A Warrior Luna's Awakening Chapter 321-325
Chapter 321
Freya’s POV
I froze in place, my pulse still hammering from the chaos just moments ago. Then I saw him- Silas Whitmor, flanked by his usual shadow of guards, stride confidently into the casino. The atmosphere shifted immediately; every security guard seemed to tense, their instincts recognizing a higher authority. The tension between the two groups was palpable, a standoff crackling in the air like lightning waiting to strike.
The lead security officer stepped forward, narrowing his eyes at Silas. “These… they’re Whitmor’s people?” His voice was wary, cautious, the respect clear in his tone.
Silas gave a measured nod, but his gestures were precise. He pointed to me first. “She is.” Then he gestured to Kade Blackridge. “He isn’t. But both of them are leaving with me.”
The security officer hesitated, shifting his weight. “They caused a scene. They broke the rules of the casino. If we just let Whitmor take them, how can we enforce the rules in the future?”
Silas didn’t waste words. He pulled out his WolfComm and dialed a number with the calm authority that had earned him his position in the Ironclad Coalition. The subtle, low hum of wolf energy around him set everyone on edge.
“It’s Silas Whitmor,” he said. “I’m taking two people from your casino. As discussed, I can increase the profit share by 0.3%.”
The conversation was brief, but its impact immediate. The lead guard’s posture softened as he listened, tension draining from his muscles. A few moments later, he nodded curtly to his team, issuing commands to step back. Then, with a forced smile, he addressed Silas. “Very well, Whitmor. We’ll stand down. Enjoy your evening.”
The standoff evaporated as silently as it had appeared. The potential brawl that had seemed inevitable now dissolved into nothingness, leaving me breathless and still burning with adrenaline.
The moment the casino security moved away, I bolted out the door, my wolf senses prickling, scanning the bustling street outside. But there was no trace of him. Eric–my brother. Had I truly missed him? The thought tightened around my chest, each beat of my heart pounding with frustration and longing.
Then, something caught my eye–a small, precise detail that sent a spark through my mind. The surveillance cameras mounted at the entrance. Of course. If I could access the casino’s footage, I could track him: the exact vehicle he left in, maybe even his path afterward. With the right frame, I might identify him definitively.
1/3
14.02
Chapter 321
“Freya!” Kade’s voice was at my side, sharp and grounding. “Are you looking for Eric?”
+10 Free Coins
I nodded, determination and desperation mingling. “Yes. But I can’t find him outside. We have to get the surveillance footage.” My wolf rumbled low in my chest, furious at the delay. If the casino refused, I’d find a way to access it myself. I’d hack the system if I had to, claw my way through the digital locks, whatever it took.
Kade’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Give me a few days. I’ll handle it. With my family’s influence, we can find the right intermediary to negotiate access discreetly.”
Before I could respond, Silas‘ deep voice cut through the night air, smooth and commanding. “If you want the footage, I can get it for you immediately.”
I turned, startled. Silas Whitmor. Of course–Whitmore had extensive holdings in Deepmoor City, with partnerships, contracts, and influence in places like this. His presence alone made the odds shift in our favor.
“You… you can get the footage?” I asked, urgency burning in my tone. My wolf prowled impatiently, scenting the air, eager to find Eric.
“I did say I could,” he replied evenly, the authority behind his words leaving no room for doubt. “It will take some time, though. Perfect timing, too–it’s dinner hour. Why don’t we eat while we wait?”
I hesitated, then nodded. Quickly, I detailed the specific time window I needed for the footage, the locations within the casino we needed to see. My wolf senses were on edge, every moment without confirmation of Eric’s presence gnawing at me.
“I’ll come along,” Kade said, stepping beside me. “I doubt Whitmor would mind an extra person.”
Silas‘ amber eyes flicked briefly to Kade, sharp and unreadable. He said nothing but motioned to Wren, his assistant, who immediately moved into the casino to coordinate.
