion a spark ready to ignite into something far more destructive.

He needed clarity.

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The Ceremony

Precision.

Because whatever this was

It wasn’t simple.

And he knew it.

Sonia.

Claim

Her lies.

Her timing.

Her sudden appearance.

None of it added up.

And more importantly-

None of it felt isolated.

“This isn’t just her…” Caleb murmured, his voice low, thoughtful despite the anger simmering beneath it.

James remained silent, knowing better than to interrupt.

“She doesn’t have the reach,” Caleb continued, his eyes narrowing slightly as his mind pieced things together. “Not alone.”

A pause.

“She has backing.”

Strong backing.

Dangerous backing.

Because for her to get this far-

To convince the Council so quickly…

To gain recognition without undergoing the ancient full moon test-

And worst of all-

To convince his father.

His lips pressed into a thin line.

King William Adama.

A ruler who was rarely fooled.

A man who trusted no one blindly.

A strategist.

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The Ceremony

A predator in his own right.

And yet-

He had accepted Senia.

Too quickly.

Too easily.

Caleb’s fingers tapped once against his knee, a controlled, calculated motion.

“If I hadn’t met Iva first…” he muttered quietly…I would have believed her too.”

That realization settled heavily.

Dangerously.

Because that meant this wasn’t just manipulation.

This was orchestrated.

“You need to unravel the full plot,” he told himself firmly, his voice barely audible.

His eyes opened again, sharp now.

Focused.

“Get a grip, Caleb.”

Because losing control now-

Would cost him everything.

Chaos snarled inside him, restless, furious, pacing like a caged beast.

“She lied.

She touched what is ours.

She broke her.”

Caleb’s jaw tightened.

“I know,” he replied internally, his tone controlled, but strained.

Claim

“Then let me deal with her,” Chaos pushed, his voice dark, hungry. “We snap her neck. End it. Kill this vermin.

A dangerous silence followed.

Caleb’s gaze shifted toward the window again, the reflection staring back at him now colder than before.

“No,” he said quietly.

Chaos stilled.

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The Ceremony

“No?”

Caleb’s lips curled slightly-not in amusement, but in something far more dangerous.

“Death would be too merciful.”

The words were soft.

But lethal.

Claim

A slow, calculated darkness settled into his expression as his thoughts aligned, his anger sharpening into something far more controlled.

More dangerous.

“We need answers,” he continued, his voice steady now. “We need to know who is behind her… who is pulling the strings.”

Chaos growled low.

“And then?”

Caleb’s eyes darkened completely.

“Then…” he murmured.

A pause.

A breath.

“We show her what happens when someone tries to play with the Adama name and dare approach our mate.

Not just punishment.

Not just retribution.

A message.

Clear.

Unforgettable.

Because this-

This wasn’t just about Iva anymore.

This was bigger.

Deeper.

And far more dangerous than it first appeared.

す

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The car slowed as the massive gates of the Adama Royal Castle came into view, towering and imposing, a symbol of power, legacy, and control.

The Ceremony –

James stopped the vehicle smoothly

“We’ve arrived, Your Highness.”

Caleb didn’t move immediately.

For a brief moment-

He sat there.

Still.

Gathering himself.

Locking everything in place.

The rage.

The pain.

The storm inside him.

All buried beneath steel.

Then-

He opened the door stepped out.

And the moment his feet touched the ground-

The Crown Prince returned.

Cold.

Untouchable.

Deadly.

Ready for war.

す

The massive doors of the Adama Royal Castle opened before Caleb with practiced precision, the guards bowing their heads in respect as he stepped inside, his presence immediately commanding the space.

Word of his return had clearly spread.

They were waiting for him.

As he strode through the grand hall, his expression composed, his posture unyielding, he could already feel the weight of multiple gazes settling on him-assessing, approving, calculating.

Predators.

All of them.

57

Clam

The doors to the council chamber opened, and the moment he stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted

Heavy.

Expectant.

At the far end of the room stood his father, King William Adama, flanked by members of the Council, their aged faces sharp with intelligence and authority, their eyes immediately locking onto Caleb.

And beside them-

Sonia.

Dressed impeccably, her posture elegant, her chin slightly lifted, her lips curved in a faint, satisfied smile as her gaze landed on him.

Smug.

Expectant.

As if she already knew how this would end.

Caleb’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but his expression did not change.

Not yet.

“Caleb,” King William’s voice echoed through the chamber, strong, authoritative, yet laced with unmistakable pride. “You have returned.”

Caleb stepped forward, offering a respectful nod.

“Father.”

A brief silence followed before the King’s lips curved into a pleased smile.

“Victorious from the north,” he continued, his tone approving. “The reports speak highly of your leadership.

A murmur of agreement passed through the Council.

“Well done, Crown Prince,” one of the elders added, inclining his head slightly.

Caleb acknowledged them with a minimal nod, his mind already moving ahead, calculating, observing.

Because this-

This was not just a welcome.

This was staging.

“And just in time,” the King added, his voice carrying a note of finality that made something in Caleb’s chest tighten.

Caleb’s eyes sharpened slightly.

“In time… for what?” he asked, though something deep inside him already knew the answer.

6.7

The King’s smile widened.

“For your mating ceremony, of course.”

Silence.

It hit like a strike.

Caleb stilled.

Completely.

For a fraction of a second, the carefully built control around him cracked, his mind catching up with the words, replaying them, processing-

And then-

Fuck.

The curse echoed loudly in his mind as realization slammed into him.

The ceremony.

3

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