Love in chaos

Love in chaos

Flora's POV

I nodded.

But minutes passed.

Then more minutes.The silence became unbearable.Every little sound outside made me lift my head. There were footsteps. A door closing and voices in the distance.

Each one made my heart jump.

Lucy finally looked at me.

“You really miss him, don't you?”

I frowned.

“Who?”

She gave me a knowing smile.

“You know exactly who I'm talking about.”

I looked down at my hands.

“I just want to know that he's safe.”

Lucy leaned back.

“Flora, he has warriors protecting him.”

“That doesn't make me less worried.”

She laughed softly.

“You're hopeless.”

Maybe she was right.

But there was something else bothering me.

I missed him.More than I wanted to admit. I missed the sound of his voice. I missed the way he looked at me whenever he thought I wasn't paying attention. I missed simply being near him.

I looked at the clock.

Too much time had passed.

“I’m going to check on him.”

Lucy immediately sat upright.

“What?”

“I'll be back.”

“Flora!”

But I was already walking out.

\---

The hallway was unusually quiet.

I walked toward Alpha Malcolm's study, my heartbeat getting faster with every step.

When I reached the door, I hesitated.I could hear voices inside.I placed my hand on the handle.Then I heard Alpha Malcolm say something.

“Double the patrols tonight.”

I froze.

My fear returned instantly.

Why would he double the patrols if everything was fine?

I pushed the door open.

Alpha Malcolm and two guards turned toward me.

Their expressions immediately changed.

“Flora?”

I stepped inside.

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt.”

Alpha Malcolm dismissed the guards with a nod.

“Leave us.”

The men bowed before walking out.The moment the door closed, I looked at him.

“You're not fine.”

He sighed.

“I never said there was nothing to worry about.”

“You said the pack wasn't under attack.”

“It isn't.”

“Then why are you doubling the patrols?”

He walked toward me slowly.

“Because I don't take chances with the safety of my pack.”

I stared into his eyes.

“Is there something you're not telling me?”

He paused.

That pause terrified me more than anything.

“Malcolm…”

He reached for my hand.

“We saw someone near the border.”

“Who?”

“We don't know.”

“Did they see you?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know they weren't a pack member?”

“Because they disappeared before our warriors could reach them.”

My heart raced.

“That's not reassuring.”

“I know.”

I tightened my fingers around his.

“Are you going after them?”

“Not tonight.”

I stared at him suspiciously.

“You promise?”

He smiled faintly.

“I promise.”

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Then, without thinking, I stepped closer and rested my head against his chest.

His arms immediately wrapped around me.

For a moment, everything else disappeared.
The suspicious stranger.

The guards.

The fear.

All of it.

I could hear his heartbeat beneath my ear, steady and strong.

“I was scared,” I whispered.

“I know.”

“I thought something had happened to you.”

His arms tightened around me.

“Nothing is going to happen to me.”

I closed my eyes.

“I missed you.”

He went silent for a moment.

Then I felt his lips brush gently against my hair.

“I missed you too.”

My heart fluttered.

I pulled back slightly and looked at him.

“Then don't send me away when something happens.”

His expression softened.

“I wasn't sending you away.”

“You told Lucy to take me to the room.”

“Because I wanted you somewhere safe.”

“I would rather be beside you.”

His eyes held mine.

“Flora, you being beside me is exactly what makes it difficult for me to think clearly.”

I blinked.

“What does that mean?”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

“It means you're becoming very important to me.”

My heart stopped.

Before I could answer, a loud howl suddenly echoed from outside.

We both turned toward the window.

Alpha Malcolm's entire expression changed.

The warmth disappeared from his eyes.

He released me and immediately reached for the weapon on his desk.

“Stay here.”

My heart began racing again.

“What happened?”

He stared toward the dark window.

“That wasn't one of ours.”

The blood drained from my face.Another howl echoed through the night. This time, it was closer.

Alpha Malcolm looked at me.

“Whatever was near the border…”

His voice became dangerously low.

“It may have finally made its move.”

And suddenly, the safety I had felt only moments ago disappeared completely.

Alpha Malcolm pulled me closer until I could feel the warmth of his body against mine.

“Flora, look at me.”

I slowly lifted my eyes to his.

“Everything is going to be fine,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring. “Whatever is happening outside these walls, you don't have to carry it on your shoulders. Stop thinking about it for now and focus on me.”

I swallowed hard.

I wanted to believe him.

I really did.

But fear had already settled deep inside me, making it difficult to simply forget what had happened. The strange movements around the pack, the tension in the air, and the way everyone seemed to be whispering had made me feel as though something terrible was approaching.

Still, I nodded.

“I'll try.”

Malcolm gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face.

“Don't try. Do it.”

A tiny smile escaped me.

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It is when I'm with you.”

My heart skipped.

He wrapped his arms around me again, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. There was no pack. No suspicious activity. No danger. Just Malcolm and me.

Then he suddenly cleared his throat.

“There is something else I want us to talk about.”

I looked up at him suspiciously.

“What?”

“Marriage.”

My eyes widened.

“Marriage?”

He smiled.

“Yes. Marriage.”

I stared at him, completely caught off guard.

“Now?”

“Why not now?”

“Malcolm, you were just telling me not to worry about everything happening around us, and now you're talking about marriage.”

“Exactly,” he replied. “Because I don't want to fear deciding our future.”

His words made my chest tighten.

He took my hands in his.

“I've been thinking about how I want things to be. I don't want a rushed ceremony. I want something beautiful. Something worthy of you.”

I blinked rapidly.

“You've actually thought about this?”

“I've thought about it more than you realize.”

He began talking about the ceremony, the pack elders, the preparations, where we would hold it, and even the possibility of having everyone we cared about there.

I listened quietly, my heart fluttering with every word.

Then Malcolm leaned closer.

“I want you beside me when I stand before the pack.”

My eyes filled with tears.

“Malcolm…”

“I want you to be my Luna, Flora.”

I couldn't find the right words.

A part of me wanted to laugh from happiness. Another part wanted to cry because it all felt too good to be true.

But before I could answer, a loud howl suddenly echoed somewhere outside.

Malcolm's smile disappeared.

We both froze.

Another howl followed.

This one was closer.

My fingers tightened around his.

“Malcolm…”

He immediately stood, his expression changing from tenderness
to the cold authority of an Alpha.

“Stay here.”

“But—”

“Flora,” he said firmly, looking directly into my eyes, “whatever happens, don't leave this room.”

My heart began pounding.

A moment ago, we had been talking about our wedding.

Now, something outside was calling to him.

And judging from the look on his face, I knew this was not an ordinary howl.