Chapter 5

Kaida’s POV

I'd been kept in my room the whole day, without seeing any sky, and I thought I would lose my mind. Each time I got to the door, a scary-looking warrior looked down at me.

And it was more than enough to send me running back into the safety of the bedroom.

It had been almost twenty-four hours since I was kept here, and I hadn't seen Selene or Kellan. Not like I wanted to see him anyway.

Food was handed over to me by one of the warriors, and each time I asked about Selene, they regarded me as if I were a traitor.

Once, I was about to explain to them that I had no idea how I had passed through their veil without dying. But right before I opened my mouth, I realized they were not the ones who needed convincing.

It was the broody yet controlling Kellan.

The last thing I wanted to do was be in the same room with him, but the faster I got around to doing that, the better my chance of leaving this …pack, woods, place…whatever it was called.

I couldn’t remain in my clothes from yesterday, so I got dressed in a pair of shorts I found in the closet. It clung low on my hips, leaving the base of my ass exposed, but at this point, I didn’t care.

Pairing it with a black tank top, I made my way to the door.

But suddenly, someone opened it from outside, causing me to step aside to avoid the fine wood hitting me square in the face.

“Going somewhere?”

His voice was still the same, low and calm, yet it managed to shake me at my core. My throat suddenly felt dry as he sauntered into the room, an air of authority about him.

I held my breath as he walked past, wondering why my heart thudded so hard against my chest. A part of me was scared he would hear the sound.

He stopped at the floor-to-ceiling window and turned around. His eyes scanned every inch of my body. Everywhere his gaze met, I felt heat lick up my skin.

It was hard to breathe. Hell! It was hard doing anything with him in here.

“Kellan, I ….”

“There is a moon ball later tonight. Get ready for it. Your dress will be on your bed before you get out of the bathroom, and the invitation right beside it. Don’t be late.”

He looked at me one last time before striding towards the door. I was still rooted to the spot, as if in a trance.

By the time I got out of it, he was already out of the room.

I raced after him at once, pulling the door open without thinking about it. I wasn’t going to attend any moon ball or whatever he called it. He didn’t get to boss me around without giving me what I wanted.

But before the dense air in the hallway hit my exposed flesh, firm hands suddenly wrapped themselves around me, pushing me back into the room.

“Let me go!” I yelled, hitting the hands even though I knew it was futile.

But he let me go, taking his hands off me and causing me to stumble forward, almost falling flat on my face.

When I finally found my footing, Kellan was right in my face, his silver hair covering half of his forehead. My fingers itched to touch his tresses, to slip my fingers through them.

But there was something about his blue eyes, staring at me like he could read into my soul, that made me think twice about giving in to my errant desires.

A muscle worked in his jaw, and his eyes turned a darker shade of blue. His lips barely moved as he spoke.

“Cover yourself.”

I blinked and took a step away from him, the bed stopping me from getting any farther. Although Kellan didn't move, I could still feel his warm breath fanning my face.

“Kellan…”

The way he looked at me, I couldn’t fathom it. It felt like he hated me, and needed me at the same time. I didn’t know which was worse.

“You walk out like that again, and I’ll rip the eyes out of anyone who looks at you. And then, make you pay for tempting them.”

With that, he was gone, the door slamming hard behind him.

Why did his words sound like a threat that left delicious ripples in my stomach?

I was still standing in the same spot when a lady walked in minutes later with a huge red box and a glittering card atop it. I waited till she was gone before loosening the ribbon on the card.

It was the invitation to the moon ball.

The cover of the box came off next, and I gasped as I took in the stunning dress lying neatly in it. It was made of blue silk, with a perfectly cut bodice decorated with jewels that shimmered under the light. There was a pair of silver shoes lying by the side.

Although I didn't want to go for the moon ball, I was curious about what it looked like. So, I spent the next hour scrubbing myself clean and getting myself ready.

The door opened again the second the clock hanging above it chimed 9. Selene waltzed in, in a dress that was as dark as midnight. It clung to her like a second skin, and she carried it with an elegance I didn’t think I could ever have.

“Let’s go,” she whispered, taking my hand.

I swallowed as my nerves kicked in. If Selene felt it from how hard I squeezed her palm, she gave nothing away, leading me back down the stairs and through a separate door by the side.

Selene’s hands left mine as the warriors on the other side pulled the doors open. Smiling at me one last time, she waltzed over to the man who’d questioned me in the cell.

An automatic scowl flashed on my face as our eyes met.

He nudged someone standing beside him.

Kellan.

That feeling was back again, the electricity raw. My heart slammed against my ribs, acting like it knew Kellan before I did. I felt an excitement I couldn’t explain, as my feet pulled me in his direction.

I was only a few feet away from him when his eyes shone wide open. I halted and turned to Selene, but she too had the same expression on her face.

By my side, the crystal ball was glowing. And I was very certain that when I stepped into the hall, it was quiet and off.