Kaila Wynter
I could feel the whole pack's gaze on me the moment we were going out of the ceremonial hall. I took one final glance at Irene as tears stung my eyes.
Her face was covered with tears and snot, my heart clenching at how concerned and sad she was because of me. The woman had loved me as a child, and up to this moment, I had loved her too.
I wanted to run back to her, hold her so she wouldn't cry anymore, and say no, reversing each of my statements. But I couldn't go back on my decision. The last thing I wanted—no, what I dreaded—was harm coming near her, not even when I could have prevented it.
As for James, his mother and sisters looked at ease, as though a great burden had been lifted off them.
The man hold me and walked out of the ceremonial hall.
When we finally walked out to the clearing, the once vibrant pack, beautiful houses, horses, and the stalls just a few miles down the street were scorched dead, as if a volcanic eruption had occurred in the space. All that was left of most of the houses was ash yet to be blown away by the winds.
What had happened after Joana pushed me down the cliff?
My mind flashed to what Luna Aurora had said about the Alpha dying while saving his pack. Could Alpha Gabriel Wellesley really have died? And he did it? I gazed up at the man, but I shuddered involuntarily.
His lips were tightly pressed together, his eyes focused straight ahead with a slight frown. I gulped slightly; Irene was right—this man was more dangerous than the rumors surrounding his name.
"Afraid?" he suddenly asked, staring straight ahead. I didn't need him looking at me to know he was referring to me.
"No. I'm not," I denied, trying to sound casual. I'd be a fool if I wasn't.
"The carriage is ready, my Lord, and we have enough prepared to keep the horses moving for days," a man who bowed as we passed said.
He nodded, then glanced down at me, still carried in a princess style in his arms. "If you feel uncomfortable, let me know," he uttered before helping me into a seat in the carriage and carefully taking a seat beside me. He called to one of the men I hadn't noticed until now. The man had his head lowered as he handed something wrapped to him.
"Here," he handed it to me. I hesitated, unsure whether I should take it or not. "I will not harm you. You haven't had breakfast, have you? It's a long journey to Bloodraven Pack. You might want to eat this."
I swallowed, glancing at his indifferent face, then shifting my gaze to his hand that still held the food. I slowly reached out and took it from him. "Thank you. I will definitely pay you back." I waited for him to collect it back and throw it out the window, or change his mind all of a sudden. But nothing like that happened. Instead, he looked at me and said,
"You speak as if kindness is something you have to pay back." His voice was soft yet somehow piercing. "You have no need for that. You're my wife now, and it's my obligation to care for you."
Looking at the man, his behavior was oddly strange to me. He was powerful enough to ruin the pack, and judging by the reaction of the man who brought this food, he was no angel. Everyone, including myself, knew Thane Blackthorn of Bloodraven Pack as dangerous, cruel, and merciless. However, the side of him I had seen thus far didn't seem like it.
Pushing aside my thoughts, I unwrapped the food impatiently. My stomach growled angrily for food, and my mouth watered at the sight of it. I hadn't eaten since I woke up; I couldn't remember the last time I had a meal, as I had spent most of the night with an empty stomach.
I took a bite of the rice cake, and the taste rolled over my tongue. I shut my eyes in pleasure, making a satisfied sound.
"You seem to like it a lot. I can have them bring more."
I flung my eyes open to find emerald green ones staring at me. My mouth bulged with food filling both cheeks, and I flushed, looking away to compose myself. "It's good, but no need to bring more," I answered.
"Why?" His raised his eyebrows.
"Because food is a privilege. There's never enough to eat—either a bun or stale bread." I shrugged nonchalantly, biting down on the food again. A bun or not, I mostly slept with an empty stomach. If I ever got a bun, I was always grateful because I wouldn't have to deal with my stomach grumbling or hunger gnawing at me in the middle of the night. Right now, I was more grateful to taste what delicacy felt like.
He tilted his head, a faint smile playing at his lips as he regarded me. "Food shouldn't be a privilege, Kaila. Not for you—not anymore." His gaze softened just a little, though his voice still carried its usual edge. "I can't change what you've endured, but that doesn't mean it will remain the same. Not with me."
For a moment, his words held a warmth that felt almost… genuine, and I found myself questioning if this dangerous man might have other sides buried beneath his reputation.
I swallowed, keeping my gaze steady as I looked at him. "Words are easy," I replied in a whisper. "I've learned not to expect more than that. Kindness has always had… consequences." I hesitated, wondering if I should say it, but I finally added, "So if you're being kind, I need to know why."
First it was down the cliff; secondly, he'd asked for me as a truce when he barely knew me. There was no way he would be kind to me for nothing when his reputation had always been that of a man with blood on his hands. The current condition of Moonstone Pack should explain a lot.
The carriage had now begun to move. He leaned his head back against the seat, his hands clasped against his chest as he eventually shut his eyes. "Is it so hard to believe I'd do something for you simply because I want to?"
I couldn't help myself from looking at his face again. "Are you really the Thane Blackthorn?"
He was silent for a while before a low chuckle tore out of his throat as he opened his eyes slowly. "What do you expect? A monster in a cloak ready to devour you?" He smiled slightly. "I've been called a lot of things, but you know, I'm just a man who can be ruthless when necessary."
I leaned back in the seat, muttering, "Maybe."
We continued to ride for hours in silence until the bright morning sky started darkening, indicating that it was getting late. I never could have thought the journey would be this long. Considering the fact that even though Bloodraven Pack is really powerful and popular, not many people had visited. There was no way a person like me, who hadn't seen outside of Moonstone Pack, would know how far it was.
Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt cutting my thoughts short, and I heard a voice I presumed belonged to the rider.
"Out of the way, you fool!" He yelled, perhaps at someone.
Wanting to know what was going on, I leaned closer to the side window and pried the curtains open to see a figure standing there.