CHAPTER 03

Adeline's POV

I slammed the door shut behind me, the chime above it rattling like a warning bell.

What just happened?

My heart was still racing from the palace steps. That girl—those eyes. The same molten hazel as Vincent’s.

Could she really be…?

I didn’t finish the thought. I didn’t dare.

I tossed my satchel onto the counter, only for it to knock over a jar of dried sage. Leaves scattered like ash across the wood, and for once, I didn’t care. The scent hit me, sharp and medicinal. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe through it, to make sense of the knot unraveling in my chest.

Then……Bang.

The back door slammed open.

The sound of boots thundering inside, angry voices yelling. Metallic sound of their boots against the wooden floor.

I spun around just in time to see three soldiers tear through my shelves, sweeping my herbs to the floor like they were trash.

“What the hell are you doing?!” I shouted.

One of them grunted, flipping over my table with a crash. “Orders. The Alpha’s daughter is missing. We’re searching every corner of the tribe—including this place.”

My pulse spiked. Missing?

She was just at the palace square. The guards dragged her through the crowd back to the palace. Now gone?

“You think she’s hiding in a bundle of peppermint?” I snapped, pushing toward them.

But they didn’t listen. They tore open drawers, upended baskets, shattered bottles like they meant nothing. My world—everything I’d built—was ripped apart in seconds.

All I could do was watch. My mouth was dry. My chest became hollow.

They were really searching for her, Vincent’s daughter and she was gone.

They left after leaving a trail of destruction, my painstakingly sorted herbs were now a chaotic mess, and not a single word of apology and not even a sign of remorse.

I sank to my knees and began picking up the pieces—bits of glass, stems, torn paper packets. My hands moved in a calculated pattern, eyes stinging from more than the herbs. The scent of ruin was thick and unforgiving. I had built this little shop with bare hands. Every jar was gathered, dried, labeled. And now it was all... scattered.

A scuffling sound behind me made me freeze.

I didn’t move, my thoughts rattled.

Immediately a voice I least expected to hear

“Ma!”

“Mum”

I turned. Two small figures stood in the doorway, panting, dust smudged on their cheeks. My sons.

“Caleb. Elijah.” My voice cracked.

They crossed the threshold in a blur, and I dropped the jar in my hand just in time to catch them.

Small arms wrapped tightly around my neck. One warm cheek buried against my shoulder, another against my chest. I held them both, fiercely, heart slamming against my ribs like a drum.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I whispered, my voice stern. “It’s not safe.”

“We heard about the soldiers.” Elijah pulled back slightly, his brown eyes wide and serious, far too grown-up for his small round face. “That they were searching everything. And the Alpha’s daughter is gone, no one can leave the tribe.”

“So we came to check on you,” Caleb added, chin wobbling slightly. “They closed the big roads, so we had to sneak through the gardens.”

I looked at them both—my fierce, precious boys. Too young to carry this much fear, but wise enough not to ignore it.

“You could’ve been caught.”

“We were real fast, Mama!” Elijah beamed, bouncing on his heels like he’d just won a game. His eyes sparkled with excitement, and I bit back a smile at his boundless confidence.

I let out a sharp breath, reaching to smooth their wild, windblown curls.

My fingers lingered for a moment, tucking stray strands behind their ears. When had they grown so tall? I hadn’t noticed until now.

“Listen to me,” I said gently, dragging them inside and slamming the broken door shut behind us. “You don’t get it—this place is swarming with werewolves. The Alpha’s soldiers are everywhere. If they even sense witch blood…” My throat tightened. “They won’t ask questions. They’ll tear you apart. And the mere thought of him finding out…..”

 I couldn't say it, not now, not in front of the kids.

Their gazes dropped.

“You promised me you wouldn’t come near the center of the tribe. Not without me. Not ever alone.”

“But you were in danger,” Caleb whispered.

A lump rose in my throat as my chest fluttered joyfully. I sighed, pulled them in again, resting my forehead against theirs.

