Chapter 106: I never knew he was a wolf
Kian walked into the stone palace, the thick stone walls closing in around him as he passed through the open entrance. His footsteps were muted against the ground, but his thoughts were loud in his head, the gnawing concern over Isabella’s state pressing heavily against him.
He made his way through the simple stone hallways, avoiding the flickering shadows cast by the few sparse torches, until he reached a room near the far end. It wasn’t much—just a small area carved out of the stone with an open space for air and light to pour in from the cracks in the walls. The room was only a short walk away from the entrance, but it felt worlds apart from the stifling darkness of the other chambers.
He set Isabella down carefully onto the pile of animal hides strewn across the floor. The thick pelts were rough, but they would provide warmth, at least. The room was small, but it was enough. Enough for her to breathe.
Isabella’s body was limp, her breathing shallow as she lay there. She had overexerted herself even just to mutter those few words—"Oh... more fresh air,"—but now her body had nothing left to give. Kian could see the faint sheen of sweat across her face, her skin pale and clammy, but there was something in her eyes that made his chest tighten.
He stood above her, arms crossed tightly over his chest as he stared down at her. His usual icy demeanor hadn’t softened, not even for her. But there was something stirring deep inside, an unfamiliar tug at the edges of his thoughts. He didn’t understand it.
The others—Shelia, Opehlia, and Luca—had followed him in, lingering at the entrance, hesitant to come closer. They watched him, their faces a mix of concern and uncertainty. Shelia had her arms folded, trying to remain calm, while Opehlia’s face was pale with worry. Luca stood rigid beside her, his eyes flicking between Kian and Isabella, unsure of what to do.
Kian gave them a glance—cold, dismissive. "You don’t need to be here."
His voice was harsh, almost as if he resented their presence, but in reality, he couldn’t understand why they cared so much. He didn’t know what it was about Isabella that made them act so... human. The others, they didn’t matter to him, but Isabella? She was different. She always had been, even when he tried not to notice.
The silence stretched, broken only by the sound of Isabella’s faint breaths. Kian’s gaze fell on her again, this time softening for a split second, before he turned sharply away and strode to the stone wall. He needed to get out of here, to leave her with the others. He wasn’t good with this kind of thing.