Chapter 35
“I’ll go with you to the Alchemist of Lythos,” Seraphina said.
Kayla folded her arms and watched her.
Seraphina tilted her head, waiting for a reaction.
When none came, she let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Aren’t you even a little excited? I just gave you good news.”
Kayla raised a brow.
“Then tell me the good news.”
Seraphina frowned.
“I just did.”
“That wasn’t good news,” Kayla countered. “You shouldn’t come with me.”
Seraphina’s lips parted slightly in surprise before she scoffed.
“And why not?”
“You know why.” Kayla’s voice was firm. “The mysterious woman once told you to bring me to her. If you come with me now, she’ll think you’re delivering me to her, just like you discussed before. That’s too much of a risk.”
Seraphina crossed her arms.
“She’ll know who you are whether I’m with you or not. My presence changes nothing.”
“It does to me,” Kayla said. “I don’t trust the situation. I can’t afford to take chances.”
Seraphina took a step closer, frustration flickering in her gaze.
“And what exactly do you plan to do when you get there? Walk in blindly? Do you even know what you're walking into?”
“I’ll figure it out when I get there.”
Seraphina let out a short laugh, but there was no amusement in it.
“You’ll figure it out?” She shook her head. “Kayla, you don’t even know what kind of people you’re dealing with. I do. I’ve been through this before. I’ve faced their kind, I’ve learned their tricks. And yet, you want to go alone?”
“Yes,” Kayla snapped. “Because it’s my risk to bear.”
Seraphina clenched her jaw.
“This isn’t just about risk. It’s about survival. You think courage alone will get you through this?”
“I think I need to do this my way,” Kayla shot back. “Alone.”
Seraphina’s expression hardened.
“Then you’re a fool.”
“Maybe. But at least if I fail, it’ll be on my terms.”
Seraphina exhaled sharply, shaking her head.
“You’re impossible, moon flower.”
“And you’re stubborn,” Kayla countered. “But I’m not changing my mind.”
Kayla felt Zayron’s presence so close that it sent a shiver down her spine.
Instinctively, she turned, meeting his gaze.
His expression was sharp, his eyes scanning her as if he sensed something was wrong.
Without hesitation, he reached for her upper arm, his grip firm but not harsh.
“Is she bothering you?” he asked.
Kayla shook her head.
“Did Seraphina say something to upset you?”
Again, she shook her head.
“She called you a fool just now!”
“She was just joking,” Kayla replied.
Zayron’s frown deepened.
“Why are you setting out on a journey to find a solution? Solution for what?”
Kayla hesitated, but before she could answer, his grip softened.
His voice lowered, filled with something raw and something personal.
“Whatever it is, you don’t have to do this alone,” he said. “Since I lost myself and ended up in this mysterious world, you were the only one who believed I was real. The only one who truly cared about me.” His expression tightened. “I won’t let anyone harm you.”
Kayla seized the moment.
A slow smile curled on her lips as she reached up, her fingers lightly tilting his chin.
She locked eyes with him, holding his gaze steady.
“I’m going to the Silver Moon Retreat,” she said. “I’ll be staying there for a few days.”
Her touch lingered for a brief second.
“You haven’t had a moment to rest since you came back from the Veridia region. Come with me.”
Zayron hesitated.
He turned slightly, looking toward the castle, the ruins of what once stood tall and proud.
His duty lay there.
He exhaled, his gaze returning to Kayla.
“I would have loved to go with you, but I have too much to handle,” he said. “I need to rebuild the castle, reopen my office, and put things in order in the pack. I have to check if they’re facing any challenges and settle them before things spiral out of control.”
Kayla shrugged.
“That sounds like a good plan.”
Her expression remained calm.
“That means I’ll be going alone.”
Zayron’s expression darkened slightly.
“How many days will you be there?”
“Four days,” she said.
The look on Zayron's face when Kayla mentioned four days was impossible to miss.
It was subtle, but she saw it, the way his expression tightened, as if the thought of being apart from her unsettled him.
It was as though he couldn’t imagine staying a day without her, yet he couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud.
But there was something else, something deeper.
Conflict flickered in his eyes, an internal war he had yet to resolve.
War he couldn't resolve.
He was trying to stay faithful to the Kayla he believed was dead.
And yet, here she was, standing before him, a strange being who carried her name, her presence, and something more.
She made him feel like the Moon Goddess had sent someone to fill the emptiness in his heart.
And that terrified him and also excited him.
Kayla looked at Zayron, her expression calm but expectant.
“Come with me,” she said, her voice steady yet carrying an unspoken plea.
Zayron exhaled sharply.
He had responsibilities here, things to rebuild, people relying on him.
But leaving Kayla to travel alone gnawed at him.
He sighed, finally meeting her gaze.
“Okay,” he said, his voice softer. “I’ll go with you, but only to make sure you’re safe. Once I see that, I’ll come back. I’ll return after four days to take you back to the Azure Moon pack.”
Kayla nodded.
