One Long Night (Part 3)
1770 Words
The quiet between them lingered. The air had shifted, the sharp edge of their earlier words softened into something almost fragile.
Kai’s gaze lingered on her, tracing the faint lines of exhaustion beneath her eyes, the guarded calm she wore like armor. For a moment, he just studied her, as if trying to solve a puzzle only she knew the answer to.
“Can I ask you something?” he said finally, his tone low and measured.
Adalyn tilted her head, cautious but curious. “That depends on what you’re asking.”
A hint of amusement tugged at his mouth. “Where are you from originally? Were you born here in Galas?”
“Yeah,” she said slowly. “Born and raised. Why?”
“Which pack are you part of?”
“Eclipse Fang,” she answered after a pause. “My parents were born there too.”
Kai nodded, leaning back against the headboard, expression thoughtful. “Interesting. The borderline pack,” he murmured. “That explains a lot.”
Her brows drew together. “Like what?”
He hesitated, then asked, “Did you know that I used my Alpha command on you on the roof earlier? When I was trying to pull you up.”
Adalyn frowned. “You did?”
Kai nodded. “You didn’t react to it,” he said simply. “Most wolves can’t ignore it. Not even ranked ones. But you,” he tilted his head, trying to gauge her, “you blocked it entirely.”
She blinked, startled. “Did I? I don't think I did on purpose.”
“I know,” he said, though there was a note of curiosity threading through his tone. “That kind of resistance isn’t learned. It’s blood. Eclipse Fang sits right against what used to be Aldia, the old kingdom between Galas and Sirran before the invasion.”
Adalyn’s brow furrowed. “You think I have Aldian blood?”
“I was wondering if that was the case,” Kai said quietly. “Aldia was small but powerful. One pack, one crown. Their wolves were different. They didn’t kneel easily, not even to other kings. Some carried traits that resisted external dominance. Legend says it’s a remnant from before Luna’s order to unify the territories. That kind of strength doesn’t just vanish when a border does.”
He paused, his tone shifting as he went on. “When Sirran invaded sixteen years ago, King Nolan, the old ruler before Colton, wiped out Aldia’s royal family and took their land. Colton inherited what was left three years ago, after his father’s death. What used to be Aldia is now part of Sirran.”
Adalyn shifted on the bed, processing it. “And Eclipse Fang was right next to it.”
“Exactly.” Kai reached for his phone, pulling up a digital map. He turned it so the pale light spilled between them, tracing his finger slowly over the screen. “Here,” he said, nudging closer to Adalyn. “Blue Moon surrounding the capital. Then Storm Forest, Valley Bane, Steel Tail, Silver Crown Moon, Star Howlers, Timber Wolf… and yours, Eclipse Fang.” His finger stopped just shy of the northern ridge. “And here, what used to be Aldia is now Sirran territory.”
Adalyn leaned closer to see the screen better, her shoulder brushing his. “And Colton rules there now.”
Kai nodded once. “Colton’s been trying to expand south ever since. Every few years, he tries to push the border a little further into our territory."
He let the map dim as he spoke, his tone dropping into something more reflective. “Aldia was different for another reason, though. It wasn’t just power - it was the potential of its people. They had the highest density of gifted wolves ever recorded. Elemental control, nature binding, manipulation of senses… even time, if the old texts are believed to be true. In Aldia, those gifts weren’t rare, they were part of life. It’s what made them both revered and feared.”
Adalyn’s gaze lingered on him. “So the invasion wasn’t just about land.”
“No,” Kai said. “It never is. Sirran wanted control, and Aldia was a threat they couldn’t predict or replicate. They wanted what made Aldia powerful, and when they couldn’t have it, they destroyed it.”
He locked the screen and set the phone aside, his voice lowering. “Eclipse Fang always took in refugees. Wolves from fallen lands, hybrids, bloodlines Sirran wanted gone. When Aldia fell, many fled south across that border. Some rebuilt. Some hid what they were to survive.”
Adalyn frowned slightly. “Or... maybe it’s just coincidence. Or wolfsbane still lingering in my system. You don’t know for sure.”
“No,” he admitted. “I don’t. It could be either. If it’s the after-effects of the wolfsbane, it’ll fade.”
Adalyn’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You talk about it like it’s nothing,” she said quietly. “But the idea of someone being able to override another wolf’s will, it doesn’t sit right with me.”
