Chapter 4 Questions At Breakfast
I didn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Jace screaming in pain. Saw Kian looking up at me with those silver eyes that seemed to see straight through me.
When morning came, Sera arrived with clothes. A black dress that fits perfectly, soft as water.
"How did you know my size?"
"The Alpha knew." She started braiding my hair. "He knows many things."
"That's not creepy at all."
She actually smiled. "You'll get used to him. Or you'll run screaming. Most do one or the other."
"Which did you do?"
"Both. Running didn't work out." She finished my hair. "Word of advice? Don't lie to him. He always knows."
The dining hall was huge, but only one table was set. Kian sat at the head, looking nothing like the killer from last night. He wore a black shirt, sleeves rolled up, reading some papers.
"Sit," he said without looking up.
I sat in the chair next to him. Food appeared- eggs, bacon, fruit, more than I'd seen in years.
"Eat."
"I'm not hungry."
He looked up then. "Liar. Eat."
My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. I blushed and started eating.
"You killed them," I said after a few bites.
"Yes."
“All of them?"
"Everyone who hurt you." He went back to his papers. "The rest are under my protection now."
"You can't just take over a pack because they were mean to me."
"I can do whatever I want." He set down the papers. "I'm the Blood Alpha. I rule territories "
"Why do you care what happens to me?"
He studied me for so long I started squirming.
"Show me your wolf," he said.
"I don't have one."
"Try."
"I've tried for years…"
"Try now." His voice held command but not force. "Close your eyes. Reach inside. Find her."
I wanted to argue, but something in his eyes made me obey. I closed my eyes and reached for that empty space where my wolf should be.
It wasn't empty.
Something was there, sleeping so deep I'd never felt it. A presence, warm and wild, wrapped in shadows.
My eyes flew open. "What did you do?"
"Nothing. She was always there. Just hidden." He leaned forward. "Do you know what you are, Lana?"
"A freak?"
His hand shot out, gripping my chin. "Never say that again."
"Then what am I?"
"Mine." He let go. "But also something rare. Something the old laws say shouldn't exist."
"Stop talking in riddles!"
He almost smiled. "You're an Eclipse Wolf. Born during a lunar eclipse, marked by shadow instead of light. Your wolf hides in darkness until..."
"Until what?"
"Until your mate wakes her up."
My heart stopped. "Mate?"
"Did you think I saved you out of kindness?" He touched my hand, and electricity shot up my arm. "I felt you the moment you were chained at the border. The bond pulled me to you."
"No." I pulled my hand back. "Mates feel the bond together. I don't feel anything."
"Because your wolf is still sleeping. But she's waking up." His eyes went to my neck. "You'll feel it soon."
"This is insane. You're saying I'm some rare type of wolf that's your mate?"
"Yes."
"And you attacked my pack because of a mate bond I can't even feel?"
"They hurt you. That's reason enough."
I stood up, needing space. "You killed Jace."
"He tormented you for years."
"That doesn't mean he deserved to die!"
Kian stood too, and suddenly the room felt smaller. "He was going to watch while rogues tore you apart. He laughed about it."
"You don't know that…"
"I heard him. Talking about you being a rogue's toy." His eyes flashed dangerously. "Death was a mercy compared to what I wanted to do."
My anger deflated. Jace had said those things. Done worse over the years.
"This is too much," I whispered.
"I know." His voice went gentle. "But you're safe here. You can take time to understand."
"What if I want to leave?"
Something dangerous flashed in his eyes. "You won't."
"You can't keep me prisoner."
"You're not a prisoner. But you're not leaving." He moved closer. "You've been alone your whole life, Lana. Unwanted. Unloved. I'm offering you everything. A home, a pack, a mate who would burn the world for you."
"Why me? You could have anyone."
"Because you're mine." He touched my face, and that electricity sparked again. "I've felt empty my whole life. Like half of me was missing. Then three nights ago, I felt it. A pull so strong I couldn't ignore it. It led me to the border. To you."
"Three nights ago?"
"After your eighteenth birthday." He smiled slightly. "When your wolf finally stirred in distress enough for me to sense her."
A knock interrupted us. One of his guards entered, bowing low.
"Alpha, we have a problem."
Kian's hand dropped. "What?"
"Some wolves from the Crystal Moon Pack who were not around when we took the pack are around. They demand you return the girl."
"Demand?" Kian's voice went deadly quiet.
The guard swallowed. "They say she belongs to them. That taking her was an act of war."
I laughed, but it wasn't funny. "Now they want me? After throwing me away?"
"How many?" Kian asked.
"Thirty warriors. Led by their leader."
"Kill them all."
"Wait!" I grabbed Kian's arm. "You can't just kill everyone who annoys you."
"Watch me."
"Please. Let me talk to them."
"No."
"They threw me away. Let me tell them that to their faces."
He studied me. "You want revenge?"
"I want them to know I'm not nothing anymore."
A slow smile spread across his face. "There's my Eclipse Wolf." He looked at the guard. "Bring them to the throne room. Chains. They enter my territory in chains."
The guard left. Kian offered me his arm.
"Shall we show them what they threw away?"
I took his arm, feeling that spark again. "Let's."
But as we walked, I wondered what I was becoming. Yesterday I begged for my life. Today I was walking beside the Blood Alpha like I belonged there.
Maybe I did.
Or maybe this was all a dream and I'd wake up in that cold cell.
Kian squeezed my hand like he'd heard my thoughts. "Real," he said simply.
We entered the throne room, and my old life was about to meet my new one.