Chapter Twenty-Four
Skylar Cathal
I awoke to Neera loudly snoring in my ear.
It was hard to believe someone so temperate could snore louder than a bear, slumbering on without a care in the world.
I glanced to where Rhea and Talon were dozing, smiling at the fact that their limbs were locked in a tangled mess. Yet, they looked so peaceful, wrapped in each other’s arms. Then, to my delight, I turned to notice Shaw was still fast asleep.
I managed to unravel myself from Neera’s grasp and silently slip out of bed. The sunlight peeking through the shades indicated it was a few hours past midday.
In the northern regions of Valdor, during the winter months, we didn’t have as much sunlight compared to the southern regions. Dinner would just begin brewing when the final rays of sunlight disappeared beyond the western horizon.
I managed to leave the room without disturbing anyone, creeping out of our quarters onto the third-floor landing.
I meandered down the quiet hallway, ready to duck into a corner or spare room if anyone wandered my way.
Most of the staff were busy preparing dinner or doing various chores outside the manor while it was still daylight.
The manor would be quiet. A fact that I was going to use to my advantage.
Descending the staircase at the far end of the complex, I paused at the second-floor landing. The murals of our alphas adorned the tan-painted walls, decorated with various greenery near the base and along the frames themselves.
I glided my hand along the railing overlooking the open seating area below. A unique mixture of cedar and wildflowers that flourished in our lands thrived in this space. It was almost as if the trees and forest lived within the alpha’s home—a haven for all shifters in our pack.
My eyes darted toward the portraits as I meandered down the hall, my feet silently guiding me through the history of our people. I held my breath as I stopped at the second-to-last portrait.
A pang of longing tugged at my heart as I gazed into his all-too-familiar green eyes.
There were endless questions I wished I could ask him. So many stories and memories I wanted to share. But most of all, I wished for the time I was never granted with him. With either of my parents.
My father, Emery, stood alone in a meadow surrounded by the thick, overgrown forest, holding the alpha’s dagger in his left hand. Placing my hand along the canvas, I traced over the blade, and then, like magic, a tingling sensation fluttered across my skin where my fingers grazed the portrait.
“Father?”
A surge of strength and tranquility filled my heart as I gazed upon the male I knew I always carried with me. And, for the first time in my life, I had no questions. I didn’t need to ask if my father believed in what I was doing, I knew I was on the right path.
I’m worthy to be his heir.
Gilen wasn’t the only offspring of an alpha. He didn’t hold the sole claim to the title.
“Can you and Mother do me a favor?” I whispered to the portrait. “Watch after Julia for us?” I chuckled despite myself. “She can be a handful sometimes.” I paused, lowering my hand. “And I promise I’ll make you all proud,” I said with newfound strength. “I swear it.”
A door behind me squeaked as it cracked open, likely from a gust of wind flowing through an open window pushing it ajar. I turned and boldly entered.
A room that I knew. One I had visited countless times before.
As I passed the threshold, the scent of salty sea air and the wild open sky filled my senses, transporting me through time to another life I thought I could have.
I glanced at the large windows across the way that allowed natural light in at every angle. A bed lay tucked in the corner, perfectly made and untouched for what looked like days or even weeks.
I smiled, knowing Gilen rarely slept in his bed.
The ledge near the windowsill, with the supply of brushes, sketchpads, and canvas, was his favorite place to rest. He often fell asleep with a draft of his drawings on his chest or a paintbrush in his hand.
I fondly remembered the quiet moments of our youth when he would sit with me, and we would talk about our dreams and desires for what fate had in store for us.
I would read, and he would paint while we silently enjoyed each other’s company.
Strange how our paths had turned and twisted from what we believed they would become.
Sunlight bending through the windows gave the room a serene, orange-tinted ambiance.
I hugged myself, not daring to disturb the serenity of the space.
A stack of canvases was arranged in the corner, with one draped in a brown cloth atop an easel.
I tiptoed over and gently began pulling back the fabric, dying to see what he’d been working on.
I half-wondered if Gilen had begun painting his own portrait for the hallway with the other alphas. However, as I pulled back the fabric, I was proven incorrect.
My mouth fell open as my eyes widened in stunned silence.
This… This wasn’t a portrait of Gilen.
It was a painting of me.
I didn’t know how he managed to capture this moment with such utter perfection, but here it was.
The painting illustrated a stolen moment in time.
Centered on me holding an open book on my chest, quietly reading alone on the green sand beach.
I gulped loudly, turning around to investigate the other canvases in the corner.
I carefully analyzed each one. My hands shook as I realized a handful were paintings of me.
Some were half finished, with only portions of my face completed, and others had the background blurred, with me as the focus.
However, one painting at the back of the stack took my breath away.
My hands trembled as I picked it up and strolled toward the bench under the window. This was the night of the full moon when I volunteered to be the shifter champion. The viewpoint was from above, and I realized this must have been Gilen’s perspective from his animal form.
The meadow and surrounding trees were kissed by moonlight. Fine details in the tall blades of grass bending in the wind breathed life into the painting. The wildflowers were still in bloom from the late summer months, adding to the rich color scheme of the field.
Alone, I stood in the center. A look of pure determination was etched in every line of my face. With my hands clenched at my sides, I pulled my shoulders back. I was unafraid, unwavering in the presence of a terrifying destiny.
“Wow,” I rasped.
A tug from my animal broke me from my trance and told me to look toward the door, alert to the presence of another powerful entity approaching.
I stood with my chin up and my shoulders back, summoning my magic and preparing for what would come next. The footsteps ascending the staircase just outside the room were hurried, taking two to three at a time, abruptly coming to a halt in the doorway.