Chapter 38 #2
A bright smile lit up Heidara’s face, glowing beneath the full moon’s light.
Her golden hair fell loose around her shoulders, held back only by a leather band across her forehead with a small iron emblem at its center.
Her darkened lashes and scarlet-colored lips added to the natural confidence she always seemed to carry.
Evelyne couldn’t understand how someone like her hadn’t yet found a lover or mate.
“Come on!” Heidara urged, tugging at their linked arms with barely restrained excitement. “For once, Evelyne, just relax. Let go. Enjoy your night. Just one night.”
Evelyne exhaled and smiled. “Alright.”
As they moved through the crowd, past the women painting the warriors’ chests and the steady pulse of drums, Evelyne’s attention briefly landed on the Glaciermaw pack.
They were still here, which meant she’d likely cross paths with Obren again.
Not that she minded. Their banter had become something she looked forward to, though it never failed to put Kaldrek on edge.
Ahead, three men turned. Three sets of eyes flicked in her direction, but only one made her heart catch.
Kaldrek. His gaze locked onto her the moment he saw her, and everything around them seemed to fall away.
The noise, the firelight, and the crowd all blurred as his dark brown eyes fixed on her alone.
Heat prickled along her skin as he looked at her, his eyes dragging slowly down the length of her body before rising, just as slow, to meet her stare again.
There was nothing subtle about it. His gaze was scorching, and something inside her coiled and pulled taut beneath it.
She didn’t know what thoughts ran through his head, but holy hell, she could feel them.
Every part of her said this was a bad idea. And none of her cared.
Holden let out a low whistle. “Little viper, you look like something I might take a bite of tonight.”
Evelyne rolled her eyes, and Heidara groaned. “Holden, that’s disgusting. Don’t say things like that to her.”
Alaric chuckled beside them, shaking his head.
“You both look beautiful.”
“Well, obviously,” Heidara quipped, flipping her hair over her shoulder with exaggerated confidence.
Evelyne snorted, grateful for the lightness of the moment. But her eyes had already returned to Kaldrek, who was still watching her the same way he had days ago when his mouth had been on her jaw and throat. Damn him, she still wanted more.
“Happy birthday, Evelyne.” His voice was deep, and the sound rolled through her like embers catching fire.
“Thank you, Kaldrek.”
“Shit,” Holden cut in, “I forgot it was your birthday. Happy birthday!” Without warning, he threw his arms around her, lifting her clear off the ground in a crushing embrace.
Evelyne let out a startled laugh, breathless from the strength of it. And… was that a laugh from Kaldrek?
The thought barely had time to register before Holden set her back down, throwing an arm around her shoulders and announcing, “Let’s drink!” With that, he strode off toward the barrels of ale, leaving Evelyne standing there, still reeling.
The night was a blur of dancing, laughter, and the warm burn of ale. It was precisely the kind of distraction Evelyne needed. The steady pulse of music thrummed in her chest, and the firelight flickered off the shifting bodies around her, casting shadows against the trees.
Alaric hadn’t strayed from the fire for over an hour, dancing with anyone who joined him, but mostly with Heidara.
Evelyne didn’t miss how he watched her, a mix of interest and curiosity in his eyes.
She recognized it all too well. She’d worn the same look herself, though her stolen glances had always been for Kaldrek.
She had to get a grip on whatever this was between them.
Maybe it was nothing. Maybe she was imagining it all.
But every time he so much as looked at her or spoke her name, her body reacted before her mind could catch up.
It was infuriating. Unwanted. Dangerous.
She couldn’t keep wondering if he thought about her the way she thought about him—about her hands on his skin, his voice in her ear, the quiet ache that never seemed to fade.
She shoved the thought aside, burying it deep. She wouldn’t do this to herself.
He finally settled beside her on a large rock, silent as he watched the pack celebrate. The heat of his presence was impossible to ignore, the space between them feeling smaller than it was.
“You look… very nice tonight,” he said, his voice rougher than usual.