“The footage should be ready by the time we finish dinner,” Silas assured, his presence alone keeping everyone in check.
His car awaited at the casino entrance, sleek and black, exuding the sort of wolfish authority that only Silas could carry. His guards opened the door with precision and respect. Silas looked at me, eyes calm but calculating. “Not getting in?”
“I drove with Kade,” I said quickly, my voice tight. “Our car will follow yours.”
He tilted his head, wolfish instinct reading the tension in my posture. “And if I insisted you ride with me?”
2/3
A
14:03 Thu, Oct 9
Chapter 321
:
€678
+10 Free Coins
Kade smirked, tossing the car keys to one of Silas‘ guards. “Then someone else will have to drive ours.” He guided me into the passenger seat, his energy radiating calm confidence. Then, with a teasing edge, he looked back at Silas. “So, Silas, are you coming?”
For a moment, it was a standoff. Two alpha presences, each assessing the other, the air charged like a storm about to break. Silas finally lowered his gaze and eased into the back seat, Kade following suit.
The car hummed with tension, low and thick, the scent of wolf energy mingling in the confined space. My thoughts raced, over and over, circling the memory of the man I had seen in the elevator. Was it really Eric? Or was this some cruel trick fate had played on me? He had seen me too, but his eyes had been cold, distant, indifferent–like I was a stranger.
I shivered. Something was off.
Kade broke the silence, his voice low but steady. “I’ll cover the 0.3% extra profit for the casino. Consider it my contribution. After all, this whole situation–our little incident–it came from us.”
Silas‘ lips curved into a faint, wolfish smirk. “You’ll cover it? That 0.3% is sixty million. You’ll pay that?”
Chapter 322
Freya’s POV
+10 Free Coins
Kade snorted beside me. “Even though the Blackridge and Whitmore families don’t have the kind of wealth Silas does, sixty million isn’t exactly unattainable.”
I barely glanced at him, my focus consumed entirely by the lingering memory of Eric–the brother I hadn’t seen in years yet whose image haunted every nerve of me.
Silas Whitmor’s voice broke through the tension, calm but tinged with an edge of possessive pride. “It’s a shame. The money I’ve spent on my girlfriend isn’t meant to be covered by any other man.”
Kade’s jaw tensed. “She’s not your girlfriend anymore. You two broke up.”
A small, almost wolfish smile curved Silas‘ lips. “I never said we broke up. We’re merely taking a temporary separation. Nothing more.”
The air in the car grew heavier, thick with unspoken dominance. Kade and Silas, two alphas in close quarters, their presence alone charged every molecule around them. The driver’s hands tightened around the wheel, white–knuckled and trembling. If a fight broke out in the backseat, even in Deepmoor City, the fallout would be catastrophic.
I kept my eyes downcast, pretending to nibble at the corners of my thoughts like a careful huntress, though my mind was anything but calm. Eric. That single thought clawed at my chest. My wolf was restless, pacing behind my ribs, sniffing the air for the familiar scent that had eluded me for far too long.
When we arrived at one of D–country’s finer restaurants, my body remained tense, every sense alert. We entered a private dining room, away from the prying eyes and ears of the city’s bustling elite. The waitstaff barely dared breathe in our presence–Silas exuded a wolfish authority that silenced the room.
Once seated, menus momentarily forgotten, Silas leaned back, his amber eyes assessing me like a wolf tracking its prey. “You want the surveillance footage. Is there a lead?”
I nodded, my fingers unconsciously drumming against the table. “In the casino… I saw someone who looked exactly like Eric. But when he saw me, there was no reaction. And by the time I tried to reach him, the casino security blocked me.”
Silas‘ expression darkened, muscles tightening under his tailored suit. The slightest tremor
your brother?” touched his voice as he asked, “You… saw someone like
1/3
14:03 Thu, Oct 9
Chapter 322
67
+10 Free Coins
“Yes,” I said, my voice steady but my heart threatening to tear itself free from my chest. Appearance alone told me it had to be him, though his elegant attire and cold, distant gaze seeded doubt. Was it really Eric, or was fate mocking me?
