Chapter 183
“Who is there?” I called, hoping my voice didn’t betray that I’d been trying
“Gabriel. The commander. From Alpha Kieran: you have visitors.”
I sat up, heart suddenly racing. People? To see me? The only explanation that made sense sent hope surging through me—Kaius had come. Perhaps he’d realized his mistake, perhaps he’d tracked me down to apologize, to explain why he’d done what he’d done.
‘I’ll be right down,” I called, already scrambling from bed.
I dressed with shaking hands, trying to tame my wild hair into something presentable. What would I say to him? Would I forgive him instantly, or make him work for it? Would I tell him about my arrangement with Kieran, or keep that secret a while longer?
The questions tumbled through my mind as I hurried downstairs, my heart in my throat. When I reached the main room, Kieran was already there, speaking with a group of strangers–none of whom was Kaius.
The disappointment was so acute it left me momentarily breathless.
“These people are here to see you; do you know them?” Gabriel asked.
I shook my head, trying to hide my crushing letdown. The visitors were an odd group–an elderly man who appeared to be their leader, accompanied by two middle–aged women and a younger man who looked like he might be related to the elder.
Kieran studied my face with concern. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I am,” I lied, my voice overly bright.
“Do you know them?”
Before I could answer, the elderly man stepped forward. “No, she doesn’t,” he said, his voice rough with age and what sounded like exhaustion. “We came here to seek your help.”
“What do you need my help for?” I asked, confusion beginning to replace disappointment.
The old man gestured to the seating area. “Would you like to sit?”
I nodded, taking a seat on the sofa while Kieran positioned himself beside me, his presence oddly reassuring. The visitors arranged themselves across from us, their expressions grave.
“Our pack was attacked three nights ago,” the elder began without preamble. “We lost seventeen members, including my grandson- only twelve years old.” His voice broke slightly on the last words. “The survivors barely escaped with their lives.”
I empathize with your loss, and I am so sorry,” I said sincerely, though confusion still clouded my thoughts. “But… how exactly did you think I could help you?”
The visitors exchanged glances before the elder produced something from his coat pocket–a patch of fabric I recognized instantly. My blood ran cold.
“You see, we had discovered where the attack came from–this was done by the Ravenhollow pack.”
“That is impossible,” I said immediately, shaking my head. Ravenhollow would never attack innocent packs unprovoked. Kaius
wouldn’t allow it.
“They were in this uniform,” the old man insisted, gesturing to the patch, which clearly showed the Ravenhollow crest.
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“So what? This is their uniform, but any other person could create this.” I was grasping at straws, and I knew it.
“Those machines, they are the only ones who could have such deadly weapons in their keep. Our pack wasn’t the only pack they attacked; there had been more packs also caught off guard.”
My mind raced. Weapons? What weapons? Ravenhollow had always been well–armed, but nothing beyond what other large packs maintained. And Kaius, whatever else he might be, wasn’t a warmonger.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. I can’t understand why you came to me for help either.”
The elder’s weathered face reflected surprise. “We heard about your arrival and we came as fast as we could because who can help us if not the Luna Queen.”
I hated this; I resented the amount of faith he placed on me–1 was, after all, just one powerless person.
“As much as I want to help you, you must have heard by now that I am no longer the Queen Luna,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
“Titles like that cannot be taken away by mere words,” the old man insisted. “We need your help; an attack is coming soon, one bigger than the previous; we cannot fight that off.”
“I cannot help you; I am not the savior,” I replied, feeling the weight of their expectations crushing me.
Their disappointment was palpable, hanging in the air like a physical presence. I couldn’t bear it anymore, couldn’t bear the hope in their eyes. Without another word, I rose and fled the room, ignoring Kieran’s call behind me.
I hurried through the corridors of the pack house until I reached my room, slamming the door behind me. Leaning against it, I slid to the floor, drawing my knees up to my chest as I tried to steady my breathing.
Kaius. Attacking innocent packs. Killing children. It couldn’t be true. The man I knew–the man I’d loved–wouldn’t do that. He was calculating, yes. Ruthless when necessary, absolutely. But genocidal? No. There had to be another explanation.
I sat there for hours, turning the situation over in my mind.
A knock at my door startled me from my thoughts.
“The door is unlocked; come in,” I called, rising to my feet and smoothing my clothes.
Kieran entered, his expression concerned but not judgmental. “Can I sit?” he asked, gesturing to the chair by the small desk.
I nodded, perching on the edge of my bed.
“They were not the visitors you expected, were they?” he asked gently.
“No, they were not. I didn’t know exactly what I was thinking.”
“Elowen, don’t waste even an ounce of your time bothering about a person who doesn’t see your worth,” Kieran said, his voice soft
but firm.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I didn’t handle things well there, did I?”
“They really shouldn’t expect you to perform some magic, but… they are right, you know.”
I stiffened at his words. “You think the Ravenhollow pack did this?”
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“Hey, we aren’t sure, but the chances are high. They have the numbers.”
“It means nothing.” I couldn’t keep the defensiveness from my voice,
Elowen, listen to me. Three packs, excluding the one you heard of earlier, had been invaded and the pack Alphas killed. The members are currently being held hostage ‘somewhere. Only the Ravenhollow soldiers can pull that off.
“Just stop, okay. I know these people, and they may be killers, but they don’t kill without reason. Even as I spoke, doubt gnawed at me. Did I really know them–know him–as well as I thought?
“What if there is a reason? There is a speculation that the Alpha King wants to form a new era, where there would be no rulers but
him.”
The idea was so absurd that I almost laughed. “You are right,” I said instead. “About the speculation part. I really would love to be alone right now.”
Kieran studied me for a moment before rising. “Very well, Elowen.”
After he left, I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Despite my exhaustion, sleep eluded me. When it finally came, my dreams were vivid and unsettling.
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