Chapter 37 Chapter 37
Sleep wouldn't come. I had spent hours staring at the ceiling wondering why Lucian's voice kept replaying in my head.
I didn't hear the door open. The click was soft but I felt him before I saw him. His scent of pine and sandalwood filling the room.
"Couldn't sleep?" His voice was rough and he sounded tired and it made my chest ache. My breath caught as I pushed myself up.
"Lucian...what are you doing here?" I was surprised to see him here. His presence filled the room, he was wearing a black shirt, his jaw dropping with exhaustion. I took a good look at him and he looked beyond exhausted.
"I needed to be sure you were safe" he said softly
Safe. He used that word again. He crossed the room, each step quiet bit heavy. I should have told me he shouldn't have bothered but when his eyes met mine, dark, stormy and burning, I forgot how to breathe.
"I'm fine" I said softly even though my heart didn't believe that. I wasn't fine, someone tried to kill me.
He shook his head, sitting on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped, pulling me towards him.
"You were poisoned, Ailsa. I can't stop thinking about the fact...." He stopped, his jaw tightening as if saying more would shatter him.
The silence stretched and the air thickened. I should have moved and created distance between us Instead, I let the silence pull us together. His hand brushed mine, his fingers lingering just enough for my pulse to quicken. My wolf stirred, restless and wanting, whispering mate in the back of my mind.
"You should rest" he murmured, pulling the blanket over me. "I'll stay here until you fall asleep" he murmured.
When I woke up, I felt strong arms around my waist. I was alarmed but then Lucian's sent filled my nose and I calmed down. He was asleep beside me, his facial features softened, my heart tripped violently. This felt like a dream, one I didn't want to wake up from. I couldn’t believe he was by my side.
I studied him in silence, his eyebrows were full and his jaw well defined, his lips were so tiny. From this angle, he looked so beautiful that made me want to kiss him all over his face. My wolf purred softly. She wanted to do that so badly.
'He came for us. He has accepted us as his mate' she said joyfully.
'He came because he blamed himself and must have slept off while waiting for me to sleep" I reminded her so she doesn’t get any silly ideas.
I slipped out of the bed quietly so I won't wake Lucian up but when I reached the door, I must have woken him because his morning voice had me freezing in my steps, it was low and steady.
“Leaving already?” I froze. He was awake, I thought he was still deep in sleep.
“I…I was….going to get some air” he sat up, raking a hand through his messy hair, it made him look more gorgeous and I almost bit my lips.
“Stay in the room for now until this is finished. We haven’t caught the culprit. It’s safer here” I hesitated. I wanted to go to my former room.
“What about Lina? I haven’t seen her” he hesitated, his gaze hardened instantly.
“She’s been held and question until she tells us who poisoned you since she claims not to know” my heart dropped.
“Lucian…no, she would never…” I tried to defend her.
“She served your food, Ailsa” his tone was calm but I could feel the anger simmering beneath.
“Until I’m sure she doesn’t have a hand in it, she stays where she is” his tone was finally. I stepped closer.
“I know her, Lucian. She’s kind and loyal, she would never try to harm me. Please, Lucian she can’t survive there” I pleaded with my eyes. He stared at me for a while, his gaze was sharp. His jaw was set and he turned away.
“I’ll decide when I see the full report and I’m convinced she had no hand in it but I won’t release her till then”
“I won’t eat until she’s released” I said before I could stop myself. That made him turn back.
“You’ll what?” I met his gaze squarely, even though my knees trembled.
“You heard me. If you think the person I trust the most would try to poison me then I can’t eat what any other person brings. If you really care about me then you’d release her”
Something dark and wild flashed across his face but then he exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“You are infuriating” he muttered.
“Maybe but that’s my final decision” I whispered.
He didn’t reply. He just looked at me and something softened in his eyes. He upped and left the room.
Hours later, I still hadn’t eaten. The servants brought food and said the Alpha had sent them but I rejected all of it. I was going to stand by my word, I wouldn’t eat till Lina was released. I also didn’t want to eat because I was scared that someone would try to poison me again.
Lina’s face haunted me, her laughter, her warmth. The thought of her locked away in a cold cell made my chest ache till I couldn’t breathe. The door opened again and this time it was Lucian with a tray of food. He set it down on the table.
“I’m not eating” I threw my face away.
“Before you reject the food, I made it myself. Since you rejected the food, the servants brought” I was shocked at his words. Lucian made food for me!! I voiding imagine him in the kitchen.
“I still don’t want to eat. I stand by my word that if Lina is not released then I won’t eat a single bite of food”
“You’ll need your strength to bargain. If you want me to consider your offer then you have to eat first” I heard the humor in his voice and I stifled a laugh.
“Promise?” He nodded and I decided to eat just because of how hungry I was and because Lucian made it. When I took the first bite, I almost melted at the spot. It was really good, I didn’t think he could cook.
“I didn’t know you could cook” I nod in approval of the taste
“There are so many things you don’t know about me” he smirked.
After that, I ate the food in silence while Lucian watched me. I felt shy under the heat of his gaze. When I was done eating, he told me to the rest and he cleared the table. I was surprised by his new attitude. He was acting differently towards me.
‘We like it’s my wolf said and I couldn’t deny it.
His scent still lingered as he left the room and it comforted me as I fell into a slumber. When I woke up, it was dark. The room felt cold. I stood up and made a choice.
The halls were quiet. I wrapped my cloak tightly around me and slipped out, my bare feet silent on the floor. I could feel my heartbeat ringing in my ears, fear mingling with guilt. I just wanted to see her and make sure she was alright.
The cell was past the servants quarters hidden behind stone walls. I walked faster until I reached the corner that turned toward the lower corridor. Footsteps echoed behind me. I pressed myself against the wall, my pulse hammering.
Two warriors passed by murmuring something about the council and how the alpha was furious. I wanted until their voices faded before I started moving again. Just as I reached the last stair, a voice cold and smooth, cut through the darkness.
“Going somewhere, Ailsa?” My hearty stopped.
Lucian stood at the end of the corridor, clad in black clothes. His eyes glowed faintly, his wolf close to the surface and for a heartbeat I saw the fury in his eyes.
“I….” I trembled. “I wanted to see Lina” he took a step forward, slow and deliberate.
“In the middle of the night? Were you planning on freeing her?”
“No, no, I just wanted to make sure she was doing fine”
“You disobeyed me again” His voice was low and quiet.
“She’s innocent. I just wanted to make sure. I just couldn’t sit back and watch her suffer” he reached me in two strides, his presence occupying the space between us.
“Do you know what would have happened if someone else saw you here? I’m trying to keep you safe but you just don’t seem to understand” he gritted his teeth.
“I don’t care what would have happened. I’ve faced death so I’m not scared of anything” I said, my breath shaking.
“You’ve not seen death, Ailsa” I wanted to argue with him but I knew that won’t help my case.
“Please, let me just see her. I promise you I won’t take time” I pleaded.
“Go to your room. You’ll see her soon” i smiled in appreciation.
“But not this night, I’ll finalize what I have to do before she’ll be released. Someone has to go in for trying to poison you”
“Lina is not the person to be held then”
“You are too trusting of people”
“I only trust people who have shown that they can be trusted and Lina is one of them and that’s why I believe she isn’t the person that tried to poison me”
“Then do you trust me?”