Chapter 120

Sophia

The cabin was far too quiet. The silence gnawed at my nerves, making the flickering candlelight cast shadows that seemed to mock me.

I wrapped my hands tighter around my teacup, the porcelain delicate against my fingers, but even the warmth of it couldn't soothe the simmering rage boiling in my chest.

My nails hadn’t been done in months, the heating in this place sucked and worse of all, that vanity could hardly hold my toothbrush let alone my makeup.

Ugh.

Everything was wrong. I had been ripped from my life of luxury, my elegant mansion, my fine clothes, my perfectly curated jewels—gone, every last trace of it. I was left with this miserable shack on the edge of nowhere, banished, a ghost of the woman I used to be.

I slouched deeper into the chair, letting my gaze linger on the view outside. The trees were a blur in the distance, just shadows against the darkening sky. But what did I care about trees? They weren't diamonds or silk. They were nothing.

Everything had been her fault. Lauren. She’d stolen everything I had, every last shred of respect I deserved. I had been born for greatness. I had been groomed for it, made to walk among the stars. And now? Now I was in this ridiculous little cabin, a filthy little corner of the world that barely even counted as a home.

I took a slow sip of my tea, the bitterness cutting through me. The taste was sour in my mouth, much like everything else in my life at the moment.

Lauren had beaten me, yes. She had gotten everything—the title, the attention, the respect. All of it should’ve been mine. I was the one meant to lead, the one meant to rule. Not her.

I could feel the anger creeping back up my spine, curling like smoke in my chest.

What was the point of being raised to believe you deserved the best if nothing ever went your way? What was the point of all those years spent working, perfecting, fighting for everything I wanted when it was just taken away?

Why me?

The thought slid into my mind, uninvited. But I wasn’t going to dwell on it. I was better than that.

No. I’d find my way back. I would make them all remember my name. The world had made a huge mistake in underestimating me. I would get everything I deserved—no matter what it took.

But just as quickly as my rage flared up, something else whispered beneath the surface.

Maybe I deserve this.

A bitter laugh escaped me, but it didn’t feel like a laugh. It felt like surrender.

But I wasn’t going to be some sad, broken thing. I couldn’t.

I slammed the cup down on the table, rattling the wood.

“Enough,” I muttered, trying to shake off the moment of doubt.

Then, a noise.

A rustling sound, sharp and sudden.

I froze.

It was coming from outside. The rustling was too loud, too deliberate. My pulse quickened. Someone—or something—was out there.

Great. Just what I needed.

I got up from the chair, my heels clicking against the wooden floor, my nerves stretched tight as I crept toward the window.

I parted the curtains with one hand, squinting into the forest beyond. The wind howled, sending the branches swaying like they were dancing to some twisted tune.

I narrowed my eyes, a bit of fear creeping in. I was alone after all.

I squished it as soon as it appeared. I was a beast for pete’s sake. Ugh, I stepped right out my door, hands on my hips in my garden, my heels sinking in the mud.

“You better come right out! Or I’ll—”

And then, I saw it.

A massive form, nearly a blur, charging through the trees. I took a step back, eyes wide. What the hell...?

Before I could even blink, the figure was practically on top of me, stumbling out of the bushes like a drunken bear.

I gasped and squealed, falling back into the mud like an absolute idiot. My fine silk robe—the one I’d managed to keep from the old days—was now stained with dirt.

Fantastic.

“Ugh! You jerk! Are you kidding me!?”

The massive figure righted itself, and I heard the unmistakable sound of a tail flicking. My heart rate kicked into overdrive.

No way.

He’s...

I scrambled backward, my mind racing. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

The beast-man—half-man, half-wolf—looked at me with what I could only describe as sheer confusion, like he was wondering what I was doing in my own damn yard. I glared up at him from my position on the ground, covered in mud. My hair, which had been perfectly styled earlier, now hung limply around my face.

