Chapter 36 Before
Chapter 36 Before
Chapter: The Silence Before the Storm
Maltida’s POV
When I wake up, everything feels heavy.
My body is tired.
My bones ache.
My chest hurts when I breathe.
For a moment, I do not know where I am.
Then I smell it.
Him.
Ronan.
His scent is everywhere in this room.
On the blankets.
On the pillows.
On my skin.
My heart starts beating faster.
I turn my head slowly.
He is there.
Sitting beside the bed.
Still.
Quiet.
Watching me.
His eyes are red.
Not from anger.
From no sleep.
“You’re awake,” he says softly.
His voice is not strong like before.
It sounds tired.
Like he carried more than just my weight last night.
I try to sit up.
Pain shoots through my body.
He moves quickly.
“Don’t,” he says.
His hand presses gently against my shoulder.
Not forceful.
Not controlling.
Careful.
Like I might disappear if he pushes too hard.
I look at him.
Really look at him.
There is dirt on his neck.
A small cut near his jaw.
His shirt is torn.
He did not even change.
He stayed here.
All night.
“You didn’t sleep,” I whisper.
He doesn’t answer.
Instead, he looks away.
Silence fills the room.
It is not comfortable.
It is heavy.
I swallow.
“They sent me away,” I say quietly.
His jaw tightens.
“I know.”
“They stopped guarding me.”
“I know.”
“No maids came.”
“I know.”
My throat starts to burn.
“They were only pretending before. Because of you.”
He closes his eyes.
Slowly.
Like every word hurts him.
“I know,” he repeats.
That hurts more.
Because if he knew…
Why did he not stop it?
I look down at my hands.
“They hate me,” I whisper.
His chair scrapes against the floor.
He stands up suddenly.
“No,” he says sharply.
His voice is Alpha again.
Strong.
Dangerous.
“They do not hate you.”
“They fear what Calyra tells them to fear.”
My chest tightens.
Calyra.
Her name feels like poison.
“She gave the order,” I say.
It is not a question.
Ronan does not deny it.
The silence tells me everything.
Tears fill my eyes.
“So I was right.”
He kneels beside the bed.
Kneels.
An Alpha kneeling.
His hands hold mine.
“They will answer for it,” he says quietly.
His voice is no longer loud.
It is cold.
And that scares me more than shouting.
“You almost died,” he continues.
His grip tightens.
“When I couldn’t find you…”
His breath shakes.
For a moment, he looks like he is somewhere else.
In that forest.
Alone.
Calling my name.
“I thought I lost you,” he says.
My heart breaks.
Because I thought he left me.
“I thought you sent me away,” I confess.
His head snaps up.
“What?”
“I thought… you agreed.”
His face changes.
Shock.
Then anger.
Then something softer.
“Never,” he says immediately.
“I would never send you to die.”
My tears fall freely now.
“But you left me.”
He flinches.
Like I slapped him.
“I made a mistake,” he admits.
“I thought you were safe inside the territory.”
He looks down.
“And I underestimated Calyra.”
There it is.
The truth.
Not shouted.
Not hidden.
Spoken softly.
For a long time, neither of us talks.
The room feels small.
But warm.
Then there is a knock on the door.
Ronan’s entire body goes rigid.
“Enter,” he says.
The door opens.
One of the warriors stands there.
He looks nervous.
“Alpha… the elders are asking for you.”
Ronan doesn’t move.
“They can wait.”
The warrior hesitates.
“It’s about Calyra.”
That name again.
The air shifts.
Ronan stands slowly.
His eyes darken.
He looks at me.
“I will handle this,” he says.
Fear grips my heart.
“What will you do?”
He steps closer to the bed.
He leans down.
His forehead almost touches mine.
“They forgot who leads this pack.”
His voice is low.
Controlled.
“I will remind them.”
My fingers tighten around his sleeve.
“Don’t start a war because of me.”
His expression changes.
Softens.
“This war started the moment they touched you.”
He gently removes my hand.
“I will not let anyone isolate you again.”
Then he turns.
And walks out.
The door closes.
And for the first time since yesterday…
I feel something different.
Not fear.
Not loneliness.
Power shifting.
Outside, I hear murmurs.
Whispers.
The pack knows something is coming.
They saw him carry me home.
They saw dirt on their Alpha’s skin.
They saw his eyes when he walked through the gates.
They know.
And Calyra knows too.
This is no longer quiet pretending.
This is no longer secret dislike.
This is open defiance.
I sit up slowly.
Pain still lingers.
But something inside me feels stronger.
They avoided me.
They left me alone.
They sent me to die.
But he brought me back.
Not hidden.
Not ashamed.
On his back.
In front of everyone.
And now…
They will have to face what they tried to erase.
I close my eyes.
And whisper to myself,
“This is not over.”
Outside, somewhere in the main hall…
I hear shouting begin.
And I know.
The storm has finally started.