Chapter 53 Journey to Mooncrest hall 2

Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Journey to Mooncrest hall 2

Talia’s POV

I climbed into the back seat and set my bag beside me, and I felt the leather cold against my legs.

Jax slid into the seat beside me, and he smiled, but his eyes were serious.

"First time to Mooncrest Hall?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered in a small voice.

"It is impressive and big, you will see," he said, smiling.

I just nodded, because I did not feel like talking.

More cars and trucks lined up behind us, and wolves filed into them, with their voices loud and excited. Some were dressed in their finest clothes, while others carried banners, decorations, and pots of food and drinks into the trucks for the celebration.

I watched them through the window as families, some children, elders, and servants filled cars and trucks behind the car I was in.

And somewhere in that crowd, Piper was hiding, as she had told me she would blend in with the servants. I scanned the faces of the servants I could see, but I did not see her.

I just hoped she was safe, and I hoped she had found a good disguise.

The car in front of us, which was probably carrying Alpha Aldric, started to move away, and Silas shifted into gear, and we followed.

Kaelen sat in the front passenger seat, but he did not look at me.

Silas turned the wheel, and the car rolled forward.

The journey was silent, as trees passed by the window, one after another, like soldiers standing guard. The sky was gray, and heavy with clouds that looked like they had not yet decided if they wanted to rain or not.

I watched the landscape change, and the familiar territory of Blackmoor Valley gave way to roads I had never traveled.

Jax did not try to talk to me, Silas kept his eyes on the road, and Cain sat in the back end of the car, with his arms crossed, and his eyes closed. But he was not asleep, and I could tell by the way his jaw tightened every time the car hit a bump.

And Kaelen sat in the front, with his back straight, and his gray eyes fixed on the road ahead.

He did not look at me, or rather, he was pretending not to look at me, because I could feel his eyes on me.

Every few minutes, he would glance at the rearview mirror just for a second, then he would look away.

I did not know if he was really watching me or just watching the road behind us, but I could feel his eyes on me.

The hours passed slowly, the trees thinned, and the road widened. The sky cleared, and the sun broke through the clouds, shining brightly.

Jax fell asleep against the window, Cain’s eyes were still closed, Silas hummed a tune I did not recognize, as he kept his hands steady on the wheel, and Kaelen sat in the front, very silent and still.

I watched the back of his head, his dark hair, the line of his jaw, and the way his hands rested on his legs, very relaxed but ready.

He was so still like a statue, and like nothing in the world could move him. I wished I could be that still, that calm, and that sure. But I was none of those things.

I was a storm inside, and he did not even know.

He had warned me about Vivienne last night. He had told me to stay by his side during the celebration, and he had sent me dresses and shoes and a bag for the journey. But he had barely looked at me for weeks.

I wanted to ask, because I really wanted to know if he cared for me, or if he was just doing his duty. But the words would not come.

"We will arrive in two hours," Silas said.

Jax stirred. "Finally."

Cain opened his eyes, and he looked at me just for a moment, before he looked away.

Kaelen turned his head and looked at me through the rearview mirror.

This time, his gray eyes met mine, and I held his gaze. He did not look away first, but I did.

I looked out the window and watched the trees pass by with speed.

Two more hours, then we would be in Mooncrest Hall, and I would have to face Vivienne and Celeste.

I touched my necklace, and felt the glamour charm still sitting calmly on my neck, and still hiding my real face. But I knew it was not for long.

I thought about Vivienne and Celeste, who waited for me at Mooncrest Hall—the stepmother and stepsister who had made my life hell for fifteen years.

I thought about Piper, hidden somewhere in the crowd, waiting to reach Mooncrest Hall, and watching my back.

I thought about Nora, who was still waiting for word from her cousin Elara, but still had not gotten any feedback from her before we left Blackmoor Valley.

I thought about Kaelen, sitting in front of me, silent and unreadable, and I thought about my mother, the fire, and the promise I made to myself to find out the truth about what happened to her.

’I would find out soon,’ I whispered.

Jax’s eyes opened and he turned to stare at me, and I quickly gave a small awkward smile.

Then I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the window.𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