“Next time,” I murmured, “send one of the crows, alright? Or wait until I come home.”

“Promise,” they said together.

We spent the next few minutes cleaning the shop as best as we could. My fingers trembled as I sorted the dried herbs, trying to salvage what little was left. The boys swept in silence, glancing up each time footsteps passed outside. Every time I heard boots on gravel, my heart leapt to my throat.

By the time we stepped out, the sun was dipping low behind the trees, staining the sky in orange and crimson. I took both boys’ hands in mine as we walked, keeping my head down. Soldiers still patrolled the far paths, hounds sniffing for any trace of magic.

We took the long way back to the cottage. Past the fields. Through the low hedges.

Avoiding the market. The boys stayed quiet, their fingers gripping mine tighter than usual.

The moment we crossed the field’s edge, I heard it—a faint, trembling sound, barely louder than the breeze. A child sniffling

I paused, the boys did too.

“Mum?”

I raised a hand, motioning them to stay behind as I moved toward the sound. The tall grass rustled against my skirts as I stepped through it carefully, each step slow, listening.

Then I saw her.

A small figure lay curled behind a clump of brush—thin, trembling. Her dress was torn at the hem, smudged with dirt. Strands of blonde hair clung to her tear-streaked face.

I halted.

Her eyes met mine—frightened, familiar.

And then it hit me. I knew her.

The little girl from the palace square who had low blood sugar. The one I’d knelt in front of and handed a piece of candy, trying to make her feel better. Now, here she was, alone and afraid.

The very child the soldiers were tearing the kingdom apart to find. The Alpha’s daughter.

And she wasn’t lost.

I knelt beside her, my heart thundering.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” I asked softly.

She flinched. Her lip trembled, but she didn’t answer.

“It’s alright,” I said again, reaching out gently. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Myra,” she whispered finally. “My name is Myra.”

Elijah and Caleb crept closer, staying a safe distance behind me.

“Where’s your guard?” I asked.

She hesitated, her little fingers twisting in the hem of her dress. “They ran,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “They said I was too slow… told me to stay here ‘til someone came. But…” Her hazel eyes welled up, and her chin wobbled. “No one came to get me.”

I clenched my jaw.

“Because they weren’t coming back.”

She nodded, eyes filling with tears again.

“Because I’m... not good and slow.”

My chest twisted.

“What do you mean?”

“I was born without a wolf,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “The soldiers hate that I’m weak. They say I slow everything down. Sometimes they trip me on purpose… or leave me behind in the woods.

My hands curled slowly in the grass.

Behind me, Elijah stepped forward.

“That’s dumb!” he said loudly, his little face scrunching up. “You’re not useless!”

Caleb nodded, his face flushed. “You don’t need a wolf to be strong.”

Myra blinked at them, clearly startled.

“I can’t even run fast, my legs are tiny”.

“We’ll keep you safe,” Elijah said, holding out his hand to her. “Don’t be scared, okay? I’m strong. I can fight bad guys, and Caleb’s fast. Nobody’s gonna hurt you when we’re here. You can stay with us, and we’ll look after you… promise.”

She stared at it, and then she reached for him, taking his hand.

I exhaled slowly.

She was so light in my arms, nothing more than a feather. Her skin felt cold, her breathing shallow. Whatever strength she had left was barely holding on.

She wouldn’t survive a night out here alone.

I didn’t hesitate. I scooped her up gently, cradling her against my chest.

“Come on,” I whispered. “I’m taking you home.”

Her head rested against my shoulder as her breath steadied.

I looked down at both my boys—brave, small, fierce. They weren’t just my sons, they were protectors. And this girl…

This girl was a pawn, discarded by wolves too heartless to notice.

“She’s coming with us,” I said quietly.

The boys didn’t hesitate. They nodded once, then fell into step beside me as I turned toward home—toward Mathias' little cottage on the edge of the woods.