Chapter 165 - 0165
Lorelei POV
"If you aren’t ready, you can always leave with me."
Raven’s words echoed through my mind over and over as I slowly made my way back to my bedroom. I honestly didn’t have an answer for her, just like I hadn’t been able to give her one back on that stone bench.
I knew I wasn’t ready to face them. Not even close. But I also knew I couldn’t keep running from my past forever. What were Jaxen and her father even doing in this territory in the first place? Ah, shit. I should’ve asked Raven if she had any idea. At the very least, I needed to be prepared for the possibility of running into them again.
Lost in my thoughts, I let out a heavy sigh and pushed open my bedroom door. The second I stepped inside, however, my eyes widened in shock.
Skye was awake.
She was sitting up against the headboard, looking completely disoriented as her gaze slowly wandered around the room, as though she couldn’t figure out where she was.
The instant the door clicked shut behind me, relief crashed over me so hard it almost stole my breath.
"You’re awake!" I cried, hurrying across the room before throwing my arms around her shoulders.
The hug lasted less than a second before Skye immediately let out a sharp groan of pain, making me pull away just as quickly.
"Oh my... sorry!" I blurted out, instantly releasing her as I searched her face in panic. "I forgot you’re still recovering."
She gave me a weak look before rubbing at her temples with a small grimace.
"What am I doing in your room?" she asked, her voice dry and hoarse.
I blinked.
"You... don’t remember?" I asked carefully as I sat down on the edge of the bed and helped her settle more comfortably against the headboard.
She frowned, pressing her fingers harder against her forehead as she tried to sort through the fog in her mind.
"I remember going back to my room because my stomach was burning," she murmured slowly. "Then I started feeling really dizzy, and after that..." Her voice trailed off.
"You were poisoned," I finished quietly, but the words had barely left my mouth before her eyes flew wide open.
"What?" she whispered, staring at me in complete disbelief. "Poisoned?"
Her breathing hitched as more color slowly drained from her face.
"When?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "How?"
"It’s... a very long story," I replied softly.
Taking a slow breath, I reached over and gently rested my hands on hers, hoping to calm her before panic took over.
"A lot of crazy things happened while you were unconscious," I continued, holding her gaze. "Honestly, I think it might be too much for you to process all at once. You just woke up, Skye."
I was only trying to spare her.
Unfortunately, she was just as stubborn as ever.
She tightened her grip on the blanket and shook her head.
"I can handle it," she insisted. "I’m not as weak as you think I am."
A quiet chuckle escaped me.
Looking into her brown eyes, I couldn’t help noticing how pale she still was. She looked exhausted, like her body hadn’t even begun recovering from everything it had endured, yet seeing her awake like this filled me with so much relief that it almost hurt.
"Well... don’t say I didn’t warn you," I said with a small smile.
I leaned forward and fluffed the pillow behind her, making sure she was sitting comfortably before pulling the blanket a little higher over her chest.
Only after I was satisfied that she was settled did I sit back down on the edge of the bed and take a slow, steadying breath.
"For starters..." I said, looking directly into her eyes, "Chelsea is dead."
Right on cue, a horrified gasp escaped Skye’s lips.
Her hands flew to cover her mouth as her eyes widened in complete shock.
I gave her a moment to absorb it before taking another deep breath and beginning the story from the very beginning.
I told her how I’d finally learned that Kaelen had never been involved in the trafficking ring. I told her about unexpectedly seeing Raven again after believing I’d lost her forever.
Then I told her about the moment we discovered she had been poisoned in my place, and everything that happened afterward, including Hawke and Chelsea’s arrest, the interrogation, and their execution.
By the time I finished, the room had fallen completely silent, but I noticed tears quietly gathering in the corners of Skye’s eyes, causing my heart to immediately skip a beat.
"Skye?" I asked, leaning closer as I searched her pale face. "What’s wrong? Are you in pain? Should I call the healer?"
She quickly shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek as she reached over and gently squeezed my hand.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice still hoarse.
I blinked at her in confusion.
"Thank you?" I repeated. "What are you thanking me for?"
"You saved my life," she said, her voice trembling as she held my hand a little tighter. "You fought for me while I was lying here completely helpless."
"I never would’ve had to fight for you if you hadn’t been poisoned because of me," I said quietly as a wave of guilt twisted in my chest. "You almost died because you ate food that was meant for me."
"Don’t say that," Skye replied firmly, wiping away the tear on her cheek with the back of her hand. "Neither of us knew Hawke and Chelsea were planning something that twisted. Besides..." A small smile tugged at her lips. "If we’re being honest, I’m the one who practically inhaled your breakfast out of pure greed."
I couldn’t help it. A genuine laugh escaped me, and a second later, Skye started laughing too.
As we did, the suffocating heaviness in the room eased, even if it was only for a few seconds.
When our laughter finally faded, Skye’s expression gradually turned thoughtful as she settled back against her pillows and studied me carefully.
"What about the Alpha?" she asked softly. "How did he react after finding out the truth? About the trafficking ring... and about who you really are?"
The moment Kaelen was mentioned, my heart sank.
My mind instantly drifted back to the look on his face. The fury. The betrayal. Then the cold, unreadable silence that had settled over him afterward.
The small smile slipped from my lips, and my shoulders slumped as I stared down at my hands, letting out a long, weary sigh.
"Not well," I admitted quietly, and Skye sighed too, though hers sounded almost resigned.
"Honestly..." she said after a moment, "I expected that."
I looked up at her.
"I mean, think about it," she continued gently. "How would anyone react after being falsely accused of running a trafficking ring?"
Her words landed like a punch to the chest, only making my expression fall even further.
She was right. If someone had accused me of something that horrifying, I would’ve been devastated too.
Now that the truth was finally out and the real culprits were gone, I had no idea how I was supposed to face him.
Should I apologize again?
But the last time I’d tried, he didn’t take it well.
Goddess...
Why did everything have to be so complicated?