Chapter Twenty-five
Faelen’s POV
As I rose from the bed that morning, I could still feel the weight of what had happened last night pressing down on me.
My body ached with exhaustion, but it wasn’t just physical… it was emotional, too. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Hunter’s face, his fury, and the kiss that had sparked it all.
Why had I done it? Why had I let myself get so close to him? I had been so careful, so focused on my mission, but in that moment, all of that had fallen away.
It was like something had taken over me, a pull that I couldn’t resist, a force stronger than anything I had ever felt before. And it had led me to a place I knew I shouldn’t have gone.
I paced the small room, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn’t control. Hunter was the Alpha, powerful, dangerous, and I was just a servant, an outsider here with a mission I couldn’t afford to fail.
But none of that had mattered in that instant when our lips had touched. The memory of his kiss lingered on my lips, warm and soft, but also fierce, dominating, as if he had wanted to consume me whole.
For that brief moment, it had felt like he was mine, like we were equals, like the world outside us had vanished. But then reality had come crashing back, and with it, Hunter’s rage.
I shuddered, recalling the way he had looked at me, the venom in his voice when he called me a “filthy little thing,” a mere servant who had overstepped her bounds.
He had wanted to crush me, to remind me of my place, and in that moment, I had believed he would. But then, he had done something I hadn’t expected… he had let me go. He had stormed off, leaving me alone trembling there.
Why? Why hadn’t he punished me right then and there? Was it because of what I had said? Had my words, my simple acknowledgment that he had kissed me back, pierced through his anger?
It didn’t make sense. But what made even less sense was how I felt now… conflicted, torn between fear and something else, something I didn’t want to admit to myself.
I could still feel his presence, even though he wasn’t here. It was like his scent clung to me, a reminder of what had happened, a constant pull that wouldn’t let me forget.
And that was what scared me the most… not Hunter’s anger, not the threats he had made, but the fact that a part of me didn’t regret what had happened.
I had kissed him. I had wanted to kiss him, and in that brief moment, I had wanted nothing more than to give in to that desire. But now, in the light of the day, I felt like a fool.
What had I been thinking? How could I let myself get so carried away?
But no matter how much I berated myself, I couldn’t shake the memory of the way he had looked at me before the anger took over.
For just a second, there had been something else in his eyes… something vulnerable, almost like he had been as overwhelmed as I was.
I sank down onto the edge of the bed, wrapping my arms around myself as if that could keep the swirling emotions at bay. What was happening to me?
I had a job to do, and it didn’t involve getting tangled up with the Alpha. I was supposed to be spying on him, finding out what he knew, not… not this.
But even as I told myself that, I knew it wasn’t that simple. There was something between us, something I couldn’t ignore. The attraction, the pull, it was real, and no matter how hard I tried to deny it, it wasn’t going away.
I had to be careful, more careful than ever before now. Whatever this was, whatever was happening between me and Hunter, it couldn’t get in the way of my mission.
I ready had to stay focused, to remember why I was here if I was to complete the mission, or even come out of it alive.
Deep down though, I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. Not after what had happened last night, and certainly not after the way I had felt when he kissed me back.
I stood up from the bed, straightening my dress and brushing my hair back from my face. I had to get my mind off this, had to focus on something else.
There were chores to do that morning , things to prepare for. I couldn’t afford to let myself be distracted, not now.
Later, I left the servants’ quarters and entered the estate for the first time since the awkward situation last night.
I stepped into the hallway where it had happened, I couldn’t help but glance toward the stairs to Hunter’s room.
He was probably up there, just as torn as I was maybe, if not more. And though I tried to push it out of my mind, the thought remained, pinching at me.
What would happen the next time we were alone together? I couldn’t help but wonder.
The morning air was cool, even inside I could feel the wind blow through the already opened windows, but it did nothing to calm the storm forming inside me.
Last night’s events continued to play in my mind over and over again, like a nightmare I just couldn’t seem to escape my own thoughts.
I had to try hard to push it away… at least, I told myself I had to.
But when the head maid called me over, her expression stern as usual, I knew today would be no ordinary day.
“Faelen,” she said, handing me a tray with a teapot and cups, “the Alpha has requested tea in his private office. You are to bring it to him immediately.”
My heart dropped to my stomach. I could feel the blood draining from my face, but I managed to nod, accepting the tray with trembling hands. Of all the tasks in the estate, why this? Why now?
As I walked towards Hunter’s office, the hallways seemed longer, the walls closing in around me. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts… what would he do when he saw me?
Would he be furious, cold, or worse… indifferent? And how could I, knowing what had happened between us, even face him again?
Each step I took was heavier than the last, the tray shaking in my grip as if it weighed a too heavily. When I finally reached the door to his office, I stopped.
My hands shook so badly I thought I might drop the tray right there. I just stared at the door, unable to bring myself to knock.
Somehow, even now, all I could think about was the look in his eyes last night… full of anger, confusion, and something else I couldn’t name.
Maybe if I just stood there, no one would notice, and I could return to the kitchen, escaping this ordeal. I told myself. But I knew better. I was sent here with a task, and I couldn’t avoid it.
Still, my body refused to move, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest anytime soon.
Just as I was about to turn and leave, the door swung open. I jumped, startled, nearly spilling the tea. Standing in the doorway was Caleb.
His eyes met mine, a flash of surprise crossing his face before he hide it with an expression that seemed… neutral.
Caleb scanned me quickly, as if to make sure I was alright, but then relaxed slightly when he remembered I was just another servant in the estate.
There was something else in Caleb’s gaze though… something that told me he knew, or at least suspected, what had happened between Hunter and me last night.
“Good morning, Sire Caleb,” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. “I… I was sent to bring tea to the Alpha.”
He nodded, a moment of hesitation in his eyes. Then, as if making a decision, he stepped aside and held the door open for me, a gesture that felt oddly gentlemanly under the circumstances.
I forced myself to take a step forward, my legs shaky beneath me as I entered the office…
The moment I stepped inside, I felt his presence. Hunter… the air quickly became thick with tension, and I could feel Hunter’s eyes on me even before I looked up.
When our eyes finally met, his face was a that of anger, just like last night. I froze, not knowing what to do, the tray trembling in my hands, fear planting me to the spot there.
Hunter didn’t say a word. His gaze was like fire, burning into me, making me wish I could disappear.
Suddenly, he moved. In one swift, violent motion, he crossed the room and struck the tray from my hands, sending the hot tea, kettle, and cups crashing into the wall.
The sound of shattering echoed through the room, each fragment hitting the floor like a final blow. I gasped, my heart jumping into my throat.
My hands were still outstretched, frozen in the act of holding the tray that was no longer there. I was too stunned to move, my body shaking with fear.
Before I could even think to apologize, Hunter’s voice thundered through the office. “Get out of my sight!” he roared, his voice so loud and full of rage that it made my ears scream.
Without thinking, I turned and fled, my feet moving faster than they ever had before. I burst through the door, past Caleb, not daring to look back.
My vision blurred with tears as I ran down the hallway, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. I didn’t stop until I reached the safety of the quarters, collapsing against the wall as sobs jolted my body.
What had I done? How could I have been so foolish, so reckless? The image of Hunter’s enraged face was burned into my mind, a reminder of the dangerous line I had crossed.
I felt like a fool for thinking he might pretend nothing had happened, for hoping that the kiss could be forgotten. Now I knew better. He was furious, and I had become the target of that anger.