She believed that by the time he came back, she would have seen the Alchemist of Lythos, discovered what needed to be done, and found a way to save Zayron.
“I’m going now,” she announced, her resolve firm.
Zayron glanced over his shoulder.
“Go to the car Cross came with. I’ll join you soon. I need to talk to Leo first, to make sure the money I gave him for the repairs to the damaged parts of the Regent castle is being used properly.”
Kayla gave him a short nod, watching as he hurried away.
The weight of what lay ahead pressed against her, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it.
As she turned, her gaze met Seraphina’s.
“You lied,” Seraphina said, eyes narrowing slightly.
Kayla exhaled before speaking.
“Sometimes people lie to get what they want. Goodbye, Seraphina.”
Without waiting for a response, Kayla turned and strode toward the car where Gamma Cross stood waiting.
He opened the door, and Kayla hesitated for a moment.
She cast one last glance at the pack’s cell, now reduced to nothing but dust.
The place that had imprisoned her, crushed her spirit, and filled her years with agony and loneliness was finally gone.
But the memories weren’t.
She silently cried, not for the cell itself, but for the version of herself who had suffered there.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the car, sinking into the seat.
Gratefulness swelled in her chest.
Zayron had come for her.
The day he stepped into the Silver Mountain pack had changed her life forever.
She barely noticed when the car door opened again.
But the moment Zayron slid inside, her entire being responded.
His presence was everything, warm, grounding and real.
The weight of his nearness, the way his scent filled the space, made something inside her ache.
He was her world.
Her storm and her peace.
A wave of emotions rushed through her, too fast to hold back.
As the car started to move, the sky above darkened even further.
A heavy downpour began, the raindrops slamming against the windshield like thousands of tiny drums.
The road ahead blurred, the path slick with water, illuminated only by the car’s headlights.
The storm felt fitting, as if nature itself mirrored the tempest within her heart.
Inside the car, warmth wrapped around them, contrasting the cold storm outside.
The air was thick, heavy with unsaid words and unspoken emotions.
The faint scent of damp earth mixed with Zayron’s scent, a mixture of pine and something uniquely him.
It made her feel safe in a way she couldn’t explain.
Kayla moved closer, drawn to the steady comfort of his presence.
Her fingers hesitated before reaching for him, but she didn’t stop herself.
She turned, her gaze locking onto his.
The storm outside seemed distant, its howls muted by the intimacy inside the car.
Zayron’s gaze met hers, intense and searching, as if he was seeing her for the first time.
Kayla didn’t speak.
She didn’t need to.
Slowly, she rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes as a shuddering breath escaped her lips.
For the first time since Zayron had returned from the Veridia region, he touched her, not just any touch, but a deliberate, grounding one.
His large, calloused hand moved to her round baby bump, resting there with a warmth that seeped into her skin like a silent acknowledgment and a connection.
Kayla swallowed hard.
Tears burned the back of her eyes, but she held them in.
She had longed for this, this moment where Zayron, despite everything, acknowledged their pup.
For weeks, she had fought battles on her own, carrying this weight, wondering if he would ever truly accept it.
And now, with one simple touch, he was saying more than words ever could.
His fingers spread, his palm warm against her belly.
The baby in her womb shifted slightly, as if responding to him.
Kayla bit her lip, feeling something inside her crack open.
Zayron exhaled slowly and muttered under his breath.
“He moved.”
“She moved,” she whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of the rain.
Zayron’s gaze dropped to her belly, something softening in his expression.
“She,” he repeated, testing the word.
His fingers brushed in slow, deliberate strokes.
“You’re sure?”
Kayla nodded, watching his every reaction.
“I just know.”
Zayron’s expression tightened, and for a long moment, he said nothing.
Then, almost hesitantly, his fingers pressed a little firmer, as though truly feeling the life growing within her.
The storm outside continued to rage, but inside, a different kind of storm was settling.
“I’m really sorry for not…” Zayron started to say, but Kayla let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and Zayron paused.
Kayla turned her face slightly, her forehead resting against his shoulder.
“You don’t have to say anything,” she murmured. “Just, just let me have this moment.”
Zayron didn’t move away.
He didn’t break the fragile, precious connection between them.
Instead, his other hand came up, brushing against her arm.
A silent reassurance that he wouldn't let anything happen to her.
They stayed like that as the car rolled forward, the rain hammering against the windows.
The world outside was chaos, but inside, in this small space where time seemed to stand still, there was peace.
Leaning against Zayron’s chest sent a wave of warmth through Kayla, stirring something deep within her.
The scent of her arousal filled the back seat, wrapping around them like an unspoken invitation.
The cold weather and the intimacy of the moment made it feel like the perfect opportunity, yet Zayron remained still, his body tense with restraint.
He acted as if he hadn’t noticed the shift in the air, but Kayla saw the flicker in his eyes.
Slowly, he turned and fixed his gaze on her.
“What is it?”
Kayla whimpered and looked up at him, her vulnerability laid bare.