Chapter 16 how!
Kaelrix POV
I walked deep into the bush, my expression as blank and cold as the night itself. Each step I took felt heavier than the last, not because of the path, but because of the turmoil stirring inside me. I needed answers. I needed to understand what was happening to me and why this particular girl was affecting me in a way no one ever had. It was strange, disturbing, and I hated the feeling with everything in me. It felt like weakness, and weakness is the last thing an Alpha should ever possess.
The forest was alive with sounds. The faint howling of wolves echoed between the trees, mixing with the sharp hoots of owls perched high on the branches. The wind brushed through the leaves, carrying scents from miles away. My senses picked up everything, yet none of it soothed the agitation burning in my chest.
I stopped walking for a moment and smirked to myself, staring at the mountain that sat just beyond our territory.
Moonrakers Pack. Useless. Always pretending to be pure and peaceful. From the sound of their howling, it was clear they were performing their moon ceremony. Pretending to be enlightened wolves when in truth they were nothing but weaklings. I sneered coldly at the thought. They were my next target. Soon, their perfect peaceful pack would crumble and turn into a burial ground. Their pride would be the cause of their fall.
I resumed walking, pushing deeper into the woods. I walked for over forty minutes before I finally reached the entrance of the hidden cave. A massive rock blocked the way, but with a single push, I slid it aside with ease. Darkness swallowed me as I stepped inside. The faint whispers of incantations drifted from the far corner, their echoes dancing along the walls.
There she was. The seer. Elinra. Her frail fingers caressed a golden bowl filled with water, moving across the surface like she was soothing a child. Her eyes were fixed on the bowl, as though it held the secrets of the world.
I pulled out a chair and sat directly in front of her, watching her carefully. She did not look up, did not flinch, did not greet me at first. She simply continued stroking the water like she was hypnotized by it.
“They claim you see all types of things,” I began, my voice firm. “They say there is nothing that happens in my pack that you do not know about. Now I am here because I want to ask you something. I want you to see something for me.”
Only then did she lift her head slowly, her gaze settling on mine.
“Greetings, your Alpha,” she said in a soft voice. “You never believed in these things. You never believed in me. So why do you come now seeking answers?”
My expression hardened instantly. I was not in the mood for riddles.
“Because I do not understand what my body is going through,” I said sharply. “I have never experienced anything like this before and I do not like it. I do not like this feeling. It makes me seem weak. And I hate being weak.”
“It is not about weakness, your Highness,” she replied gently, as though she were speaking to a stubborn child. “It is about the heart. You are slowly developing a soft spot for someone.”
A soft spot. The last thing I ever wanted. The first thing I feared. For the first time, I looked straight into her eyes, searching for answers even though I hated admitting it.
“I feel like chasing her away before it gets worse,” I confessed through clenched teeth. “But I cannot bring myself to do it. I do not know why. Why can I not push her away? Why does my chest hurt when I think about sending her off?”
“That is exactly what a soft spot is, your Majesty,” she said. “She is slowly entering your heart. You do not want to lose her. That is why you hesitate.”
Her words made something deep inside me tighten painfully. My heart skipped — something it never did.
“So how do I get rid of this feeling?” I asked, my voice low. I hated how vulnerable I sounded, but I needed answers. Despite her sharp tongue and boldness, I could not harm Elinra. Anyone else who spoke to me the way she did would be dead within a day. Yet with her, I felt helpless — and that alone angered me more than anything.
“You cannot deny the feeling, your Highness,” she said carefully. “You are in lo—”
“Stop!” I roared, my voice shaking the entire cave. Dust fell from the ceiling as the rock walls vibrated from the force of my voice. That word. I hated that word. I refused to allow it to be spoken anywhere near me.
“I am sorry, your Highness,” she said quickly.
I stood up, brushing dust off my clothes, refusing to look at her again. I stormed out of the cave and stepped back into the night air, breathing heavily. My mind was a complete mess. Love. What an odd, disgusting word.
I walked through the bushes again, the sounds of the forest barely reaching me. My thoughts drowned everything out. I was almost near the pack house when I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. I frowned instantly, inhaling deeply to catch the scent.
Micheal.
My Beta.
His face came into view as he stepped between the trees. I continued walking as though I had not seen him.
“Good evening, Alpha Kaelrix,” he greeted respectfully. “What brings you out here? Especially to the seer’s cave?”
I stopped and turned to him slowly.
“Did you follow me?” I asked, lifting a brow.
“No, Alpha. I would never do such a thing,” he said quickly. “I only noticed your tracks leading toward the cave. That is why I asked.”
I nodded and resumed walking. He fell into step beside me. For minutes, we walked in silence until he finally spoke again.
“I thought you never believed in the seer, your Highness. May I know why you went there?”
“I went to seek answers,” I replied simply.
“Is something troubling you, my Lord?” he asked carefully. His tone was sincere, but I still could not bring myself to open up.
“Nothing. There was just something I needed to confirm.”
“I think you should tell him,” Kai suddenly said from within me.
My eyes widened with irritation.
“What did I warn you about?” I snapped internally. “Do not speak for weeks or possibly months. Why is it so hard for you to listen? When I say do not speak, do not speak.”
Kai chuckled, clearly amused. That only made me angrier.
“I cannot keep quiet now,” he said. “This is the most important thing in our life and you want me to stay silent?”
He was useless. Most wolves needed their inner wolf desperately, but I was a hybrid. My strength did not depend on him. His only job seemed to be interrupting conversations that did not concern him.
I glanced at Micheal and immediately saw the concern on his face. That was the kind of person I wanted in my pack — loyal, dedicated, and trustworthy. Even when he had been offered the chance to poison me and take over my position as Alpha, he refused and came straight to me. Together, we destroyed the traitorous pack that tried to use him. From that day on, I respected him.
“Your Highness,” Micheal said after a moment, “I keep wondering about something. Despite the way Elinra talks back at you and insults you, why have you not killed her?”
The question caught me off guard. I had never thought about it in simple terms.
“It is because of her father,” I answered quickly. “He told me not to kill her.”
Micheal chuckled quietly.
“Or maybe, my Lord,” he said with a small smile, “you might have something for her.”
His words hit harder than they should have. Harder than I ever wanted them to.