Chapter 16

Feya's POV

The hum of chatter from the workers drifted to my ears as I stepped into the hallway. At first, it was just the usual buzz, the mundane talk of everyday chores, but then I caught something that made my heart skip a beat. I lingered on the top step, letting the voices of the two workers below seep into my mind.

"Did you hear? Alpha Blake's coming back to the pack tomorrow," one of them said, her voice a little too light, too excited.

I leaned against the railing, my fingers gripping the wood just a little too tightly, but I couldn't stop myself from feeling the rush of anticipation that surged through me at the mere mention of his name. Alpha Blake. I smiled, trying to mask the flutters in my chest, but the other worker’s response soon wiped the grin off my face.

"I know, I heard. He's my crush too," she said with a giggle.

My breath hitched, a knot tightening in my stomach. I couldn’t have heard that right. She couldn’t be serious. I clenched my jaw, fighting to keep my composure. Why was she talking like that about him? Was I not the only one who admired him? I should have known, of course, I wasn’t the only one. But hearing it spoken aloud... it was like a cold splash of water on my warm thoughts.

I needed to know more.

I descended the stairs slowly, the sharp click of my heels echoing through the hall, making it clear that I wasn’t just some insignificant presence here. I was Feya, the daughter of the Alpha King. Their words didn’t escape me, not when they were talking about him. I would get to the bottom of this.

The workers turned their heads at the sound of my approach, both of them stiffening as if they’d been caught in some sort of secret. I stood in front of them, raising an eyebrow, daring them to speak freely.

“Well, well,” I said, my voice dripping with authority, the usual sweetness absent from my tone. “What is all this talk about Alpha Blake?” I let the words linger, watching as their eyes widened at my presence.

One of them, a petite woman with long dark hair, fidgeted nervously under my gaze. "Alpha Blake is visiting tomorrow," she said quickly, her voice trembling slightly. "We... we were just talking about it."

My gaze flickered between them. "And you, both of you, have feelings for him?" I didn’t mean to make it sound like an accusation, but it came out that way. Their faces turned pale, and the silence between us stretched longer than I liked.

The second worker, a tall man with sandy hair, swallowed hard. "No disrespect, Miss Feya, but... it’s just... he's Alpha Blake. He's... well, he's... perfect."

I didn't wait for more. My patience was thinning, the frustration of hearing such things about the one man who consumed my thoughts growing unbearable. “Enough. Get back to work.” My voice was firm, final. I wasn’t going to stand there and listen to idle chatter about him any longer. I turned on my heel before they could respond, my footsteps taking me back to the sanctuary of my room, away from their uncomfortable stares.

I couldn’t breathe for a moment as I closed the door behind me, leaning against it. I needed to shake off the weight of their words, to get my head together before I lost control. It was silly. It was childish, even, to be upset over something so small. But I couldn’t deny the ache that lingered in my chest, the sudden realization that Alpha Blake wasn’t just a dream, he wasn’t just a fantasy to me. He was a reality, a reality I wasn’t sure I could ever reach.

I let out a long breath and turned to the wardrobe, pulling out a simple but elegant dress. I needed to distract myself, to feel something other than this swirling storm inside. There was something important I had to do. I needed something new. Something for myself, something that would make me feel like I mattered.

I dressed quickly, letting the fabric slide over my skin, the soft material a small comfort in the midst of my rising emotions. My fingers moved carefully as I applied a little makeup, not to impress anyone else, but to remind myself that I was more than just a daughter, more than just a shadow of my father’s legacy. I was Feya. And if Alpha Blake was going to be around, if he was going to be in the same pack again, I needed to look... different. Better.

Just as I was finishing, the door to my room creaked open, and I turned in surprise. Killian stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his voice calm, yet there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

I stiffened, my heart stuttering for a brief moment. I hadn’t expected him to show up now. Not when I was already feeling so off balance. “Out,” I replied coolly, keeping my voice steady. I wouldn’t let him see how rattled I was.

Killian’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across his face. “Out?” He took a step forward, leaning against the doorframe. “And where exactly is ‘out,’ Feya?”

I bit my lip, trying to mask the smile that threatened to tug at my lips. There was something about him, the way he could always seem to read me, that made me feel exposed. But I wasn’t going to let him see my soft spots, not now, not when I was already on the edge.

“I’m going shopping,” I said, keeping my tone casual. “I need some new things.”

I could see the way his expression softened, his gaze following me as I turned toward the door. But just before I could leave, he stopped me.

“You’re happy,” Killian observed, his voice low, almost like he was speaking to himself. “This is the first time I’ve seen you like this in... well, ever.”

I froze for a moment, the words hanging in the air like an unspoken truth. His gaze was too intense, too probing, and I couldn’t find it in myself to give him the satisfaction of knowing what was really going on inside me.

I looked away, quickly brushing past him. “It’s just shopping,” I muttered, my voice lacking conviction.

Killian didn’t follow me immediately, but I could feel his eyes on me as I walked out of the room, his presence lingering in the hall like a shadow. I knew he was still watching me, waiting for me to crack, to reveal whatever it was that had made me so... different all of a sudden. But I wasn’t ready to show him, not yet.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I made my way down the stairs, my heels clicking sharply on the polished floors as I moved towards the exit. I could feel the rush of anticipation bubbling in my chest. Tomorrow, Alpha Blake would be here. And for the first time, it felt like there was a chance for something more than just my quiet admiration. There was a spark of possibility, something that had always seemed so far out of reach but was now suddenly within grasp.

But as I stepped outside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Killian was still there, watching me. I didn’t turn around to look, though. I didn’t need to. What I needed now was to focus on myself. To make myself look as beautiful as I felt, even if I couldn’t admit the reason for my sudden happiness out loud.

I didn’t owe Killian an explanation.

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Later that evening, as the sun began to set and the streets of the pack seemed quieter, I returned to the house with my bags in hand. I had bought more than I’d planned, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. New shoes, new clothes, a new sense of self. All of it was mine. And none of it was for anyone else but me.

The sound of someone moving in the hallway made me pause before I opened the door to my room. I turned to find Killian standing there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His gaze was fixed on me, but his expression was unreadable.

“What did you get?” he asked, his voice soft, but there was an underlying curiosity there that made me pause.

“Things,” I said shortly, walking past him without meeting his gaze.

Killian stepped forward, blocking my path. “You’re acting differently,” he said again, his tone gentler now. “What’s going on?”

I couldn’t answer him. Not yet. Not when the storm inside me was still too wild, when the thrill of Alpha Blake’s return was the only thing that mattered.

“I don’t know,” I finally said, my voice quieter than I intended. “I just need some time to figure things out.”

Killian didn’t push further, but I could feel his eyes on me, still searching. Still trying to understand.