Chapter 123: Chapter 7

MAEVE

As we entered the training grounds, I could feel his gaze on me. Everyone around us was pretending to train, but their attention was on our intense exchange.

His judgment was palpable with every step I took, as if I was less deserving of being here than he was. His eyes never left mine, his face a mask of stone, revealing nothing of his emotions.

I had always believed that the people of this pack were more advanced than the others. They were larger, more diverse.

The others who had been training began to approach, their eyes barely glancing at Collin. They were sizing me up, scrutinizing my differences.

I ate the same meals as everyone else, but I also needed blood to survive. Meat and vegetables weren’t enough.

When I first transformed, I tried to avoid direct eye contact, knowing that my eye color set me apart.

There was no hiding the fact that I was a vampire. Even with my wolf, I was a killer by nature.

I never considered myself a good person, but I never imagined it would lead me here. When I first joined the Night Walkers Pack, I only planned to stay as long as Kairos was alive. I felt I owed him that much.

I promised myself that I would stand by him, even if everyone else turned their backs. Even if he killed everyone, I would be there in his final moments.

But things changed. I had no obligations to the pack, yet I stayed. For Adelie. She claimed she didn’t need anyone, but I couldn’t leave her alone. She was strong, but I chose to stay.

We stood facing each other. The majority of the pack members were pretending to train, but it was clear they were eavesdropping.

Collin stood confidently, hands behind his back, a smirk on his face. It was the first expression he’d shown, and it felt like mockery.

I was worried I didn’t appear as confident. I was trembling, but I hoped he couldn’t see. Yet, beneath the fear, anger was simmering.

“Maeve is an excellent fighter,” Adelie announced, arriving with Kairos, Leonard, and Lucy. “She may not be large, but her speed compensates for it. I can vouch for her. She’s the best fighter.”

Collin looked me over. “She’s a vampire,” he stated. Everyone knew, but I didn’t expect him to announce it so boldly. People were usually more subtle about it. “Her killer instincts seem to give her an advantage,” he continued, smirking at me. His sincerity from yesterday seemed like a lie now.

“She’s also a werewolf,” Adelie defended me.

Kairos stepped forward. “I think a duel is the only solution.”

Adelie rolled her eyes. “How considerate of you. It’s okay for them to fight, but you won’t fight me?” she challenged him, not waiting for a response. “I think there are more important things to do. Of course, not for you,” she muttered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kairos snapped at her. “You don’t know what I do!”

“I know what you don’t do, when you could.”

“Why do you hate me so much?” he asked. I could answer that question in a million ways for her, and if he could remember, he could too.

“Hate is a strong word. I’m just deeply disappointed.”

“In me?”

“In the choices I made,” she replied. But he didn’t question it. Why didn’t he ask her more about it?

My thoughts were interrupted by Collin. “Do you want to fight me, Maeve?”

I clenched my teeth, feeling my anger rise. But this wasn’t right. I would hurt him. I looked at Adelie, who knew exactly what I was thinking. “We shouldn’t,” I said, and a few disappointed frowns appeared among the crowd. Collin chuckled. They were disappointed they wouldn’t get a show.

But Collin didn’t listen. He shifted, his clothes tearing apart. He was a beta, and it showed. He was larger than most wolves, even in his human form. He was the epitome of a beta wolf.

And me? By blood, I was an omega. Yet, I was called a beta. He hadn’t seen my wolf. He didn’t know I was an omega. I wasn’t about to let him see my small wolf next to his.

I remained in my human form, but I knew my strength. I knew I was stronger than him. He growled at me.

I didn’t like Collin, but I didn’t want to hurt him. I looked to Adelie for guidance.

She stepped forward. “Collin, I suggest you back down now. Maeve is stronger than she appears.” I detected a hint of a backhanded compliment, but I understood her point. I might not have looked like much, but I knew my strength.

Collin just growled again.

Then Kairos stepped closer. “Attack!” he shouted, eager to fan the flames.

And Collin lunged at me. He tried to tackle me, but he underestimated me.

I ducked and grabbed his neck, throwing him away from me with a force that came from deep within.

His body was caught off guard, kicking in the air. He landed hard on the ground, a cloud of dust and grass rising from the impact.

I hadn’t moved from my spot, my feet rooted to the ground.

And Collin’s wolf lay there…unmoving.

“Collin!” Kairos shouted, his voice filled with hesitation. The crowd fell silent, the only sound my harsh breathing.

Adelie looked at me with concern. King approached Collin, his eyes filled with fear. But then he relaxed. “Quit playing!” he said, irritated.

“Everyone. Show’s over!” King commanded, his earlier hangover forgotten. He looked as commanding and strong as ever.

Collin’s wolf got up, but he didn’t look at me.

“Both of you!” King pointed between us. “I won’t tolerate this behavior in my pack.”

