Chapter 27, Table for Two
Skarde
I sat in the dim light of the command hub, the glow of the holographic map casting sharp, blue shadows across my face. On the center console, a single amber dot was moving slowly through the lower residential tiers.
"She’s passing the weaver’s district,” Rhys’s voice crackled through the mind-link. ”She’s slowed down. She looks winded, Boss."
"Just stay on her," I replied, my voice a low rasp. ”Don’t let her see you. And keep the commoners out of her path.”
I watched the dot. It flickered as she moved under the heavy stone archways of the inner city. My wolf was pacing a tight, restless circle in my chest. Varg didn’t like that she was out there, vulnerable and small, in a city that didn’t yet know she belonged to the Alpha.
"She’s at the villa gates," Rhys reported. ”She’s inside the perimeter. I’m peeling off."
"Copy that.”
I stood up, my chair scraping harshly against the floor.
I didn’t wait for her to ring the chime.
I was at the main doors before the sensors even registered her presence.
When the heavy stone slabs hissed open, she was there, leaning slightly against the doorframe.
Her chest heaved as she swallowed the thin, cold air.
She looked small and exhausted, her face flushed from the climb. In her hand, she was still clutching the piece of sweet-root the weaver had given her.
“You’re back,” I said, my voice lower than I intended. I wanted to reach out and steady her, but I kept my hands at my sides. “I was beginning to think you’d decided to sleep in the library.”
She looked up, her emerald eyes hazy with fatigue. “It’s a big mountain,” she panted, her voice raspy.
“It is.” I stepped back, gesturing toward the living area. “Come in. You look like you’re about to collapse, and dinner is waiting. You need to eat.”
The dining room was quiet, the only sound was the low crackle of the hearth. Wren sat two chairs away from me, looking dwarfed by the massive obsidian table. She was picking at the seared elk and roasted roots, her movements slow and heavy.
“You aren’t eating much,” I said, leaning back and watching her.
She looked up, her expression guarded. “It’s just... a lot. Back in High-Ridge, I mostly got the leftovers. Alpha’s orders.”
The casual way she said it made my jaw tighten. I’d known the High-Ridge were traditional, but the idea of them treating a person like a stray dog left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“And life otherwise?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral. “What did you do when they weren’t being ignorant?”
Wren gave a small, tired shrug. “I spent a lot of time on the running paths, training. It was quiet. The only way to be at peace was to stay out of sight.”
“No... No boyfriend or fiancé?” I pushed. The wolf in me wanted to know if there was a ghost of another male in her head. I cleared my throat, the question feeling awkward even to me.
Wren actually let out a dry, breathless laugh. She looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
“A boyfriend?” she repeated. “Skarde, I was a Null. The Alpha heir, Killian, seemed to like me for a while, but I believe his father told him to stay away from me. I think he’s set to be with Selina now.” She paused, a slight frown touching her face.
I felt a sharp, ugly spike of irritation on her behalf. “They were fools.”
She shrugged again, her voice steady despite her fatigue. “They wanted strong mates. They wanted legacies. I couldn’t give them either.” She took a slow sip of water, her hand steadying. “What about you? I’m sure there’s a line of females waiting for an audience at your door.”
She gave a small smirk and lifted the glass to her lips again.
I looked at her for a long, quiet beat, the firelight catching the sharp line of her jaw. She was tougher than she looked, and despite the exhaustion, there was a spark in her eyes I couldn’t look away from.
Did she just tease us? Varg asked in my head, his ears perking up with sudden interest. I had to lift a napkin to wipe my mouth just to hide the smirk tugging at my lips.
“No,” I said, my voice dropping into a rougher, more honest register. “I’ve never been one for audiences. And to be honest, I’ve never met a female who caught my attention. Not yet. Not seriously, anyway.”
I let my gaze linger on her until the silence felt heavy. “I keep my inner circle small for a reason, Wren. My position makes people... perform.”
Wren went still, her fork hovering over her plate. She looked at me as if she were searching for a lie, her breath hitching just slightly.
“Finish what you can,” I said, standing up to break the spell before Varg decided to get closer. “The air is thin here, and your body is working overtime to adjust. Once you’re done, I’m taking you to see Saga.”
Wren stiffened. “I told you, I’m just tired. I don’t need a doctor.”
“Saga isn’t just a doctor. She’s the pack’s Healer. She needs to run a baseline on you now that you’re living at this elevation,” I said, moving toward her. “It’s not a request, Wren. It is pack protocol. And we do need to prepare for your first shift.”
She sighed, a long, defeated sound, but she stood up. She swayed slightly, and I reached out, hovering a hand near her elbow without quite touching her.
“Fine,” she muttered. “But if she tells me I’m defective, I’m going to bed.”
“If she tells you that,” I grumbled, leading her toward the medical lift, “she’ll be answering to me.”