Silas‘ tension was palpable now, far greater than mine. He understood the stakes better than anyone. If Eric were alive, there might still be a chance for reconciliation. But if he truly wasn’t… the weight of that possibility was unbearable, and I could sense Silas‘ wolf instincts bristling in response.
I picked at my food absentmindedly, the taste bitter and hollow. Kade, ever observant, nudged me with his fork. “Don’t just eat rice. Eat a little of the food too.”
I sighed, my wolf growling low and restless, “I know… I just… I can’t focus on eating right now.”
Kade’s hand hovered over mine, warm, grounding. “No matter what happens, I’m with you. We’ll find him–Eric–together.”
I looked up at him, taken aback by the intensity in his gaze. In the past, I had taken Kade’s words as the loyalty of a comrade, a protective elder brother figure. But now, his promise felt… heavier, layered with a personal devotion that made my wolf stir uneasily, like it could sense the bond was more than mere blood.
Silas sat across from me, his hands clenched around his chopsticks, knuckles white. The veins in his forearms threatened to surface, taut and pulsing, as he controlled the storm coiled within him. He had just about to snap his fingers when his WolfComm vibrated. Wren’s voice came through.
“Silas, the surveillance footage you requested is ready. Sending it now.”
My heart thudded painfully against my ribs. I leaned forward, eyes locked on the screen as the files transferred to Silas‘ device. “Have the videos arrived?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, trembling with anticipation.
Silas‘ amber eyes met mine. “Yes. You can check if they’re what you’re looking for.” He forwarded the files, and I immediately opened them.
The footage played, each frame sharp and precise. There–entering the elevator, a side profile that made my pulse race–and there–exiting, flanked by strangers, his movement measured, controlled. He stepped into a sleek gray business vehicle, the license plate captured clearly in the camera’s unforgiving eye.
I pointed at the screen, almost breathless. “We can track him from this plate, can’t we? Find him?”
Silas nodded, already tapping commands into his device. “Of course. I’ll have my team find
2/3
14:03 Thu, Oct 9
Chapter 322
out exactly who he is.”
:
67
+10 Free Coins
Kade leaned closer, the wolfish glint in his eyes reassuring. He understood the subtle intricacies of Silas‘ influence in D–country–his reach, his intelligence network, unparalleled. Tracking someone through Silas‘ channels would be quicker, more precise than anything I could manage alone.
“Thank you,” I murmured, feeling the tight coil of tension in my chest ease slightly, though my wolf still prowled, restless.
Dinner passed almost mechanically. Kade and I were preparing to leave, to wait at the hotel for news, when Silas‘ hand suddenly caught my arm. A grip both commanding and gentle.
“I need to speak with you,” he said, his gaze flicking meaningfully toward Kade.
I tilted my head, wary but attentive. “What is it?”
Silas‘ voice was low, controlled, almost wolfish in its patience. “I want it to be just the two of us. Alone.”
Chapter 323
Freya’s POV
+20 Free Coins
Kade let out a cold snort beside me, his tone sharp enough to cut through the thick tension in the room. “What, Silas? You can’t say what you want to say openly?”
I caught the way his eyes flicked between us, the subtle edge of a wolf waiting to pounce, but Silas ignored him entirely, amber eyes fixed on me. “Is that acceptable?”
I pressed my lips together, inhaling sharply through my nose, trying to steady the storm inside. “Yes… that’s fine.”
Then I turned to Kade, forcing a calmness I didn’t feel. “You should head back to the hotel. I’ll come back once I finish talking with Silas.”
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. He had already expected this. After all, today Silas had done more than anyone else to help me. Kade’s loyalty was a shield, but he also knew when his presence might interfere.
“Alright,” Kade said, voice steady despite the tension in his broad shoulders. “I’ll head back. Contact me immediately if anything comes up.”
I gave a brief nod. “I understand.”
