Chapter 6

Soren’s POV

"Evelyn! Please, wait!"

I called after her, but the only answer I received was the loud slam of the heavy oak door. I rushed forward and grabbed the golden door handle.

 I turned it, but I heard the sharp click of the lock from the inside. She had locked me out.

I rested my forehead against the door, letting out a long, heavy sigh. My chest tightened with an unbearable amount of guilt.

What had I done?

I squeezed my eyes shut, replaying the terror on her face when I pointed the silver dagger at her. My beautiful wife had just returned to me from the jaws of death.

 She had survived years of torture, darkness, and cruelty in the deep woods. She had lost her memories and her peace of mind.

 And instead of holding her and making her feel safe, I had played a cruel, sick prank on her. I had treated her like an enemy spy in her own home.

"I am so sorry, my love," I whispered to the closed door, though I knew she would not answer.

The silence from the bedroom felt heavy, like a physical weight pressing down on my shoulders. I remembered the three years she was gone. 

I remembered the cold, empty bed, the endless nights of regret, and the terrible feeling that I had failed to protect the woman the Moon Goddess had given me.

 I had promised myself every single day that if she ever came back, I would treat her like a true Queen.

Yet, on her very first night home, I was still making mistakes. I was still making her cry.

I felt like a total monster.

Without saying another word, I stepped away from the door.

 I walked over to the velvet chair, picked up the silver dagger, and threw it into a drawer, hiding it from sight. 

I grabbed my black silk robe, threw it over my wet body, and tied the belt tightly around my waist. I needed to give her some space to calm down, but I also needed to fix this immediately.

I stepped out of her bedroom and walked down the long, quiet hallway to my own royal chambers. As soon as I entered my room, I made a solemn vow to the Moon Goddess. 

*I will love her right this time. I will protect her from every danger, and I will spend every single day making up for the pain I caused her.*

I walked over to the communication crystal on my desk and tapped it.

"Send for the royal stylist immediately," I commanded the guard on the other end. 

"Tell her to come to my chambers right now."

Ten minutes later, there was a soft knock on my door. The royal stylist, a tall, elegant woman named Clara, bowed deeply as she entered.

"You called for me, Alpha Soren?" Clara asked, her eyes kept respectfully to the floor.

"Yes," I said, pacing back and forth across the thick rug. 

"The Luna has returned, but she has nothing. The clothes she wore in the forest are ruined, and her old dresses are outdated. I want you to go into the pack city and buy everything. Go to the best boutiques. I want the finest silk dresses, the softest nightgowns, expensive jewelry, and matching shoes. Buy the best perfumes and cosmetics. Do not look at the price tags. Buy it all."

Clara’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she quickly nodded her head. 

"Right away, Alpha. I will gather the best items in the city."

"Be quick about it," I ordered. Clara bowed again and rushed out of the room.

For the next hour, I could not sit still. I paced around my room, my mind entirely filled with the image of Evelyn.

 I thought about the way the water dripped down her beautiful skin, the way her eyes flashed with anger, and the fiery, brave way she yelled at me. 

The old Evelyn used to be so timid and quiet. She used to look at the ground when she was upset. 

But the forest had changed her. The woman who just locked me out of the bathroom was fierce and full of fire.

And truthfully, I found that fire incredibly attractive.

Exactly one hour later, Clara returned. She was not alone. She had five pack maids walking behind her. 

Every single maid was carrying large, beautiful shopping bags, velvet boxes, and garment bags filled with luxury items.

"We have everything, Alpha," Clara announced with a proud smile. "The finest dresses, diamond necklaces, and imported perfumes."

"Perfect," I said, feeling a small spark of hope in my chest. "Follow me."

I led Clara and the maids out of my room and walked straight back to Evelyn’s chamber. I gently turned the handle of the bedroom door. She had unlocked it.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Evelyn was sitting on the edge of the large, soft bed. She had dried her hair and was wearing a simple, plain white nightgown she must have found in the closet. 

She looked so small and fragile sitting there, staring out the window at the dark forest.

She turned her head when she heard our footsteps. Her silver eyes widened in pure shock as the five maids marched into the room, placing the shiny bags, velvet jewelry boxes, and expensive clothes carefully onto the large sofas and tables. 

