Run! The Lost Princess of the Black Wolves

Chapter 30 - Fire and ice

Chloe looked Thora straight in the eye. ”I want my belongings, and I want to decide for myself what to wear,” she said with determination in her voice. "And I need you to be completely honest with me, without any hidden motives."

“And then you’ll stay with us.” Thora nodded approvingly.

"I'll stay for the Winter's ball, no longer," Chloe insisted.

"But what if you and Iron come to like each other, " Thora inquired, raising her brows. “Then you have to stay…”

"No," Chloe declared firmly. Her response was swift and forceful, and she noticed Thora pursing her lips in response.

Chloe noticed the flicker of astonishment followed by anger on Thora's face. It was clear that she wasn't used to people refusing her! It made Chloe curious... What would happen if her grandmother lost control? She wondered what her wolf would look like.

Since Thora remained quiet, Chloe continued. "If Iron adn I would fall for each other, against all odds, there would still be no need for me to stay. I could return home and come back later on. Being here has been quite overwhelming, and I need some space to process everything."

Thora cleared her throat.“I understand your perspective,” her voice was tinged with resignation, and she didn’t look pleased. “But I’m asking you to give Iron a chance. He’s a strong Alpha and he will grow even more powerful in the future." She paused, seemingly contemplating on how to move on. "He seems to genuinely like you, you know. This is an opportunity you shouldn't dismiss. You could become the most influential woman in the North. If you only play your cards right, you..."

“I don’t care about that,” Chloe interrupted her with a scoff. “I’m no go-getter! And I despise it when people plot and deceive instead of being open and honest."

Thora sighed, her disappointment palpable. "My dear, you must learn the art of diplomacy," she advised with a weary voice. "Your perspective may be valid in your youth, but one day, when you have your own pups, you will understand the need to protect them and make choices for their well-being. Iron will be able to protect you, to provide for you, and give you anything you desire.”

"You just don't understand," Chloe groaned with frustration. "All I want is to live my own life in peace. And if I'm fortunate enough, I hope to find someone to love, someone who loves me back. But most of all, I wish to be free."

Chloe did have a yearning for something more than just freedom... Even if she sometimes felt as she was a lost case, deep inside she had a tender ache nestled in her heart - a longing for connection and love. Just the thought of meeting someone who could see her for who she truly was and love her unconditionally, stirred a quiet hope within her. Somewhere deep within, she still hoped for finding that connection with someone, the same way that John and Isabel did.

Thora raised an eyebrow, leaning forward on her walking stick. "And you believe that's even possible when you've already encountered your fated mate?" she scoffed. "Your wolf will never accept it. It will forever yearn and long for him. You won't find happiness with anyone unless you rid yourself of him."

Now, it was Chloe's turn to remain silent, her eyes welling up with silent tears. Her grandmother was right. The weight of the situation bore her down, making her feel utterly vulnerable and alone.

Thora's expression softened. "Reject him, or kill him. Or even better, let Iron take care of it for you." With those words, she placed her wrinkled hand gently on Chloe's shoulder, giving her a reassuring pat on the arm before making her way to the door, leaving Chloe deep in her own thoughts.

As the door closed behind Thora, Chloe's emotions overwhelmed her. She crumbled, placing her head in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her grandmother's words echoed in her mind, piercing her heart with painful clarity. There was no way for her to find happiness, or even peace until she had rejected Nolan.

The next moment, she was flooded with anger. How stupid of her to go on this trip! Cowardly even. She shouldn’t just sit and wait for someone else to take care of her problems... She should try to find Nolan herself and reject him. And when she did find him, she would be better prepared. She would rehearse the words, over and over and over again, until she would be able to recite them even in her sleep.

But… what if she took the risk and went after him, only to be caught? It was one of her greatest fears - being captured by him and held against her will until she surrendered. She knew he had no boundaries and was capable of anything. He could even mark her against her will, making her bound to him forever… Every werewolf girl’s nightmare.

The sound of a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and with a swift motion, she wiped away her tears, using her hands to dry the evidence of her emotional turmoil. Upon the second knock, she plastered on a smile and opened the door, and in came Iron with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Look what I found!" he exclaimed, motioning towards several bags and cases carried by a couple of teenage boys, one younger and one a little older. Chloe guessed they were about twelve and fifteen. "These were hidden in one of the rooms a few doors down the hall."

“How did you find them?” Chloe looked at him in surprise.

