Chapter 14
An hour later, Silas showed up in the tent again, this time carrying dry meat, cheese, bread, and fresh water for breakfast. “I can go out and take food myself,” I said. “I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own, if you just showed me-”
“Alpha wouldn’t like it, my lady,” he muttered, sitting on the blanket beside me.
I frowned. “Why? Because I’m not allowed to leave this tent?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. I believe he just… wants to keep you all to himself.”
“Right.” I gave him a look. “And yet he didn’t mind you bringing me food while he is gods know where.”
“I’m only doing what I was told to do, my lady.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can you please stop calling me ‘my lady‘? I’m Orelia.”
Silas chuckled nervously and scratched the gray stubble on his chin. “All right then… Miss Orelia. And to answer your previous question, Alpha trusts me. He saved my life once and knows I’m completely loyal.”
A wry smile curved my lips. “So maybe he’s not a complete asshole after all,” I murmured.
Silas burst into laughter. “I know why you may assume the worst of him, but…” He leaned closer, glancing at the tent’s flaps as if to make sure no one would listen. “He may walk in shadows, but his soul isn’t as dark as the path he chose.”
Did he know that Alpha Koen was the notorious assassin? He must have known that, right? He must have also assumed I knew that much. I leaned a bit closer and drew a deep breath. “I heard he’s King Zyran’s relative,” I said softly, watching his reaction. Well, Silas’s expression remained blank. I locked my eyes on his and went on, “But what he does.seems like he is siding with the rebels. This army, for instance.” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Isn’t this like… treason?”
A grimace formed on Silas’s lips. “Well… I’d say it’s quite complicated. Much more than you think.” Then he narrowed his eyes at me. “Just out of curiosity… Have you ever disagreed with anything King Zyran did?”
My father’s dying face appeared in an instant, and the pain in my heart surfaced. “My father,” I choked out as the ache increased. “He often challenged King Zyran’s decisions… Then he was murdered-”
The flaps of the tent opened, and my words froze on the tip of my tongue. A man with a golden brown complexion and thick, black hair stepped inside and gave Silas a curt nod. I might have seen him before on the hill. “Tariq” Silas nodded back as a way of greeting. “What brings you here?”
I didn’t miss the way Silas tensed beside me. The black–haired man stepped closer, giving me a cold stare. Then his eyes returned to Silas. “Alpha needs another day to end his… mission. He told us to pack tomorrow at dawn and leave for the mountains.”
Silas’s brows inched up. “So…. we’re leaving without him?”
Tariq glanced at me and worked his jaw. “He will use that opportunity to take care of another… problem.”
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Chapter 14
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Silas sighed and shook his head. “I told him he shouldn’t. It gets worse every time it happens. It consumes him, and…” He trailed off as if realizing he had said too much in front of me.
Tariq meaningfully cleared his throat. “Well, that’ll be your problem to handle when he arrives at the castle.”
Silas fisted his hands. “You cannot expect me to fix-”
“You’ll do what’s necessary.” Tariq pierced Silas with a cold glare before briefly glancing at me. “She’ll be your responsibility. Take care of her and make sure she causes no trouble.”
Annoyance flared within me. “I’m sitting right here,” I hissed. “Also, I’m not a child. Just say what you need to say, and I’ll try to follow your orders.”
“Try…” He huffed out a cold laugh before fixing his dark eyes on mine. “Just know one thing: I don’t like you. I don’t know why the fuck Alpha decided to keep you, but I do hope you know how to spread your legs and you’ll keep him satisfied for a while. But if you escape…” He leaned closer, his lips stretching into a grim smile. “I will throw you off the nearest cliff and tell him you fell. Got that?”
My wolf growled inside me, urging me to talk back, but I bit my tongue and nodded. My defiance would only mark me as troublesome and prove that I was not to be trusted.
Pleased with my silent response, Tariq smirked and turned to Silas. “Make her behave,” he tossed before whirling around and striding out of the tent.
“What’s his problem?” I muttered as soon as the flaps closed.
Silas sighed. “He’s one of the squad leaders. He thinks that being a dick is his job.”
Despite the irritation still buzzing wildly in my veins, I chuckled. “Well, then he’s pretty good at his job.”
A wide grin stretched across Silas’s lips. “That I can agree with.”
I looked at the tent flaps as I processed everything Tariq had said. “So…. what will happen tomorrow?”
Silas rubbed the back of his neck. “We will pack the camp, set you into the carriage, and start moving toward the Ardens Mountains.”
1 bit my lip, noting every word. “And what’s in the Ardens Mountains?”
