(AMARI'S POV)
Elara was smiling too much.
And that terrified me more than if she had screamed.
Did Rudina brief her about the situation? Had she agreed to cooperate? So easily?
She even gave me a hug after Kaelen, whose hand had never left mine, and then she cleaned her eyes dry. "Come on in, son. You must be tired," she politely said, a ghost of herself.
"Of course," Kaelen replied smoothly, and Elara hooked her arm into Rudina's, leading the way.
"Where is Al?" I couldn't hold back my tongue as we went into the house, welcomed by the dull yellow walls of the living room.
"Oh, you know how your brother is with the art center!" She threw over her shoulder with a strange chuckle. "They have an event, and so they won't be back until evening."
A punch to my stomach.
Elara never let Al go to the art center—'an absolute waste of time and money,' she called it. And did she say an arts event here in Moon Haven? It must be the end of the world…
"I said a lot of prayers to the Goddess, and the priest assured me that all would be well. It's a miracle!" Elara said as she moved to the center of the room, her smile directed at Kaelen.
"I appreciate the concern," Kaelen said with a nod.
I wanted to be sick. Perhaps the world was truly coming to an end. Elara had no business with the temple or the priest, not to talk of giving prayers.
Yeah, she's lying, and it has to be something deeper. The act is intentional.
I narrowed my eyes. Everything around me looked the same—the old wooden chairs arranged in the neat rooms, my siblings' school books arranged on a table, the old clock with the seconds hand broken. Everything was the same, except—THAT!
A framed photo of Kaelen and me hanging on the empty wall.
My mouth fell open, and heat pricked my skin. I shakily turned to Kaelen, but he was speaking to Elara.
"Oh, you don't have to be hungry to eat in our home, my son," my stepmother tried.
"Some other time. For now, I have some quick work to do, but I'll be back in less than an hour for my wife," he replied.
The words 'my wife' dropped like stones into still water. Ripples spread through my chest sharply, but I tried to stay focused.
He's leaving. That gives me some time with my family.
"I plead, Alpha Kaelen. I promise the food is delicious," she said sweetly with a head bow. I wanted to roll my eyes. She had no idea how badly I needed him gone.
"I was under the impression you knew me as a truck driver?" Kaelen asked, his face still, eyes searching.
The silence in the room was suffocating for two seconds, then Elara broke it with a nervous laugh.
"My daughters and I are like sisters. She couldn't keep your real identity or the private jet away from me even though we've spent only seconds alone." She pulled a stiff Rudina closer to her.
Sisters?
"This is the first time you're here as an Alpha," Elara continued, a pout forming on her face. "The other times you came here, you were just a truck driver."
"You should be annoyed at my deceit," Kaelen said.
Elara didn't break character. "Deceit is saying you're an Alpha and finding out you're a truck driver. Not the other way around."
Now that is Elara alright.
I stole a glance at Kaelen. Still blank. Not giving anything away. But those eyes of his remained sharp, like he was reading every movement.
"I'll be back another time. I must leave now. See you later, Rudina," Kaelen said, and just like that, Rudina's presence was revived.
"O-okay," she said.
"Thanks for the welcome, Mrs. Daclaw." He turned to me, my heart raced. "Will you walk me to the door, my dear?"
I felt the heat crawling to my cheeks.
"Y-yes," it was my turn to stammer.
Without looking behind, I walked him right back to the door, and only when it was open did he let go of my hand.
"I'll be back in less than an hour," he assured.
"Okay." My hands held each other to reduce the emptiness.
Then Kaelen's eyes turned serious. "Where was I staying while I was in Moon Haven. An inn? A bed and breakfast?"
"The Moon's Bed and Breakfast," I replied.
"And I was alone, you say. No friends. No bodyguard."
"Yes," my voice came out in an uncontrolled whisper.
"What court did we get married?"
His tone changed slightly.
Like the answer mattered to him more than anything.
"Moon Haven's only court," I replied.
He looked like he was going to ask me another question, but instead, he turned around for the door.
"Kaelen," I called out.
He stopped, turned back, a curious expression on his face.
I swallowed. "Your undereyes tell a lot. I think you should be careful and take care. Hydrate as often as possible." The words tumbled out of my lips.
It had been written on his face since. He was unwell. And I felt the burning urge to tell him he needed to take a rest, but I'm not a fool.
"Okay," he surprised me, and then even further, he leaned over and placed a light kiss on my cheek.
"I'll be back."
I stood. Stunned. Watching him leave. For a few seconds, I was still, with my racing heart the only sign of life.
How does he do that? Make me feel a thousand things at once.
My cheeks tingled from his touch, and my pulse spiked each time I replayed the flashback.
I was supposed to be worried about the questions he had asked me. Because it confirmed he came here to find out the truth because he did not believe me.
He could be testing me with his little kisses and hand-holding and heroic catches.
I felt strangely light as a feather as I floated back to the living room.
"Do you always have to bring bad luck with you, Amari?" Elara's voice was sharp enough to clear my head instantly. "Would you finally be happy when you get us killed?"
Of course, the real her.
She crossed the room to get to me, eyes blazing and finger pointing.
"Do you know what you have put us through? Do you know that your brother… breathes with a gun pointed to his head?!"