Chapter 127 - 0127
Lorelei POV
It genuinely puzzled me.
We had spent the entire afternoon weaving through crowded streets packed with werewolves, yet no one had made a scene. At most, people simply offered Darius a respectful nod before continuing on with their day.
It felt... strange.
Back in my old pack, even my father was treated like a deity whenever he stepped outside. People practically tripped over themselves trying to bow or stay out of his way. Compared to that, the way everyone treated Darius felt almost... normal.
Darius let out a low chuckle as he unlocked the vehicle.
"Of course they do. They would be foolish not to know who I am. But they are also wise enough not to bother me because I am not forgiving when my space is violated."
A cold shiver raced down my spine.
For just a second, I caught a glimpse of the man hidden beneath his charming smile, and it was enough to remind me exactly how dangerous he could be.
I quickly pushed the thought aside as he walked around the car and pulled the passenger door open for me.
Just as he was about to close it, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He pulled it out and frowned at the screen.
"Damn it. I left my wallet on the café counter." He ran a hand through his hair before looking back at me. "Stay right here. Lock the doors from the inside. I’ll be back in less than five minutes."
He shut the door, and I immediately pressed the lock button.
As I watched his tall figure jog back toward the café, uneasiness settled over me. I didn’t like being left alone, even if it was only for a few minutes inside a locked car.
Needing something to distract myself, I turned toward the passenger window and watched people move along the busy sidewalk.
Before I realized it, a small smile found its way onto my lips.
Today had been... fun.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I hadn’t been treated like a captive or a pawn in someone else’s game. I had simply been a normal girl eating ice cream, trying on dresses, and wandering around the city without constantly looking over my shoulder.
Goodness, I wished this could be my life.
I wished this freedom wasn’t something I had to borrow for a few stolen hours.
The thought had barely crossed my mind when a muffled voice drifted through the closed window.
My entire body stiffened.
No...
I slowly shook my head, trying to dismiss the sudden wave of panic rising inside me.
You’re imagining things, Lorelei.
I turned toward the sidewalk anyway, searching the crowd to prove to myself that I was only being paranoid.
But then I saw her, and the color drained from my face so quickly it felt like every drop of blood had left my body.
Across the crowded street, my eyes locked with a pair of piercing, icy green eyes I hadn’t seen in what felt like forever.
Mom?
My heart lurched, pounding so hard it felt like it was trying to break free from my chest.
As though she had sensed my stare, her gaze shifted, and the instant our eyes met through the glass, hers widened in pure horror.
She looked like she had just seen a ghost.
Shit.
I immediately threw myself back into the seat, ducking below the window as panic surged through me.
Please don’t come over here.
Fuck.
What was she doing here? Why was she even in this territory? And worst of all... was she alone?
My breathing grew ragged as my thoughts spiraled out of control. My palms turned slick with sweat, and a violent tremor spread through my body.
The two broad shouldered men standing on either side of her were dressed like ordinary civilians, but I recognized them for what they were.
Guards.
If she realized it was really me, it wouldn’t take more than a second for them to smash the window, drag me out of the car, and haul me back in front of everyone.
Then a loud commotion suddenly erupted on the sidewalk, and against my better judgment, I slowly lifted my head just enough to peek over the dashboard.
My breath caught in my throat.
My mother, Elara, was lying motionless on the pavement while her guards crowded around her in panic. One of them was already trying to lift her while another shouted for help.
It must have been the shock of seeing the daughter she had believed was dead for months being too much for her to bear.
But instead of feeling relieved, an icy wave of fear crashed over me.
The memory of that dark cell.
The endless hunger.
The cold, merciless cruelty that had become my life.
And let’s not forget the fact that they had wanted me dead. That everyone believed I was dead.
They all came rushing back with suffocating force until every breath felt painfully heavy in my chest.
Thankfully, the driver’s side door opened the very next second as Darius returned.
He slid into the driver’s seat, but before closing the door, his movements slowed. His gray eyes flicked toward the growing crowd gathered around the unconscious woman as her guards hurriedly carried her away.
Then his gaze shifted to me, and the moment he saw my face, every trace of ease vanished from his expression.
Seeing how low my head was tucked and how tightly my white knuckled fingers were gripping the edges of the leather seat, his relaxed expression completely fell.
He climbed into the driver’s seat and shut the door before turning his body toward me.
His lips parted, clearly about to ask what had happened, but I spoke before he had the chance.
"Take me back to the estate, please," I choked out.
My voice was barely above a whisper.
Fear had wrapped itself so tightly around me that even speaking louder felt dangerous, as though raising my voice would somehow draw everyone’s attention to this car.
What if Callista was somewhere nearby?
If my mother was here, there had to be a reason.
A very big reason.
Was Jaxen here too?
The mere thought of my ex mate being anywhere near this territory sent another violent tremor through my body.
I wasn’t ready to see them.
Not now.
Not ever.
Darius studied me, his gray eyes clouded with concern and a hundred unspoken questions. He looked like he wanted to press me for answers, but the panic pouring from my scent must have told him everything he needed to know.
Without another word, he shifted the car into reverse and pulled away from the curb.
The drive back passed in complete silence.
By the time we reached the estate, I was already unbuckling my seat belt before the car had fully stopped.
The gates had barely finished closing before I hurried inside, my steps so quick they bordered on a run.
But Darius didn’t try to stop me.
Instead, he instructed the nearby maids to take all of our shopping bags upstairs before following closely behind me.
My mind was in complete chaos as I rushed through the familiar corridors.
I couldn’t think about anything except my mother.
About why she had been here.
About whether she had recognized me.
About whether someone else had seen me too.
The thoughts consumed me so completely that I stopped paying attention to where I was going.
I never noticed the tall figure rounding the corner ahead.
Thud.
My forehead slammed into a broad, solid chest. The impact sent me stumbling backward, a startled gasp escaping my lips.
Before I could lose my balance, two large, firm hands caught me by the waist.
Instead of simply steadying me, they pulled me back with effortless strength until I was pressed against a hard, familiar body, trapped in a possessive embrace that instantly stole the air from my lungs.