The Huntress Luna

Chapter 14 Questions in the Dark

Arya's POV

Kyle didn't wait for my reply. He simply turned and walked down the hallway, expecting me to follow. His steps were silent but determined and the tension coming from him made my stomach twist.

I shut my door carefully and followed him closely.

The pack house was quiet around this hour. Warriors had scattered after morning drill, and servants moved like ghosts, giving Kyle wide space as he walked through. He didn't have to speak to command authority. It was the kind that radiated around, heavy and unavoidable.

I kept my head down, my feet pressing over the hidden note from Rodrick.

Kyle led me to the northern wing, where sunlight filtered through tall windows and banners of silver and blue fluttered gently on the walls. I'd never been here, because this was a private area reserved for the Alpha family.

He stopped before a door carved with the Whitestone crest.

"Inside. Now," he said quietly.

"Why?" I asked, my heart beating faster against my ribs.

"Because you owe me some answers."

Before I could react, Kyle opened the door and stepped inside. I followed him like a sheep to a shepherd.

The room wasn't an interrogation chamber like I expected. It was a study, lined with shelves, a desk scattered with maps and scrolls. A fireplace crackled in the corner, casting shifting gold over Kyle's sharp features. He turned to face me.

"Sit."

I didn't.

He arched his brow. "Arya."

I hesitated for a split second, then lowered myself into the chair facing him, my back straight.

He held his gaze on me for a long while. His gaze wasn't soft. It wasn't mean either. It was sharp, like he was tearing away all the lies I'd wrapped around myself.

"Where were you last night?" he asked quietly.

My throat tightened. "I... My room of course."

His jaw stiffened. "Don't insult me. You were at the library last night."

My cheeks flushed with heat. "I'm sorry. I only wanted to read. Kaden saw me. He..."

Kyle moved closer, his hands on the table between us. "You weren't looking for books. You were searching for something else."

Panic flooded through my chest. He knows. But I steadied my breath. "What could I possibly be looking for if not books in the library?"

"I don't know. You tell me," he snarled softly. "You're hiding something. I see it every time you look over your shoulder. Everytime someone gets close to you."

He leaned in, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Everytime, your wolf stirs like it wants to break free."

My throat caught. I didn't know what to say.

Kyle's golden eyes held mine, unblinking. "You fight like someone trained. You track like someone raised in the wild. And you lie like someone who's had to survive."

His hand moved closer, enough for his fingers to brush mine. Fire shot through me.

"I may not know you fully," he said. "But soon, I will."

I let out an exhale. "And I've already said..."

"Why can't you just tell me the truth—the whole truth?"

"Why are you so interested? You already accepted me into the pack. You shouldn't have done that if you didn't trust me."

"Accepting you and trusting you are not the same thing."

His wolf tugged inside him. I could feel it. My body was getting hotter, like there was a heatwave washing over me. My own wolf stirred in response.

Mate. But I fought her aggressively. I didn't want to let her out. Not ever.

Kyle's jaw stiffened. "When I passed the library last night, I perceived your scent. It was full of fear and something else that I couldn't explain. It also smelt like you were looking for something that wasn't allowed to be seen."

I clung the hand of the chair tightly. "I was...not."

"You're a terrible liar," he said, narrowing his eyes.

The silence between us was suffocating. Finally, he moved around the table and stopped behind me. I felt his presence, it was heavy. Too heavy for me not to notice.

"From now on... you're going to stay close to me," he said suddenly, without a warning.

I turned my neck around towards him. "What?"

"You're unpredictable, Arya and possibly dangerous."

My heart sank. My breathing grew heavy and faster.

"But, I don't think you're a threat to this pack," he added softly.

I heaved a sigh of relief. And for a moment, I believed him.

Then he added suddenly. "But... if you are, I'm the only one who can stop you."

A chill ran down my spine as I swallowed hard his words.

Kyle came closer, reducing the space between us, lips close to my ear. His breath warm against skin.

"From now on. You will train with me. You won't cross paths in any restricted room without permission. And you will not leave the pack grounds alone.

This sounded more like a prison and not protection.

"I don't need a bodyguard," I hissed.

"No," he nodded. "You need someone to watch you."

I stood up, the chair moving back. "And what if I refuse?"

Kyle's lips curved into a smize. "Then I'll find out exactly what you're hiding."

Heat flooded my folded firsts. I turned to leave, but his hand stretched out, holding my waist. Our breaths became heavy. His eyes widened from the touch, something stirring in them.

"Arya," he said warmly, "whatever you're running from... I'll follow you."

"I'm not running," I swallowed hard.

He leaned closer. "Then what are you doing?"

The truth almost came out—I am a liar and a spy. I am a traitor. You shouldn't trust me. Instead, I broke free from his grip.

"I am trying to survive."

Kyle let out a sigh, frustrated mixed with something else in the way he looked at me.

"Then do it by my side, at least this way, I can keep you alive."

I didn't reply. I actually couldn't because I didn't know what to say. I rushed towards the door before he would say anything else that would make my heart flutter, shutting the door behind me.

My wolf shook inside me, confused, and drawn to him. But I couldn't afford to be distracted. Not now, when Rodrick's latest message still weighed on my head.

I didn't have much time. The walls of the Whitestone pack were starting to close in around me. And Kyle? He was becoming the one thing I couldn't outrun.