Chapter 49: Nightfang Packhouse
Rosalie:
A second later, the car pulled forward once again.
The storm greeted us immediately. Rain battered the windshield so aggressively that it almost looked solid. The wipers worked constantly, yet visibility remained terrible. Strong winds slammed against the vehicle from every direction.
Several times I watched entire trees bend alarmingly under the force, while thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance.
The storm alerts had started yesterday. Everyone had been talking about them. Yet somehow I hadn’t expected anything this severe.
This wasn’t merely bad weather. Instead, this felt like nature itself had decided to wage war against the world. And somehow I had managed to choose this exact day to get myself locked, chased, and nearly dragged back to Blackthorn Pack.
Amazing.
Truly impressive decision-making on my part.
I sighed and sank deeper into the seat and the warmth from Eiden’s coat surrounded me completely. Combined with the heated interior of the car, it created an almost dangerous level of comfort.
Outside was chaos, inside was warmth.
Outside was cold rain and screaming wind, inside was safety.
The contrast slowly began dragging my eyelids downward. I fought it at first, but lost eventually. The rhythmic movement of the car became strangely soothing, and my body started feeling heavier with every passing minute.
The exhaustion I had been ignoring all this time finally demanded payment.
My eyes drifted shut, but I forced them open. Only for them to shut once more. I vaguely registered the passing lights outside, the occasional flash of lightning, abd the low hum of the engine, before everything gradually blurred together.
I wasn’t fully asleep. But I wasn’t entirely awake either. Somewhere in between. Then suddenly, the motion stopped.
My eyes flew open. And instinct immediately pulled me upright. For a split second, panic surged through me before I remembered where I was.
I blinked rapidly and looked ahead, just in time to see massive black gates slowly opening before us. And the sight instantly erased every lingering trace of sleep.
My breath caught.
Beyond the gates stood a mansion. No. Mansion wasn’t even the right word.
It was something far grander than that.
Elegant black stone rose against the storm-dark sky. Towering windows glowed with warm golden light. The architecture looked both modern and timeless, blending strength and beauty into something breathtaking. Even through the heavy rain, it radiated power, authority, and a sense of security.
I stared through the windshield in complete silence as the gates finished opening and revealed the magnificent estate in its entirety.
And for the first time, I truly understood why Nightfang Pack was considered one of the most powerful packs in the world.
I must have been staring. There was no other explanation because the moment I shifted in my seat, Eiden seemed to notice despite keeping his attention on the road. He didn’t look at me, not even once, but somehow he appeared to know exactly what expression was currently plastered across my face. The corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly. It wasn’t even a proper smile. Just the faintest hint of amusement that appeared and disappeared so quickly I almost convinced myself I had imagined it.
The massive gates continued opening as the car rolled forward once more. I remained glued to the window, taking in every detail of the estate before us. The long driveway curved through perfectly maintained grounds, illuminated by elegant lights that reflected off the rain-soaked stone pathways. Even through the storm, the place looked breathtaking.
A few moments later, the car came to a smooth stop beneath an enormous covered porch.
Before I could even process that we had arrived, the grand entrance doors swung open and several servants hurried outside carrying large black umbrellas.
I blinked.
Because surely I was imagining things.
Except I wasn’t.
The car had barely stopped when my door was pulled open from the outside. At the exact same moment, an umbrella was positioned over the doorway, ensuring not a single drop of rain could reach me the moment I stepped out.
I stared. Completely stunned. This was the kind of thing I had only ever seen in television dramas. The wealthy heir stepping out of a luxury car while servants rushed forward to shield them from the rain.
It wasn’t something that happened in real life. At least not in my life. Apparently, nobody had informed Nightfang Pack of that fact.
My brain seemed to stop functioning entirely. So instead of moving, I simply sat there staring at the servant holding the umbrella.
Somewhere on the other side of the car, Eiden had already gotten out. But I was still frozen. And the next thing I knew, a shadow fell over me.
I turned my head and nearly forgot how breathing worked.
Eiden had leaned down, far enough that his face was level with mine. The distance between us was suddenly much smaller than it should have been. His silver hair was damp from the rain, just like his clothes.
His blue eyes met mine directly, and for one horrifying moment, all coherent thought abandoned me.
"Rosalie." His voice was calm and patient. "Get down."
I blinked, still unable to function. Then I noticed how his gaze flickered over my face before amusement appeared in his eyes.
"And if your legs are too weak to cooperate," he added, "I can help."
It took my already exhausted brain an embarrassingly long time to understand what he meant.
At first, I thought he was simply offering support. A hand. Maybe an arm. Something normal. But then the realization hit me. He wasn’t talking about helping me walk. He was talking about carrying me inside in his arms.
My entire face immediately burst into flames.
The image appeared in my head before I could stop it. And somehow that only made the blush worse.
"Oh."
Brilliant response, Rosalie. Absolutely brilliant.
The amusement in his eyes deepened. And that alone was enough motivation to get moving. Before he could decide to act on his offer, I hurriedly unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the car myself.
The servant immediately adjusted the umbrella overhead.
I felt oddly victorious for approximately three seconds. Then I noticed Eiden accepting the umbrella from the servant.
The man immediately stepped back. And just like that, Eiden was the one holding the umbrella over me. Not over himself, but over me. The realization sent another wave of warmth through my chest.
Without saying anything, he guided me inside.
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