Chapter 5/ the rules

Chapter Five

The Rules

Darling Kate’s POV

I didn’t sleep.

Not really.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the frozen words on the window.

WINTER REMEMBERS HER.

And every time I managed to drift off, I heard that other whisper.

Come home.

By sunrise, the frost had disappeared.

The crown was gone.

The words were gone.

Even the crack that had split the glass after the burst of magic had somehow vanished.

I stood in front of the window with my arms folded.

“That’s not creepy at all.”

A knock came at the door.

I jumped.

My heart immediately started racing.

For half a second, I wasn’t in Blackwood territory anymore.

I was back with Nolan.

A locked bedroom.

Footsteps.

A fist against wood.

Then a woman’s voice came through the door.

“Darling? It’s Ophelia.”

I exhaled.

“Come in.”

The door opened slowly.

Ophelia leaned her head inside.

“You decent?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Because Kazan sent me up here to make sure you were still alive.”

I frowned.

“He did what?”

She stepped inside carrying folded clothes.

“Technically, he said, ‘Check on her.’”

“And you translated that into making sure I’m alive?”

“I’ve known my brother a long time.”

She put the clothes on the bed.

Jeans.

A soft sweater.

Socks.

Even underclothes.

I stared at them.

“You bought these?”

“Some are mine. Some are new.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“I know.”

That answer caught me off guard.

Everyone in my life seemed to expect payment for kindness.

Money.

Obedience.

My body.

A favor.

Something.

Ophelia simply shrugged.

“I figured you probably didn’t want to spend another day in that dress.”

I looked down.

I was still wearing the gown Nolan had chosen.

Suddenly I couldn’t get it off fast enough.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She headed toward the door.

“Breakfast is downstairs.”

“Is Kazan there?”

Ophelia smiled.

“Yes.”

I groaned.

She laughed.

“He’s not that bad.”

“That’s exactly what someone’s sister would say.”

“No. If he was terrible, I’d tell you.”

“Would you?”

“Absolutely.”

She leaned closer.

“He’s controlling, stubborn, overprotective, has the emotional communication skills of a rock, and believes glaring is an acceptable substitute for conversation.”

I stared at her.

“That’s your defense of him?”

“I’m getting to the good parts.”

I laughed.

“Go.”

“Breakfast. Ten minutes.”

After she left, I changed.

The jeans were slightly loose.

The sweater was dark blue and soft against my skin.

Simple clothes.

My choice whether to wear them.

That shouldn’t have felt important.

It did.

I folded Nolan’s dress and placed it on a chair.

Then I reconsidered.

I picked it up and shoved it into the bottom of a trash can.

Better.

When I entered the kitchen downstairs, I stopped.

The room was enormous.

People filled several tables.

Conversation died.

Again.

Dozens of faces turned toward me.

Some curious.

Some surprised.

Some openly fascinated.

I considered turning around.

Then Ophelia waved.

“Darling!”

Wonderful.

Now everyone definitely knew who I was.

I walked toward her.

Sam sat across from her.

Kazan sat at the head of the table.

Of course he did.

Alpha.

His dark hair was slightly messy, as though he’d already been outside.

He wore a black shirt with the sleeves pushed up his forearms.

His eyes moved over me.

Slowly.

I stopped.

“What?”

His gaze returned to my face.

“Nothing.”

“You’re staring again.”

“You threw away the dress.”

I frowned.

“How do you know?”

“I can smell it.”

I stared at him.

“That’s disturbing.”

Sam laughed into his coffee.

Kazan glared at him.

“I wasn’t smelling your clothes.”

“That didn’t make it better.”

Ophelia nearly choked.

Kazan looked exhausted already.

I hadn’t even sat down.

Good.

I took the chair beside Ophelia.

A plate was placed in front of me.

Eggs.

Bacon.

Toast.

Fruit.

I stared.

“When did I order this?”

“You didn’t,” Kazan said.

My eyes narrowed.

He noticed.

“It’s breakfast, Darling. Not a declaration of war.”

“Did you choose it?”

“No.”

Ophelia raised her hand.

“I did.”

“Oh.”

Kazan leaned back.

“Can I breathe without being accused of controlling you?”

“I haven’t decided.”

Sam laughed again.

Kazan’s wolf flashed through his eyes.

Sam immediately became fascinated with his plate.

I hid a smile.

For several minutes, I ate.

I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.

Then Kazan ruined the peace.

“We need to discuss some things.”

I put down my fork.

“There it is.”

“What?”

“The Alpha meeting.”

“This isn’t an Alpha meeting.”

“Sounds like one.”

His jaw tightened.

“Can you listen before arguing?”

“Can you talk without ordering?”

Ophelia looked between us.

“I should probably leave.”

“No,” Sam said. “This is better than television.”

Kazan growled.

Sam picked up his plate.

“I’m leaving.”

Ophelia followed him.

Traitor.

Soon Kazan and I were alone at the table.

He folded his arms.

I folded mine.

“Go ahead.”

“There are rules in Blackwood territory.”

I almost laughed.

“Of course there are.”

“They apply to everyone.”

“Good.”

“Until we know why Oberon wants you, you don’t leave the territory alone.”

My smile vanished.

“No.”

Kazan blinked.

“What?”

“No.”

“Darling—”

“You said I could leave.”

“You can.”

“Apparently only with permission.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You just told me I can’t leave alone.”

“Because Oberon wants you.”

“That’s my problem.”

“It became mine when I found my mate.”

My chair scraped backward.

There it was.

The word I’d been waiting for.

Mine.

Maybe not spoken exactly that way.

But close enough.

I stood.

“I knew this was coming.”

Kazan stood too.

“Knew what was coming?”

“The cage.”

His anger disappeared.

“What?”

“You get me away from Nolan, bring me here, let me sleep one night, and now the rules start.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Rule one: don’t leave.”

“I said don’t leave alone.”

“Same difference.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“It is when someone else decides who has to accompany me.”

Kazan came around the table.

I stepped back.

He stopped immediately.

That mattered.

I noticed.

But I was too angry to acknowledge it.

“You don’t understand the danger.”

“I understand Oberon better than you do.”

“Then you should understand why I’m trying to protect you.”

“Protection without choice is control.”

His eyes flashed.

“My wolves would die protecting their Luna.”

I went still.

“Don’t call me that.”

He frowned.

“What?”

“Luna.”

“You’re my mate.”

“That doesn’t make me anything.”

His wolf pushed close.

Gold spread through his eyes.

I felt that wild presence inside him again.

Possessive.

Fierce.

Mine.

The bond answered.

Cold gathered around my hands.

“No.”

Kazan’s gaze dropped to my fingers.

Frost formed over my nails.

“Darling.”

“Tell your wolf to stop.”

“He doesn’t exactly take instructions.”

“You’re Alpha. Figure it out.”

His mouth tightened.

I moved toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Outside.”

“I’ll come.”

I turned.

“No.”

“Darling.”

“No.”

His Alpha power pushed into the room.

Not intentionally.

Maybe.

But I felt it.

Pressure.

Command.

My body reacted before my mind did.

Ice exploded across the floor.

Kazan staggered.

I stared at the frozen tiles.

So did he.

The room temperature dropped so sharply that our breath became visible.

“Do not command me.”

My voice sounded different.

Colder.

There was something beneath it.

Something ancient.

Kazan’s wolf surged.

A growl ripped from his chest.

My power rose to meet it.

For one terrifying moment, wolf and Winter faced one another.

Neither willing to bow.

Then Kazan did something I didn’t expect.

He stepped back.

The Alpha pressure vanished.

“I’m sorry.”

I stared at him.

“What?”

“I said I’m sorry.”

The frost stopped spreading.

Kazan dragged a hand through his hair.

“I didn’t mean to use Alpha command.”

“But you did.”

“Yes.”

“And if your power had worked on me?”

His face tightened.

“I don’t know.”

“I do.”

I wrapped my arms around myself.

“I would have obeyed.”

The anger drained from him.

“Kazan, I’ve spent years having men decide what I was allowed to do.”

His eyes stayed on me.

“Nolan decided where I went. Who I saw. What I wore.”

My voice shook.

I hated it.

“He decided what happened to me when I said no.”

Kazan went utterly still.

I realized what I’d said.

Too much.

His face changed.

“What does that mean?”

I looked away.

“Nothing.”

“Darling.”

“Don’t.”

He took a breath.

Then, instead of pushing, he stopped.

“All right.”

I looked at him.

That surprised me.

“You’re not going to demand an answer?”

“I want one.”

“At least you’re honest.”

“But you told me not to ask.”

“Yes.”

“So I’m not asking.”

My anger lost some of its heat.

He looked toward the frozen floor.

“I don’t know how to do this.”

“Do what?”

“Have a mate.”

I blinked.

He gave a humorless laugh.

“I know how to run a pack. I know how to fight. I know how to protect territory.”

His eyes returned to mine.

“I don’t know how to protect someone who sees protection as another threat.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

“Then learn.”

He nodded slowly.

“I will.”

Silence stretched between us.

The frost began melting.

Kazan looked down.

“That’s going to ruin the floor.”

I stared at him.

“Are you worried about your floor right now?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“It’s expensive, though.”

A laugh escaped me.

I tried to stop it.

I couldn’t.

His mouth curved.

“There.”

“What?”

“You laughed.”

“Don’t make a big deal about it.”

“I didn’t.”

“You’re smiling.”

“So are you.”

I immediately stopped.

His smile widened.

“Annoying wolf.”

“Difficult Fae.”

My power gave a tiny pulse.

A thin layer of frost formed over his coffee cup.

Kazan looked at it.

Then at me.

“Did you do that on purpose?”

I smiled sweetly.

“No.”

He didn’t believe me.

Smart wolf.

We went outside together.

Not because he ordered me.

Because I decided I didn’t mind him coming.

Blackwood territory looked completely different during the day.

Mountains surrounded the valley.

Dense forests covered the slopes.

Children ran between houses.

Wolves trained in an open field.

Some were shifted.

Others fought in human form.

People greeted Kazan as we passed.

“Alpha.”

“Morning, Alpha.”

Their eyes always drifted toward me afterward.

I hated that.

Kazan noticed.

“You’ll get used to it.”

“I don’t want to.”

“They’re curious.”

“People were curious about me at Oberon’s castle too.”

His face hardened.

“This isn’t Oberon’s castle.”

“No.”

I looked around.

It really wasn’t.

People laughed here.

Children played.

An older woman scolded two enormous wolves for tracking mud across her porch.

One of them actually lowered its head.

I smiled.

Kazan noticed.

“You like it.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

We reached the edge of the training field.

A young wolf shifted back into human form behind a screen, dressed, then approached Kazan.

“Alpha, northern patrol found something.”

Kazan’s expression changed instantly.

“What?”

“Tracks near the boundary.”

“Human?”

“No.”

The wolf looked at me.

“Fae.”

My stomach dropped.

Kazan became dangerous in an instant.

“How many?”

“Three. Maybe four.”

“Did they cross?”

“Not completely.”

“What does that mean?”

“They stopped at the boundary.”

The wolf hesitated.

“They left something.”

Kazan looked at me.

I already knew.

“This is about me.”

“We don’t know that.”

“Yes, we do.”

We followed the patrol wolf toward the northern boundary.

Kazan tried twice to convince me to stay behind.

I ignored him twice.

To his credit, he didn’t order me.

That was progress.

The forest grew colder as we climbed.

Not naturally colder.

My kind of cold.

Winter.

I could feel it.

“Slow down,” Kazan said.

“I’m fine.”

“Darling.”

“Not an order?”

He exhaled.

“A request.”

I slowed.

Progress.

We eventually reached a clearing.

Three guards waited there.

In the center stood a tree.

Something had been nailed to its trunk.

A strip of white fabric.

My heart stopped.

I recognized it.

Maeve had owned a cloak made from the same material.

I stepped toward it.

Kazan caught himself before touching me.

“Can I?”

The question startled me.

I nodded.

His hand rested lightly against my back.

Not pushing.

Just there.

I approached the tree.

Words had been burned into the bark.

THE WINTER DAUGHTER HAS BEEN FOUND.

My blood turned cold.

Below it was another line.

RETURN WHAT WAS STOLEN.

Kazan read the message.

“What was stolen?”

“I don’t know.”

That was the truth.

Mostly.

But the crown from the window flashed through my mind.

I reached for the white cloth.

The moment I touched it, the world disappeared.

Snow.

A throne.

A woman screaming.

Maeve.

A baby crying.

Me.

Then Oberon’s face.

And a voice.

The crown was never his.

I gasped.

Kazan caught me as my knees buckled.

This time I didn’t pull away.

“What did you see?”

“My mother.”

His arms tightened slightly.

“And Oberon.”

“What else?”

I looked into the forest.

Something moved between the trees.

A pale figure.

Then another.

Then nothing.

“The crown.”

Kazan frowned.

“The one from your window?”

I nodded.

“I think Oberon wants something my mother took from him.”

“What?”

“I don’t know.”

The wind rose.

Snow began falling.

Everyone looked toward the sky.

It had been clear moments earlier.

Kazan stared at me.

“Darling.”

“I know.”

The snow wasn’t coming from the clouds.

It was forming around me.

Flakes spun through the clearing.

My magic.

My Winter.

The wolves backed away.

Kazan didn’t.

He stood directly beside me.

I looked at him.

“You should probably be afraid.”

“Probably.”

“You aren’t?”

His eyes flashed gold.

“No.”

“Why?”

His answer came immediately.

“Because you’re not a monster.”

My throat tightened.

He didn’t know how badly I needed to hear that.

The snow settled over his dark hair.

I reached up without thinking and brushed a flake away.

We both froze.

My fingers lingered near his temple.

His eyes dropped to my mouth.

The mate bond surged.

Heat met Winter.

For one second, I thought he might kiss me.

Part of me wanted him to.

That frightened me more than Oberon’s message.

I lowered my hand.

“Not yet.”

Kazan swallowed.

Then nodded.

“Not until you choose it.”

Something inside me shifted.

Small.

Fragile.

Trust.

Not enough to give him my heart.

Not enough to tell him everything.

But enough to believe that maybe Kazan Blackwood could learn.

Maybe I could too.

I looked back at the words carved into the tree.

RETURN WHAT WAS STOLEN.

The snow thickened.

Somewhere beyond Blackwood territory, Oberon was searching for something.

Something connected to my mother.

Something connected to me.

But he had made one mistake.

He still thought I was the frightened girl who had run through the forest while Maeve died behind me.

I wasn’t.

And this time, I wasn’t alone.

Kazan stood beside me.

Not in front of me.

Not holding me back.

Beside me.

There was a difference.

Maybe he was finally beginning to understand it.

Maybe I was finally beginning to believe he could.

I touched the white cloth again.

The cold power inside me awakened.

And somewhere deep in the forest, something answered.

Not Oberon.

Not Maeve.

Something older.

Something that knew exactly who I was.

Winter’s daughter.

My eyes closed.

The wind whispered through the trees.

Come home.

When I opened my eyes, frost had covered the message on the tree.

But beneath the ice, a new symbol had appeared.

A crown.

My crown.

And for the first time, I wondered whether Oberon had spent all these years hunting me because he wanted my power.

Or because he was terrified of what would happen when I finally learned it belonged to me.