Chapter 74

Chapter 74
Layla’s POV

Lycan Asher’s study was where my father’s study used to be, and it was heavily guarded on both ends of the corridors. It was insanely impossible to sneak in without being seen, and I had no business there. After several attempts and growing suspicions, I gave up the idea. I had to devise another means to gain access to that study. Perhaps, there was a secret door. But only Alpha Nathan would know.

Alpha Damon had a smaller study beside our room. I slid into it. There could be something to find there, although I doubted he knew much about his cousin’s operations. I moved through drawers and found a lot of things that made no sense to me. There were reports, trade agreements with other packs, letters but there wasn’t much to grasp except the role of Damon. He was a diplomat.

A small parcel wrapped tightly with a piece  of cloth caught my attention. I pulled it out and set it on the desk. It was wrapped as though it contained something really important. My heart thrummed in my chest. Could this be it? Could this be what I was looking for?

I had just pulled one of the knots when the door flung open. I leaped up in fright, knocking the parcel to the ground. It seemed something shattered inside the parcel but i was not sure.

‘’Luna!’’ It was one of the guards. ‘’Lycan Asher and Alpha Damon have returned.’’

Returned? That was too soon. I kicked the parcel among the stack of papers on the floor.

‘’You should knock next time, and don’t barge on me,’’ I snapped.

He bowed his head. ‘’I’m sorry. Luna. It’s an emergency. Alpha Damon is seriously injured.’’

His words made no sense for a second, and the next second I bolted out of the room, running with no direction in particular. I met them in the courtyard. Damon was slumped over the saddle, his body limp.

I froze.

‘’He’s unconscious,’’ Lycan Asher said, dismounting and barking some orders.

Unconscious?

The healers arrived, taking Damon with them. It all seemed like a pantomime of death to me.

‘’What happened?’’ I managed to say, walking towards Asher.
‘’Panther shifters,’’ he blurted out. ‘’We were ambushed at the border.’’

He seemed alright to me. Was the ambush for Damon alone?

‘’You were with him,’’ I said sharply. ‘’How could you let this happen, Lycan?’’

His head snapped towards me and his eyes flashed with anger. ‘’You think I just stood there and watched him get injured?’’

‘’I don’t know what to think!’’ I snapped back. ‘’You look perfectly fine -’’

‘’Watch your words, Luna Melody,’’ he cut in. ‘’Don’t forget who it is you are speaking to.’’

I bit my lips in frustration. With nothing else to say, I turned around and left for the healer’s place. 

‘’Alpha Damon will live,’’ she said, her expression grave but calm. ‘’It is not the worst wound I have seen.’’ She stood up. ‘’But the wounds were deep. They cut close to his bone and his wolf was terribly injured. It may take time before he can shift again.’’

Relief and pain filled my heart. What was an Alpha if he cannot shift again? It would completely break Damon if he found out. 

We returned home and I laid him in our bed. I watched his chest as it rose and fell to be sure he was still alive. The wounds were covered up with some herbs I recognised. His skin was too cold.

‘’You reckless fool,’’ I said, smiling sadly and running my fingers through his hair. I could see he was still half shifted. ‘’You are not allowed to die just easily.’’

He didn’t stir.

‘’Get Pearl,’’ I said to one of the guards. I had to interrupt her rest a little. The wounds and dirt on his skin were a sore to my eyes.

Minutes passed and when the guard returned, Pearl was not with him.

‘’I could not find your maid,  Luna Melody.’’

I leaned away from Damon. ‘’What? Is she missing then?’’

‘’One of the guards saw her leave her room a while ago.’’

Looking pale, fainting and now sneaking off. Something was definitely off with Pearl and I could swear that I was certain it had to do with a man. 

—

The castle had gone still when I returned to Damon’s study. A new feeling of guilt overpowered me now that I stepped into the room. Almost losing him made me realise that I cared for him more than I would admit. He didn’t drive me as crazy as Lycan Asher did, but the closest feeling to that was tonight.

I found the parcel and contemplated on opening it or just returning it. It didn’t feel right to be snooping around his things when he laid almost half dead. I raised the parcel and felt something move in it. Curiosity took the better part of me. I set it on the table and began to undo the knots. There was a wooden box, and it smelt of the trees in Silvermoon pack.

There was a flower in it. Withered now. I recognised it was from the garden I often spent time in. There was a broken mug. I picked the pieces and put them together. It had probably broken when I dropped it this afternoon. On the body, my name was inscribed.

I ran my fingers through the inscription. It was a gift to me.

Folded at the bottom of the box was a piece of paper. I picked it up, inhaling the scent of lavender on it. 

‘Lady Melody, I can never stop thinking about you. Of your beautiful smile. The times we had in our garden. Give our love a chance.’

My smile faded away instantly. The letter was not signed but I knew exactly who the parcel was from. It wasn’t from Alpha Damon. It was from Ethan. 

My heart raced. Damon knew about Lady Melody's affair with Ethan.