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#Chapter 78:Jeaoulsy
#Chapter 78:Jeaoulsy
(Siena’s POV)
Raiden’s eyes haunt me long after I walk away.
The heat of his jealousy, the raw edge of his questions about Alaric–it clings to me like smoke, unwelcome and suffocating.
My wolf, traitorous as always, stirs with restless energy, but I shove her back into the recesses of my mind. She doesn’t get a say in this. Not anymore.
For nearly two years, I’ve worked to rebuild myself, to find my value beyond the shadow of our broken bond.
I’ve stitched together a life where his approval, his presence, his recognition no longer matter.
And yet, the moment he looks at me with that mix of longing and regret, it stirs something I thought I buried.
I hate it.
I hate that he still has this effect on me, that his presence feels like a threat to the equilibrium I’ve fought so hard to achieve. Back in my temporary quarters at Windhowl, I throw clothes into my suitcase with far more force than necessary. The room is small, a guest space that feels impersonal, but it’s better this way.
I don’t want familiarity.
I don’t want to feel like I belong here anymore.
I’m packing to leave three days early.
I tell myself it’s because my work abroad is waiting for me, because I’ve already accomplished everything I came here to do. But as I shove another shirt into the bag, I know the truth: I’m running.
The door creaks open behind me, and I smell Rairity before I see her–her scent warm and grounding, like cedar and cinnamon. She doesn’t say anything at first, just leans against the doorframe and watches me with those sharp, knowing
eyes.
“Running away?” she asks finally, her tone free of judgment.
The question stops me mid–motion, a pair of folded jeans in my hands. I turn to face her, my chest tightening at the quiet understanding in her gaze.
“Perhaps,” I admit softly, the word tasting bitter on my tongue.
Rairity steps into the room, crossing her arms as she leans against the wall. “I can’t blame you,” she says. “Being near him… I imagine it’s complicated.”
I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head. “Complicated is an understatement.”
She doesn’t press me, doesn’t push for answers I’m not ready to give. Instead, she says something that lodges itself deep in my chest.
“Healing doesn’t mean absence of feeling, Alpha. It means feeling without being destroyed by it.”
Her words hit harder than I expect, and for a moment, I can’t respond. I stare at my half–packed suitcase, the edges of her wisdom settling into the cracks of my resolve.
“I’ll think about it,” I say finally, my voice quieter now.
Rairity smile is soft and knowing. “Good,” she says. “Because if anyone deserves to leave on their own terms, it’s you.”
She leaves me with that thought, and as the door closes behind her, I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the suitcase that suddenly feels like an escape I’m not ready to take.
***
The next evening, I find myself at Windhowl’s moonlight gathering.
It’s strange, standing on the outskirts of something I helped create.
The gathering is one of the traditions I revitalized during my leadership, a celebration meant to bring the pack together beneath the silver glow of the full moon. Watching the pack members now–dancing, laughing, living–I feel a quiet sense of pride.
I helped build this.
The thought brings a flicker of contentment, ra. proof that my efforts weren’t in vain.
Successfully unlocked!
ingili all the same. Their happiness, their unity–it’s
Windhowl has thrived, even in my absence. Maybe because of it.
Ioan against a tron at thn adan of the alaarina
mu
nem nenaand no I wentnh tha ann an unfold The music is lively the
#Chapter 78 Jaculty
rhythm infectious, but I don’t move to join them. This isn’t my place anymore.
“Your legacy here remains strong” comes a quiet voice beside me.
I stiffen, my wolf immediately perking up at the familiar scent of pine and midnight. He’s so silent in his approach that I didn’t hear him coming, but now he stands beside me, his presence as steady and unyielding as ever.
I glance at him, my expression carefully composed. “I didn’t hear you.”
Kaiden’s eyes are on the pack, his gaze soft as he watches the dancers. “You’ve done good work,” he says, his voice low.” They deserved good leadership*
His words stir something complicated in me. There’s genuine admiration in his tone, but it’s laced with regret, a recognition of the ways he failed to support me
“They did deserve good leadership” I reply simply. “Something I tried to provide despite the circumstances.”
The subtle bite in my words isn’t lost on him. He flinches slightly, his jaw tightening, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he nods, e quiet acknowledgment of the truth.
For a moment, we stand in silence, the weight of our shared history hanging between us.
received your divorce papers,” Raiden says carefully, his voice breaking the stillness. “From the courts.”
I turn to look at him fully now, my brow furrowing. There’s something in his tone, something that makes my chest tighten. “You never signed them,” he continues, his midnight eyes meeting mine.
I sigh softly, turning my gaze back to the clearing. “Legal formality after spiritual severance,” I say, my tone even. “I’ll complete them before returning abroad.”
der’s face remains carefully neutral, but I catch the flicker of pain in his eyes, the way his shoulders tense at my casual ressal of what remains between us.
“is that all it is to you?” he asks quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “A formality?”
I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, my heart twisting at the vulnerability etched into his features.
“It has to be.” I say simply, the words tasting bitter even as I speak them. “Besides, old habits die hard as they say.”
Raiden exhales slowly, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “I never wanted this,” he says, his voice low and raw. “I never wanted us to end this way.”
“And yet here we are” I reply, my tone sharper than I intend. “I fear that all these years, wahnt had little to do with it.” The pain in his eyes deepens, and for a moment, I hate myself for causing it. But then I remember the nights I spent alone, the years I spent fighting for a bond he refused to acknowledge, and the bitterness rises again.
“We can’t change the past, Raiden,” I say, my voice softer now. “What’s done is done.”
He steps closer, his presence overwhelming even in the open air. “I know I failed you,” he says, his voice trembling slightly.” I know I didn’t see you, didn’t value you the way I should have. But I see it now, Siena. I see everything I lost.”
3 swallow hard, my composure threatening to crack. “It’s too late,” I whisper, more to myself than to him.
Is it?” he presses, his voice filled with quiet desperation.
i meet his gaze, my amber eyes locking with his midnight ones. “Yes, Raiden,” I say firmly. “It is.” hope you find peaceRaiden, I say, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. “I really do.”
He nods slowly, his expression unreadable. “And I hope you find happiness,” he replies.
The sincerity in his voice cuts through me, but i don’t let it show. I turn and walk away, leaving him standing alone beneath the silver light of the moon
My wall whines softly, but I ignore her focusing on the steady rhythm of my footsteps as I move toward the edge of the clearing
I can feel his eyes on me as I go, but i don’t look back.
#Chapter 79 The FmalFate