The room was instantly filled with the colors of rich fabrics and the sparkle of gold.

Evelyn stood up from the bed, her face a picture of total confusion. She looked at Clara and the maids.

"What is all this?" she asked softly. "Who bought these gifts for me?"

I stepped forward from behind the maids, putting my hands behind my back so she would not see how nervous I was.

"I did," I said. My voice was gentle and soft.

Evelyn looked at me, her eyes moving from my face to the mountain of expensive gifts. For a moment, the room was completely silent.

I turned to Clara and the maids. "Leave us," I commanded quietly.

They all bowed deeply to me, and then turned to bow to the Luna. They quickly and quietly exited the room, pulling the heavy oak door completely shut behind them. We were finally alone again.

I took a slow step toward her, unsure if she was going to yell at me again or run away. But she did not move. She just looked down at her hands.

"Soren," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. She slowly lifted her head to look at me, and I saw deep regret shining in her eyes.

 "I am sorry."

I frowned in surprise. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I should not have reacted like that in the bathroom," she said, her voice sounding so sweet and fragile. She took a tiny step toward me. 

"I was just so scared. My mind is still so messed up from the woods. But I know you are the Alpha. I know you have to protect the pack. 

You had every right to test me, and I should not have shouted at you and slammed the door. Please forgive me."

Hearing her apologize broke my heart all over again. She was not the one who was wronged, yet she was standing here begging for my forgiveness.

"No, Evelyn," I said quickly, stepping forward to close the distance between us. 

"It is perfectly okay. You do not need to apologize to me for anything. I was the one who was wrong. I apologize for pranking you. I apologize for making you feel unsafe. It was a stupid, foolish thing to do."

A brief, warm spark of feelings passed between us as our eyes locked. For a second, the heavy tension in the room completely melted away, replaced by a deep, romantic pull.

But then, Evelyn looked over at the mountain of expensive bags and beautiful dresses. She sighed softly.

"You should not have gotten all these gifts just because you wanted to apologize to me, Soren," she said quietly. 

"You cannot just buy my forgiveness. You do not need to spend money to make me stay."

I shook my head firmly. I reached out, gently taking her soft, warm hand in mine.

"I didn't buy these just to apologize to you," I told her, looking deeply into her silver eyes.

 "I bought them because you deserve them. I bought them because you are the Luna of this pack, and you should have the entire world at your feet."

I took a deep breath, letting my guard down completely. I needed her to understand my heart.

"Before you were taken," I confessed, my voice thick with emotion, "I mistreated you. I ignored you. 

I was a terrible husband, and I let my duties blind me to the beautiful woman standing right in front of me. I took you for granted. But the Goddess gave me a second chance. Now that you are back, I swear to you, I will not lose you again. I will spend every day making sure you know how precious you are to me."

As I held her hand, a strange, sudden feeling hit my chest. Deep inside my mind, my wolf suddenly stirred. But it was not a happy feeling. 

My wolf pushed against my mind, letting out a low, uncomfortable rumble of resistance. It felt like my inner beast was trying to pull me away from her. The mate bond felt completely muted, almost totally disconnected.

I frowned slightly, confused by my wolf's strange rejection. But I quickly pushed the animal instinct down. 

My wolf was probably just confused by the dark scent of the Rogue woods still lingering on her skin. I could not let my beast ruin this moment. My human heart knew exactly what it wanted.

I ignored my resisting wolf. I lifted her small hand to my face and pressed a long, soft, lingering kiss against her knuckles.

Evelyn gasped softly at the contact. I slowly lowered her hand, but I did not let go. My eyes naturally dropped from her silver eyes down to her lips.

They were so incredibly attractive. They were soft, pink, and perfectly lush. They were slightly parted, and her warm breath fanned across my skin. 

I had promised myself earlier that I would not rush intimacy. I knew her mind was fragile.

I knew she had been through pure hell, and she needed time to heal before we shared a bed.

But standing here, breathing in her sweet scent, feeling the warmth of her skin under my fingers, I completely lost my self-control.

 I simply could not help myself. The pull of my human desire was far too strong.

I let go of her hand and slowly reached up. I gently cupped both of her warm cheeks with my large palms. She did not pull away. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and waiting.

I leaned down, closing my eyes, and captured her lush lips in a deep, passionate, and desperate kiss.