Chapter 31 #2
They worked quickly; before long, her tent was up, and the fire was roaring.
The pack settled into small groups, huddled close to the heat of the flames as the night deepened.
Families sat together, parents pulling their children onto their laps.
Friends passed around food and drink, their quiet conversations blending with the crackle of burning wood.
Evelyne sat among familiar faces, the low hum of conversation filling the space around her.
Holden lounged beside Heidara, smiling at something she said, while Alaric sat close, his strength returning, though fatigue still lingered in his features.
Across from her, perched on a flat stone, Kaldrek methodically sharpened his dagger.
He hadn’t spoken to her all day. Not since the little jab he’d made at her. Not even a glance in her direction. And that only made her more aware of him.
She found herself stealing glances, drawn in despite herself.
The firelight bathed his skin in a warm glow, accentuating the tattoos that traced down both sides of his neck, winding over one shoulder before spiraling down his arm to his wrist. His broad frame, thick with muscle and littered with scars, remained still save for the steady pull of his dagger against the sharpening stone.
As if sensing her gaze, he looked up and met her eyes.
Evelyne quickly turned away, but it was too late. He’d already caught her staring. And she couldn’t stop the warmth from rising in her cheeks.
Holden leaned back on his elbows, a cocky grin tugging at his lips as he launched into one of his infamous tales, hands sweeping through the air for dramatic effect.
“So there I was,” he began, “thinking I was about to have the best night of my life at age seventeen.”
A few chuckles rippled through the group.
“Her name was Isla. And gods, was she was gorgeous. A wild beauty wasted on a scoundrel such as myself.” He paused, winking at Heidara, who rolled her eyes. “But I figured, with my charm, I had a chance.”
Evelyne smirked, taking a sip of her drink. “Oh, I’m sure she was positively swooning.”
Holden shot her a playfully wounded expression. “You doubt my skills, little viper?”
“I highly doubt you have any.”
Laughter rang out, but Holden pressed on.
“We were visiting one of the outposts near the northern border, and I met Isla at the tavern. She had this dark, wavy hair and the sharpest tongue I’ve ever encountered—like you, actually,” he added, with a pointed glance at Evelyne.
“She tells me to meet her outside the healer’s hut after sundown.
So, obviously, I go and wait in the shadows like some mysterious brooding warrior.
” He paused for dramatic effect. “Except… she never shows.”
The group listened in silence, clearly entertained by every word.
“I think, ‘Alright, maybe she’s shy,’ so I follow her scent. And guess where it leads?” Holden let the tension build, then threw his arms out. “Straight into the middle of a patrol camp. And not just any patrol camp, but her father’s patrol camp.”
“Damn,” Alaric muttered, shaking his head.
Holden nodded. “That’s right. Her father, the highest-ranking wolf in the outpost, turns around, sees me standing there like a lost pup, and immediately assumes I’m there to challenge him.”
Kaldrek let out a short, unimpressed snort.
“I don’t even get a chance to explain before the bastard shifts and barrels straight at me! I barely manage to shift before I’m running for my life, dodging trees, trying not to get my throat ripped out, and all the while, Isla is standing on a damn rock, laughing her ass off.”
Evelyne sputtered mid-sip, coughing as Heidara and Alaric burst into laughter.
“The worst part?” Holden continued. “When I finally escaped and returned to the pack, Kaldrek was waiting. And do you know what my dearest friend said to me?”
Kaldrek didn’t even look up as he muttered, “‘You’re an idiot.’”
“No sympathy. No concern for my wellbeing. Just… You’re an idiot.”
Evelyne grinned. “Well, he wasn’t wrong.”
“I regret nothing.” Holden shrugged. “She sought me out the next night anyway.”
“Gross,” Heidara mumbled.
This time, Evelyne let herself laugh, truly laugh, and savor the rare ease of the moment—the warmth of shared laughter, the brief illusion of normalcy. But it didn’t last. Because when she glanced at Kaldrek, he was watching her.
Her stomach fluttered beneath the intensity of his stare, but she didn’t have time to analyze it, because Holden said something that made the air turn to ice.
“You gave us quite a scare last night.” He smirked, eyes flicking to Evelyne.
“Got a little too close to death, didn’t you?
Makes me wonder what the Noskari would’ve done with a pretty little thing like you.
” He leaned in slightly, his tone dropping to a dark, taunting murmur.
“I bet they’d have drawn it out, slow and sweet. Savoring every bite of your body.”
Evelyne flinched as the words landed, yanking the memory of Ivan’s unwelcome touch from where she’d forced it to stay hidden.
The fire’s warmth vanished instantly, replaced by a cold dread curling through her veins.
Evelyne’s heart plummeted as her mind flashed to rough hands gripping her waist, fingers clawing at the fabric of her skirts, vile breath whispering against her ear.
The memory seized her, like a ruthless tide threatening to drag her under. The laughter around her faded into a dull hum, her vision narrowing as the blood drained from her face.
A familiar hand covered hers. Alaric. His touch was gentle but grounded her back into the present.
“It’s a good thing our mighty wolf pack swooped in to save you,” Holden laughed, and Heidara rolled her eyes, oblivious to the sudden change in Evelyne’s expression.
But not Kaldrek. He was watching her closely, his gaze intense—like he’d picked up on something she hadn’t meant to reveal. Before he could speak, she swallowed hard and masked her expression with a calm look. She wasn’t going to talk about it. Not now, not ever.
Instead, she lifted her chin. “I want to learn how to fight.” She paused. “To defend myself.”
Holden immediately perked up. “I’ll teach you.”
“Or you can join us,” Heidara added eagerly. “Kaldrek trains us early each morning.”
Evelyne turned to him, waiting, but he did not look pleased. His grip tightened on his dagger, and for a second, she thought he might flat-out refuse.
“I’d like to learn as well,” Alaric added.
Kaldrek’s eyes flicked between them. After a long beat of silence, he sighed. “I won’t stop the lesson for you, so do your best to keep up.” His words were laced with doubt, a challenge coiled beneath them.
Evelyne let a slow smile creep onto her lips. “Oh, I will.”