Chapter 28

Kayla

Nicholas ground his teeth so hard I thought his jaw might snap beneath the pressure.

“Seriously? You want me to beg for your help?”

I nodded, fighting the smirk that was threatening to creep onto my face. “Dead serious,” I replied coolly. “I want to see you on your knees before I consider doing anything nice for you.”

“Why?”

I shrugged. “Because you’ve pretty much been nothing but a pain in the ass since we met and I need to know that you’re serious about wanting my help.”

The incredulous look he shot me was worth every ounce of the annoyance he had caused over the past few days. His amber eyes widened as if I had just demanded he hand over his title and his pride along with it.

He squared his shoulders, his entire stance bristling with indignation, and I could practically see the war playing out in his mind.

The great Nicholas Reynolds, Alpha of all things brooding, brought to his knees? Unthinkable. He wouldn’t do it. Not in a million years.

But I held my ground, waiting patiently for his response.

“Forget it,” he finally growled, crossing his arms over his chest like a petulant child.

I shrugged casually, pivoting to leave the clearing. “Fine. Then I guess I won’t help you.”

“Kayla—” His voice had an edge of desperation to it, but he didn’t try to stop me.

Good, I thought. Let him stew for a minute. I’d learned rather quickly that Nicholas Reynolds wasn’t exactly the kind of man that you could convince with pure reason alone. He needed to feel cornered, like he had no other choice.

And right now, if he wanted my help, that meant that he needed to swallow his ridiculous pride, if only for a minute.

I took another step, deliberately slow, and just as I was about to disappear into the trees, I heard it.

“Please.”

It was barely audible, more like a hiss of frustration than an actual plea, but I stopped in my tracks. Slowly, I turned to face him, raising an eyebrow.

“Please what?” I quipped, trying to keep my face neutral.

Nicholas’s jaw worked, his teeth grinding so hard I could practically hear it from where I stood. He looked like he would rather wrestle a bear than utter another word, but after a moment of agonizing silence, he managed, “Please… help me… Kayla.”

He spat my name like it physically hurt him, and judging by the pained expression on his face, it did. It was as if he had never had to ask for anything nicely in his entire life, and the act of doing so now was pure torture.

Oh, this was glorious.

I folded my arms, watching him with a mixture of satisfaction and disbelief. But I couldn’t let him off the hook just yet. He had put me through the wringer lately, and I needed my revenge.

“I don’t know,” I said, dragging the words out as I tapped my chin with one finger. “You don’t sound very convincing.”

“Kayla,” he groaned, dragging a hand through his dark hair in exasperation. He stepped closer, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath hitch. “Please, Kayla. I need to know what happened to my mother. Please help me.”

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. He wasn’t about to drop to his knees, but there was no mocking smirk, no hint of sarcasm—just raw, unfiltered desperation. His amber eyes were steady, unwavering, and for the first time since I had met him… I connected with him.

A strange tug rippled along our mate bond from his end, faint but unmistakable, as if he were reaching out to me with something he couldn’t put into words. He wasn’t using the bond to seduce or control me, but rather to make me understand. That alone was shocking.

I stared at him, momentarily speechless, my own anger fizzling out like a match under water.

Finally, I sighed. “Alright. I’ll help you.”

The relief that flashed across his face was brief but genuine, and he nodded, exhaling like a weight had been lifted off his chest. “Thank you.”

I hesitated, watching him for a moment before speaking again. “Tomorrow night, we’ll sneak into the guild, and I’ll talk to Grace. But don’t expect any miracles. It might take more than one session to gain her trust.”

Nicholas nodded again, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders had lessened just a little. “That’s all I ask.”

Something about the way he said it—quiet, almost solemn—made my chest tighten. Before I could stop myself, I reached out and touched his arm, my fingers brushing against the fabric of his jacket.

“We’ll find out what happened to your mother,” I said softly, surprising even myself with the gentle tone of my voice. “And if anyone had anything to do with her death, we’ll bring them to justice.”

Nicholas lifted his gaze to meet mine, and for a moment, the air between us shifted. The weight of his grief, his determination—it was all laid bare, and I couldn’t help but feel it too, like a faint echo of his pain resonating through the bond.

My breath hitched as the tenderness in his expression caught me off guard. It was so rare, so fleeting, that it left me reeling. I quickly pulled my hand away, turning before he could see the blush creeping up my neck.

“Show me more of the trails,” I muttered, trying to mask my embarrassment.

He didn’t comment, simply turned and led the way back to the path. We walked in silence, although the tension between us was slightly less palpable than before. Still, I kept my eyes fixed on the trail, determined not to think too much about whatever had just passed between us.

By the time we returned to the house a couple of hours later, the sun was high in the sky, casting long shadows across the estate. My stomach grumbled faintly, reminding me that I had skipped breakfast and it was now well past lunchtime.

I was just about to head inside when I spotted a man standing on the front steps, his polished shoes gleaming in the sunlight. I knew he was from the guild before I even saw the crescent-shaped badge on his jacket.

Nicholas’s hand immediately brushed against mine as he stepped forward, and before I could react, his fingers closed around mine. The warmth of his touch sent an involuntary jolt through me, but I quickly shoved the feeling down, reminding myself that this was just another one of our performances for the guild.

“What can I help you with, sir?” Nicholas asked as we approached side-by-side.

The man, dressed in a crisp suit and holding a leather-bound notebook, looked up from his notes. His gaze lingered on our joined hands for a moment before he jotted something down. He then snapped the notebook shut and handed Nicholas a piece of paper.

Nicholas frowned a little, taking the paper. I leaned over to catch a glimpse and felt my stomach twist.

It was an official search warrant from the guild, complete with the golden guild seal and everything.

The man cleared his throat. “I, as a representative of the guild, formally request to enter your home to inspect your living situation,” he said.