Kai blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” she said, leaning forward a little, “the idea that anyone can force obedience like that. It feels wrong. Like it takes away what makes us… us.”
Kai blinked, meeting her gaze. “I know what you’re getting at,” he said finally. “And you’re not wrong. It can be abused. Too many Alphas have used it to take, to command, to remind everyone who’s stronger.” He exhaled slowly, his tone shifting. “But the command itself… it isn’t evil. It’s nature. It keeps the balance. It’s what stops chaos when words fail.”
Adalyn’s brow furrowed. “You make it sound like we need to be controlled.”
He shook his head. “No. It’s not about control. It’s about instinct and order. A pack doesn’t work without it. And I don’t use it unless I have to. Tonight…” his voice softened, “…that wasn’t command. That was me simply trying to keep you alive.”
Her gaze didn’t waver. “It still feels like control.”
Kai’s jaw tightened, a flicker of frustration breaking through before he steadied himself. “Maybe it was. But if it meant keeping you from falling, keeping you alive, I would still try.”
Adalyn didn't agree, but she let her silence answer for her.
She looked away, voice quieter now. “So you think there are a lot of Aldians in Galas?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
Kai caught the shift in her tone and topic. The way her voice softened just enough to draw distance between them. Distance he was already fighting to close. With her, it was like chasing the wind. One moment she’d lean closer, the next she’d pull away, and he never quite knew what she saw when she looked at him.
“Oh, I know they are,” he said. “Some were trapped in Sirran, forced to pledge allegiance to the new king. Others fled south into our territory.”
The silence between them deepened, softened by the hush of the retreating storm. Beyond the window, the sea whispered against the rocks, each wave a slow breath easing the night to rest.
Kai could see the tiredness pulling at the corners of her eyes and sat up from the bed. “It’s late,” he said quietly. “You should rest. We both should.”
Adalyn hesitated, then glanced toward the far side of the bed. “You can stay,” she said abruptly.
His brows lifted slightly, amusement flickering. “Stay?”
She met his gaze evenly. “You look exhausted too. And it’s a big bed. We can share it.”
Kai’s mouth curved into something slow but gentle. “Even after what I said earlier? About me pinning you to it?”
Adalyn gave him a look. “You really aren’t helping yourself.”
He laughed softly, the sound almost a whisper. “Alright then… Sleeping Beauty.”
Her brow furrowed. “What did you call me?”
His smile lingered, softer this time. “Seems fitting,” he said. “You look like you could fall asleep mid-argument.”
Her lips curved faintly. “You’re not far off.”
“Then sleep,” he murmured, voice low. “You’re safe now.” He hesitated, his expression gentling. “You trust me?”
Adalyn nodded once. “I’m trying to. For now.”
Kai inclined his head in quiet acknowledgement. “Then I’ll behave myself.”
“You were definitely never a scout,” she muttered.
“Not quite,” he said, dragging a pillow over to one side. “But I can follow instructions.”
She gave him a sidelong glance. “We’ll see.”
He settled onto his back on top of the covers, careful to keep a respectful distance. “No funny business, I promise.”
“Good,” she said, turning onto her side, back toward him.
For a long moment, silence filled the room again. It was softer this time.
Adalyn rolled onto the right side of the bed, facing away from Kai, while he stayed on his back, eyes half-closed, breathing steadily.
After a while, her voice broke the quiet. “Hey… Kai?”
“Hm?” His tone was lazy, half a breath from sleep.
She hesitated. “I didn’t say it earlier, back at the warehouse, but… thank you. For coming to get me.”
His eyes flicked open, glinting faintly in the dark. “That makes twice now, doesn’t it?”
Her brow creased. “Twice?”
He smiled, voice low. “The roof and the warehouse. But don’t worry,” he turned his head toward her, amusement in his tone. “I’m not keeping score.”
That earned a small laugh from her. “Good. Because I’m not planning on needing a third rescue.”
“Let’s keep it that way,” he murmured. A beat later, with more seriousness in his voice, he added, “You’re welcome."
The warmth in his voice stayed with her longer than she expected.
“Goodnight, Adalyn,” he said, the sincerity clear in every word.
Her eyes fluttered closed, her lips curving faintly. “Goodnight, Kai.”
He smiled to himself in the dark, listening to her breathing even out beside him.
And for the first time in a long while, his wolf finally settled too.
- Writer
