Chapter 12 Chapter 12
ALINA
I woke up feeling different.
The calm ambiance of the place I had stayed in for the past three months was absent. I blinked up at the ceiling, trying to push through the fog in my mind. When I remembered the entire reason why I came here, I felt my heart sink. Kai had brought me here against my will.
I rubbed my eyes as I stared up at the ceiling, unable to move. Why did he change his mind so suddenly? Just three months ago, he had slept with me and discarded me like I was some piece of garbage to him. Now he suddenly wants the best for me and wants me back? I couldn't understand it, and the not-knowing gnawed at me.
But I wasn't going to waste another minute on his games. If I could count on one thing, it is that he had ulterior motives for bringing me here and I was not going to wait back until he got what he wanted. I wanted my life to be as far away from him as possible. I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind and headed to the bathroom to wash up and get ready because he had agreed that we were going to leave early.
The cold water against my face helped clear my head. I stared at my reflection, my damp black hair with silver streaks sticking to my forehead. I remembered how everyone used to insult me and call me a witch because of my hair back in my pack. My eyes looked tired, a little puffy from crying the night before. "You need to get out of here," I whispered to myself. "You need to get back to your pack, back to Xavier, the man that actually likes you."
Just as I turned back to head into the room, there was a light knock on the door. I froze for a moment, bracing myself for another confrontation with Kai. But instead, a woman entered. She was tall, with bright blonde hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, her green eyes warm and welcoming. I frowned, thinking that she might be one of the women from the harem. But when I saw a smile on her face and a tray of food in her hand, I was sure she was not here to cause me any trouble.
"Good morning," she said softly, setting a tray of food down on the table. "I'm Lily, Kai's best friend and the future beta of the pack."
"Morning," I replied cautiously. "What do you want?"
Lily hesitated, then gave me a small, sympathetic smile.
"I'm here to bring you breakfast," she said. "And to talk."
I crossed my arms, skeptical. "Talk about what?" She seemed nice, and I did not want to tell her off for whatever it was she wanted to tell me because she seemed nice. If she tells me to offer sympathy to Kai, then I would have to do just that to her. Lily sighed and pulled out a chair from under the table, sitting down across from the bed, "Look, I know what Kai did was wrong," she began carefully. "I wouldn't ask you to forget it, or pretend it didn't happen. But I've known him for a long time, Alina. He really does care about you. If you stay you might be happy here."
I felt my anger flare up, and I shook my head. It was my fault for having high expectations towards her. She was Kai's best friend. I shouldn't have had high expectations of her, "Happy? You think I could be happy after everything he's done?" I spat. " He humiliated me, rejected me after sleeping with me, and then he kidnapped me like I'm some possession. You have no idea how he made me feel."
Lily's smile faltered, and she nodded slowly, "You're right. I can't know what you've been through, and I'm not here to excuse him. I'm just saying maybe forgiveness could come in time. Maybe not today, but later."
I felt my chest tighten with a mix of anger and incredulity, "Forgiveness?" I scoffed. "You think that's what I need to hear right now? I need to get out of here. I need to get back to my pack, back to Xavier. He must be worried sick."
Lily's eyes softened with understanding. "I get it," she said quietly. "If that's what you want, I won't stand in your way. But at least eat something before you go. Kai is waiting outside to take you back."
I glanced at the tray of food-a mix of fruits, bread, and some porridge. My stomach twisted in hunger, but I did not feel the urge to eat. I just wanted to leave this godforsaken pack and all of the terrible people in it. "I'm not hungry," I muttered, turning away.
Lily looked taken aback by my attitude but nodded. "Alright," she said softly, standing up. "I'll take you to him."
I followed her out of the room, my heart pounding with every step. The hallways were dimly lit, and I could feel the tension in the air that was almost palpable between us. When we reached the destination, I spotted Kai standing at the end of the hall. He turned as we approached him. In the clear light, I saw his face and his expression was marred with worry. I avoided his gaze as he approached me.
"Alina," he began, but I cut him off.
"Just take me back," I snapped, not caring how harsh my voice sounded.
He sighed, looking like he wanted to say more, but instead, he nodded. "Alright. Let's go," he muttered.
We headed out, and one of the guards opened the door for me to enter. Kai sat down beside me, and I turned my body away from him and looked out to the vast woods. The journey back felt like it stretched on forever. Kai tried to engage in small talk to dissolve the tension between us but I either replied to him with one-word answers or did not reply to him at all. My thoughts were a tangled mess as I thought about anything but the moment I was in because I did not want to face that I was this close to a man that hurt me this much.
We finally arrived at the pack grounds, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I was free. I could see the familiar faces of my pack members, and I couldn't wait to find Xavier, to hold him, to let him know I was okay. I felt bad at what Kai did to him. I wondered if he was okay too. He must have missed me. As soon as we stopped, a guard alighted from the car and opened the door for me, I rushed toward Xavier's cabin, my heart pounding with anticipation. I flung the door open, ready to throw myself into his arms, to feel that familiar comfort.
But the sight that met my eyes made my blood run cold.
Xavier was there, but he wasn't alone. Nicki was with him, her arms around his neck, their bodies pressed close, kissing. It was passionate, and intimate, like they had done this a thousand times before. I felt the world tilt beneath my feet, my breath catching in my throat.
"Xavier?" I whispered, my voice barely audible as I trembled with disbelief.
They broke apart instantly, both of them looking up in shock. Xavier's face drained of colour, and his eyes widened as he saw me standing there. It felt like a painful punch to the gut as I saw my only two friends on the bed, betraying me. How many times have they done this? How many times have they slept together while he pretended to be with me? This even hurt more than it was supposed to, because I actually trusted them.
"Alina... I... I can explain." He stammered, trying to pull away from Nicki and hide his naked body under the sheets.
I didn't wait to hear the rest. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might explode. I turned and fled, running blindly away from the cabin, away from the betrayal, away from everything. My vision blurred with tears, and I felt a sob building in my chest. I had thought coming back here would make things better. That I could forget about Kai and everything he had done. But now, I felt more hurt than ever. My heart ached, and my mind spun with confusion and pain.
I kept running until I couldn't anymore. I stumbled, falling to my knees, gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face. I buried my face in my hands, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me. I had nowhere to go. Nowhere to feel safe. Nowhere to belong. Maybe I wasn't destined to be cared for and be loved. I sobbed until I reached a breaking point and after, I felt my entire body go numb.