HIDDEN HOWL

Chapter Thirteen: The Stars and the Silence

TRINITY

“What do you mean, you almost kissed him?” Cara’s voice was still filled with disbelief.

I laid on my bed, my eyes focused on the chandelier hoisted above my bed. I had my phone pressed to my ear as I spoke to Cara.

I can't believe I haven't spoken to her after all this time here in the palace. After what happened this afternoon in the yoga room, I knew I needed my best friend.

My room was quiet, the only sound being the soft hum of the late-night breeze coming through the window. I hadn’t realized how late it had gotten, but talking to Cara had a way of making the hours slip by unnoticed.

I sighed, slumping back into my chair, letting the phone fall a little away from my ear as I rolled my eyes.

“You know how it is, Cara. He was there, I was there. Things got... complicated.”

“Trinity!” she nearly shouted. I could hear her excitement even through the static. “No way. You and Liam? Almost kissed? You’re not messing with me, are you? This is real?”

I bit my lip, avoiding her overenthusiastic tone. "Yeah. I mean, I wasn’t expecting it, but—"

She cut me off with a burst of laughter.

“Wait. Wait. So why didn't you guys kiss? Don't tell me you chickened out.”

My cheeks heated up. I would never do that.

“No, I didn't. Nasir interrupted us.”

“No damn way. This is so crazy!” There was a tone of pure amusement in her voice. “Come on, admit it—he was totally jealous, wasn’t he?”

“No,” I said quickly, almost too quickly. “No, that’s not it.”

Cara’s laugh continued, like she’d just hit the jackpot.

“Come on, Trin. You can’t tell me that Nasir wasn’t bothered. You are his mate whether he likes it or not. He is bound to be all protective of you, and then suddenly—boom!—Liam’s about to kiss you. He’s probably burning with jealousy.”

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my forehead. “Cara, you’re getting ahead of yourself. Nasir didn’t look jealous. He just... interrupted us.” I let out a soft breath. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“A huge deal,” she corrected, practically giddy now. “That’s huge, Trin! You’re playing it cool, but I know you’re freaking out on the inside.”

I wasn’t, though. Not exactly. Sure, there was a little flutter of excitement, but it was more... confusion. A strange feeling, like a story that didn’t quite add up yet.

“I don’t know,” I murmured. “It didn’t feel like I thought it would.”

She sighed over the phone, the teasing gone from her voice.

“Yeah, well, it’s a mess either way. You’re caught in the middle of some drama, and I bet it’s not just Liam and Nasir, huh? You know I’m right.”

“I’m not caught in anything, Cara,” I answered, the words slipping out almost too defensively. “It’s just... complicated, okay?”

“Sure, sure,” she said lightly, a tease in her tone. “Well, you figure that out. I’m gonna hit the hay before I get sucked into this mess even more. Work tomorrow, school the day after. You know the drill.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, letting out a quiet chuckle. “I’ll talk to you later. Get some sleep.”

“Don't turn the Alpha triplets into enemies, Trim,” Cara said jokingly and I rolled my eyes.

“Good night, Cara.”

We said our goodbyes, and I set the phone down beside me with a sigh. Cara always had a way of pushing me into thinking about things from different angles, but tonight, I didn’t feel like analyzing everything.

I wanted to just... clear my head.

I stood up from my bed, looking around the room in the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the curtains. But I still couldn’t shake the restlessness gnawing at me.

It was late, too late to be dealing with anything serious, but the weight of the night lingered. Without thinking, I grabbed my jacket and slipped out of my room.

The halls were eerily quiet, shadows stretching across the marble floors as I walked down the grand corridor. The silence was almost soothing, like it was protecting me from the chaos of my thoughts. I kept walking, drawn by some invisible force, and before I knew it, I was on my way to the balcony.

There was something about the night sky that called to me. The stars were scattered across the dark canvas above, shining so brightly that it almost made me forget about everything else. The cool air wrapped around me as I stepped out onto the balcony, feeling the crispness settle into my bones.

And then, I saw him.

Xerxes.

He stood alone, staring up at the sky with a distant look in his eyes, his figure bathed in the soft silver glow of the moonlight. For a moment, I just stood there, watching him in silence. There was something about the way he held himself, his presence somehow so commanding yet so distant, that made him seem... untouchable.

I took a tentative step forward. “The stars are beautiful, aren’t they?”

His gaze shifted slightly, locking onto me, but he didn’t say anything. I felt his eyes on me, like a weight pressing into my skin. There was something about his silence—something so dark, so enigmatic—that it both unsettled and intrigued me.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t speak. He just stood there, his posture perfect, watching me as though he were studying me.

After what felt like an eternity, he turned and walked away, leaving the balcony without a word.

I let out a slow sigh, leaning against the stone railing. Why did it feel like I was being drawn into something deeper every time I came near him?

Just as I was about to turn and leave, I felt a presence behind me, something that wasn’t there before.

The voice that cut through the silence was unmistakable.

Feminine, powerful, and laced with authority.

“Do you really think my sons are foolish enough to fall into your trap, you w***e?”