Chapter 36
“Nothing,” Zayron whispered and looked away.
Even his voice betrayed the battle raging in his mind.
Kayla relaxed against him again and her fingers slowly slipped beneath his shirt.
She traced the rigid lines of his muscles, feeling the tension coiled beneath his skin.
Zayron remained quiet, staring out the window as if lost in thoughts he couldn’t escape.
The car continued down the winding path leading to the Silver Moon Retreat. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, leaving behind a mist that wrapped around the dense trees.
When they arrived, the retreat stood tall in the distance, its grand structure dimly lit by the soft glow of lanterns lining the path. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine.
Zayron stepped out first, his presence immediately drawing attention. Every gaze turned toward him, but not with the respect and admiration he once commanded.
No one approached him.
No Alpha stepped forward to greet him.
The way they sat, silent, stiff, and on edge, made it clear they were watching him, waiting, as if bracing themselves for something unpredictable.
An unsettling silence spread through the place.
The lively chatter and soft hum of conversation that once filled the courtyard began to dwindle. Those who were drinking started setting their glasses down, calling for their bills, and leaving as though a force of destruction had just entered their midst.
Even the few who remained glanced at Zayron cautiously, their expressions filled with apprehension.
Zayron scanned the faces around him and recognized some of them. Some were alphas he had once fought beside, elders who had once sought his counsel.
But now, none of them greeted him.
No nods of acknowledgment.
No hands raised in greeting.
They simply sat there, their backs stiff, watching him like he was a caged beast that might lash out at any moment.
Kayla felt her heart clench at the sight. She turned her gaze to Zayron, who had lifted his hand in a small, hesitant wave toward an elder he had known for years.
The man quickly averted his gaze, pretending not to see him.
Zayron’s fingers curled into a fist before falling back to his side. His face remained expressionless, but Kayla could feel the tension radiating from him.
The receptionist at the front desk, a young omega, looked nervous as Kayla approached. Her hands trembled as she flipped through the register. She struggled to steady her voice as she asked, “H-how long will you be staying, Luna?”
Kayla didn’t answer immediately. She cast a sideways glance at Zayron, who had taken a seat in the corner, his gaze distant, his hands resting on his knees.
He looked like a ghost sitting in a world that once belonged to him but no longer recognized him.
“Four days,” Kayla finally said.
“Why four days? You know your mate is not mentally fit to be in the midst of werewolves,” the Omega whispered so Alpha Zayron wouldn't hear her.
“What’s my room number?” Kayla asked, ignoring what the Omega said.
The receptionist nodded, her fingers fumbling with the key as she placed it on the counter.
“Y-your room is on the third floor. Room 305.”
Kayla took the key and turned back to Zayron.
Without hesitation, she reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his.
A silent plea.
A silent reassurance.
Zayron didn’t look at her, but he didn’t resist either. He allowed her to pull him up, and together, they walked toward the stairs.
As they ascended, Zayron never looked back.
His mind had already concluded something.
He was a ghost.
A Vyrekin.
Those who saw him must be like him. Those who refused to acknowledge him were still wolves.
Perhaps he was invisible to them.
The moment they stepped into their room and the door shut behind them, Zayron spoke. His voice was hollow and detached.
“What’s your name again?”
“Kayla. I’m your Kay,” Kayla replied.
“Kayla… am I really alive? Or am I just a shadow pretending to be a werewolf? Tell me the truth! I’m dead, right? We are dead?”
Kayla turned to look at him, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was staring at the mirror across the room, as if searching for proof of his existence.
He kept shaking his head as he looked at his reflection.
Something inside Kayla broke.
She walked to the bed and sat down weakly, the weight of his words.
“We are Vyrekins. The ones who saw us were Vyrekins, too,” Zayron said.
“And those who couldn’t see us, those who ignored my wave, were werewolves,” Zayron said.
Kayla knew what Zayron was feeling. She saw it all over him.
The pain.
The loneliness.
The haunting weight of being surrounded by people yet feeling utterly unseen.
Kayla’s chest ached and her body suddenly felt weak. She didn’t let the tears fall, but she felt them burning behind her eyes.
Zayron moved near the door, watching her, waiting for an answer.
Kayla swallowed hard and whispered, “Zayron… you’re real. You’ve always been real.”
His gaze held hers for a long moment.
Then, without another word, he walked toward her and sat beside her.
The room was silent except for the faint patter of rain against the window.
For the first time since they arrived, Zayron exhaled deeply, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
Kayla reached for his hand again.
This time, he gripped it back like he wasn’t willing to let go.
Zayron stood after some serious thinking, and Kayla rose with him, standing just inches away.
The air between them was thick with unspoken emotions, a tension neither of them could deny.
Even though she had planned to visit the alchemist of Lythos that night, she was willing to reschedule—willing to put everything on hold if he wanted her to.
She lifted her gaze to his, her voice soft but steady.
“Do you want to spend the night with me?”
Zayron’s lips parted slightly as if he wanted to say something, but then he shook his head.
Kayla took a small step closer, her fingers grazing his wrist.
“Then… do you want me to go with you?”
Again, he shook his head reluctantly.
Kayla exhaled, searching his eyes for the war raging inside him.
“Zayron, we need each other. You know that,” she whispered. “You told me once that I was the only one who believed in you. Let me help you. Let me be here for you.”
His breathing deepened, and for a moment, he looked like he might reach for her.
But the battle in his head held him captive.
Kayla cupped his face gently.
“You have to embrace the life you’ve found yourself in. I promise you, with time, you’ll understand yourself again. Stay with me tonight.”