Chapter 141 Chapter 141

Chapter 141 Chapter 141
Kavian’s pov
“What do you want to hear from me? What do you want me to say?” she said, and I could hear a slight crack in her voice. That tiny fracture hit me like a punch, crushing something deep in my soul because it was the first real sign of how much she was holding in.
“The truth,” I said, and she scoffed softly—quiet but sharp—almost like my statement was hypocritical, like she already knew I wasn’t as transparent as I pretended to be.
“What is it? Is there something you want to say to me?” I asked, leaning in slightly, searching her face. She went quiet, completely still, like she was forcing every word back down her throat, refusing to let anything slip out.
“Is there something you want to say to me? Are you feeling guilty about something? Is there something I ought to know that you haven't told me?” She redirected the question to me so suddenly that it caught me off guard. I was left stunned, my heartbeat skipping because it felt like she was staring right through me.
“I… no. There is nothing,” I said, but even to my own ears it sounded too quick, too defensive. She gave me a look—steady, unreadable—that made me feel like she could see every thought I was trying to hide.
“Good then. So can you allow me eat my meal in peace, please?” she said, her voice calm but distant, like she was putting a wall between us brick by brick.
I waited a moment, hoping she’d say something more, anything—but she didn’t. I sighed, a heavy breath I couldn’t hold back, and stood up, leaving her to eat her meal alone.
There was something troubling her for sure, but she doesn’t want to open up. And I believe that’s because she no longer trusts me. I don’t blame her. Even though I was honest with her, it wasn’t complete… and I think she knows that now.
Rose’s pov
As Kavian left the table, I felt this desperate urge rising in my throat—to call him back, reach out, and finally open up about how I truly felt. I wanted to tell him how scared I was, how troubled my chest felt, how badly I needed him to just pull me close and tell me everything would be alright. To feel his arms around me, grounding me. But I stopped myself. I swallowed it all down, letting that moment slip away.
The truth was… I am not okay with the plan of following them back to their hometown all the way across the sea. Yes, they are my mates, and I love them, and I want to spend the rest of my life with them, but something about this feels wrong—deeply wrong. How could they just suddenly tell me I would be traveling with them today? I came here to the camp settlement only to meet their father. This was supposed to be a short visit. I was meant to return back to my pack, to my family. But now everything felt like it had shifted under my feet. It felt more like a hostage situation than a request.
And yet I pretended to be fine, pretended the news didn’t shake me, because some part of me feared that refusing would make things worse—not only for me but for my friend Laura, and even for my mates themselves. It was their father who gave the order. And his orders were treated like the commands of a god.
So yeah… telling Kavian how I felt was pointless. He’d already told me earlier that the only person he couldn’t protect me from was their father. Their father. Even saying that in my mind made my stomach twist. They feared that man. If my mates, with all their strength and power, feared him… then I could only imagine what someone like me would face if I disobeyed.
But fear wasn’t the only thing keeping me silent. I was also upset with Kavian. I could see he was hiding something from me. And though he was the most honest among my mates, even his honesty wasn’t complete. There was a secret he carried—something about their father and their real mission here. I could feel it in every half-answer and every pause. I don’t believe they came with such a large army just to search for the Phoenix wolf. Not anymore.
So I kept my head down and continued to act as if I was interested in the food in front of me, even though I hadn’t tasted a single bite. And I listened to his footsteps fading as he left… each one tightening the knot in my chest...
I was inside my tent, folding and arranging the little luggage I brought, trying to steady my breathing as I prepared for the journey. My fingers kept fumbling on the fabric, betraying how shaky I felt. That was when Laura pushed the tent flap open and stepped inside.
“What you doing? Are you packing? Wait—are we returning back to Ashwood so soon?” she asked, sounding disappointed. From her tone, it was obvious she had no idea what was happening.
“Well, one of us is,” I said, forcing a small smile and hiding my pain behind humor that felt paper-thin.
“What do you mean one of us?” she asked, and I stopped what I was doing. Slowly, I straightened, facing her fully.
“You will be returning back to Ashwood City,” I said. Her eyes narrowed immediately.
“What about you?” she asked.
“Well… I will be following my mates back to their hometown,” I said, and she stared at me for a second—before suddenly bursting into laughter.
“Very funny. Very funny indeed,” she said, waving her hand as she kept talking as though she truly believed I was joking. “I honestly thought we’d be staying here a bit longer. I haven’t even gotten the chance to try out all the clothes I brought for this journey—” She halted mid-sentence when she finally noticed my silence, the way my lips pressed together as I fought to keep my emotions from spilling.
I had been trying to act tough for hours, but the tears were now stinging at the corners of my eyes, desperate to fall.
“What’s wrong?” She stepped closer, her voice dropping.
“You will tell my father I love him… and that I’m sorry I couldn’t fulfill my promise. And tell my aunty I’m really grateful for everything she has done for me,” I said, my voice shaking. And that was when it dawned on her—this wasn’t a joke.
“Are you serious? Are you really leaving with them to their hometown?” she asked, and I nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“What?” She stepped back as if the air itself pushed her. “When?”
“Today,” I whispered.
“No. That’s not possible. It doesn’t make any sense. Isn’t their hometown across the sea? How many days will it take you to get there and come back?” she asked, her voice rising with panic.
“I don’t think I’m coming back,” I said softly. “And that’s why I’m sending you to my father and aunty.”
“What are you saying? You can’t do that. I can’t return home without you. Your father will kill me!” she said, her voice trembling now. “I followed you here to look after you, to make sure you return home safely—and now you want me to go back without you? If you aren’t coming, then I’m not going.”
“Laura, listen to me—” I began, but she cut me off sharply.
“No. I am coming along with you,” she said, her jaw set with stubbornness and fear all tangled together.
“It’s not possible for you to come with me,” I said, my voice low, trying to keep it steady. “How would they know back home what happened? They’ll be worried sick, thinking something bad happened to us if neither of us returns.”
“I don’t know what you mean by something bad,” she snapped. “Is this not already something bad? How can your mates even demand this from you?”
“It’s not them… it’s their father,” I said quietly.
“Then fuck him,” she fired back without hesitation. “He doesn’t have any right to make you go with them.”
“You shouldn’t talk bad about him—you’ll get yourself into trouble,” I cautioned, glancing toward the tent flap as if the man himself might be standing outside listening.
“I am not afraid of him,” Laura said, lifting her chin stubbornly.
But before I could respond, the tent flap flew open and someone stepped inside—cutting her words in half and freezing both of us in place.