“Hello!?” I snapped, trying to push myself up with an exaggerated huff. “Are you going to help me or do you have no manners?!”

He didn’t respond, which was starting to piss me off. The nerve. The audacity.

I narrowed my eyes, slapping the mud from my eyes. “I don’t care why you’re running! You do not just appear out of nowhere and make me fall into the mud! Do you understand me?”

Nothing. Not a damn word.

I clenched my fists. “Oh, no. You’re not going to do the silent treatment on me. I can hear you breathing, so you’re gonna answer me, okay?”

He stared at me, his wolf ears twitching. For a second, I thought he might actually speak.

“I swear to the goddess, if you don’t say something—anything—I’m going to lose it,” I muttered, my patience thinning fast.

I tried to stand up, but my legs were shaking from the shock of the fall.

“Ugh, gods this is so—” Suddenly, a massive hand was on me and I flinched as I was scooped up, and plopped onto my feet, my heels still sticking out of the mud.

I was frozen, staring up at him, his messy locks over his eyes. He cocked his head, almost like a sorry.

I blinked a few times, “Um… thanks?” Then I shook my head, snapping at him. “But next time, be quicker about it! Making a lady fall down like that, ugh.”

The wolves howled in the distance, and that sent a cold shiver up my spine. “You better get going now,” I shooed, “You’re clearly in some trouble and I don’t need more of that—”

I stopped. And for the first time, I realized that there was something distinctly familiar about him.

The smell.

It wasn’t just any wolf’s scent—it was hers.

Lauren.

My blood ran cold. I froze mid-step, trying to place it, to figure out where I had smelled it before. Then it hit me.

Oh. No.

I couldn’t believe it.

I didn’t know who this man was, but he smelled like her. Like her family.

My Alexander.

I look at him with pursed lips. “Huh. Just what the hell are you doing here?” I mumbled inquisitively.

He still didn’t say anything. But the way he looked at me—there was something in his eyes, something deeper.

That’s it.

He was connected to them. Somehow.

I didn’t know how, and I didn’t care. But there was one thing I knew for sure. He was now my problem.

I took a deep breath, my anger rising again. But… he could be useful.

“Fine,” I said, putting on my best, most sarcastic smile. “You can stand there and look all intimidating and get caught, or you can come inside, sit down, and explain what in the hell you’re doing on my property, but either way, I’m getting answers. Now, get in here before I decide to call the wolves down on you. I’m sure you’d love that.”

He didn’t respond. Again.

I stepped back into the cabin, crossing my arms over my chest. “And take your shoes off before you ruin my damn floors. You look like you’ve been rolling in the mud.”

Finally, he obeyed, stepping inside with the same silent air about him that made my skin crawl.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Sit. And you’d better be damn grateful I’m offering you tea. You look like you could use something to wash that dirt off.”

I placed the tea on the table in front of him, my eyes narrowing as I watched him sit. There was something about him. Something... not right.

As we sipped in silence, I studied him carefully. There was power there. I could feel it, even though he barely spoke.

But why was he only a half-ling? Those fluffy ears and tail on a human body. Odd. Disgusting really.

My mind raced, calculating my next move.

Then I heard it. The pounding of footsteps outside.

They were coming for him.

I smirked, my plan already forming in my head. “Stay hidden,” I said, nodding toward the closet. “I’ve got this.”

He gave me that inscrutable look of his, still silent, but I didn’t care. I’d been dealing with annoyances all my life.

I opened the door with all the grace of a queen and put on my most innocent face.

“Sophia!? Of course it’s you, always the schemer! Where is he?! We track them here!”

“There’s no one here,” I lied, my voice smooth and steady. “I haven’t seen anyone, so... maybe you should keep moving.”

The wolves outside fought back and forth with me for a bit, but with no evidence, they went on and I closed the door behind them with a satisfied smile.

When I turned around, I could see it in his eyes. He knew that I’d just saved him.

For now.