Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Chapter 94

Chapter 94

KAI’s POV

Marcellan was my alarm this morning because his entry made me wake up. He raised a brow when he turned around after shutting the door behind him, only to find me sitting up on the bed.

"You used to be a deep sleeper. Were you already awake, or...?"

I hissed so hard that he raised both brows, his mouth widening into an ’O’ before he wrapped a hand over his chest.

"Wow. I suppose it’s not exactly a good morning."

My hair was sprawled all over my face. Shoving my lips to one side, I blew out a breath, trying to get the strands away. That’s how weak I felt when I woke up this morning.

"It’s not."

"Aw." He cooed and came to occupy the edge of the bed where he could look into my eyes. "Tell me about it."

"Oh, I’d gladly do so, except you’re already aware," I said, twisting his rhetorical question into one that felt as though he’d actually asked.

I rested my back against the headboard, one knee brought up to my chest while the other slanted toward the floor, my heel making contact with the cold surface.

"I’m so mad at Kai, you know," I uttered.

My mind was so heavily laden that I had to spew out what was roaming within it before I could think twice.

"He’s worth more than your anger, to be honest."

"You’re the only one who understands me."

The way my voice came out left me unveiled to the simplest evaluation. The whole event had left my mind feeble. I’d be easy prey for insults and humiliation right now, by how weakened my heart and mind felt.

"He isn’t always like this. He’s just paranoid," he defended, causing me to roll my eyes and hiss for the third time.

"He’s sending me away, and he won’t even apologize," I retorted, my expression hardening. "He didn’t even sleep in the same bed as me last night. He’s..."

I was only an inch away from cursing him out, but unfortunately, being the love of my life, there was no way I’d be okay with bashing him. Not before someone else or behind his back.

A smile crept onto Marcellan’s face, catching my attention from the corner of my eye.

His amusement left his lips twitching to one side. "You’re effortlessly funny when you’re enraged."

"Oh, I’ll give him such a hard time. He thinks he’s the only one who can make decisions. How dare he?"

The mirror met my fury next just before I began to dress. Throughout it all, Marcellan was being a good friend who would defend his friend, even when said friend hadn’t listened to him.

At the realization that Clawface was to take me to the House of Michaelson, I knew Marcellan must have been shunned for reasons best known to Kai.

Whatever was he up to...?

Within the next few minutes, I’d changed into a different outfit. Marcellan was waiting just outside the door when I emerged.

He gave me a once over, a ghost of a smile wrinkling the corners of his eyes. "That’s a good choice of outfit."

Under the coat I’d put on, whose collar was replaced with fur, my crop top sat with a bleeding heart design crafted from soft fabric. A gleaming dagger pierced through it.

"It’s just a dress."

"Hm, I see," he mused.

Marcellan offered me his arm, and I wrapped mine around his hefty one as he led me toward the front entrance. As we approached the porch, my vision squinted against the scorch of the sun.

In the near distance, a vehicle sat parked with Clawface in a black suit, standing and awaiting my approach. My eyes shifted to the left where the click of shoes drew nearer, and it turned out to be Kai.

Marcellan unlocked our arms when he was close, his gaze shifting from me to Kai for a brief moment.

"Hi, love." His greeting was met with my disdain. "I promise you, it won’t feel any less like the Castle. Your health shall be taken care of, your comfort most cherished among every other thing you may require, and I’ll come to check on you from time to time."

"I don’t want to see you there."

To my surprise, my tone came out firmer than even when I’d rehearsed it in my head. Oh, the amount of practice I’d had while showering was uncountable.

"That’s impossible. What do you mean?"

"Simply how you cast me out of here. I don’t want to see you either. I shall stay at the House of Michaelson, and you shall remain in SilverFang Castle. Do not come and see me." I intensified the statement by raising my head.

Kai’s gaze shifted beyond my shoulder to where Marcellan stood.

"We didn’t converse or plan this behind your back like you did with me. I came up with this decision myself, just as you did yours," I continued.

"You don’t... you don’t understand me at all." Kai took a step forward, and I matched it by taking one back.

"Don’t touch me either."

At first, I’d opted not to speak with him, but I came to realize communication was the best way I could get back at him. Instead of letting it be healthy, though, I’d rather be vicious.

"I’m not casting you away, nor did I make a plan behind you. It’s protection, and it’s necessary."

I sighed, my heart plummeting in my chest for reasons best known to it. An unnerving sensation churned in my stomach too, causing it to twist.

"I shall take my leave, Alpha Kai."

Kai caught my arm, halting my steps. "No. We need to settle this."

"You will not control me. I’m not your slave." I yanked my hand from his and gave him the eye. "Do not expect to control my reaction when you won’t fix your own attitude."

When did I wake up today and decide to choose violence...?

Realizing I was shifting from performative anger to genuine anger, I hurriedly walked down the steps. Marcellan’s footsteps followed behind me. Clawface opened the car door for me, uttering,

"My Luna."

"Do not speak to me either," I shunned as I shoved myself into the back seat.

A frown settled over his forehead, followed by confusion, but he masked it within a second and merely thinned his lips before heading to the other side.

Kai remained where he stood, watching me from the distance. I stole a glance at him from the corner of my eye but didn’t make it obvious. The engine came alive, and we drove out of the Castle.

The drive was the most silent I’d ever been involved in. The awkwardness and inconvenience lurked in my chest, refusing to leave. But after what felt like endless torture, we eventually arrived at the new location.

We drove across a vast field where a fortress sat at its heart, and even from a distance the view was magnificent. Tall walls stretched toward the sky, banners danced lazily in the wind, and beyond them I could make out rooftops and towers kissed by the morning sun. Whatever annoyance I still held against Kai, my attention was instantly stolen.

"Wow..." I mouthed.