As Kade left, the room seemed to shrink, leaving only Silas and me in the private dining area. Silence pressed against us, thick and suffocating, like the wolf inside me was pacing, restless, impatient.
“What do you want to say?” I asked, trying to sound even, though my pulse thumped against my ribs like a war drum.
Silas hesitated, and I noticed the way his jaw tightened, the faint glint of something unspoken flickering in his gaze. “If… if the man you saw today is truly your brother, then… when you finally find him, could things… could we… go back to how it was?”
I froze. “What?”
He stood, moving closer, his presence overwhelming, wolfish in its intensity. “You were going to break up with me because I hid the truth about seeing your brother, because I didn’t save him when I should have. But now… if I give everything I have, every resource, every ounce of myself to help you find him, could you forgive me?”
His amber eyes glimmered, expectant, vulnerable beneath the wolfish mask of control.
1/3
38
Chapter 323
+20 Free Coins
I swallowed, trying to rein in the rush of conflicting emotions. “I would be grateful if you helped me find him,” I said carefully, each word deliberate. “But… for me, this is separate from our relationship.”
“Separate?” His brow furrowed, a sharp crease cutting into his perfect features.
“Yes. Separate.” I met his gaze, feeling the old sting of trust shattered and the ghost of pain from the past. “Silas… the biggest reason I broke up with you wasn’t because of him–it was because I could no longer truly trust you. Every word you say now, I would question: is it truth or deception? I would always wonder, always doubt.”
The wolf in me growled low at the thought, the instinctive need for loyalty and honesty twisting painfully in my chest. “That’s not the kind of love I want. I told you before–I need a love where trust is absolute, where at any moment, I know my partner will stand by me, no matter what.”
Silas‘ fingers flexed, and the muscles along his jaw tightened. “Then let’s rebuild it,” he said, voice low, almost a growl. “I will make you trust me again!”
I gave a bitter laugh, the sound hollow. Trust isn’t rebuilt with words. If it were, the world wouldn’t be littered with betrayal.
“I… I can’t, Silas,” I said, voice trembling slightly, the wolf in me bristling as if it sensed the danger of false hope.
Before I could continue, his fingers pressed lightly against my lips. “Don’t speak. Consider it a gift… for today, for what I’ve done for you.”
The weight of his presence pressed down on me, wolf instincts surging in response. I could feel the raw power emanating from him–the predator who could tear through barriers, both physical and emotional.
I exhaled slowly and pulled his hand away, stepping back slightly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll
go
back to the hotel now.”
I turned, intending to leave, when his arms suddenly wrapped around me from behind, firm and unyielding, but not rough–protective, possessive, insistent.
“Freya,” he murmured close to my ear, his voice low, vibrating against my skin. “No matter what you think about us, your brother–I will find him. Whatever the cost, I will bring him back to you. You don’t have to risk yourself for this. Let me take the danger, let me gather the intelligence, the leads–you just stay safe.”
I tried to pull away, the pressure on my chest heavy, my wolf bristling at the closeness. “Silas… you don’t need to do this.”
2/3
18:14 Fri, Oct 10
Chapter 323
38
+20 Free Coins
“I promised,” he said, voice firm, almost a growl. “I am your spear, your shield, your force. Use me however you need–just don’t put yourself in danger.”
The words struck me like a tidal wave, heavy and suffocating, the weight of responsibility and power pressing down on my chest. I could feel my wolf stir uncasily, a growl deep and low, restless and protective.
When I finally returned to the hotel, Kade was waiting, his posture alert. “Silas didn’t trouble you, did he?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head, still tasting the echo of Silas‘ intensity.
Kade exhaled in relief but then frowned, guilt flickering across his features. “I should have been better prepared. If I had, we wouldn’t have needed Silas‘ help.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I said quietly, voice carrying the weariness of my hunt. “I was too impulsive. My focus was on finding Eric. I couldn’t care about danger or consequences–I just needed to see him, to know if he’s alive.”
