Chapter 33: The Taste of Fire and Ash
I didn’t expect Hardin to actually do it.
Yet there he was — sleeves rolled up, standing in the middle of the open kitchen, pan sizzling under his hand as he flipped something that smelled like roasted herbs and butter. The scent drifted through the pack house, drawing everyone like moths to a flame. Warriors leaned in the doorway, a few omegas peeked from the hall, and Evelyn — with her perfect hair and smug little smile — sat on a stool beside the counter, watching him like he was putting on a private show.
“Well,” Tia muttered beside me, arms crossed. “Didn’t think I’d live to see the day Hardin Wolfe cooks for anyone.”
I tried to act unbothered. “It’s just dinner.”
“Uh-huh,” she said, eyeing him. “For her.”
I didn’t answer. My chest felt too tight for that.
Evelyn laughed softly as Hardin set a plate in front of her. “You really didn’t have to,” she said, her voice light and sweet. “But since you insisted…”
He didn’t answer, just gave a short nod and stepped back, wiping his hands on a towel. The faintest smirk tugged at his lips, but his eyes flicked toward the gathered pack — then, briefly, to me. It was only a second, but I saw it. That flash of discomfort he tried to hide.
The whispers had already started.
“Did you see how he looks at her?”
“They’d make a fine pair.”
“She’s perfect Luna material.”
My stomach twisted, though I didn’t know if it was from irritation or hunger.
Tia elbowed me. “You okay?”
“Peachy,” I muttered.
Hardin glanced at the crowd, clearly aware of the murmuring. “You’ve all got nothing better to do?” he asked dryly, and a few wolves chuckled awkwardly before scattering. But not Evelyn. She leaned her chin on her hand and smiled up at him.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she said softly. “Why’d you leave me alone during the hunt? What if something attacked me?”
Hardin exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I already told you, Evelyn. I had to check on something.”
She tilted her head. “Something, or someone?”
The tension in the air sharpened. A few warriors stopped pretending to clean dishes and started paying attention again. I froze where I stood.
“Do you like her?” Evelyn asked suddenly — her gaze darting straight toward me.
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
Then Tia burst out, “not again princess Evelyn”
Evelyn gave her a withering look. “Not you. I meant her.”
Her finger pointed right at me.
Every sound in the kitchen seemed to vanish. My breath caught; my heart was thudding so loud I was sure everyone could hear it.
what’s her problem. Why does she keep on saying this.
Hardin’s voice was low when he finally spoke. “I already apologized, Evelyn.”
“But that’s not forgiveness,” she said, crossing her arms. “If you really mean it, prove it.”
“What do you want me to do?” he asked evenly, though his jaw flexed.
Evelyn smiled sweetly. “Forgiveness tastes better with a little effort, don’t you think? You can start by finishing this meal with me. Right now.”
He didn’t argue — just nodded once, grabbed a fork, and sat down across from her. The pack whispered behind me, their voices blending into a low hum.
“They fit,” someone murmured.
“She’s gorgeous.”
“Finally, someone who can handle him.”
I turned away before I could hear more, pretending to adjust a vase near the window. My wolf shifted restlessly beneath my skin, tail flicking, not from anger — something deeper, something I didn’t want to name.
When I finally stepped out into the hallway for air, the front doors creaked open.
Sebastian.
He looked exhausted — dust on his boots, his shoulders tense. His Beta, Kael, followed closely behind, murmuring something before peeling off toward the meeting room. Sebastian’s gaze found me instantly.
“Rhianna,” he said softly. “There you are.”
I straightened, brushing my hands down my dress. “You’re back early.”
“The meeting finished sooner than expected,” he said, then paused. “Where’s Hardin?”
“In the kitchen,” I said quietly. “Cooking.”
That made him blink. “Cooking?”
“For Evelyn,” I added.
His jaw tightened. “Of course.”
We walked together down the hall toward his office. The air between us was heavy — not awkward, just… weighted, like both of us were thinking of the same thing but too tired to say it first.
Once inside, he closed the door and leaned against his desk. “The council is talking,” he began. “They’re saying Hardin should take my position.”
I swallowed. “Reassign him as Alpha?”
He nodded, the muscle in his jaw ticking. “They think I’ve grown soft. That his return will ‘restore authority.’”
“That’s ridiculous,” I said. “You’ve held this pack together through everything.”
He gave a short laugh, bitter and humorless. “Apparently not enough. So tell me, Rhianna…” — his eyes met mine, sharp, searching — “who do you think is more capable? Him or me?”
The question hit like a punch to the chest.
He wasn’t just asking as Alpha — he was asking as my mate.
I stepped closer, my voice gentle. “You are, Sebastian. You’ve led with reason, not fear. That’s strength, even if they can’t see it.”
For a moment, the tension in his shoulders eased. He looked away, his expression softening. “You always know what to say.”
I smiled faintly. “Only when it’s true.”
He let out a quiet sigh and moved to sit on the edge of the desk. “Tell me something else — how was the hunt?”
That pulled a laugh from me. “Messy. I caught a tiger.”
His brows lifted. “You what?”
“I did,” I said, grinning now. “Almost missed it, but Tia distracted it long enough for me to shoot.”
He actually laughed — a real one this time — shaking his head. “My mate, the tiger slayer. I should’ve been there to see it.”
“You’d have scared the poor thing away,” I teased.
For a moment, it felt like how things used to be — before the lies, before the distance, before Hardin’s return turned everything upside down.
But then I asked softly, “How’s Brittany? And her child?”
His smile faded. “They’re fine. She’s staying with her mother until things settle. The baby is growing”
“I’m glad,” I said quietly, though something in my chest twisted all the same.
He reached out, fingertips brushing my hand. “Don’t look at me like that, Rhianna. I know I don’t deserve your kindness. But I’m trying.”
“I know,” I whispered. “And that’s enough for now.”
Outside, I could still hear laughter echoing faintly from the kitchen — Evelyn’s bright, ringing giggle.
But in that room, with Sebastian’s weary eyes and the moonlight spilling through the window, I realized something: no matter how far Hardin’s shadow reached, this bond — broken, bruised as it was — still held its fragile thread.
And I wasn’t ready to let go.