The morning after the mysterious windstorm, the pack house buzzed with activity. Workers cleared broken glass and debris while healers tended to the injured. I followed Kaius from room to room as he assessed the damage, the tension between us temporarily set aside in the face of more immediate concerns.
In the main hall, Frost waited with reports, his face grave as he tallied the cost of the previous night’s attack.
“The wind hazard left thirty injured, five of them in severe conditions, but no lives were lost. The healers have their hands full, he said, consulting the clipboard in his hands.
“What exactly caused a wind that strong, it was not at all natural,” Kaius replied, his expression thoughtful as he surveyed the shattered windows and overturned furniture.
“Were you thinking an elemental did this?” Frost asked, his voice lowered though there were few others nearby to hear.
“Something close. Elementals had long gone extinct, of course, except one.” Kaius’s amber eyes narrowed, his jaw tensing with what I recognized as barely contained rage.
“The elders,” Thalia stepped forward from a shadowed corner, her ageless face grim.
I hadn’t noticed her arrival, and my stomach clenched involuntarily at the sight of her. Images of her lounging in our bed, wearing Kaius’s robe, flashed unbidden through my mind. I pushed them away, focusing on the more pressing concern.
“You think the elders did this?” Frost looked skeptical.
“Not just any elder… Soren did this; he was an elemental.” Thalia’s certainty sent a chill down my spine.
“That should be the one elder who escaped.” Kaius nodded slowly, pieces clicking together in his mind.
Thalia’s expression darkened further. “He was sending a warning…”
“More like a threat,” Frost corrected, his normally cool demeanor heated with anger.
Kaius straightened, his decision apparently made. “I would end what began.”
“No, it is too dangerous.” Thalia moved closer to him, concern evident in her usually composed features.
“For me?” Kaius raised an eyebrow, challenge in his voice.
“You are the king; you shouldn’t rush into danger, and it won’t be best for you to go hunt them down; who knows how long it would take to get to them.” Her logic was sound, though I hated agreeing with her on anything.
So, you propose I sit here and wait… doing nothing?” Irritation colored his tone.
“I would go against Soren; since there is only a single elder; it would be a fair battle.” Thalia’s offer was unexpected, and I found myself studying her with new interest.
“You know, I think she is right,” I said, the words strange on my tongue. All eyes turned to me in surprise. “You’re needed here. The pack is still transitioning to your rule, and with the damage from last night… they need their king present.”
Kaius looked between us, clearly taken aback by our unexpected alliance. After a moment’s consideration, he nodded reluctantly. “Very well. But you will take a contingent of our best warriors with you, Thalia. And report back daily.”
‘Of course, Alpha King.” She bowed slightly, a flash of triumph in her eyes that I wasn’t sure Kaius caught.
1/2
Chapter 138
As the meeting concluded and Frost left to organize the patrol schedules, I was alone with Kalus again. He walked together throude corridors where workers were already replacing broken windows and Repairing damaged walls.
“How long would it take to fix all these broken stuff?” I asked, running my finger along a splintered door frame.
“There are already workers on the job,” Kalus replied, his voice softering when he spoke directly to me. It would take a day or two.
“A day or two?… That’s so fast.” I was genuinely surprised by the timeline.
“Yes. It would be all cleared up soon.” He guided me around a section of corridor where repairs were most active, his hand hovering near the small of my back but not quite touching me–respecting the distance I’d imposed,
We walked in silence for a few moments before he spoke again. “Elowen, I want you to return back to our room.”
The request caught me off guard. “Oh. Wow, I didn’t know I was still welcomed in there,”
“Elowen, stop.” Frustration edged his voice.
I sighed, unable to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry, Kaius; I am not ready to do that yet, and I don’t know when exactly I would be.”
He was quiet for several steps, then said something that surprised me. “I can understand why you have feelings for him.”
“What?” I finally looked at him, confused.
“Frost. I don’t blame you; he is the better man. I should have enlightened you on the deal I made with Thalia. The admission seemed to cost him something, his jaw tight with what I recognized as jealousy.
“I know you had to, and you said it once: you make bargains with what you have; the bargain you made with Thalia could have been smart if you didn’t have a very jealous girl in love with you.” The words flowed more easily than I’d expected. “I was mad at the fact that you had been with her while I was away, but what enraged me more was how comfortable she looked in the room that was meant to be ours, and she also had your robe on.”
“She did that to spite you; I’m sorry you had to see that.” Regret colored his voice, and I found myself believing him despite everything.
“It’s okay, but… I can’t return back there, not when the memory is still so fresh.” The thought of sleeping in that bed, where Thalia had lounged so triumphantly, made my stomach turn.
Kaius stopped walking, turning to face me fully. “You showed up because you wanted to talk to me, right?”
“Right.” The DNA results still burned a hole in my pocket, but the vindictive part of me refused to share them now.
“I am still interested in what you had to say.” His amber eyes searched mine, genuine curiosity evident.
“You know what? Forget it.” I turned away, continuing down the corridor without waiting to see if he followed.
Chapter Comments
LIKE
POST COMMENT NOW
SHA
