Chapter 36

Kayla

I stood frozen in the hallway as Nora disappeared around the corner. Despite myself, despite every wall I had worked so hard to keep up, my hands trembled slightly around the tray.

Why did I feel so… hurt?

Shaking my head, I turned away and headed back down to the kitchen without even bringing Nicholas the tea. It wasn’t any of my business what Nicholas did or who he did it with. We weren’t together like that.

Our relationship was nothing more than a facade, a necessary arrangement to keep the guild at bay. Nothing more. Hell, we hadn’t even openly discussed our relationships with other people yet. He could do whatever he wanted.

Still, the image of Nora in his study, standing there in her nightgown, wouldn’t go away anytime soon.

Returning to the kitchen, I set the tray down on the counter with a little more force than I meant to, causing the teacup to rattle against the saucer.

“Everything okay?”

I jumped slightly, turning to see Emma leaning against the doorway with her camera slung around her neck as per usual. Her bright eyes studied me curiously.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a smile. “Just a bit restless tonight, I think.”

Emma tilted her head and gestured in the direction of the door. “Well, if you’re not busy or too tired, I was just about to go for a walk. The moon is gorgeous tonight, and I wanted to get some shots. Care to join me?”

I hesitated for a moment, glancing at the clock. It was nearly midnight, but I was too high strung after the day’s events to sleep just yet. Finally, I nodded. “Sure, I could use some fresh air. Just let me grab my coat.”

A few minutes later, we were strolling through the estate grounds, the cool night air crisp against our cheeks. I threw my jacket on over my flannel pajamas, tugged on a beanie, and stuffed my feet into my boots, surely looking like a hot mess.

But Emma was right; it really was a beautiful night. The moon hung low and full in the night sky, casting a silvery glow over the sprawling estate’s gardens. Emma stopped occasionally to snap photos, chattering all the while.

“Look at this one,” she said, holding out the camera. The image captured the moon peeking through the branches of an old oak tree, its light reflecting off a small pond below.

“Wow, that’s beautiful,” I murmured, genuinely impressed. Emma really did have an eye for photography.

She beamed. “Thanks! Nights like these make for the best photos.”

We walked a bit further, the conversation flowing easily. After a while, I gathered the courage to ask the question that had been nagging at me all night.

“Emma, can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she replied as she adjusted the strap of her camera.

“What’s the story with Nicholas and Nora?”

Emma raised an eyebrow. When she glanced at me, there was a mischievous glint in her eye. “Why do you ask?”

I shrugged, trying my best to appear as nonchalant as possible. “Just curious. Nora seems… smitten.”

She chuckled softly and waved her hand. “That’s because she is. They dated casually a few years back, but it never really went anywhere. Nora turned out to be more trouble than she’s worth. But I’m sure you could have figured that out on your own.”

I nodded slowly. “Did they ever… hook up?”

Emma snorted and shook her head. “If they did, trust me, Nora would have made sure everyone on this side of the ocean knew about it. She loves to brag. Especially when it comes to her darling Nicholas.”

A small wave of relief washed over me, and I felt a bit silly for being so concerned. Maybe they hadn’t slept together after all; maybe Nora was just bugging Nicholas. “I see,” I replied quietly, stuffing my hands deeper into my pockets.

Emma glanced at me sideways with a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Why the sudden interest?”

“No reason,” I said quickly, perhaps a little too quickly. “Just curiosity, that’s all.”

“Uh-huh,” she teased, nudging me lightly with her elbow. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think Nicholas has his eyes elsewhere these days.”

I felt heat rise to my cheeks, but I didn’t have a response to that.

Before our conversation could continue, a group of werewolves in their wolf forms bounded into view, playfully chasing each other across the open field. Their fur glistened under the moonlight, and their joyful yips filled the air.

Emma’s face lit up immediately. “Oh! I didn’t know they were having a run tonight.”

I smiled softly at her enthusiasm. “You should join them,” I said, nudging her. “I can take your camera back to the house for you.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, biting her lip. “I don’t want to leave you alone…”

I waved her off and took her camera from her outstretched hand. “Go ahead. I’ll be fine. Enjoy yourself.”

Her grin widened. “Thanks, Kayla! I’ll catch up with you later.”

With that, she took off across the dewy grass toward the others. In a fluid motion, she shifted into her sleek wolf form, her hazel fur shimmering under the moonlight. She quickly joined the rest of the group, adding to the blur of fur and playful howls.

I watched the group for a moment, raising her camera and snapping a picture of the scene. But as I watched them disappear into the distant treeline, a bittersweet ache settled in my chest. Their freedom, their connection—it was something I could never truly experience. Not without my own wolf, at least.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turned and made my way back to the house.

The walk back was quiet, the cool air doing little to soothe the heaviness I felt in my chest. Once inside, I climbed the stairs to my room. Crawling under the blankets, I curled up tightly, allowing a single tear to escape before hastily wiping it away.

I fell asleep like that, holding a pillow throughout the entire night.

The next morning, I descended the stairs to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Entering the kitchen, I found Nicholas already there. He had a bright smile on his face as he poured himself a cup.

“Morning,” I mumbled, avoiding his gaze as I reached for a mug.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he replied cheerfully, his voice almost sing-songy.

I eyed him cautiously. His unusually good mood only served to remind me of Nora’s little late-night visit. Maybe they had after all… But, pushing the thought aside, I focused on stirring cream into my coffee.

“You’re up early,” I remarked.

He shrugged, still grinning. “Couldn’t sleep. Figured I’d get a head start on the day.”

“Uh-huh,” I replied noncommittally, taking a sip.

He leaned against the counter, studying me. “You seem... more grouchy than usual, which is saying something. Everything alright?”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly.

“If you say so…”

We stood in silence for a moment, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall. Finally, he set his cup down and clapped his hands together.

“Alright, enough moping around,” he declared.

I frowned. “I’m not moping.”

He smirked. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Rolling my eyes, I turned away. “If you’re just here to annoy me—”

“Actually,” he interrupted, stepping into my path, “I had something else in mind.”

I stopped abruptly in my tracks and nearly sloshed my coffee out of my cup. “Oh?” I asked, glancing up at him warily.

He grinned mischievously, grabbed my shoulders, and began wheeling me toward the stairs.

“Get dressed. Today, we’re going out.”