Chapter 23
Zayron stopped in front of Kayla, his towering presence casting a shadow over her.
Without a word, he reached out and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
Kayla said nothing. She simply stared at him with tears in her eyes.
For more than five minutes, Alpha Zayron held her like that, studying her face, searching for something he couldn't name.
When he found none, he let go with a sigh.
His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke.
“What are you doing in my pack?”
Kayla didn’t answer his question.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly and asked, “Who do you think I am?”
“I didn't come here to play questions and answers with you.”
Zayron’s gaze darkened, but then a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“I was impressed with how you dismissed Alpha Remus,” he admitted. “You stood your ground. Now, I want you to use that same energy and leave my pack. Tonight.”
Kayla crossed her arms.
“I can’t go tonight.”
Zayron’s eyes flashed with irritation.
“Why not? Aren't you a werewolf?”
Kayla met Alpha Zayron's stare without flinching.
“Can't you tell if I'm a werewolf or not?”
Zayron’s expression hardened, and for a brief second, pain flickered in his eyes.
“I lost my sense of smell,” he said flatly. “I can't perceive anything.”
“I can…” Kayla started to say, but Zayron had turned away already.
Over his shoulder, he reminded her, “You must not spend a night in my pack.”
Then, without another word, he walked away, leaving Kayla standing alone in the cold.
As Zayron walked away, Kayla stood frozen, watching his retreating figure.
Her heart ached, but she pushed the pain aside and turned quickly, making her way back to where she and Ana had been earlier.
When she arrived, Ana was waiting for her.
She had a thoughtful look on her face, her arms crossed as if deep in thought.
“Kayla,” Ana started, “I’ve been thinking. I noticed something about Zayron.”
Kayla frowned.
“What is it?”
Ana took a step closer.
“Even though a shadow has been cast over his mind, making him believe you’re dead, I don’t think he truly sees you as an enemy.”
Kayla's heart skipped a beat.
“What do you mean?”
“I don't know who Alpha Zayron thinks you are, but I can tell he likes you a lot, even in his confusion.”
Liking Kayla wasn’t what she wanted.
She didn’t care if Zayron found her interesting in his confused state.
She wanted things to go back to how they were.
She wanted him to remember her, to look at her the way he used to.
She sighed and sat down.
“So what are you insinuating?”
Ana sat beside her.
“I’m saying you can convince Zayron to take the potion.”
Kayla scoffed.
“You didn’t hear our conversation.”
Ana raised a brow.
“Then tell me. What did he say?”
Kayla hesitated before answering.
“He wants me out of the pack tonight.”
Ana fell silent for a moment, deep in thought.
Then, she shook her head.
“Even so, you can still enter his chamber and convince him to take the potion. He won't harm you.”
Kayla frowned, considering the idea.
When she saw Zayron approaching earlier, for a moment, she thought he might hit her.
But he didn’t.
Maybe Ana was right after all.
A spark of determination lit up in her eyes.
“Give me the potion.”
Ana handed it over without hesitation.
Kayla gripped the small bottle tightly and stood.
“Let's go!”
Without another word, she turned and began heading toward Zayron’s chamber.
Ana ran after her.
Kayla reached Zayron’s chamber and paused at the door.
She knew this was dangerous.
If Zayron reacted badly, she might not make it out unscathed.
But she had to try.
Before entering the chamber, Kayla turned to the guards stationed nearby and motioned for Beta Axel to come closer.
His eyes held concern as he stepped toward her.
“I’m going in,” Kayla said quietly. “I need to try and get him to take this.”
She held up the small vial.
Beta Axel’s brows furrowed.
“Are you sure about this?”
“I don’t have a choice,” she replied. “But if things go wrong, if I call for help, you have to come in immediately.”
Axel exchanged glances with the guards before nodding.
“Understood.”
Kayla took a deep breath and pulled the shawl from her shoulders.
She handed it to Ana without looking back, forcing herself to focus.
With one last glance at the door, she pushed it open and stepped inside.
The chamber was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the candle that was on the table.
Zayron sat on the edge of his bed, an old leather-bound album in his hands.
He was flipping through the album filled with pictures from his childhood to the moment he became an Alpha.
Kayla took a step closer and froze when Zayron lifted his head.
His gaze locked onto hers, sharp and intense, as if he had been expecting her.
“You must be a dream whisperer to know I wanted to see,” he said.
Kayla’s heart beat madly.
He had wanted to see her? Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
Zayron's tone was normal but his eyes were darker than Kayla remembered.
Zayron closed the album and placed it beside him.
He leaned back slightly, studying her as if trying to place her.
Then, after a moment, he let out a breath and shook his head.
“Why are you still here? I told you to leave this pack.”
“I know what you said, but I couldn’t leave.”
“You couldn’t? Or you wouldn’t?” Zayron asked.
“I…” Kayla started to say, but Zayron pushed off the bed and strode toward her.
She fought the urge to step back.
When he stopped in front of her, he tilted his head slightly, as if searching for something in her eyes.
“I don’t understand you,” he muttered. “You should be afraid of me like the rest of my pack members.”
“I’m not,” Kayla muttered under her breath.
Zayron exhaled sharply, shaking his head again.
“Foolish.”
Maybe she was. But she couldn’t back down.
Not now.
Kayla took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the vial in her hand, preparing herself for whatever came next.
“Why do you want to see me?” Kayla whimpered.