Kairos looked amused, chuckling at Collin. “If you both decide to let Maeve kill you, do it outside the pack. Otherwise, it will be bad for our reputation.”

It wasn’t funny. I had hurt him… I had lost control. I could have killed him.

A guard rushed toward us, dragging a young man with him.

Leonard jumped into action. “What’s the meaning of this?” he demanded, his alpha tone ringing out.

“Speak!” he ordered the terrified teen.

“They made me!” the boy cried out.

King looked at Kairos. And he stepped forward. “Everyone, please continue with your training. We have a matter to settle,” he said, and the guards and everyone else left for King’s castle.

Collin stayed behind in his wolf form, his eyes still downcast.

“Maeve!” Adelie called to me. “Come!”

I took a step forward. “Collin… I…” I didn’t know what I was trying to say. But I would never know, as he turned and limped away.

ADELIE

The guard threw the boy to the ground. “They made me,” he sobbed.

“Who did?” Kairos asked.

Leonard interrupted. “Who’s this kid?”

“He was dragging another body to the pit.”

“A nymph?” I asked.

He nodded and roughly grabbed the boy’s hand, pulling a knife from his pocket. He held the knife to the boy’s finger while the boy whimpered. “I suggest you talk, or you’ll find life harder with fewer fingers.”

Surprisingly, no one except Maeve and I seemed to think this was cruel.

“I command you to let him go!” I demanded.

The guard looked shocked. “He knows!” he argued.

Kairos stepped closer. “He doesn’t know anything. He’s just bait.”

I looked at him. How could he know that? Kairos met my gaze. “Do you really think they would let a teenager ruin their plan? They wanted us to fall for it.”

He knelt down next to the boy, who didn’t dare to move. “What were you told?” he asked the boy.

He sniffed, but didn’t hesitate in his response. “They paid me to dump the body in the pit and then return.”

Kairos asked, “You realize they wouldn’t have let you live, right?”

The boy nodded. “I planned to escape. I didn’t care about the money. I didn’t want this job, they forced me into it.”

“Who did?” Kairos pressed.

The boy shrugged. “They blindfolded me. I was supposed to go back to the city center in the nearest human town.”

I was confused. “If it’s a trap, why would they tip us off?” I asked. “And why were they so sure the boy would talk?”

“I’m guessing they weren’t. But they don’t care about the boy. If we had killed him, they would have just sent another.”

A heavy silence fell. “I’m going to die, aren’t I?” the boy asked.

Alpha King stepped forward. “Not right now. Until we determine you’re not a threat, you’ll stay here.”

“I need to call Esty,” I announced, and Leonard looked at me. Esty could check if the boy was under some spell.

“Who’s Esty?” Leonard asked.

“A witch friend of mine,” I explained. “She could be useful.”

I felt Kairos’s gaze on me, but he quickly looked away.

“Where and when were you supposed to meet them?” Kairos asked, changing the subject.

“Eastward, straight ahead until you reach the city’s grand water fountain. In an hour.”

Suddenly, Kairos stood and stormed toward the door. “What are you doing?” I asked.

He looked irritated, as if my question was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard. “You know where.”

“Since when are you responsible for nymph duties? Back off and let me handle it. Besides, they want me. They won’t even talk to you. But I bet they won’t hesitate to kill you.”

“And they won’t kill you?” he retorted sarcastically.

“You underestimate my power.”

Leonard stepped forward. “Adelie should go.”

Kairos glanced at me. “Look at yourself,” he said. “You can’t go to the human world dressed like that.”

I turned to the king’s maid who was watching from the side. “What’s your name?” I asked.

She seemed startled, as if she’d been caught, but I doubted anyone here didn’t know she was present. She wasn’t exactly hiding. Leonard didn’t seem surprised, so I assumed this was normal.

“Sue,” she stammered, clearly terrified.

“I need to borrow your clothes.”

She looked alarmed, maybe even confused. I didn’t wait for her response, instead I took her by the arm and led her to the nearest bathroom.

“You have fifteen minutes,” Kairos called after me.

I quickly changed into blue jeans and a black sweater, while Sue wrapped herself in a robe. She didn’t question me undressing her. Maybe she was too scared of me.

I washed off my makeup and let my hair down.

When I returned, all eyes were on me. I knew I looked different, even I was a bit shocked. I looked more human than I usually did.

But Kairos was nowhere to be seen. Leonard must have noticed who I was looking for. “He’s waiting outside.”

I stepped outside and looked for Kairos. I was about to get angry, thinking he had left without me.

But then he emerged…in his wolf form, his clothes in his mouth. He looked at me…was studying me. “What?’” I snapped at him.

He dropped his clothes in front of me. I hesitated for a moment, then realized he wanted me to carry them.

He then lay down and looked back at me. He couldn’t possibly think… “I’m not getting on your back.”

He stayed down, but I didn’t move. He then stood and called someone over.

A young man ran up. They were mind linking. “You need to get on his back if you want to make it there in time,” he said.

