Chapter 23: Two Different Storms (III)
Rosalie:
I stared at Zaiden for several long seconds, my brain struggling to properly process his words.
Stay in the Rogue Pack.
The sentence echoed inside my head almost unrealistically.
Zaiden Nightfang - the man every pack feared, the alpha whispered about in terrifying stories, the ruler of the most powerful pack in existence - was offering me a place in his territory.
A home.
And somehow that felt far more dangerous than it should have.
The storm outside crashed violently against the villa again, thunder rumbling across the mountains while rain streamed endlessly down the massive glass wall behind Zaiden’s couch. Yet despite the noise surrounding us, the room itself remained strangely quiet and heavy, like the air itself was waiting for my response.
When I didn’t answer immediately, Zaiden continued speaking in that same calm voice of his.
"The Nightfang Pack was built for wolves like that," he said steadily. "Wolves who no longer have a place to return to."
My fingers tightened slightly around the warm tea cup resting in my lap.
Zaiden held my gaze as he continued, "Most rogues aren’t born rogues. They become rogues because somewhere along the way, their packs failed them."
Something in his words settled heavily inside my chest. It didn’t feel like pity or sympathy, but understanding.
"You have no ties left to your previous pack," he added calmly. "No family waiting for you. No place protecting you." His expression remained unreadable as he spoke, "So Nightfang would be the safest place for you to start over."
I stayed silent. Because honestly, a part of me had already considered joining the Nightfang Rogue Pack days ago. But it was before the heat, before discovering the mate bond, and before learning that the terrifying Rogue Alpha himself was somehow connected to me by fate.
At that time, it had almost seemed like the perfect solution. Nightfang accepted wolves abandoned by other packs. No one cared about bloodline there. No one cared about status or family names.
But now, everything felt more complicated. Because Zaiden wasn’t just Zaiden anymore. He was my mate. And so was Eiden.
The thought still felt surreal even now.
My gaze dropped briefly toward the tea while unease curled softly inside my chest. Why was Zaiden really offering this? Was it simply kindness?Responsibility? Or... was this his way of compensating me before rejecting the bond?
My chest tightened painfully. The thought hurt far more than it should have. A sharp ache spread through my chest so suddenly that for one terrible second, it almost felt like someone else inside me hurt too. Like another heartbeat had flinched alongside mine.
My wolf.
The strange sensation disappeared so quickly that I almost convinced myself I imagined it.
Of course I imagined it. I couldn’t even properly feel my wolf after all these years. So how could I possibly feel her emotions? Still, the ache lingered faintly.
I lowered my gaze again quickly before either man could notice anything strange in my expression. The truth was, regardless of how painful the possibility felt, I knew better than to refuse Zaiden’s offer.
Living in Nightfang Pack was objectively the smarter choice.
A human city sounded safe in theory, but reality was different. I had no money. No connections. No experience surviving alone among humans. And more importantly, no protection.
If Alastor, Darien, and Kaiser ever found me, I didn’t even know what would happen. The thought alone made coldness spread through my stomach.
At least inside Nightfang territory, no one would dare touch me carelessly. Besides, it wasn’t like I had feelings for Zaiden or Eiden. Not real feelings. Everything I felt around them came either from the mate bond or my gratitude toward them.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself. Because otherwise things would become far too complicated far too quickly. And honestly, after everything I had already experienced, I no longer believed powerful men could genuinely want someone like me.
If even the three men I loved with everything inside me couldn’t accept a weak wolf like me publicly, then why would Zaiden Nightfang or Eiden Thorn?
Men like them could have anyone. Strong women. Powerful women. Women worthy of standing beside them. Not me. So if they eventually chose to reject the bond, I wouldn’t blame them.
The thought hurt. But it no longer shocked me. I inhaled deeply before finally lifting my gaze again. Then slowly, I nodded.
Zaiden watched me silently.
"Thank you," I said softly. The words felt too small again. "For giving me a place in your pack."
Neither man reacted dramatically. Eiden simply looked quietly relieved while Zaiden gave a small nod, like my acceptance had already been expected. Still, if I was truly going to join Nightfang Pack, then there were things they deserved to know, even if only partially.
My throat tightened faintly as I spoke again, "I should tell you something first."
Both men stayed silent, allowing me to continue at my own pace.
I took in a deep breath before forcing the words out slowly. "I lived in Blackthorn Pack until recently."
Neither of the men’s expressions changed. There was no hint of surprise. There was no reaction at all, which somehow made me wonder if they had already known.
"But..." My voice faltered slightly before I steadied it again. "I don’t have any ties left there anymore. Not with the pack. Not with the people."
The silence afterward stretched softly.
Zaiden simply nodded once. He didn’t ask any questions, didn’t press for further information, nor did he demand for any explanations. He only took what I wanted to give. And strangely, that made speaking easier.
I inhaled slowly again before adding, "There’s just one thing I need before I leave everything behind."
This time both men focused on me more intently.
My fingers curled together tightly beneath the duvet. Then I finally forced the request out. "I want to visit Blackthorn Pack one last time."
The moment the words left my mouth, the atmosphere inside the study shifted instantly and both men stiffened.
