Chapter 8
1210 Words
For two days, Morvienne hadn't seen him.
Instead, it was that same particular maid who came every morning and evening, smiling, polite, and cheerful.
Breakfast, fresh clothes, light chatter about how the Alpha was busy. It was the same routine, every day.
At first, she didn't mind. After all, patience was something she had mastered long ago. But by the third morning, she began getting irritated. He hadn't come. Not even once. Not a word or even a glance.
She had played her role perfectly. The fragile, hurt omega in need of saving and kindness. He had seemed to fall for it, at least a little, yet now, he was nowhere to be found, and that pissed her off more than she wanted to admit.
It wasn't supposed to hurt her pride, but it did. She didn't like being ignored, and she didn't like losing either. Especially not after going through the trouble of acting pathetically soft and helpless.
So today, the fourth morning since she had been here, she sat up, having enough.
She decided she was leaving.
Quickly, she showered and dressed up, another simple dress the maid had brought her. And for the first time since she had arrived, she stepped out of the guest room.
As if just at the right time, another door opened to her left and she turned to see Kael stepping out, one hand still on the handle of his door when he also turned slightly, their gaze meeting each other’s.
For a brief second, neither of them moved. They were not expecting to see each other so early in the morning and when she realized he had seen her, she looked down, breathed out slowly and started walking toward him.
"Good morning, Alpha Kael," she greeted, her tone polite and almost delicate as she reached him.
Kael closed the door fully and turned to face her. "Good morning, Morvienne," he replied, his tone neutral. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he looked her over.
"I'm feeling very much better, thank you," she said, her voice quiet. "I'm totally healed now."
"I see," he muttered. "That's good. Do you need anything?"
"Not anymore," she answered, shaking her head lightly.
"Actually..." she added quickly before he could say anything. "I was hoping I could meet you."
"Meet me?" He asked, wondering what it might be about. "Why?"
"Well... I wanted to thank you," she began, her expression both sad and gentle. "For everything. For keeping me here, for making sure I was comfortable and never lacked anything."
"I am truly grateful," she said sincerely as she looked up at him, a sad smile on her face.
As she spoke, Kael didn't say anything, but he listened, not wanting to interrupt her until she was done, although his expression remained unreadable.
"I am also leaving," she said after a breath. "I think I may have overstayed my welcome. And since I am better now, I don't want to cause you any more trouble."
Now, the hallway fell quiet, Morvienne waiting for him to say something....
But he didn't.
After waiting for minutes, she took his silence as her cue, gave a small nod, and forced a tight, polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Alright then," she murmured, stepping slightly to the side as though giving him space and also giving herself a way to pass.
Then, she began to walk away, her steps light.
But she didn't get to go too far as a firm hand caught her wrist, stopping her.
The touch wasn't harsh, but it was enough to make her stop mid-step.
Her breath caught as she looked down at his fingers wrapped around her slender wrist, the contrast of his skin against hers, impossible to ignore.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze, meeting his.
Kael was watching her, his unreadable expression still not faltering, but when he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Stay."
For a heartbeat, neither moved. Then Kael left her wrist and turned fully to face her as she also did the same, though she took a small step back, instinctively widening the space between them.
"You can stay," he repeated, this time more composed.
"I," her lips parted slightly, unsure. "I really don't want to be a nuisance to you," she said. "You have already helped me so much."
"You are not being a nuisance," Kael said to her, the hint of a frown creasing his brow as if the very idea bothered him. "I don't know why you keep feeling this way."
"Well... you never came to check up on me for days," she confessed. "And I felt like I might have overstepped."
"You didn't," he immediately assured her. "I was just... very busy. But I did want to come and see how you were doing today."
"But still..." She hesitated. "I don't want to cause any trouble for you."
"Why do you say so?" Kael asked, feeling like there was something else she wasn't telling him.
"Mmm... I told you I had no pack or family right?" She asked. "Do you remember?"
"Of course. I do remember," he responded, his tone hinting at his confusion. "But what does that have to do with anything right now?"
Morvienne took a deep breath before she started speaking, clearing his confusion.
"I don't remember anything from my childhood," she explained. "All I can remember is my name and that I was eleven in the woods, all alone with a bag of food. I have no idea how I ended up there alone or how I was even with food and fruits in that bag."
"I don't know what traumatized me so much that I can neither remember my family or my pack. I don't remember anything. Was I running from something? Did I get thrown out or abandoned? I have no idea. Am I going to be trouble for you because of this? I don't know because I don't know who I am fully."
"Do you understand now?" She asked him after explaining. "Do you understand? What if I bring... trouble? Or maybe someone that is after me is still looking for me? What if—"
"Nothing," Kael cut in, stopping her gently. "What if nothing, Morvienne."
"I understand everything you have said," he continued. "And I understand your worry, but you are overthinking it. You cannot let the past hold you down. Have you not tried remembering all these years? Have you not?"
She nodded. "I have. But I couldn't remember."
"And that is okay," he told her gently. "When it's time, it will all come back to you. You don't have to let it hold you back."
"And from the looks of things," he continued, "you don't have anywhere to go. And I don't think I can just let you go, especially not an omega like yourself. I may be cold sometimes and distant, but I am not heartless."
He paused, studying her expression. "And I wouldn't like to see you outside my borders again... injured."
"No, no," she said quickly, shaking her head as she swallowed hard.
"Then stay," he said simply, his tone final. " You are welcome to stay here. As one of us. What do you say?"
- Writer
