5. The Night He fell

Cressida’s POV

I lay on my narrow bed staring at the stone ceiling. Two whole nights had passed and Lucian had not sent for me. The silence felt heavy and suffocating.

My wolf paced inside my chest, restless and jealous. What was he doing? Was he with another woman? The thought made my stomach twist. I had to find out.

In my old pack, I learned how to pick locks when I wanted to slip away at night without anyone knowing. Tonight, I used that old trick. There was no guard standing outside my door anymore, so it was easy. I worked the simple lock with a thin piece of metal I had hidden, and the door clicked open quietly. My heart beat fast as I stepped into the dark hallway.

The fortress was quiet at this hour. I moved carefully, staying close to the walls where the shadows were deepest. Every small sound made me freeze. If a guard saw me, I could be locked up again or worse. Lucian’s anger was cold and sharp. I did not want to imagine what he would do if he caught me sneaking around.

Still, my wolf pushed me on. She wanted answers. She wanted to know if he had replaced me with someone else. The mate bond I once had with Kael had never felt like this. With Lucian, even the memory of his touch made my skin warm. I hated myself for it, but I could not stop the feeling.

I climbed the stairs to the upper level where Lucian’s private chambers were. I had learned the layout from the times the guards took me there. I waited in a dark corner until I saw the two guards outside his door leave for their break. When the hallway was empty, I moved quickly.

I reached his heavy wooden door and pressed my ear against it. My breathing was shallow. At first, I heard nothing. Then came a low groan, followed by a heavy thud, like a body hitting the floor.

Fear shot through me. Without thinking, I pushed the door open. It swung inward easily as it was not locked.

The sight inside made my blood run cold.

Lucian lay sprawled on the stone floor near the bed. His powerful body looked broken. A small trickle of blood stained the corner of his mouth. And right beside his outstretched hand was my necklace the delicate chain and pendant that Kael had ripped from my neck and gave to Zara.

How did he get it? Was he with Zara? Did he take her to his bed instead of me? The questions burned in my mind, but I pushed them aside. There was no time.

“Alpha Lucian!” I cried and rushed forward. I dropped to my knees beside him. “Help! Somebody, please help!”

Heavy footsteps thundered down the hall. Two guards burst into the room and stopped short when they saw me kneeling next to the king.

“What is this…how did you get in here and what have you done to the king!” one of them shouted. Rough hands grabbed my arms and yanked me backward. “You wasn’t summoned tonight. You must have attacked him!”

“I didn’t!” I struggled against their grip. “I heard a noise from outside and came in to help him. I swear!”

They did not listen. They held me tightly as one guard ran to fetch Thorne and Elara.

Thorne arrived first, his face dark with suspicion. Elara followed right behind him, her eyes wide with worry as she looked at her brother on the floor.

Thorne’s gaze locked on me. “Why are you here, girl? How dare you enter the king’s room without being summoned?”

“I came because I heard him fall,” I said quickly, my voice shaking. “I only wanted to save him. I wasn’t trying to hurt him—”

Before I could finish, Thorne raised his hand to strike me across the face.

“Stop!” Elara stepped between us fast. Her voice was sharp. “How dare you try to strike Lucian’s woman?”

The words hit me like a warm wave. Lucian’s woman. Even though it was only for thirty days, butterflies fluttered wildly in my stomach. A small, secret part of me liked the sound of it far too much. I quickly looked down so no one would see the smile on my face.

Thorne scoffed loudly. “His woman? She is nothing but a slave.” He turned to the guards. “Lift the king onto the bed. He only needs rest. Do not call a healer. And listen well, keep your mouths shut about everything you saw here tonight. If any of you as much as speak a word about this , you will die.”

The guards bowed quickly. “Yes, Beta.”

Thorne gave me one last cold look and stormed out of the room.

Elara turned to me, her expression softer. “Stay with him tonight, Cressida. Sit by his side. The guards will wait outside the door. I will come back later to check on both of you.”

I nodded and lowered my head. “Okay.”

When the room emptied and the door closed, I walked slowly to the big bed. Lucian looked so still now. I sat on the edge carefully, watching his chest rise and fall. My mind would not stop spinning. How did he get my necklace back from Zara? Why had he not called for me the last two nights? And why did seeing him hurt like this make my chest ache?

I did not mean to fall asleep, but the long night and all the fear finally caught up with me. I curled up near the foot of the bed and let my eyes close.

When I woke up, soft morning light was coming through the window. I sat up slowly and blinked.

A tall, strong figure stood at the vanity, dressing.

Lucian.

He looked completely different from the man who had been lying on the floor last night. His color was back. He moved with power again. His long dark hair hung over his broad shoulders. Even from behind, I could see the muscles in his back and arms. He looked dangerously handsome.

I caught myself staring and felt heat rise to my cheeks. Why am I looking at him like this? He was the man who destroyed my pack. The man who kept me here as his prisoner. I was supposed to hate him with every part of me.

As if he could feel my eyes on him, Lucian spoke without turning around.

“If you like, you may dress and go with Elara to the village today,” he said, his voice calm and steady. He reached for something on the table and held it up. My necklace. The pendant caught the light.

“And you can have this back. It belongs to you.”

My eyes widened in shock. He had really brought it back for me.

He placed the necklace gently on the table and walked toward the door. When he reached it, he stopped suddenly. Still not turning to face me, he added in a low, firm voice, “Never sneak into my room again. Next time, you might not survive it.”

Then he opened the door and left without another word.

I sat there alone for a long time, my heart still racing. He had given me permission to leave the fortress with Elara. He had returned the necklace I thought I would never see again. But his warning hung in the air like a threat.

I touched the spot on my chest where the necklace used to rest. Part of me still wanted to hate him for everything he had taken from me. Yet another part, the part my wolf refused to ignore felt something warm and cozy.

I did not know what tomorrow would bring. But for the first time since I arrived at Blackstone Keep, I felt a small spark of hope mixed with fear.

And that scared me more than anything.