Chapter 21:

"Lilah?"

Ah fuck.

Caspian glares at me as I get back on my feet, harder than I've ever seen him glare at everyone, and Theo turns to face me completely.

I don't think I've ever seen him this disheveled before. His dark hair is a little unkempt, his usual pristine posture slightly stiff, and his sharp eyes are scanning me like I might disappear any second. 

I take an unconscious step back, my body reacting before my mind even processes it.

He notices.

His lips press together for a fraction of a second before he reaches out. He takes a few steps closer to me and reaches out his warm fingers brushing against my cheek, as if he's trying to confirm I'm real. 

The touch startles me. He's never touched me like this before. Not in a way that suggests he cares.

Before I can react, he closes the space between us and pulls me into a firm embrace.

I go rigid.

His arms are strong, secure—too secure. I don't know what to do with my hands, so I let them hang at my sides, awkward and stiff. 

My heart races, and I can feel the tension in his body, the way he's holding me like he's afraid I'll vanish if he lets go. 

It's so unlike him. Theo has always been composed, distant, even when we were children and away from the eyes of the pack. We talked a lot, but it seemed as though physical contact was where we drew the line.

This—this is something else entirely.

When he finally pulls away, his gaze is intense. "I waited for you to come back that night," he murmurs, his voice lower than usual. "I thought you would. And when you didn't, I told my father we needed to look for you."

I swallow, my throat suddenly dry.

His father, my uncle and the alpha of moonhaven. The man who raised him to see me as nothing more than a shadow in his life.

Theo shakes his head, his jaw tightening. "He refused. Said you were probably dead."

The words land heavily between us.

I want to say I'm not surprised, but I don't. Instead, I glance away, my chest tightening. 

I've spent so long trying to forget Moonhaven, trying to bury the memories of the pack that never truly saw me as one of their own. 

But Theo's presence brings it all rushing back—the loneliness, the feeling of being invisible, the constant reminder that I was never enough.

His gaze flickers to something behind me, and I turn instinctively, following his line of sight.

Caspian stands a few feet away, watching us with an expression I can't quite read. His presence is commanding, as always, his cold eyes flickering between Theo and me. 

Something in Theo shifts. His stance hardens, his grip on me loosening completely as he straightens. Then, he speaks, his voice laced with something sharp.

"My prince," he says, tone perfectly composed, but the edge in it is undeniable. "You told me you hadn't seen her. Why did you lie?"

I glance between them, my stomach twisting. Caspian's jaw tightens just a little, his expression betraying nothing. 

His cold gaze meets mine briefly before he turns, his posture effortlessly commanding. As he walks past us, he says, "I expect my breakfast soon."

And then he's gone.

I don't know why that makes my heart thud louder in my chest.

Theo's attention shifts back to me, and before I can say anything, he pulls me into another hug.

This one is different.

It's less stiff. Warmer. I feel his hand press against the back of my head, his breath hitting my shoulder as he mutters, "I really thought you were dead."

His voice is quieter now, like he's speaking more to himself than to me. And this time, I don't freeze. 

My arms move almost instinctively, wrapping around him in return. It's strange, hugging him like this. 

Theo has never been one for physical affection, and neither have I. But in this moment, it feels... right. Like something I didn't realize I needed.

After a moment, he pulls back, exhaling slowly. "I'm relieved you're safe here," he says, searching my face for something I don't know if I can give him.

I clear my throat, stepping back. "I have to get to work."

His brows knit together. "Work?"

I nod. "I'm the Prince's wait-on maid."

His entire expression darkens.

"What?" he asks, his tone dangerously calm.

I sigh, already knowing where this is going. "I serve him personally. Bring him his meals, clean his chambers, attend to—"

"You're an omega here?" he interrupts, his voice laced with something bitter.

I press my lips together, trying to keep my voice steady. "That's what happens when you're low-ranking in a pack, Theo. It's all I've been my whole life anyway. Just a change in location."

He shakes his head, his jaw tightening. "That's not true. You were my cousin in Moonhaven. The Alpha's niece. You were—"

"Theo," I cut him off, my voice sharper than I intend. I give him a look, one that I hope conveys everything I can't say. 

That being the Alpha's niece meant nothing when no one saw me as anything more than an omega. 

That my title in Moonhaven was just a formality, a way to keep me in my place without causing too much of a fuss. 

That if I was truly accepted as the Alpha's niece, I would have had a mate by now.

He quiets, his eyes searching mine, but I don't give him the chance to argue further.

"I really have to go," I say, my tone softer now. "If I'm late, he will be angry."

Theo's expression hardens, but he doesn't stop me as I turn to leave. I can feel his eyes on my back as I walk away, and it takes everything in me not to look over my shoulder. 

My mind is spinning, my heart still racing from the intensity of his presence. I always knew he cared about me more than the others did back at Moonhaven, but this? 

Actually worrying about whether I was alive? Looking for me?

It's unsettling.

And the worst part is, I don't know what to do with it.

As I make my way to the kitchen, my thoughts are a tangled mess. Theo's arrival has thrown everything off balance. 

Caspian did mention that he had been reaching out to look for me and that when he does find me, I shouldn't go back with him.

It was an obvious thing then, but having him here now just makes it more difficult than it's supposed to be. 

I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts away. I can't afford to dwell on this now. I have work to do, and Caspian isn't known for his patience. 

But as I grab the tray of food and head toward his chambers, I can't help but wonder what Theo will do next. What he'll say when we finally have a chance to talk properly.

And more importantly, what I'll say in return. Can't guarantee a blissful conversation though.