Misguided Wolves

39. Shadows on the Ledge

After a day of dress designs and shared excitement, the harem girls trudged wearily to their rooms. Kate noticed Ionia fidgeting with her bracelets—a subtle signal they’d devised for a private meeting. Kate gave a discreet nod before entering her chamber.

She began her nightly routine, washing her face and weaving her hair into a loose braid. Slipping out of her stiff dress, she donned a thin nightdress, its luxurious fabric soft but too revealing for her taste. She longed for a simple cotton gown, high-necked and light to keep her cool, sparing her the worry of exposure. Kicking off her heels, still blistering despite her improved stride since Logi, brought relief. Normally, she’d surrender to sleep, but tonight, duty called.

Kate crept to her balcony, the door creaking softly. Winter’s bite sliced through her thin gown, the cold air clinging to her skin. Grasping the stone railing, slick with frost, she swung a leg over, heart pounding. Glancing down, she saw only darkness—no ground visible. The void made the drop feel infinite, her stomach lurching. She’d hoped the unseen ground would ease her fear, but it only deepened it.

Taking a shaky breath, she closed her eyes and swung her other leg over, toes numbing against the icy stone. She edged toward Ionia’s balcony, ten feet away but feeling like miles. The breeze teased her dress, chilling her bones. Kate, a lifelong northerner, never embraced the cold. Relief surged as she neared Ionia’s balcony, reaching with a trembling hand. But her foot slipped on the slick ledge, leaving her dangling, fingers clawing the railing. Blood seeped from her bitten lip as she stifled a scream, knowing it would alert guards.

Her arms shook, grip faltering, the absence of her wolf’s strength sealing her fate. As she slipped, two slender hands seized her wrists with a vice-like grip. Kate looked up to meet Ionia’s shocked eyes.

“Dammit! Close one!” Ionia gasped, hauling Kate over the railing.

They collapsed, breathless, hearts racing. Staring at each other, they muffled disbelieving laughter. Kate rose, offering a hand. “I’d be a frozen pancake without you!”

Ionia ushered her inside. “Let’s thaw you out.”

Wrapping a blanket around Kate, Ionia gestured to a chair. Kate warmed, then shared updates. “Isabeth’s tight-lipped about Ebony or anything beyond the party. She only mentioned my first night with Castiel is soon…”

Ionia raised a brow, lips pursed. “That’s… interesting. Castiel never plans ‘first nights.’ He acts spontaneous, letting girls think they have a choice. It’s inevitable, but he delays if they resist.”

Kate frowned. “Why bother?”

Ionia chuckled darkly. “To feel good about himself. He wants to be the prize every woman craves, every man envies.”

“What’s different now?” Kate asked. “What’s his gain?”

“No answers for that,” Ionia admitted, her gaze distant. “I fell for his lies once, too. I was born a siren in the Sea of Albergate, my voice bending wills, luring prey. At sixteen, poachers caught me in a storm, sold me to their underground auctions. I escaped, singing them to sleep, and became a spy—slipping into courts, stealing secrets. I was free, untouchable, until Castiel offered riches for loyalty. I believed his ‘sisterhood’ promise, only to be trapped, my voice dulled by their daily tea. Don’t trust his games, Kate. He breaks you to keep you.”

Kate’s eyes widened, heart clenching at Ionia’s pain. “You’re still fighting. That’s why I trust you.”

Ionia gripped Kate’s hands, her gaze motherly. “Prepare yourself. It’s soon, and you may have no choice. Remember why you’re here—why you must survive. We don’t break; we grow stronger, wiser. We’ll get through this together.”

She squeezed Kate’s hands, then opened the balcony doors. “Get to bed. We’ll talk soon.”

Kate gave a tight smile, straddling the railing. The cold now felt oddly comforting. Pausing, tears welled as her voice cracked. “Ionia… if I don’t make it, go to Logi. Tell them what happened. Free these girls—let them live as they choose.”

Before Ionia could reply, Kate shimmied back to her balcony, the darkness swallowing her. She collapsed into bed, sobbing herself to sleep.