Chapter 51

DEVON

Lianna was starting to look uncomfortable - and even defensive - with what I was saying about her beloved jailer. And that? It made me stop my words and also made me enter a more... subtle state.

"Anyway... I could also be wrong." I laughed, trying to make those words come out as relaxed and light as possible, "after all, I am someone who is below him, so... theoretically he would be my boss, I don't know if my opinion really counts."

Lianna relaxed her posture after that, a small laugh escaping her lips, her hand going to her mouth.

"Maybe we always tend to have a terrible image of our bosses, don't we?" She spoke, her emerald eyes looking down, her hands starting to squeeze the fabric of her sleeve, as if that would somehow diminish the pain she was feeling, "Lian used to complain about his boss too, but every time that man saw me, he was always kind to me, and he would give me a piece of cake."

"Lian?" I couldn't help but ask, one of my eyebrows arching, "it's... the first time I hear that name."

"He's my friend, we've always been very close..." Lianna said with a certain melancholy, her body getting up, and with that going to a book with a dark green cover, "we... used to read all day as children, and when we grew up, he started telling me about his day, about his reality."

"I see that you miss him." That bad feeling invaded my chest again, but on my face? A smile still lingered.

"Yes, but in the end, he became just another slave, and... Caleb arrested him after a... scandal I caused," Lianna seemed to be reliving that scene at that moment, as if she was questioning why that thing from the Black clan did that, but even though I really wanted to answer her... I couldn't help but stop.

Because honestly? That was something she needed to notice on her own, otherwise... I would be painted as the villain in her story, and that? Couldn't happen.

"He... must have had a good reason for doing that, right?" She tried to take a few steps, almost falling to the ground, "oh... that was close..."

"You lied." That was all I could say as I stood up, and helped her sit back on the bed, "why did you tell me you were fine?"

"I... didn't want to worry you, you seemed already guilty for..."

"It doesn't matter." I interrupted her, one of my hands bringing her face towards mine, so that her eyes met mine, "if you're like this, it's my responsibility."

No, I didn't even believe my own words - and as much as that wanted to mean that I had done a great job -, that also meant that I left her hurt, needing the help of that son of a bitch.

That made me angry.

That made me... feel guilty.

"Devon, it's alright." She said, her warm hands resting on my face, those green eyes like two emeralds looking at me as if they were trying to hunt something in my soul, "you had issues to deal with, don't be so hard on yourself."

Of course, I had issues to deal with.

I had to deal with my mind becoming completely irrational, and on top of that, I was witnessing it again. Because every time I was close to Lianna, it seemed to get worse.

So much so that now? I was seriously questioning whether that had really been a valid reason to leave her.

CALEB

I was eating with Kalia as I had said I would, and while she was enjoying the fifth dessert she was taking to her mouth, I was thinking.

Thinking about how the hell I was going to fulfill what I had told Lianna I would do, because in the end... I only said that to make her feel at ease. But guess what? It wasn't that simple, especially in the case... of her sister.

I would have to be very strategic, because any wrong move would lead to questioning whether I had lost my mind, and that I had probably fallen in love with a human, and that? Would be detrimental to my rank, and even more so, to my position, to my image.

Therefore, I could maybe... start implementing new questions among the werewolves, like them being able to choose a human to serve them? It wouldn't be so strange in this case, right? I could start letting others do that, so that when all of this became something normal among them... Emily could come live with us.

Of course, at first, many werewolves would find it strange and would deny it, but honestly? There were beautiful humans in the midst of that pack - even if they weren't many. And that? Would help my plan to keep moving forward - because I highly doubted there would be much demand for human employees -, and it would also be a great excuse.

Yes, it would... so much so that Emily could become a servant of the Black clan, or even... my apprentice. Because honestly? I couldn't get that look out of my head, that determined look of a soldier, one who wanted to survive, one who wanted to return to her family, to her people.

She was still small - obviously -, but that would soon change, and when she got the right movements and postures? That girl would turn into a monster, one that would end anything, anyone, to fulfill her goal.

'But she's still human... she would still be fragile compared to other creatures...' I couldn't help but think, however? I honestly didn't think - and sincerely hoped -, that that little blonde thing wouldn't need to use the things I was going to teach her, because... Lianna would freak out with something like that, and I could be sure of that. Since she would probably start saying that Emily was too fragile, or maybe that little blonde shouldn't get involved in dangerous things.

But... she was among slaves, having to work day and night, in addition... to having to take care of the wounded now.

That girl wasn't fragile.

That girl... wasn't weak.