“The walk is twenty minutes,” I told Kairos.

“The direct path is crowded. You won’t make it in time,” the man continued to translate for him.

“I can build a bridge,” I reminded him.

“He says you need to be there earlier.”

We were running out of time. I just wished it could have been anyone else but Kairos.

I smiled at the man. “Thank you.” I noticed that the man seemed interested in our conversation.

He walked away and I turned to Kairos. “You could have told me,” I said angrily.

With his clothes in my hands, I slowly climbed onto his back. I was worried I would be too heavy.

“Don’t let me fall,” I warned him.

He shook his head, signaling for me to hold onto his fur, which I did. He then leapt up, causing my body to swing forward. With my arms wrapped around his neck and my chest pressed against his back. He did that on purpose.

I didn’t have time to react when he started to run.

We stopped at the edge of the forest and as soon as I got off him, Kairos shifted back into his human form. It wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen before, but he didn’t know that. Now he was just a naked man standing in front of me.

I turned away quickly, but forgot that his clothes were in my hands. He walked up behind me and reached around me. “I don’t mind staying like this, but you might die from your heart racing,” he teased. “Or you might fall in love.”

I glanced at the side of his face. “Haven’t you heard?” I smirked at him. “Nymphs don’t love.”

He didn’t change his expression. “But they might still lust.”

“Is that an invitation?” I whispered.

Judging by his expression, he didn’t appreciate my comment. “An observation,” he said.

He started getting dressed while I waited with my back turned. “Wouldn’t you?” I asked.

“What?”

“If I offered myself to you?” His silence was deafening. Had I finally silenced him? “Tell me, Kairos. What would you do if I came to your room in the middle of the night? Asking for someone to soothe my soul?”

A long silence passed. “I should send you away…but I don’t think I would,” he whispered.

“A slave to lust?” I asked.

“If it’s you offering. Always.” He walked ahead and I hesitantly followed, still caught up in his words.

We arrived at a fountain. I looked at Kairos. “I should stay here alone.”

There weren’t many people around. Some were walking, some were rushing past, but they didn’t pay me any mind. It was as if they didn’t even see me.

Kairos retreated back to the forest while I sat at the edge of the fountain, looking at the hundreds of pennies at the bottom. Hundreds of wishes for simple things. Money, love, happiness. I wondered how many of them came true?

I then looked at my reflection, but was interrupted when an old woman sat next to me. She was bundled up in a wool cardigan and shivering. “Chilly today,” she chuckled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

“A little,” I replied, amused.

She had short, gray hair and her face was covered in wrinkles. “Waiting for my husband,” she said excitedly.

I smiled to myself. “Been together long?”

“For too long,” she laughed. “Can’t stand that old man anymore,” her laughter was warm and inviting.

Her gaze shifted to me. “Where is your boyfriend?”

I laughed, trying to hide the sadness in my voice. “No boyfriends.”

She looked surprised. “Why not?”

I shrugged.

“Who’s going to take care of you when you’re my age?”

“I’ll take care of myself, but I’m hoping my son will keep me company.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “No daddy?” she asked.

I looked down at my lap. “He has me. I give him everything.”

She looked saddened by my statement. “You will. But when will you give yourself everything you need?”

“I don’t always have a choice in my happiness.”

“Children are a blessing and a joy, but they’re not everything you need. Only a small part.”

She then looked ahead and an old man with a cane hobbled toward us. They both had welcoming smiles. It was contagious.

“Found a stranger?” he asked his wife, sparing me a glance.

“A friend,” she said, standing up. “What did the doctor say?” she asked.

He waved his hand dismissively. “Old hip.”

She frowned and gently touched his side. The man was clearly in pain.

I stood up and shook the woman’s hand. “Thank you for the lovely conversation.”

She seemed a bit taken aback, but still smiled. Then I took the man’s hand. “And you. I wish you all the best,” I told him, holding his hand and transferring the pain from his hip to me.

The man was in a lot of pain. But not anymore. His expression changed when he realized the pain was gone.

“What’s going on?” The woman’s voice was laced with concern. I found myself instinctively retreating a few steps.

“It’s nothing,” the man dismissed, his voice barely above a whisper. He paused before leaving, removing his hat and offering me a slight bow. I could tell he was suspicious of me.

Hand in hand, they disappeared from sight. I turned my attention back to the fountain, noticing a white envelope left behind on the bench. “Wait!” I called out, scooping up the envelope, but they were already out of sight.

I examined the envelope, my eyes widening as I read the name written on it. “Adelie Murrell.”

The envelope was addressed to me. But how?

I hastily ripped it open, revealing a note written in neat handwriting. I was halfway through reading it when Kairos appeared.

He reached out to take the note, but I quickly folded it back up. “Adelie?” He questioned, his eyes filled with curiosity.

I met his gaze, tucking the note safely into my pocket. “We’re expecting company tonight.”