CHAOS IN THE GARDEN

Chapter 20

Chaos in the Garden

Adelaide’s POV

Kaius looked at her, as though she was purely displaying a skill she learnt.

“Get up,” he ordered.

Paula trembled but obeyed, stealing at me, trying to get me to give her a command.

“Leave us,” he said.

She hesitated, looking at me still.

“Go,” I whispered, urging her to go.

Once she left, Kaius turned back to me.

“If you ever do this again,” he said quietly, “I won’t forgive you.”

Then he turned and walked out, not even sparing me a glance.

I heaved, twisting my fingers in place, holding the pillow to my chest.

I wondered why it looked like he was different in every aspect.

Soon, I heard a sound outside my door and I leaned forward. It looked like someone was opening the door quietly.

Who could that be?! No one ever did that.

Quietly, Paula came back, feet barely making a sound against the cold stones. The hall had to be seen before anything else. From the doorway, only her face showed at first, she was peeping, only putting her head out.

“He is not here anymore,” I said when she appeared fully.

Relief washed over her, shoulders sinking like stones. As she moved, the door clicked shut without a sound.

Without wasting time, she came fast, her arms locking around me, grip firm, like letting go meant losing something dear.

“My Luna,” she whispered. “I was so scared.”

My arms closed around her, soft yet honest. "Paula, I am okay. Really."

She pulled back to look at my face, her brows knitting together. “Did Alpha Kaius scold you? Or… did he punish you because of me?”

I shook my head slowly. “No. He didn’t scold me. He just… spoke as he always does.”

Still, she gave a light nod, though doubt shadowed her eyes.

“I’ll bring you food,” she said suddenly. “You haven’t eaten since morning.”

“I’m not hungry,” I said right away. Just picturing eating twisted my gut. Food? Not happening.

That glance again. I’ve seen it before. It told me my reply wouldn’t work. Her voice came slowly. “You have to eat at least… I can't let you starve yourself.”

Just as my voice caught in my throat, she slipped away, stepping past the doorframe while whispering something low to someone down the hall.

A moment later, silence folded back into place, I just folded my arms staring into space.

On the edge of the bed, I placed a hand against my chest. There, still the soreness remained, but it was not as much as before.

The door opened, Paula balanced a small tray in her hands. A bowl of soup sat beside chunks of fruit and crusty bread.

The way everything lined up spoke up calmness, even if I didn’t feel it.

She placed it before me without a word. Then she added, her voice low but clear, “You need to eat.” A pause. “Do it now my Luna.”

The moment I lifted the spoon, my fingers shook just a little.

Her eyes stayed locked on mine, Paula did not stop blinking once until I ate. It didn’t have much flavor, though it felt cozy going down. After that first swallow, one more followed.

“That’s good,” she whispered in a calm tone. “Easy now. Just keep going.”

I took a few bites, and I dropped my spoon. This time, she let it go without another word. Like she finally knew the exact moment silence was better.

She looked at me for a while. I could tell that she was thinking of what to do or come up with again, but before I could say something, she voiced out almost immediately.

“Let’s go to the garden,” she suggested gently. “Fresh air might help.”

I nodded without arguing, I wanted to go there too.

Our feet echoed on the floor as we moved.

The guards on duty snapped upright at once. A nod came from one guard. “Luna,” he said.

I moved forward, head dipping and beside me, Paula stayed close.

The garden sat still and it looked like something that hasn't been visited for days.

Paula reached up and picked an apple, inspecting it before handing it to me. “The harvest this season has been good,” she said. “The pack is happy about it. They say the land is rich.”

I smiled faintly. “That’s good. The pack needs it more than anything.”

“They do,” she agreed. “Even the guards have been talking less about threats and more about their families.”

As we walked through the paths in the garden, Paula started sharing things without holding back.

She told me how the maids had clashed over cleaning duties. A guard dozing off during his shift came up next, he’d been yelled at later if not for the head guard , she had said.

Then little details about the group spilled out, bits of routine that somehow sounded ordinary.

“My mother used to love gardens like this,” she said suddenly. “She worked in one before she came to serve here.”

My gaze shifted to her. Is she still alive?

Paula nodded. “Yes. She lives in the lower village. I visit when I can.”

A heaviness pressed inside me, not like the ache of connection. “Life blessed you then.” I said.

Her steps slowed. She turned to face me, her expression changing. “Apologies,” she said quickly. A pause followed before she added, “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“It’s fine,” I interrupted, forcing a smile on my face. “I just… never got the chance to know mine.”

Paula’s eyes softened. “I wish you had.”

For a moment, we stayed still while the wind stirred the trees overhead.

A maid passed by, head lowered in greeting, then moved on with what she was carrying. Everything continued as normal, even though something heavy sat inside me without making a sound.

“I’ll stay with you,” Paula said after a while. “No matter what.”

I nodded with a smile. “Much appreciated.”

I started thinking about how much longer the act might last. Truth has a way of showing up when you least expect it.

A bend in the trail came into view near the cracked fountain, its base tilted where tree roots had shifted beneath it.

My thoughts stayed on what Paula had said instead of my steps. She had told me the kitchen staff were talking again about me and Kaius, speaking of it like it was a joke only we shared.

My foot slipped.

At first, nothing seemed serious. A quick twist, then the ground felt far away.

Before I knew what was happening, I felt pain on my leg. I took a breath fast and reached for something, but my hands closed on empty air.

“My Luna!” Paula cried.

I went down, slamming into the rock’s sharp corner. Skin tore at my knee, while my ankle burned with every breath. A shout escaped me, sudden and uncontrolled.

I tried to get up at once, but I fell back even though Paula was helping me.

The moment I put pressure on my leg, it gave out again, buckling like wet paper.

“I’m okay,” I said too quickly, and my voice betrayed me.

Paula dropped to her knees beside me, her fingers hovering just above my skin, unsure whether she should touch me.

“Stay still,” she urged, though it sounded more like a question than an order. A call for help hovered on her lips as she looked over her shoulders, her eyes widened in shock.

Movement stirred behind us. One of the guards stepped forward. Young, taller than most, his armor barely marked. Worry crossed his face the moment he reached me.

“My Luna,” he said respectfully. “Let me carry you back inside.”

The moment stretched and before I could answer, something shifted in the air.

A gasp seemed to pass through everything. The change arrived without warning.

“No.”

The single word cut through the garden like a blade. A whisper, yet it split the air between the blossoms like it was tearing the whole place apart.

Silence followed immediately.

The world went still. Not a chirp from the trees. Beside me, Paula froze completely. The guard snapped upright so fast it looked painful.

Slowly, I turned my head.

Kaius stood at the edge of the garden, his gaze solely on me.

He hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Somehow, he had come within the palace, a heavy black cloak draped over his neck, filling the space like an approaching storm.

His gaze pinned the guard in place, sharp, cold, and burning all at once. Even the distance between them did nothing to soften it.

Did he sense my pain again?! I thought, shutting my eyes tightly.

Kaius spoke again, anger sharpening every word and then he yelled.

The fall hadn’t hurt half as much as that did.

The guard dropped to one knee at once, eyes fixed on the ground. “Pardon me, Alpha,” he said quietly. “That was never my intent.”

Kaius didn’t look at him again. His attention shifted to me.

And just like that, my breath left my chest.