Night fell, and I lay in bed, eyes squeezed shut, cold sweat clinging to my forehead. Shadows twisted in the corners of the room, my wolf restless and alert, ears twitching at every faint sound.
A sudden memory jolted me awake, heart hammering. “No… Eric!”
Darkness pressed in, and for a moment I was lost in the nightmare–the echoes of Eric being hurt, humiliated, and me, powerless to intervene.
A sharp jolt of awareness hit me. I bolted upright. My chest heaving, eyes wide and scanning the room. Someone was here.
Chapter 324
Silas’s POV
+20 Free Coins
I perched on the edge of the armchair by Freya’s bed, letting the quiet of her room seep into me. Moonlight spilled through the half–drawn curtains, just enough to outline her sleeping form on the bed. Even without the lights, I could see her–every curve, every soft detail–and my wolf throbbed with the same ache it always did when she was near.
“Having a nightmare?” I asked softly, my voice a low murmur in the otherwise still room. The words felt inadequate, but I couldn’t help it. My presence, my voice–I needed to be here, just near her, even if she didn’t know it yet.
She exhaled, a shiver running through her, and switched on the bedside lamp. Warm light spilled across the room, and I saw her fully.
Her eyes widened slightly as they landed on me. “Silas… what are you doing in my room?”
I gave a sheepish shrug, though my wolf bristled at the intrusion. “I was bringing you some files… but you were asleep when I arrived.” I let my gaze linger on her, drinking in the way her eyelashes rested against her cheeks, the small rise and fall of her chest. Days apart from her had made me realize the depth of my need–I craved even this small proximity.
Freya’s lips pressed together, a frown forming. “So… you used the hotel to get my room key?” “I’m… sorry,” I admitted. My amber eyes dimmed with the weight of my intrusion.
Her glare cut sharper than any fang. “If you were truly sorry, you wouldn’t have come in here without permission.”
I lowered my gaze, a flicker of pain crossing me. My wolf growled low in my chest, instinctively defensive, yet I knew she was right. “Alright. I understand. It won’t happen again.”
She finally softened, her voice calm but firm. “What files?”
I extended the folder toward her. “About the man you saw earlier… the one you thought might be Eric.”
She snatched the folder, her fingers trembling slightly as she flipped it open. My wolf tensed- her need to see the truth, her drive to hunt for answers–it mirrored my own. The first page held a photo: the man in the elevator, unmistakably the one she had seen.
I watched her intently as she scanned the details. His name was Parker Williams, a member of a powerful foreign family, recognized only three years ago as their legitimate heir after being
1/3
Chapter 324
638
+20 Free Coins
hidden away as a private son. His rise had been deliberate, methodical, and his earlier life was curiously absent from public record–brushed away as though it had never existed. Officially, he was said to have grown up in obscurity until the previous heir’s sudden death left a place
for him to fill.
Freya’s brow furrowed. “A private son… recognized three years ago… this doesn’t match Eric’s timeline exactly, does it?”
“No,” I said carefully, my fingers tightening around the edge of the chair. “But the files I’ve pulled are accurate. If there’s a connection, it’s buried deeper. The photos from three years ago are all we have publicly. To trace him further back, it’ll take time.”
Her jaw clenched, and I could feel her tension radiating like a heat wave. Her wolf was already sniffing, pawing through instinct and anxiety. “Can we find photos of him from five years ago? Maybe even earlier?” she asked. “If he resembles Eric, it should show up. I need to know for sure.”
I shook my head slowly. “Publicly, there’s nothing older than these three years. To dig deeper… that’ll take resources, time, and access to private archives. It’s possible, but not immediate.”
She let out a frustrated sigh, leaning back on her elbows. “I know I’m being impatient. But… this concerns Eric. I can’t wait.”
I softened, my wolf curling protectively, sensing her desperation. “I understand, Freya. We’ll get him, no matter what it takes.”
Her gaze sharpened, fierce and determined. “Where is he now? I want to see him.”
