Chapter 21
1593 Words
Chapter 21
Brielle’s POV
By the time they finally reached the capital, the city was glowing gold beneath the early evening sky.
Traffic moved endlessly around them in streams of headlights and motion while towering buildings rose on every side, their glass windows reflecting streaks of fading sunlight across the crowded streets below. Even from inside the SUV, the city felt loud somehow. Alive. Restless in a way the territory never was.
Wren had been practically glued to the window for the last twenty minutes.
“Oh my God,” she whispered dramatically for at least the fifth time. “Look at that building.”
“You’ve said that about every building,” Brielle pointed out.
“Because they keep getting taller.”
“That’s usually how cities work.”
“I love it here already.”
Brielle smiled faintly despite herself before looking back out her own window.
The capital felt overwhelming.
But not in a bad way.
Nobody here knew her.
Nobody cared about pack gossip or rejected bonds or falling chandeliers.
For the first time in days, she could breathe without feeling watched.
The realization settled quietly through her chest as the SUV slowed near a quieter street lined with older brownstone-style buildings tucked between newer towers and crowded storefronts.
“We’re close,” Thaddeus said.
Wren immediately sat up straighter in the back seat. “Thank God. If I stay in this car much longer, I’m going to start emotionally supporting your relationship.”
“There is no relationship,” Brielle muttered automatically.
“That’s not the vibe in this vehicle.”
Thaddeus looked suspiciously close to laughing again.
Brielle narrowed her eyes at both of them. “You’re both annoying.”
“And yet,” Wren said smugly, “you love us.”
“That feels like a strong word.”
The SUV turned one final corner before slowing in front of a familiar building Brielle hadn’t seen in years.
Warm lights glowed through tall front windows framed with flower boxes while ivy climbed partway up the brick exterior. Compared to the towering buildings surrounding it, the townhouse felt almost oddly peaceful tucked into the middle of the city.
Homey.
Safe.
The second the SUV stopped completely, the front door flew open.
“Oh no,” Wren whispered. “Grandma saw us.”
Brielle barely had time to react before their grandmother hurried down the front steps toward the car despite the light rain still falling around her.
“Absolutely not,” Wren groaned while opening the door. “She’s going to cry.”
“She cries at commercials,” Brielle reminded her.
“She cried because Grandpa bought her flowers last month.”
“They were apparently very thoughtful flowers.”
Their grandmother reached the SUV before either of them fully climbed out, immediately pulling Wren into a fierce hug anyway.
“You took too long getting here.”
“Hello to you too,” Wren laughed.
Then her grandmother turned toward Brielle.
The second Brielle stepped fully out of the SUV, she found herself pulled into the same tight embrace, warm and familiar enough that something in her chest loosened immediately.
“Oh, sweetheart,” her grandmother murmured softly against her hair. “You look exhausted.”
And maybe because it had been such a long few days…
Or maybe because nobody had hugged her like that since the rejection…
Brielle suddenly felt dangerously close to crying.
Which was unacceptable.
“I’m okay,” she mumbled instead.
Her grandmother pulled back just enough to give her a look that clearly said she didn’t believe that for a second.
“Mmhm.”
Wren pointed immediately. “See? I told you she’d cry first.”
“I did not cry.”
“You’re emotionally crying.”
“That’s not a thing.”
“It absolutely is.”
Before the argument could continue, another figure appeared in the doorway behind them.
Grandpa.
Tall, broad-shouldered despite the gray now threading through his dark hair, and looking exactly as intimidating as Brielle remembered right up until the moment his entire expression softened at the sight of them.
“Well,” he said gruffly, “you finally remembered we exist.”
Wren immediately pointed accusingly toward Brielle. “He missed us more.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
His attention shifted toward Brielle then, studying her more carefully than she expected.
Not judging.
Just… noticing.
The same way he always had.
Then his gaze flicked briefly toward Thaddeus standing beside the SUV.
That pause lasted maybe half a Chapter 21
Brielle’s POV
By the time they finally reached the capital, the city was glowing gold beneath the early evening sky.