She turned, her lips twitching as she studied him. “Is the alpha actually giving me a compliment?” She batted her lashes dramatically, then let out a soft chuckle. “Thank you.”
A muscle in his jaw flexed before he breathed out and shook his head.
She tilted hers. “Are you done ignoring me now?”
His brows pulled together. “I wasn’t ignoring you—”
“Oh, you absolutely were,” she cut in. “Days, Kaldrek. You avoided me for days. Which is odd, considering the last time we were alone, you seemed a heartbeat away from kissing me.”
His lips parted slightly before he closed them again as if debating his next move. He lifted a brow, the teasing glint in his eye unmistakable. “Who said I was going to kiss you?”
Her stomach tensed, and a flush crept up her neck. But she wouldn’t back down. “I think you wanted to do a lot more than just that. Don’t even deny it.”
He exhaled a low breath, then leaned back on his hands, shoulders rolling as he smirked. “I’m not denying it.”
She had expected a clever remark or a casual deflection, but his response caught her off guard. So he had wanted to kiss her that day. She hadn’t imagined it.
The firelight cast sharp lines across his face, making his expression more intense, harder to read. And just like that, the playful teasing between them no longer felt like harmless fun. He was watching her closely now, like he was waiting for something.
And she was tired of waiting.
“Then why pull away?” she asked, her voice softer this time, edged with uncertainty. “Why the sudden distance?”
His smirk faded. “Because he scented me on you.”
She frowned. “Who—”
“Obren.” The name left his mouth like a curse. “And I knew that if he saw I had any interest in you, he’d use you against me. Maybe even hurt you.” His teeth bared slightly, barely contained fury rippling off him. “I wasn’t going to take that risk.”
Her pulse quickened. “Hurt me?” She searched his face. “If he’s that dangerous, why are we traveling with his pack?”
“Because we don’t have a choice.” His voice was tight. “And because he can sense I don’t have a mate. Which means any unmated female is free game.”
She scoffed. “I’m not some prize to be won.”
“Tell that to him.” His eyes flickered toward the fire, where Obren stood, laughing with his men. “Or have you not noticed how much he wants you?”
The heat in his tone wasn’t just anger. It was something else.
Jealousy.
Evelyne smiled. “At least he’s easier to read. Someone who isn’t afraid to show emotions or go after what he wants.”
The air between them changed instantly. Kaldrek’s eyes darkened, his entire body tensing before he suddenly leaned in—so close she felt his breath against her ear.
“Did my mouth on your neck not give my emotions away?” His voice dipped, sending a shiver down her spine. “Did my tongue not tell you how much I wanted you that day? Or do you need to feel it again to be sure?”
Her body burned at the words, the memory of his lips on her skin unraveling in her mind. Oh, no. He was not going to do this to her again. Not when he had spent days ignoring her, only to come back swinging with seduction and smirks.
“I prefer someone who can actually tell me how he feels.” Her voice was sharp, cutting through the thick tension. “And not just physically.”
His smirk vanished, his jaw locking tight.
“Why is it so hard for you to let me in?” Evelyne pressed. “Why can’t you just say what you want?”
They stared at each other, neither blinking, silence stretching thick between them.
She thought he was about to shut her out again, raising that stone wall between them, the one he rarely let fall.
But this time, he didn’t. Instead, his shoulders eased, tension slipping from his frame as the sharp edge in his eyes finally softened.
“I don’t let people in easily,” he said, and the honesty of his words hit her harder than she was ready for.
“I’m afraid that if I let myself care for anyone else, I’ll lose them too.
” His hand curled into a fist at his side.
“It’s already hard enough with Holden and Heidara.
I wake up wondering what I’d do if something happened to them. ”
She stayed quiet, sensing the significance of whatever he would say next.
“It happened a few years ago.” He swallowed, his throat bobbing.
“I now understand that I can sense when the Noskari are near, but I ignored it the first time it happened. I felt something, but I brushed it aside and went back to sleep.” His fingers dragged through his hair.
“By the time I ran outside, I heard screaming from a voice I knew all too well.”
Evelyne’s chest tightened.
“My mother.”