Silas held my stare for a moment, then asked, “Have you ever heard of Ardoris, the City of Flames?” When I shook my head, Silas gave me a faint smile. “Well… that’s where our Alpha lives.”
My brows inched up. “And… that’s it? I expected to hear some mysterious legends about this City of Flames.”
Silas chuckled and shook his head. “Not my story to tell. Maybe Alpha will tell you when you ask him.”
I pouted. “You’re no fun.”
“I’ve been called worse,” he smirked.
My eyes traveled to the flaps again. “Can I ask you for a favor?”
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Chapter 14
Silas sighed. “I can already feel I might find it bothersome, but I’ll try.”
“I want to visit the other women… those from the cages?”
Silas considered my request. “Why would you like to see them?”
I shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure they’re OK.”
He tilted his head to the side, studying me. “Do you know them?”
“No. Do I have to know them to wonder if they’re fine?” I challenged.
“Guess not,” Silas muttered, rising to his feet. “Come on, then. I’ll take you to them.”
A wide grin stretched across my lips. “Thank you!”
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“Don’t thank me,” he grunted, lifting the tent flap. “I doubt they’ll be happy to see you.” He stepped out of the tent, and I followed.
I frowned. “Why?”
Silas halted and turned to me. “Do you know why most of them ended up in those cages?”
“They were kidnapped?” I guessed.
He shook his head. “Either they or their families couldn’t afford King’s taxes, so they were sold to the merchant, but that doesn’t mean they stopped hoping for a good life.”
A bitter chuckle tore through my throat. “And now they believe I stole their opportunity?” When Silas pressed his lips together, I continued, “Don’t they realize most of them would have ended
up dead?”
Silas restarted his steps and gave me a wry smile. “They won’t find out about it now, will they?”
My irritation sparked. I didn’t expect them to be grateful, but at least they were safe, unharmed, and, most importantly, alive. I exhaled slowly, trying to regain my composure. In the worst–case scenario, I wouldn’t stay there long. I only needed to see if Alpha Koen’s warriors truly obeyed the order.
I tried to breathe steadily and keep my chin high as I walked beside Silas. The warriors kept giving me cold, disdainful glances, which made me wonder what I had done to deserve their hatred. But I couldn’t worry about it at that moment.
“We’re here.” Silas stopped in front of a large field tent.
A heartbeat passed, and my favorite brunette exited the tent. Her eyes landed on me, then on Silas. “What is she doing here?” the brunette hissed.
“Miss Vedia, I believe Miss Orelia merely wanted to see if you’re all right,” Silas explained, moving to the side.
Vedia strode toward me, sheer hatred in her eyes. “You came here to gloat, didn’t you?”
“What?” I frowned. “No! I asked Alpha Koen so that-
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Chapter 14
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“You’ve stolen my spot, bitch!” She lurched at me, her claws extending.
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Cursing, I whirled around, easily dodging her sloppy attack. “I didn’t steal anything,” I gritted out.
Vedia spun toward me and tried again. “The Alpha’s mine!”
I leaped to the side, letting her stumble forward. “Can you please stop with this nonsense?” I looked around and noticed more than several warriors forming a circle around us, eager to watch the fight. I rolled my eyes, but before I could tell them to walk away, Vedia lunged once more.
A violent growl tore through her mouth as she swung her claws with all the viciousness she could muster. I exhaled slowly. I was done being nice. I waited for her to come closer. Then I grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm, knocking her to the ground. I held her down, keeping her arm twisted on her back as she struggled. A few warriors nodded in appreciation; others walked away.
“You’re just a toy he’s going to kill anyway,” she spat, craning her neck to look at me.
There was something strange in her look–confidence, much greater than when she’d been in the cage. Perhaps that was why I asked, “And why would he kill me?”
She held my stare, then snorted. “You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” I strained through my teeth.
A dark grin stretched across his lips. “Do you even know who he is?”
I frowned. “He’s Alpha Koen. He’s the King’s-”
“No,” she said smugly. “He’s Alpha Rune, the King of the Rebels.”
Her words knocked the air out of my lungs. I released her from my grip and stepped toward Silas. My voice trembled when I whispered, “Is that true?”
His hands fisted into balls. His eyes landed on Vedia, who struggled to get back to her feet. I inched closer, demanding that he look at me. “Please,” I breathed. “Just tell me… is it true?”
He nodded grimly. “Yes. It’s true.”
I stumbled back, my head spinning. A hysterical chuckle bubbled in my throat as I realized that the rest of Vedia’s words might also be true….
I was a dead she–wolf walking.
8:01 Mon, Sep 22
Chapter 15