Traffic moved endlessly around them in streams of headlights and motion while towering buildings rose on every side, their glass windows reflecting streaks of fading sunlight across the crowded streets below. Even from inside the SUV, the city felt loud somehow. Alive. Restless in a way the territory never was.
Wren had been practically glued to the window for the last twenty minutes.
“Oh my God,” she whispered dramatically for at least the fifth time. “Look at that building.”
“You’ve said that about every building,” Brielle pointed out.
“Because they keep getting taller.”
“That’s usually how cities work.”
“I love it here already.”
Brielle smiled faintly despite herself before looking back out her own window.
The capital felt overwhelming.
But not in a bad way.
Nobody here knew her.
Nobody cared about pack gossip or rejected bonds or falling chandeliers.
For the first time in days, she could breathe without feeling watched.
The realization settled quietly through her chest as the SUV slowed near a quieter street lined with older brownstone-style buildings tucked between newer towers and crowded storefronts.
“We’re close,” Thaddeus said.
Wren immediately sat up straighter in the back seat. “Thank God. If I stay in this car much longer, I’m going to start emotionally supporting your relationship.”
“There is no relationship,” Brielle muttered automatically.
“That’s not the vibe in this vehicle.”
Thaddeus looked suspiciously close to laughing again.
Brielle narrowed her eyes at both of them. “You’re both annoying.”
“And yet,” Wren said smugly, “you love us.”
“That feels like a strong word.”
The SUV turned one final corner before slowing in front of a familiar building Brielle hadn’t seen in years.
Warm lights glowed through tall front windows framed with flower boxes while ivy climbed partway up the brick exterior. Compared to the towering buildings surrounding it, the townhouse felt almost oddly peaceful tucked into the middle of the city.
Homey.
Safe.
The second the SUV stopped completely, the front door flew open.
“Oh no,” Wren whispered. “Grandma saw us.”
Brielle barely had time to react before their grandmother hurried down the front steps toward the car despite the light rain still falling around her.
“Absolutely not,” Wren groaned while opening the door. “She’s going to cry.”
“She cries at commercials,” Brielle reminded her.
“She cried because Grandpa bought her flowers last month.”
“They were apparently very thoughtful flowers.”
Their grandmother reached the SUV before either of them fully climbed out, immediately pulling Wren into a fierce hug anyway.
“You took too long getting here.”
“Hello to you too,” Wren laughed.
Then her grandmother turned toward Brielle.
The second Brielle stepped fully out of the SUV, she found herself pulled into the same tight embrace, warm and familiar enough that something in her chest loosened immediately.
“Oh, sweetheart,” her grandmother murmured softly against her hair. “You look exhausted.”
And maybe because it had been such a long few days…
Or maybe because nobody had hugged her like that since the rejection…
Brielle suddenly felt dangerously close to crying.
Which was unacceptable.
“I’m okay,” she mumbled instead.
Her grandmother pulled back just enough to give her a look that clearly said she didn’t believe that for a second.
“Mmhm.”
Wren pointed immediately. “See? I told you she’d cry first.”
“I did not cry.”
“You’re emotionally crying.”
“That’s not a thing.”
“It absolutely is.”
Before the argument could continue, another figure appeared in the doorway behind them.
Grandpa.
Tall, broad-shouldered despite the gray now threading through his dark hair, and looking exactly as intimidating as Brielle remembered right up until the moment his entire expression softened at the sight of them.
“Well,” he said gruffly, “you finally remembered we exist.”
Wren immediately pointed accusingly toward Brielle. “He missed us more.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
His attention shifted toward Brielle then, studying her more carefully than she expected.
Not judging.
Just… noticing.
The same way he always had.
Then his gaze flicked briefly toward Thaddeus standing beside the SUV.
That pause lasted maybe half a second too long.
Interesting.
Wren noticed it too, judging by the look suddenly spreading across her face.
“Oh,” she said slowly. “This should be fun.”
Brielle already didn’t like where that tone was heading. look suddenly spreading across her face.
“Oh,” she said slowly. “This should be fun.”
Brielle already didn’t like where that tone was heading.
- Writer
