chapter three
1010 Words
Leah's POV
The garden was alive with the sound of chirping birds and the rustle of the wind through the trees, but all I could hear was the silence between me and Alec.
He sat on the bench, his small frame hunched, his eyes firmly fixed on the dirt beneath his feet.
“Hi, Alec,” I said softly, crouching down to his level.
He didn’t look at me.
Killian stood nearby, arms crossed, his face unreadable. “He doesn’t talk much,” he said flatly.
I glanced up at Killian. “Does he ever?”
“Rarely,” Killian admitted. “Not since his mother died.”
My heart clenched. Alec’s grief was tangible. He has every reason to be angry. I turned my attention back to him. “I know I’m a stranger,” I said gently. “But I hope we can be friends.”
Alec’s tiny fists clenched, and for a second, I thought he might say something. But instead, he turned away, his small shoulders stiff with defiance.
Killian sighed. “Come find me if you need anything,” he said, walking away.
As he disappeared into the packhouse, I stayed where I was, watching Alec. “I get it,” I said after a long pause. “You don’t want a new friend. You don’t want anyone new at all.”
Alec’s fingers dug into the fabric of his pants, but he didn’t respond.
“My mother died when I was little,” I continued, my voice soft. “I didn’t understand it at first. I thought if I stayed quiet and out of the way, maybe she’d come back.”
Alec’s head lifted just slightly, his gaze darting to me for the briefest moment before he looked away again.
“I know it hurts,” I said. “And I know it feels like it’ll never stop hurting. But you don’t have to go through it alone.”
Alec stood abruptly, his small fists shaking. “You don’t know anything!” he shouted, his voice cracking. “Leave me alone!”
Before I could respond, he took off running toward the far end of the garden.
I let out a slow breath, my heart aching for him. “You’re wrong,” I whispered to myself. “I know more than you think.”
***
By the time evening rolled around, I’d tried everything I could think of to connect with Alec, but nothing had worked. He’d refused to come to dinner, barricading himself in his room instead.
“Don’t take it personally,” Lila said as she helped me clean up the dishes. “Alec’s been like this with everyone. He used to be such a bright, happy boy, but after his mother…” She trailed off, shaking her head.
“What happened to her?” I asked, my voice hesitant.
Lila glanced over her shoulder, lowering her voice. “She died in an ambush. Rogues, they said. But there’s talk that it wasn’t an accident. Some believe…”
“Lila,” a sharp voice interrupted.
I turned to see Killian standing in the doorway, his expression hard. Lila’s face paled, and she quickly busied herself with the dishes.
“I need to speak with Leah,” Killian said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I followed him into the hallway, nerves twisting in my stomach. “Is something wrong?”
Killian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he led me to his office and closed the door behind us.
“Sit,” he said, gesturing to a chair.
I sat, feeling small under his intense gaze.
“Alec is… complicated,” he began, pacing behind his desk. “He’s not going to warm up to you overnight. But if you’re going to stay here, you need to be prepared for the fact that he might never fully accept you.”
I nodded. “I understand. But I’m not giving up on him.”
Killian stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing. “Why? You don’t owe him-or me-anything. Why stay?”
The question caught me off guard. Why was I staying? Because I had nowhere else to go? Because Alec’s pain mirrored my own? Because… I didn’t want to leave?
“Because he deserves someone who won’t give up on him,” I said finally.
Killian’s gaze softened for a brief moment before his mask of indifference slipped back into place. “Good,” he said. “Then don’t disappoint me.”
***
Later that night, as I lay in the small room they’d assigned me, I couldn’t sleep. My mind kept replaying the pain in Alec’s eyes and the walls Killian had built around himself.
I got up, deciding to make some tea. As I tiptoed down the hallway, voices stopped me in my tracks.
“Killian, you can’t keep ignoring this!”
It was a man’s voice, angry and frustrated. I pressed myself against the wall, peeking around the corner. Killian was standing in his office, his Beta facing him.
“I’m not ignoring it,” Killian said, his voice low and dangerous.
“Then do something about it!” the Beta snapped. “We both know Selene’s death wasn’t an accident. Someone in this pack betrayed her.”
My breath caught in my throat.
Killian’s fists clenched at his sides. “I know,” he growled. “But until I know who it was, I’m not making a move. Do you understand? The wrong step could destroy this pack.”
The Beta threw up his hands in exasperation. “And what about Alec? He deserves to know the truth!”
Killian’s expression darkened. “Alec has been through enough. I’ll handle this. You focus on keeping the patrols tight and the rogues out.”
The Beta muttered something under his breath, then stormed out of the office.
I pressed myself further into the shadows, my heart racing. What had I just heard?
If someone in the pack had betrayed Selene, how safe was I here? And more importantly-how safe was Alec?
- Writer
