Chapter 77: Chapter 77
Kyra’s POV
Day two of hiding in Emily’s house. The scent of pine from the air did little to calm my nerves. I felt like it had already been a thousand years. Living alone was really not for me. I felt like I might lose my mind every time the hands of the clock moved. I was just thankful that I had a pup. At least I could pass the time talking to the life inside me, even if my wolf, Sylvia, growled softly in disapproval at my weakness.
While sitting on the couch eating my sandwich, I flipped on the television—only to freeze in shock when the screen lit up with the Raven Shadow Pack’s official news channel. How the hell did Emily even have access to the werewolves’ restricted broadcast network? My blood ran cold as Kieran Carver’s face filled the screen alongside Emily’s, splashed across a breaking news headline: ’Monroe Group CEO and Gold Empire Heir Announce Mating Ceremony.’
My eyes widened in shock at the news. Emily hadn’t told me about this. What kind of game was Kieran playing now?
Following the news was a live interview with Kieran and Emily.
I felt goosebumps as I looked at Kieran’s eyes—blue and predatory, like his wolf, Ronan—staring straight into the camera. I felt like he was looking at me, and the dominance in his gaze made my instincts scream to submit.
Swallowing hard, I sat up straighter on the couch and waited for the interview to start. I listened carefully as the host introduced the two and finally mentioned their upcoming mating ceremony.
"You’ve shocked the entire supernatural business world with this announcement," the host said. "Does this mean you’ve been courting in secret?"
I stared at Emily’s face as she opened her mouth to speak. "This is... unexpected. I didn’t even know I was about to be mated."
She didn’t know? I didn’t have much background about Emily, but, given the situation, I could tell that her family held some power within the shifter elite. I’d worked in Nathan’s pack-run company before. Why hadn’t I heard about Emily’s family? Even if it wasn’t the same territory, I would’ve heard of them if they were influential.
Emily shifted her weight and I noticed the subtle tension in her posture—unnatural for a wolf comfortable with her Alpha. She crossed her legs and looked at the camera, smiling sweetly. "Once I’m mated to this Alpha, I won’t let him go. Sorry to all the she-wolves who had their eyes on him."
I pressed my lips together as Emily laughed with the host. Sylvia snarled in my mind. "She didn’t seem entirely willing."
I turned the television off and pulled myself up. I looked around. Tomorrow was the day. I was still scared that Kieran might find me, but I would take this opportunity to escape. Emily was right. Three days was enough for an Alpha like Kieran to track me. If Emily’s family was really powerful, I thought Kieran was mating her to strengthen his pack’s alliances.
My passport and ship ticket arrived just before midnight. I didn’t see who delivered the parcel, but I assumed it was because Emily wanted it to be delivered secretly.
Sylvia paced restlessly in my mind. "We should trust her."
I went to bed early that night, and as soon as the sun appeared the next morning, I prepared myself to leave. I wore the disguise exactly as Emily had instructed—a faded hooded jacket over my maternity dress, the fabric carrying the faint scent of human laundry. I secured the hideous sunhat low over my brow. Perfectly ordinary, perfectly forgettable.
I ate breakfast and cleaned the house, not wanting to leave any trace of me staying here.
I took a cab straight to the port’s passenger terminal. The clothes I was wearing hid my belly bump, and truly, no one would recognize me like this.
Inside the passenger terminal, while I was in line, I suddenly felt suffocated. My disguise wasn’t heavy or uncomfortable, but I felt like I couldn’t calm down. My wolf senses prickled with warning. I sensed that something would happen, and my heart was beating so fast it proved it.
My breath grew shallow—the terminal’s salty air did nothing to calm my wolf senses—so I had to excuse myself for a while and went to the restroom. I locked the door and stared at my own reflection in the mirror.
"Pull yourself together, Kyra," Sylvia growled in my mind. "He won’t find you like this."
I swallowed hard and pressed my palms on the sink. The cold porcelain did little to ground my racing instincts.
I cupped my forehead. I was having a panic attack—my wolf’s distress amplifying my own—and I felt on the verge of fainting.
Why did I feel like this? Was it just nerves?
Caressing my hidden bump, I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. "For the pup," Sylvia reminded me. I needed to leave and survive. I needed to escape from Kieran. I still had to save my father from that devil and I needed to deliver my baby safe and alive.
"Just like that," I whispered to myself again and nodded.
When I had calmed down completely, I went back to the line.
"Excuse me, did you see this woman?" The scent of another wolf hit me before his words did.
I looked at the unfamiliar man who’d asked and saw the photo in his hand. My heart almost jumped out of my ribcage after recognizing the woman in the picture. One of Kieran’s warriors. Shit.
"Miss?" His eyes flashed gold—just for a second—confirming my fears.
I quickly shook my head. "No." The lie burned my tongue, but Sylvia’s growl of approval gave me strength.
My hand trembled as I handed my passport to security. Squeezing my eyes closed, I felt my legs and arms tense up. Every instinct screamed to run, but that would only confirm his suspicions.
Kieran was searching for me and he must have known I was planning to leave the country.
Because of what happened, I grabbed my small bag tight and started walking straight, not looking back or around, not wanting to be caught and brought back to that hell again. Back to the gilded cage of being an Alpha’s unwilling mate.
I sat on the bench as I reached the waiting area. My legs were trembling and I was certain I was pale. I took a deep breath and caressed my chest.
When I lifted my face to look at the television, my world crumbled and tears pooled in the corners of my eyes. My lips started trembling as my body froze in place at what I was seeing.
’Director of Monroe Group of Companies found dead after jumping off the window of his house.’
Tears cascaded down my cheeks like a river as I dropped my passport and my hands began trembling uncontrollably. Sylvia howled mournfully in my mind—she had always been fond of my father, despite everything.
A photo of my dad was shown on the screen of the television. Is this why I felt so hesitant to leave and couldn’t calm down? Had part of me sensed my father’s death through the pack bonds?
"D-Dad..." I whispered and almost thought of going back when someone sat beside me and pulled me closer.
The scent of the man who hugged me filled my nose—fresh minty, with that underlying power that could only mean one thing—and the familiar scent and touch made me cry even harder on his shoulders while he began caressing my hair gently. Even after everything, my wolf recognized him immediately.