"This omega kept insisting that he had delivered the luggage to your room in the west wing, no matter how much I pressed him," Iron shrugged, gesturing towards the older one of the boys with ash-colored hair and light brown eyes. "Eventually, we found out he ahd delivered them to the wrong room."

Chloe noticed the boy had several bruises, and his eye was swollen. “What did you do to him?” she gasped.

"I made him talk," Iron shrugged. "He started making up excuses and telling dubious stories, so I reminded him of the consequences when one lies to an Alpha."

Chloe was filled with despair as she looked at the boy. He lowered his head deeply, his face barely visible. "Let me see you," she requested, lifting his chin with her hand. The thought of Iron hitting the boy made her furious. "I had hoped for better from you," she growled.

"Do you know him?" the surprise was evident in Iron’s voice, mistakingly thinking she was talking about the boy. "But yes, I agree, he should…"

"I'm not talking about him!" Chloe hissed, meeting Iron's gaze directly. "I'm talking about you. You should know better than to strike a young boy in the face!"

Iron was taken aback. "He’s not a boy, he’s soon to become a man. And he needed to be disciplined," he objected.

"Get out," Chloe snarled.

Iron ran his hand through his hair, a mix of shock and disbelief on his face. "I... I'm sorry," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of guilt and uncertainty.

"Don't apologize to me," Chloe responded, crossing her arms firmly across her chest and nodding toward the boy. "Apologize to him."

Iron's mouth hung open in disbelief. "You want me, an Alpha, to apologize to an omega?" He appeared as though he thought she had lost her mind.

"Yes," Chloe insisted, her voice firm. "And if you refuse, I will never speak to you again. I won't turn a blind eye to child abuse."

“You can’t be serious” Iron protested. “He’s not even a chi---”

Chloe’s voice was cold as ice when she cut him off, “I'm dead serious, Iron."

Just as it seemed like Iron was about to storm out of the room in anger, he abruptly came to a halt and turned back to face the boy.

"I apologize if I was too harsh with you," he muttered.

The boy's jaw dropped, unable to find words, and he could only stare at Iron wide-eyed.

"I'll be back in thirty minutes to pick you up," Iron addressed Chloe, avoiding her gaze. "Be ready." It wasn't a request – it was a command.

A rush of excitement surged through Chloe's veins. Sure, what Iron had done was unquestionably wrong! But she had managed to make him apologize—a remarkable feat considering he was an Alpha and the boy an omega. That was something she had never heard of before, and it made her feel a little better, temporarily forgetting about her owns sorrows.

Heading towards her bag, she pulled out a box of chocolates she had brought as a gift for her grandmother. "Here," she said, handing it to the younger boy that was trembling like an ash leaf. "You two can enjoy these together. But shh, let's keep it our little secret," she flashed them a sly smile.

The boys’ eyes were filled with adoration as they looked back at her. “Thank you, Miss Chloe,” the older one whispered gratefully. “But you shouldn’t have. It was my own fault. Master Praetor was right, I should have stuck to the truth.”

“Then I guess both you and Mister Praetor have learned your lessons,” Chloe smiled softly as she ushered them towards the door.

After the boys departed, Chloe rummaged through her luggage. Everything appeared to be intact, except for her phone, which remained missing. Well, she didn't have time to call anyone now anyway. The Winter's ball was on the verge of commencing, and although she hadn't originally planned to stay for this long, now that she was here, she had to at least try to get ready in time.

Swiftly, she wriggled out of the white dress, accidentally tearing off a few pearls that rolled onto the floor. "Their loss," she muttered regretfully, feeling a twinge of guilt for damaging the dress. Carefully, she revealed her own evening dress from its covers, affectionately caressing the soft fabric.

They wanted to portray her as a fragile flower, delicate and vulnerable. Well, to heck with that! She was going to do it her own way. Hastily, she donned the dress and ran a wet comb through her long hair, ensuring that it cascaded down her shoulders sleek and glossy. She even applied more eyeliner and a darker shade of lipstick, aiming for a more dramatic effect. She wasn't a doll, a bride-to-be, or an innocent princess. She was Chloe, the Alpha daughter of the Black Wolves.

Surveying herself in the mirror, she almost chuckled, recalling Freya's comment. "Your dress looks like a fancy curtain," she had said. Indeed, she was right! And Chloe loved it. She didn't know when she would be able to leave this place, but as long as she was here, she might as well leave a lasting impression. Besides, if she could make even the slightest difference, it would be worthwhile.