I hesitated, then met her eyes. “Tomorrow night, there’s a gala. Parker Williams will be attending. I can get you in. You’ll see him there.”
Her face lit up, a flash of hope piercing the worry in her eyes. “Then I’ll go.”
“But,” I added, letting my wolf’s protective instinct tint my words, “your attendance will be as my companion. Discretion is critical.”
Freya’s jaw set, unwavering. “Fine. That’s not the issue. Seeing Eric… that matters more than anything.”
I nodded, and for a moment, the room fell into silence. I felt the pull of her wolf, the tension of her need, and the distance between us, still wide, still raw.
She yawned slightly, exhaustion creeping in. “Anything else, or can I try to sleep now?”
I hesitated, a surge of instinctive need to protect her rising. “May I… stay by your side while
2/3
18:14 Fri, Oct 10
Chapter 324
you sleep? Just hold your hand… I won’t do anything you don’t want.”
She shook her head. “We… can’t. Not anymore.”
+20 Free Coins
I sighed, a low rumble vibrating in my chest, my wolf snarling at the walls I could not breach. “Very well. I won’t force it. I’ll leave. But never doubt… I’ll do whatever it takes to help you. Always.”
Freya’s soft “thank you” followed me as I stood. I lingered, wanting to imprint every detail of her face into memory, every curve and shadow of her in this soft lamplight. Then, finally, I retreated to my own room.
I retrieved the sleeping aid from my bedside, the dose steadily increasing, yet even with it, falling asleep became a harder task each night. I swallowed, lying back on the mattress, my hand lingering on the photo I had taken of her earlier.
Her smile shone from the glossy paper–Freya, brilliant and fierce, yet so achingly human. My wolf growled softly in the quiet room.
“Freya,” I whispered hoarsely, letting the sound drift through the darkened space, “may tonight bring sleep… and dreams of you.”
Even if it was only in dreams, I needed to see her smile, to hear her name on her lips, to imagine a world where we had never parted.
Even if only for one night.
Chapter 325
+20 Free Cous
I slid the packet of documents Silas had secured into Kade’s hands the next morning. The paper still smelled faimly of iron and smoke, the scent of Whitmor always clinging to the things he touched.
Kade skimmed the first page, his brow furrowing. “Three years ago, Parker was only just claimed by the Whitmors as their long–lost bastard son. And three years ago, records in the Capital weren’t exactly transparent.” He looked up, eyes narrowing with a quiet spark of realization. “It could still be Eric, Freya. There’s a chance your brother is tied to this.”
My chest tightened. The name of my brother was a wound that never healed, always raw when touched. “That’s why I intend to see Parker Williams face–to–face at the banquet tonight,” I said evenly. “Only then can I confirm anything. Some truths don’t live on paper. They live in the eyes of the person across from you.”
“You’re going to confront Parker?” Kade’s voice cracked in surprise, wolf–sharp and protective.
“Yes. Silas told me Parker will attend tonight. He has the invitations. I’ll go with him.”
Kade straightened, almost bristling. “Then I’ll go too.”
I gave him a measured look. “The banquet requires an invitation. You don’t-”
“An invitation?” His lips curved into a half–smile, full of the arrogance only a wolf born to privilege could pull off. “That’s nothing. Consider it handled. Sister, if all you need is a way inside, you don’t have to lean on Silas Whitmor. I can take you.”
Before I could answer, Silas’s voice cut through the quiet like the snap of a trap. “So, Kade, you’d have her use you, then toss me aside? Burn the bridge once you’ve crossed it?”
I turned sharply, catching the sight of him striding toward us with that unhurried grace predators wore before they struck. He claimed the empty seat beside me as if it had always belonged to him, his presence overwhelming the air.
Kade’s mouth twisted into a sneer. “She came with me. Why shouldn’t she walk into a hall by my side?”
The tension between them was a palpable thing, like the charge in the air before a thunderstorm. Both males, both stubborn, circling each other in silent challenge.
