Chapter 218

Chapter 218
WREN

I finally found my voice again.

“What do you really want from me, Locke?” I asked quietly.

He stopped mid-step, turning back to face me. His expression wasn’t cold this time, though, it was strange, conflicted, almost uncertain.

“I want…” He hesitated, then exhaled slowly. “I want to apologize.”

I blinked, stunned. “Apologize? To me?”

“Yes,” he said, his jaw tight. “I’ve done a lot of things to you, Wren. I’ve said worse. I’ve made sure you felt unwanted from the very moment you stepped into this pack. And for what? Because I saw you as an enemy. Because I thought you didn't deserve to be here.”

I stared at him, wary. “You hated me.”

He gave a short, bitter laugh. “Yes. I did. Every chance I got, I made sure you knew it. But when I left the estate, when I got out of this… bubble I’ve been living in, I realized something. I’ve been unfair. More than unfair, I was cruel. I treated you like dirt when I never once tried to see what it was like to be you. To be in your shoes. To live the kind of life you've lived."

I folded my arms, studying him closely. “And now you suddenly care?”

Locke’s eyes dropped to the ground for a moment, then lifted back to mine. “I nearly ruined my relationship with my brother. With my mother. With everyone. All because of my hatred for you. And what did that hate ever give me? Nothing but shame.” His voice faltered. “I don’t expect you to forgive me tonight, or tomorrow. But I’m telling you, I’ll keep trying. Even if Cassian and I never go back to the way we were, I’ll keep trying.”

I was quiet for a long moment. The memory of his hand on my throat, the sneer in his voice when he called me a mistake, the cold satisfaction when he had me thrown into the dungeons, all of it rose to the surface.

“Locke…” I whispered, my throat tight. “Do you know how hard it is for me to even believe you?”

“I know,” he said quickly. “I wouldn’t believe me either. But I had to say it. I had to start somewhere.”

I searched his face, trying to see if this was another trap, another game. But for the first time, I didn’t see malice. Just exhaustion. Regret.

Slowly, I nodded. “Then I’ll start somewhere too. I’ll forgive you. Not because I trust you completely, but because I don’t want to carry hate the way you did.”

Something in his shoulders eased. “That’s… more than I deserve.”

“Probably,” I said honestly. “But it’s what I can give.”

He gave me a small, tentative smile, then bowed his head. “Thank you.”

When he finally walked away, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Back in my estate, the silence pressed on me. Without Sybil’s chatter or Reed’s dry humor, without Cassian’s steady presence, the estate felt far too large. I took a walk to Cassian's office, only because I was tired of being in the room.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” I called.

Two younger pack members stepped inside, both looking sheepish.

“Luna Wren,” one of them said, bowing slightly. “We didn’t want to disturb you, but… there’s an issue in the kitchen. The supplies for the week haven’t been sorted, and we weren’t sure what you’d like to eat.”

Before I could answer, Christina appeared in the hallway, her eyes sharp. “She doesn’t need to worry about that,” she snapped. “Wren needs rest. Absolute rest. Do you understand me?”

The two pack members nodded quickly, murmured apologies, and started backing out.

“Wait,” I said, rising from the bed. “It’s fine. I’ll help.”

Christina frowned. “Wren...”

“I’m fine,” I said more firmly. “It won’t take long.”

She huffed in disapproval but didn’t stop me. The two young wolves looked relieved.

Ten minutes later, I was standing in the kitchen, discussing with the chef about the food supplies, what we needed, who we needed to talk to to
bring in more supplies, and what was left in the cold storage.

“Thank you, Luna,” one of them said as they carried the last crate. “Normally the supply truck should have been here days ago, but there's been a bit of delay due to the perimeter guarding the security have been doing this week."

I smiled faintly, "It's okay," I said, remembering Cassian had asked for security to be beefed up and the whole estate be even more guarded. There was a lot of work going on. Traps being set in the woods, road blocks, taller fences.

The second wolf grinned at me. “You’re not what I expected.”

I tilted my head. “And what did you expect?”

“I don't know. We just thought you'd be different from us."

I chuckled softly. “Sorry to disappoint.”

“No,” he said quickly. “Not disappointed at all.”

By the time I returned to my room, word had already spread. Another knock came. Then another. Questions about management, petty things, small disputes, who was supposed to handle what while Cassian was away. Christina tried to shoo them off again, but I indulged them anyway, offering advice where I could.

It was strange. The more I listened, the more they seemed to relax around me. Like they weren’t speaking to a Luna at all, but just… Wren.

When I finally shut the door behind the last one, I leaned back against it and laughed softly to myself. “So much for bed rest.”

That night, I sat cross legged on the bed with my phone in hand. I had planned to FaceTime Cassian, to see his face, hear his voice, even if only for a few stolen minutes. But just as I pulled up his contact, my phone buzzed with an incoming call.

Alexander.

My stomach dropped.

I hesitated, then answered. “Hello.”

Her voice was smooth, almost too calm. “Wren. I trust you’ve been keeping well?”

“I’m fine,” I said carefully.

“Good. Then let’s talk business.” Her tone sharpened. “When will Derek be delivered to me?”

My fingers tightened on the phone. “I don’t know yet. But we’re working on it.”

“You don’t know?” she echoed, mocking. “Do you think I’m that patient? Do you think time is something you have?”

“I think,” I said slowly, “you should give us more time. We delivered the other three to you, didn't we?"

There was a pause, then a low chuckle. “You’ve grown bolder. But don’t mistake my tolerance for weakness. You know what’s at stake. Fail me, and you lose that baby.”

My chest tightened, but I forced my voice steady. “And when it’s done, you’ll keep your end of the bargain. That’s all I care about.”

Her laugh was soft, but chilling. “Oh, I will. I always keep my bargains.”

The line went dead.

I lowered the phone, my hands trembling slightly. For a moment, I just sat there, staring at the darkened screen.

Then I whispered to myself, “Almost over. It has to be almost over.”