Could he ever go back to that life? To a world of wealth and privilege, of polished floors and gilded cages? The thought felt more foreign with each passing day. Not that it mattered. He doubted he’d even survive long enough to have that choice.
Thankfully, they hadn’t encountered any Noskari since the night of his attack. He tried not to think about it, about the pressure of their hands pinning him down, their razor-sharp teeth sinking into his skin. Instead, he focused on the present.
Today, Kaldrek was running them through dagger maneuvers, and Evelyne was… struggling. Badly.
Alaric hid a chuckle as he watched her drop the dagger for what had to be the fifth time. Unlike him, Heidara didn’t laugh. She never did. The blonde warrior was as skilled as any man in the pack, powerful, but with a softness in her smile that could make Alaric forget his own name. He’d caught himself staring into those emerald eyes more than once, and each time, she met his gaze without flinching, unshaken. And then she’d smile.
Once, Holden had noticed and, true to form, growled his disapproval. The warning hadn’t been subtle, and Alaric understood it well enough.
No matter how often he tried to dismiss it, guilt crept in every time he found himself admiring someone else, even if the idea of marrying Evelyne was something he’d let go of. Still, no passing distraction could keep him from noticing how Kaldrek had been treating Evelyne lately.
The alpha had always been hard on her, on both of them, really, but this was something else. It wasn’t just about dominance or proving a point. There was something sharper in his training with Evelyne, something relentless. He wasn’t just trying to make her stronger. He was trying to break something in her. Or maybe… to bring something out.
And today, he wasn’t holding back.
Kaldrek switched up the partners, pairing Evelyne with Nathan after noticing Heidara was too easy on her. Nathan was one of the pack’s most seasoned scouts, and the difference was brutal. His strikes were fast and fluid, his blade movements controlled and deadly. However, Evelyne was still too stiff and slow in her counters. She was getting better at holding her stance, but her footwork was predictable, and her parries were reactive instead of instinctive. Every block sent her reeling back slightly, every deflection off-balance.
And Kaldrek saw.
“Is Lady Defiance struggling to keep up today?”
His voice cut through the clash of steel, loud enough for everyone to hear. A few of the trainees chuckled, but Evelyne froze. Alaric saw the moment she blocked out the noise, the laughter, Nathan, and the rest of the pack. Now, it was just her and Kaldrek.
She locked onto him, golden eyes blazing, her grip tightening around the dagger. She was furious. But anger made people sloppy, and Evelyne was still learning.
She lunged too early. The blade missed by an inch. Nathan shifted effortlessly, catching her movement and knocking the dagger from her hand in one smooth motion. It hit the dirt with a dull thud.
Kaldrek sighed.
“Again.”
Without a word, she picked it up. Again. And again.
But Kaldrek didn’t watch her like an alpha sizing up a trainee. No—it was different, like a man staring at something he didn’t quite understand, but couldn’t look away from.
Evelyne was embarrassed. Anyone could see that. Still, she never quit. And Kaldrek’s gaze never left her.
Alaric couldn’t help but wonder exactly what was building between them and how long it would be before it boiled over.
Chapter 34
No matter how often Evelyne ran through the maneuvers, her footwork was still too slow; her blade work was sloppy. Frustration clawed at her insides as she dropped the blade again during the morning training. Maybe it was the restless sleep—or perhaps it was him. Kaldrek had been incredibly insufferable lately, but last night? Last night had unraveled her, confused her.
They’d all been gathered around the fire, eating whatever game the pack had hunted down and cooked over the flames. Evelyne was getting used to the meals now, lean meat, rich with protein, strengthening her in ways she hadn’t expected. She could feel the difference in her body, in the toned muscles and the endurance she was building.
Aside from the rain-soaked nights that left her shivering in whatever makeshift shelter Kaldrek deemed safe for the pack, she had to admit she didn’t hate it out here. Alaric seemed to be enjoying himself, too, adapting with ridiculous ease. He made friends faster than anyone she’d ever known; if anything, this wild life suited him.
She had just popped the last bite of food into her mouth, barely enough time to chew, when Kaldrek dropped into the open space beside her without warning.
“For a betrothed couple, you and Alaric don’t seem very intimate,” he said bluntly, tearing into his meat with lazy precision.
Evelyne nearly choked on her last bite. Of all the things he could’ve said, that was the last she expected.
She raised her brows, but forced herself to chew, to swallow. Answering him with her mouth full would be unladylike, and she refused to give him the satisfaction of flustering her.
“How exactly is my relationship with Alaric any of your business?”
Kaldrek only shrugged smugly. “Everything that happens within my pack is my business.”