“Enough.” I raised my voice, cutting clean through the growl beneath their words. “If it’s such a
1/3
12:16 Sat, Oct 11 M
Chapter 325
problem, then the three of us will go together. Or I’ll go alone.”
+20 Free Coins
That silenced them. They locked eyes, neither willing to back down. But a moment later, they both exhaled, almost in unison.
“Then three it is,” they said, voices overlapping.
Only then did I allow myself a breath of relief.
By afternoon, Kade had gone to secure an invitation of his own, and I found myself in Silas’s company once more. He led me to a styling salon in the heart of Deepmoor City, where the walls glittered with mirrors and racks of gowns shimmered like cascading waterfalls.
I carried only the barest essentials when I came to this country. Not a single dress fit for the kind of stage Parker Williams would appear on.
As we stepped inside, I glanced at Silas. Shadows clung under his eyes, a bruise–dark exhaustion hidden poorly beneath his composure. “You didn’t sleep last night, did you?”
He blinked, clearly not expecting the question. Then, slowly, a smile touched his lips. “Are you… worrying about me, Freya?”
My lips pressed into a thin line. “Don’t misunderstand. It was just an observation. You don’t have to answer.”
“But what if I do?” His tone dipped, lower, almost intimate. “What if I tell you I haven’t slept well since we parted? That I close my eyes and find only silence too loud to bear. Would you pity me? Would you take my hand again–heal me the way only you ever could?”
I stopped short, heart hammering, though I forced my voice to stay even. “If your sleeplessness is that severe, you should see a doctor.”
His eyes caught mine, unflinching. “And what if no medicine works? What if only you can cure me?”
The space between us thickened with unspoken history. I tore my gaze away. “Silas, I’m not a doctor. And I won’t play at being one.”
For a moment, his expression was unreadable. Then he only exhaled, the fight leaving his shoulders. “You’re right. You’re not.” He let it drop, guiding me toward the rows of dresses instead.
I moved among silks and satins, letting the attendants bring me gown after gown. Silas stayed behind on a leather sofa, his presence like a wolf crouched in shadow–silent, watchful, unyielding.
2/3
12:16 Sat, Oct 11 M…
Chapter 325
+20 Free Coins
I could feel his gaze even as I slipped behind the curtain to change. It burned hotter than any lamp, a reminder of every tether he still believed tied me to him.
His insomnia wasn’t a mystery to me. I knew his past–how he’d watched his mother’s blood soak the floor, how her death had hollowed him out until sleep itself turned traitor. He had clawed his way back to stability once, rebuilt himself piece by piece until he could close his eyes without drowning.
But since our parting, that fragile balance had shattered again. I could hear it in the rasp of his breath, see it in the tightness at the corner of his jaw. The healers warned him, he said. His nights were shortening, his grip on rest slipping fast. If it worsened, madness might not be far behind.
When I stepped out at last, clad in a gown the color of pale dawn, his silence broke.
“Beautiful,” he whispered, almost reverent.
I adjusted the fall of the fabric self–consciously. “It’s simple enough. At a banquet like tonight’s, I’ll hardly stand out. There will be plenty more beautiful than me.”
He rose, closing the distance in two strides. “No,” he said firmly. “Not to me. To me, you are the only one who shines.” His hand lifted, brushing against my cheek, warm and unbearably familiar. “You’re the star I’ve chased in every dark sky, Freya. Without you, there’s nothing but night.”
The rawness in his voice startled me. For an instant, I almost faltered. Almost.
I stepped back, severing the touch. “Don’t. Silas, my focus is finding Eric. Until I have my brother back, I can’t afford to think of anything else.”
His lashes lowered, shadowing his eyes. “I understand.”
But even as he spoke, I could see the truth in him. For me, everything came back to Eric. For him, everything circled back to me.
He swallowed hard, his voice rougher when it came again. “Freya… no one wishes you success more than I do. I want you to find your brother, to bring him home. More than anything.”