Chapter 157: Who Was It?
The wolf’s lifeless eyes were honey-colored—the kind of hue that might have once ignited a familiar warmth in her chest. Yet now, that warmth was nowhere to be found, replaced instead by the icy stillness of dead embers, sending shivers crawling down her spine.
Something about the wolf nagged at her, tugging at a memory buried too deep to retrieve. The tingling sensation in her head warned her that perhaps it was better left forgotten.
"Well?" Kai’s voice broke the silence, sharp and insistent. "What do you think?"
Lorelai swallowed hard, her throat tightening. She didn’t want to appear timid in front of her fiancé. "It’s... beautiful," she managed, her voice steady despite the unease prickling at her skin.
"Ha!" Kai’s loud exclamation cut through the room like a crack of thunder, making Lorelai flinch. The stillness of the trophy room only amplified the sudden noise, jarring her senses.
"Do you like wolves?" he pressed, his tone almost mocking as he took a step closer to her. "Since when? You used to scowl at me whenever I brought you pelts from my hunting trips."
Lorelai hesitated, chewing on her lower lip. She couldn’t say for sure whether she liked wolves or not. Nor could she recall how many times she had berated Kai for his hunting habits in the past. But as his intense gaze bore into her, demanding an answer, she realized that only one response would satisfy him.
"I love everything you give me, Your Majesty," she said softly.
Her words rang hollow, devoid of the emotion he so desperately sought. Kai’s frown deepened, disappointment flickering across his features. Still, he forced a smile and stepped closer, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek.