Chapter 24 My Door Opened Without Warning
Lia
I didn't sleep. Again.
How could I, knowing someone had tried to poison me in my own bed? Knowing that Kai's words, you're not supposed to still be alive, hung in the air like a death sentence?
The guards had cleaned up the acid burns on the floor, but the mark remained, a dark stain on the stone that looked like a warning. Or a promise.
I sat by the window as dawn broke, watching the pack house come alive below. Warriors gathered for morning training, servants hurried between buildings, and life went on as if someone hadn't just tried to murder me.
My door opened without warning.
I spun around, heart racing, but it was only Cara. Her face was pale, eyes rimmed red like she'd been crying.
"I brought breakfast," she whispered, setting the tray down with shaking hands. "The Alpha inspected it himself. It's safe."
"Cara…"
"I can't talk," she said quickly, backing toward the door. "Please. I can't."
"Was it you?" I asked, my voice sharper than intended. "The tea. Did you know what was in it?"
Her face crumpled. "I didn't know. I swear, I didn't know. They told me it was just to help you sleep, to keep you calm. I never thought…" Her voice broke. "I'm so sorry."
"Who told you? Who gave you the tea?"
But she was already gone, the door slamming shut behind her.
I stared at the breakfast tray. Plain bread, cheese, water. Simple. Safe.
Kai had inspected it himself.
The thought sent a strange flutter through my chest, one I immediately crushed. He wasn't protecting me out of care. He was protecting his political assets. That's all I was.
I forced myself to eat, chewing mechanically, my mind racing.
You're not supposed to still be alive.
What did that mean? Did all treaty brides die? Was I meant to die on the wedding night? Or slowly, over time, until I just... disappeared like the others?
I needed answers. And I was done waiting for someone to give them to me.
An hour later, Elder Miriam entered without knocking. Her expression was as severe as ever, but something in her eyes had shifted. Not warmth exactly, but maybe... respect?
"You're awake," she observed.
"I'm always awake now," I said flatly. "It tends to happen when people try to kill you."
Her lips twitched. Almost a smile. "The Alpha has requested your presence. You're to accompany him to the training grounds."
My stomach dropped. "Why?"
"I don't question the Alpha's orders. Neither should you." She gestured toward the wardrobe. "Dress appropriately. You have ten minutes."
She left before I could argue.
I changed quickly, pulling on the most practical clothes I had, dark pants, a fitted tunic, boots. If I was going to face the pack again, I wasn't going to do it in some delicate dress that made me look like prey.
When I emerged, two guards flanked me immediately. They led me through corridors I'd never seen before, down stone staircases and through arched doorways until we stepped outside into blinding sunlight.
The training grounds sprawled before me, a massive courtyard surrounded by high walls. Dozens of warriors moved in coordinated formations, their movements sharp and lethal. The air smelled of sweat, leather, and something wild I couldn't name.
And at the center of it all stood Kai.
He was shirtless, his skin gleaming with sweat, muscles moving beneath tanned skin as he sparred with another wolf. They moved fast, too fast for human eyes, fists and feet blurring as they struck and blocked.
I hated that I couldn't look away.
Kai's opponent lunged, but Kai sidestepped with inhuman grace, catching the other wolf's arm and twisting. The wolf hit the ground hard, gasping.
"Again," Kai ordered, his voice cold. "You're too slow. In a real fight, you'd be dead."
The wolf scrambled to his feet, nodding.
That's when Kai's eyes found mine.
The courtyard seemed to freeze. Every warrior stopped mid-movement, turning to stare at me. The weight of their gazes pressed down like stones.
Kai grabbed a shirt from the bench and pulled it on, his expression unreadable as he crossed the courtyard toward me.
"Walk with me," he said quietly.
Not a request. An order.
I followed him away from the training grounds, down a path lined with ancient trees. The sounds of the pack faded behind us until it was just the crunch of gravel beneath our feet and the whisper of wind through leaves.
"Why am I here?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"Because I need you where I can see you," Kai said, not looking at me. "Until I find out who tried to kill you, you stay close."
"So I'm what? Your shadow now?"
"You're alive," he said sharply, finally turning to face me. "That should be enough."
"Enough?" I laughed bitterly. "You told me I wasn't supposed to be alive. What does that mean, Kai? Was I meant to die on our wedding night? The day after? When?"
His jaw tightened. "It's complicated."
"Then uncomplicate it," I snapped. "I deserve to know why someone wants me dead."
For a long moment, he just stared at me, something warring behind his eyes. Then he looked away, jaw clenched so hard I could see the muscle jumping.
"Treaty brides don't usually last long," he said finally, his voice low. "The bond... if it's not sealed properly, it deteriorates. Most die within weeks. Natural causes, the council calls it. Heart failure. Illness. Accidents."
My blood ran cold. "You're saying they're murdered."
"I'm saying they're not meant to survive." He met my eyes again, and for the first time, I saw something almost like regret. "The treaty is a farce, Lia. A way to appease both sides while changing nothing. The humans offer a girl, the wolves accept, and a few weeks later, she's gone. Everyone moves on."
"But I'm still here," I whispered.