Chapter 9 - Safe doesn’t mean untouchable
1080 Words
Chapter Nine
Safe Doesn’t Mean Untouchable
For the first time since the rejection…
I slept.
Not well.
Not peacefully.
But enough that my body finally stopped trembling.
Until the nightmare came.
⸻
“I’m sorry.”
Kael reached for me across the altar.
His hands were covered in blood.
“I didn’t mean it.”
Every wolf in the hall laughed.
Someone pushed me to my knees.
A crown was forced onto my head.
Only…
It wasn’t made of silver.
It was made of bones.
“The Moonborn belongs to us,” a voice whispered.
Hands grabbed me from every direction.
Too many hands.
Too many voices.
Then—
A pair of golden eyes appeared through the darkness.
“Wake up.”
⸻
I sat bolt upright, gasping.
My heart hammered so violently I thought it might burst.
Moonlight poured through the enormous bedroom windows.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
I rubbed at the sweat on the back of my neck.
“It was just a dream.”
Except…
My wolf was pacing frantically inside me.
Someone’s here.
A cold shiver crawled down my spine.
I wasn’t alone.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
I slipped out of bed.
The wooden floor creaked beneath my bare feet.
Nothing.
No sound.
No movement.
I reached for the bedroom door.
Just as my fingers touched the handle—
A hand clamped over my mouth.
I screamed into rough skin.
“Shh.”
A deep voice.
Calm.
Familiar.
Ronan.
“It’s me.”
The panic drained from my body almost instantly.
He released me the second he felt me stop fighting.
“I’m sorry.”
His hands lifted in surrender.
“I heard your heartbeat change.”
“I thought someone had broken in.”
I took a shaky breath.
“I thought someone had.”
His eyes narrowed.
“So did I.”
The words froze me.
“What?”
He walked silently to the window.
The curtains barely moved as he looked outside.
“There.”
At first, I couldn’t see anything.
Then…
Movement.
Far beyond the tree line.
A figure.
Standing perfectly still.
Watching the lodge.
Watching…
Me.
The hooded silhouette melted back into the forest.
Gone.
My stomach twisted.
“Who was that?”
“I don’t know.”
“But they weren’t trying to get inside.”
“They were confirming you were here.”
Fear settled like ice in my chest.
“So they know where I am.”
“Yes.”
“And that’s a problem.”
“It means we’re running out of time.”
Before I could answer—
A knock sounded at the door.
Three sharp raps.
Cassian walked in carrying two mugs.
“I brought coffee.”
He stopped.
Looked at me.
Looked at Ronan.
Raised one eyebrow.
“Well.”
“This is either incredibly wholesome…”
“…or I’ve interrupted something.”
Heat rushed into my cheeks.
“Nothing happened.”
Cassian looked unconvinced.
“I literally just woke up.”
“You say that.”
His grin widened.
“But your hair says otherwise.”
I instinctively reached for the tangled mess.
“Cassian.”
Ronan’s tone was flat.
“Leave.”
“I’m leaving.”
Cassian held up both hands dramatically.
“But first…”
He handed me one of the mugs.
“I make excellent coffee.”
I accepted it despite myself.
“Thank you.”
He smiled.
“There.”
“That smile again.”
“I knew I’d get another one.”
Ronan pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I’ve known you for three hundred years.”
“And yet you still seem surprised.”
Cassian winked at me.
“He secretly enjoys me.”
“I don’t.”
“He absolutely does.”
For the first time since arriving at the lodge…
The knot in my chest loosened.
Just a little.
⸻
An hour later…
The dining room overlooked the mountains.
Morning sunlight spilled across the long oak table.
Mrs. Alden had prepared enough breakfast to feed an army.
Fresh bread.
Fruit.
Eggs.
Bacon.
Pastries.
I hadn’t realised how hungry I was until the smell hit me.
“You’ve barely eaten in two days.”
Mrs. Alden placed another slice of toast on my plate.
“You’ll make me worry.”
I blinked.
“How did you know that?”
She smiled knowingly.
“I’ve looked after heartbroken wolves before.”
My appetite vanished.
Heartbroken.
That was exactly what I was.
Kael had rejected me less than twenty-four hours ago.
Less than twenty-four hours.
It felt like another lifetime.
Ronan noticed me pushing my plate away.
“You need to eat.”
“I’m not hungry anymore.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
He held my gaze.
“You don’t stop needing strength because you’re grieving.”
There wasn’t an ounce of command in his voice.
Only concern.
Slowly…
I picked up my fork again.
Cassian leaned back in his chair.
“I think she’s officially listening to you.”
Ronan ignored him.
Cassian looked at me instead.
“You should know…”
“He never worries.”
“About anyone.”
Mrs. Alden snorted.
“That’s not true.”
“He worries.”
“He just pretends he doesn’t.”
Cassian pointed triumphantly.
“See?”
“I’ve been saying he’s secretly soft for centuries.”
Ronan sighed.
“I regret inviting you.”
“You didn’t.”
“I know.”
“That’s what makes it fun.”
Laughter escaped me before I could stop it.
Real laughter.
Not forced.
Not polite.
Real.
Ronan looked up.
His eyes met mine.
For just a heartbeat…
Everything else disappeared.
There was no rejection.
No prophecy.
No war.
Just…
Silence.
Warm.
Steady.
Comfortable.
A strange flutter stirred low in my stomach.
Not desire.
Not yet.
Just awareness.
The kind that made my pulse skip when he looked at me a little too long.
Then—
A howl shattered the moment.
Not from outside.
From inside the lodge.
Every Alpha at the table was on their feet instantly.
A young warrior burst through the doors, his face drained of colour.
“My Alpha…”
He struggled to catch his breath.
“The Council has arrived.”
Ronan’s expression hardened.
“Already?”
The warrior nodded.
“They’ve brought twelve Alpha Kings…”
He looked directly at me.
“…and they’ve demanded the Moonborn be handed over before sunset.”
⸻
End of Chapter Nine
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD