Chapter 7 - Enid's POV

The next morning I steered clear of the garage as though it had suddenly transformed into a war zone. Wrapped in my blanket, I lay staring up at the ceiling hoping the secrets of my life were hidden within the cracked paint and the spiderweb I chose to ignore.

Nina hovered above me her hands resting firmly on her hips. "You aren’t ill.”

I coughed emphatically. "I am seriously ill.”

She folded her arms. "You appear fine.”

"I'm passing away."

“You appear well for someone who’s about to pass ”

I buried my face in my pillow. "Leave me alone."

She ripped it away, from my head. "No. Something occurred. Explain it to me.”

I rose, hair in a chaos, heart unwilling to pulse at a steady rhythm. "Nothing occurred.”

“Liar.”

“It was nothing.”

“Bigger liar.”

I hurled the pillow toward her. She avoided it effortlessly without a blink. "Nina come on. I really don’t have the energy to work today.”

“You constantly seem eager to work " she remarked. "You adore that garage. Something frightened you off. If you don’t share it with me I’ll presume the worst.”

“The absolute worst " I repeated.

“Yes. For instance perhaps you eventually revealed your feelings, for the Alpha. He swung you up onto his shoulder and walked into the forest.”

I froze. "What. No.”

“So an event actually took place.”

Damn it.

Nina was seated next to me her gaze keen, her expression eager, for someone who said they were concerned. "Enid " she spoke deliberately. "Speak. Immediately.”

I paused, weighing the choice to deceive more. Yet the recollection of night returned with the force of a freight train. His hands cupped my face. His lips met mine. The manner in which he returned for that kiss as if he had shattered completely and determined I was the sole cure to mend him.

I gulped nervously.

“He kissed me " I murmured quietly.

Silence.

Nina then emitted a yell so piercing I was convinced it roused the ancestors. She hopped on the bed as if she had just achieved something forbidden. "He kissed you " she said again holding onto my shoulders. "Hold on. Hold on. Asher kissed you.”

I flinched. "Kindly avoid pronouncing his name that way.”

“Asher " she repeated, elongating the word as if it were a chant. "Alpha’s gruff excellence. That’s Asher.”

I hid my face. "Stop.”

She seized my wrists. Dragged my hands downward. "Enid. Are you really listening to yourself? This is monumental.”

“It was meaningless " I replied promptly.

She blinked. "Nothing. That guy stared at you last night as if you had created fire.”

I shook my head. "It was a moment.. Now it’s finished.”

The falsehood stuck in my throat. Since every fiber of my being still vibrated with the trace of his lips on mine. Since my wolf kept restless beneath my skin as if recalling the sensation of his caress. Since my pulse had been erratic since dawn.

Nina cocked her head. "You enjoyed it.”

I stared at her sharply. "That’s beside the point.”

“It is absolutely the point.”

I collapsed onto the bed my face flushing more. "I'm never stepping outside again."

She chuckled. "You definitely will. Particularly if he actually arrives.”

The idea made my stomach churn.

Because a portion of me… wished for him to.

By noon staying hidden in my room seemed weak even to myself. Nina warned she would haul me out by my toenails if I didn’t go to the pack briefing and honestly I wasn’t eager to go through that fight. So I collected myself put my hair up and went with her out of the house.

The gathering took place close to the training ground, wolves grouping together as discussions buzzed around. Patrol reports. Border issues. The typical alpha matters I only half listened to.. Today my gut churned as if it had its own thoughts, about destiny.

Asher remained at the forefront surrounded by elder wolves his stance firm, as rock. He appeared keen composed in his domain. The sort of aura that compelled the pack to straighten up. He carried command naturally as a second nature.

He never glanced at me. Not a single time.

I stayed close to the rear beside Nina feigning attention while a scout delivered his update, about the border. Yet all my focus was fixed on Asher hoping for the smallest sign of recognition. A look. A sigh. Anything to show that night hadn’t been… whatever this quietness suggested.

Nothing.

He refused to shift his head all. Not even a fraction. His eyes remained fixed ahead concentrating on the scout on the map on the danger posed by the Shadow Syndicate on everything except me.

Nina gave me a nudge. "He’s attempting to appear professional " she murmured.

“This isn’t professional " I murmured. "This is—" I stopped myself since I couldn’t even find the term, for what he was doing. Discipline. Obliteration. Refusal.

My heart ached as if it had been squeezed firmly.

The briefing went on. Additional reports. Heightened stress. Further evidence that our borders were less secure than we claimed. Usually I would have focused, given that this pack was my family and threats were important. Yet all I could concentrate on was the man twenty feet behaving as if I wasn’t there.

Yesterday evening, he kissed me as if he were gasping for air. This morning he acted as though I were invisible.

How was that fair.

Nina bent nearer. "Enid. Are you alright.”

“No " I murmured.

The reality shattered within me. I felt foolish, for believing briefly that circumstances might shift. That he would behave differently toward me. That the connection I sensed pulling at my core meant anything to him well.

I observed him point at the map describing changes, to the patrol paths. His tone was calm low entirely composed. If anything troubled him he concealed it beneath responsibility and leadership.

Perhaps that was the entirety of my significance, to him. A brief lapse. An error he longed to undo.

My chest constricted and I averted my gaze before the ache behind my eyes became something. I despised this sensation. Defenseless. Insignificant. As if someone had torn me apart. Left me exposed.

For the first time I began to dislike him slightly. Not openly. Not theatrically. Simply a subtle heat, under my chest. A gradual throb.

Because pretending nothing had happened was worse than rejecting me.

At least rejection was honest.

This was cruelty wrapped in silence.