He didn’t look at her, but she reached for his hand, running her thumb lightly over his knuckles.
“I was too late,” he continued. “Because I went back to sleep. I could’ve reached them sooner, but I didn’t. And when I finally arrived, the Noskari were already standing over my mother’s body. My father was lying beside her, still breathing, but just enough to say goodbye.”
Her throat burned, her fingers tightening around his.
“That’s when I realized my ability,” he said bitterly. “I screamed loud enough to wake the entire pack, but by the time they reached me, the Noskari were already gone. And then…” He gestured to the tattoo swirling down his arm. “This claimed me.”
She frowned. “Claimed you?”
“The alpha mark chooses the next strongest member in the pack when an alpha dies. Not by birthright, but by strength and loyalty. And I was chosen.” He paused, jaw clenched, before going on.
“A few weeks after they died, I learned something worse. The Noskari don’t just feed and kill, but can transfer a piece of themselves to a host, if they choose.
Like a parasite that anchors to one’s soul.
And once it’s inside, it takes root and grows.
Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, depending on how strong the host is, and whether they fight it.
But once infected…” His eyes flicked to hers. “Well, you know what happens.”
Evelyne’s stomach twisted at the thought, but beneath the horror was a deep ache for him, for everything he had endured. “It wasn’t your fault, Kaldrek,” she said softly.
He let out a slow breath, his gaze locked on hers, like he was trying to find truth in her words. Then he cleared his throat and shook his head, his expression flickering before settling into something guarded again.
“I didn’t mean to push you away,” he said quietly. “Or make you feel like you weren’t wanted. I just—”
“I understand,” she cut in gently. “You already have people to protect. Holden and Heidara… They’re your family.”
He nodded. “They’ve both been through more than most. But that’s not my story to tell.”
A beat passed before he pulled his hand away from hers, and a small smile tugged at his lips, an attempt to shift the mood.
“I got you something,” he murmured. Her brows lifted in surprise as he reached beside him and pulled out a small, leather-bound book. “For your birthday,” he added.
She stared at it for a moment, touched. “You…” she whispered, accepting the gift, fingertips brushing over the worn cover. “You didn’t have to.”
Kaldrek shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what kind of stories you liked, but folklore about witches and handsome wolves seemed like a safe bet.”
Warmth bloomed in her chest, and she chuckled. “I love it.” She paused, then smirked. “Didn’t know you noticed that I liked to read.”
“I notice everything about you,” he said without hesitation.
Her breath caught, and she ducked her head, a flush rising to her cheeks. He really could be gentle when he let his guard down. And maybe those days of silence had been his way of protecting her. If that was true, she could forgive him for it.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “For the book, and for being honest with me.”
She leaned in, pressing a kiss to his cheek. When she pulled back, his eyes were wide, lingering on her lips with a hunger that made her pulse stutter. But before either of them could speak, a familiar voice cut through the moment, and she felt Kaldrek go tense beside her.
“Evelyne, love, I have been searching for your beautiful face all night,” Obren drawled, looking her over with a widening grin. “And damn, was it worth the wait.”
She fought the urge to roll her eyes.
“My, my,” Obren continued, his voice smooth as ever, eyes dragging over her with open admiration. “You look far too stunning to be sitting on a rock. Dance with me.”
Evelyne parted her lips to decline, already bracing for the smug persistence that would follow, but Kaldrek spoke first.
“You should go,” he said flatly. “Enjoy yourself.”
She blinked. What?
Her gaze snapped to him, searching his face, but his expression gave nothing away. Cold. Detached. Just moments ago, he had looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered, and now he was handing her off like she meant nothing.
Anger bubbled up fast. She was done playing along if this was still his way of protecting her from Obren. She wouldn’t pretend her feelings didn’t exist just because he was too afraid to name his own.
She turned to Obren and smiled sweetly. “I’d love to.”
Obren’s grin widened, triumphant and dangerous all at once.
As Evelyne let him lead her into the crowd, she could already feel Kaldrek’s stare searing into her spine. She refused to glance back.