[Third Person].
Dawn found redith and Draven on the move again.
As usual, they slipped away while the estate still slept, shifting into their wolf forms beneath the fading stars.
But this morning, redith’s white form lacked its usual sharp focus. Valmora ran beside Rhovan, yet her steps were uneven—her attention fractured.
She nearly clipped a tree once, then another.
Draven adjusted instinctively, keeping close enough to shoulder her aside before she could collide again.
"Focus," he warned calmly through the bond.
Then, they slowed briefly, running side by side.
"Running is ant to clear your head," Draven said as they pushed forward again, "not cloud it further."
redith huffed softly. "Maybe I’m doing it wrong," she replied. "Thinking about my problems instead of ignoring them."
Draven didn’t answer imdiately, but he stayed close for the rest of the run, matching her pace until the hour finally drew to an end.
They shifted back to their human forms just outside the private training area, breathing steady, bodies warm from exertion. Without lingering, they went into the small house to shower and change into casual clothes.
Afterward, they returned to the back and swam—twenty quiet minutes in cool water, no words exchanged, just movent and rhythm. It grounded redith more than she expected.
Once dressed again, they began walking back toward the main house together.
"We will check on Xamira after breakfast," Draven said as they walked. "There has been no bad report. Yesterday night, her nanny said she woke up and ate dinner."
redith nodded. "And her voice? Has it recovered?"
Draven shook his head slightly. "According to the nanny, she hasn’t said a single word."
"That could an anything," redith replied. "She might be pretending. Or she simply doesn’t want to talk."
Draven glanced at her, expression unreadable. "It’s simple," he said. "We will find out when we visit her."
They continued toward the house, the morning sun rising steadily ahead of them.
---
Imdiately after breakfast, redith and Draven went straight upstairs to Xamira’s bedroom.
The guard who had been stationed outside was no longer there—intentionally removed so as not to raise suspicion or alarm anyone inside the estate.
Draven reached the door first and opened it.
Inside, Xamira was sitting upright on the bed, a pillow propped behind her back. Her nanny sat on the stool beside her, carefully feeding her porridge spoon by spoon.
At the sound of the door opening, Xamira lifted her head and glanced at them only once, before imdiately lowering her gaze again.
redith felt her fear, and guilt instantly. And a subdued, almost instinctive submission.
’She is not dangerous right now,’ redith concluded silently. ’At least, not in this state.’
anwhile, the nanny paused at once and bowed deeply. "Alpha. Luna."
"Please, continue," Draven said evenly. Then, he reached for redith’s hand, and together they moved to sit nearby, watching quietly as the nanny resud feeding Xamira.
redith’s eyes never left the girl. She studied her closely—her breathing, her posture, the way her shoulders curled inward, the way she avoided eting their gazes. Nothing seed outwardly unusual.
After a few more spoonfuls, Xamira shook her head faintly.
Understanding, the nanny set the spoon aside and picked up a glass of water, bringing it gently to her lips. Xamira drank, but a mont later, she coughed suddenly, choking as the water went down the wrong way.
The nanny imdiately set the glass aside and steadied her, rubbing her back until the coughing subsided.
When Xamira had cald, the nanny reached for the bowl again, intending to continue feeding her, but she shook her head more firmly this ti, making it clear she was full.
Knowing that the Alpha and Luna were here for a private visit, the nanny gathered the tray—bowl and glass included—and turned toward them.
"She has eaten enough," she said softly. "If you will excuse ."
redith inclined her head. Draven nodded as well.
The nanny left the room and closed the door behind her.
A mont of silence settled as only the three of them remained.
Then finally, redith rose to her feet and walked toward the balcony. Without hesitation, she opened the doors wide, allowing fresh morning air to spill into the room, stirring the curtains.
She did not do this carelessly, her actions were deliberate. She was not afraid that Xamira would try to escape.
In fact, she wanted to see her try.
redith turned back slowly, her gaze settling on Xamira with calm, watchful authority, her expression unreadable as the tension thickened in the quiet room.
On the other hand, Draven stepped closer to the bed first, his presence filling the space without him needing to raise his voice.
Xamira sat stiffly, her gaze fixed on her hands, refusing to look up.
"Who are you?" Draven asked calmly.
Xamira didn’t respond.
Draven’s jaw tightened. "Why have you been pretending all these years?" he continued. "Why let raise you as sothing you’re not?"
He was t with another silence.
Then, redith joined him, standing on the other side of the bed. She watched Xamira closely, unimpressed. She could not tolerate the silence any longer.
"Can you still not speak?" She asked coolly.
Xamira’s head lifted at once. Her green eyes t redith’s, but her lips remained sealed, as if she couldn’t utter a word.
redith shook her head slowly. "Stop pretending. If your vocal cords were still damaged," she went on evenly, "then when you coughed earlier, not a single sound should have co from your throat."
Xamira stiffened. Realising she’s been caught, her fingers curled into the sheets. Her gaze dropped again, and she began fidgeting with her fingertips—small, nervous movents that betrayed her far more than silence ever could.
redith felt a flicker of grim satisfaction, so she leaned in slightly. "I won’t tolerate this ga of silence," she said flatly. "Also, do not attempt to escape today."
Xamira froze.
"Even if we can’t cage you because of what you are," redith continued, her voice low and lethal, "even if you turn into a fly and think yourself clever enough to escape, I can kill you very easily. And end your Chapter right here."
The threat was not shouted, but it worked. It made Xamira shiver.
Then slowly, she lifted her head and turned her gaze toward Draven this ti, the fear clear in her eyes, but so was readiness to speak, and to answer questions.
With no words yet, she finally surrendered to her fate.
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