Chapter 125: AN UNEXPECTED WELCOME
An Unexpected Welcome
CALLUM’S POV
The front doors of the manor hadn’t even finished swinging open before Nadia threw herself into Vera’s arms.
The reunion lasted far longer than either of them would ever admit the next day. Nadia clung to her aunt as though she’d been gone for years instead of months, talking so quickly that half her words mixed together while Vera laughed and tried to make sense of everything at once.
"I missed you too, little troublemaker," Vera said, pinching Nadia’s cheek. "Although from the sound of it, the estate has survived just fine without me."
"That’s because I was here."
"I was afraid you’d say that."
Their laughter followed us all the way into the house.
I walked a few steps behind them, listening as Nadia eagerly filled Vera in on everything that had happened during her absence. Most of it consisted of harmless gossip about servants, warriors, and the occasional pack member who had embarrassed themselves to her amusement. Vera listened with genuine interest, adding her own stories from the border whenever Nadia paused long enough to breathe.
It was... familiar and honestly refreshing. The house felt so lively.
For the first time since Father died, I found myself watching my sister without seeing the hardened commander who guarded Ashveil’s borders. Instead, I saw the cheerful woman she’d always been before responsibility forced her to grow up too quickly.
Somehow, that eased something inside me. Maybe I’d been more worried about her than I’d realized.
As soon as we stepped into the sitting room, I rang for one of the servants. "When Becca returns from the kitchens, let her know I want something special prepared tonight. Vera is finally home."
The servant bowed immediately. "Yes, Alpha."
It didn’t take long before the entire house came alive. Becca never needed much encouragement when food was involved. Within minutes, the quiet space was filled with the familiar sounds of chopping, sizzling and clattering pots, while rich aromas drifted out of the kitchen and spread through every corridor.
Nadia had already dragged Vera to the dining room before the first dish was even finished.
From where I stood, I could hear them laughing over stories I’d probably heard years ago, interrupting one another every few seconds as though they were determined to catch up on months of missed conversations before the night ended, so I left them to it.
There was still a gathering with the elders later that evening, and after spending nearly a week at the border, I needed to change before attending.
As I stripped off my clothes and stood under the shower, I tried to make my thoughts stop spiralling.
Instead, another face found its way into my thoughts.
Keisha.
I wondered how she’d been while I was away. Whether she’d continued working despite everything. Whether she’d been eating enough.
I frowned at my own reflection.
For someone who’d spent the last four days surrounded by military reports and border disputes, I had thought about her far more than I should have.
"You know you’ll keep doing it," Damien observed.
"Doing what?"
"Thinking about her."
I didn’t answer him because there wasn’t much point denying it.
By the time I returned downstairs dressed for the meeting, the dining table had already been set and Becca had outdone herself.
The scent of roasted meat, fresh bread and herbs filled the room, earning an approving smile even from Vera. "I’ve missed your cooking," she told Becca.
The older woman beamed. "I’ll make sure you never want to leave again."
I remained standing for a moment before looking toward one of the nearby servants. "Go and let Nadia know dinner is ready."
The servant bowed and hurried away and I was thankful for that because I almost said Keisha’s name.
A few minutes later, Nadia joined us, dressed in clean clothes and a huge beam on her face as she started talking to Vera again.
The only person missing was Keisha and nobody mentioned it.
Where was she? Nadia usually invited her to dinner. Was she working late?
I found myself glancing toward the doorway more often than I cared to admit, half expecting her to walk in but she never did.
"She’s not coming," Damien said.
"I noticed."
For some reason, the food didn’t taste as good as it smelled. I picked at my meal, answered only when someone spoke directly to me, and before long pushed my chair back. "I’m heading out."
"So soon?" Nadia asked.
"I have matters to attend to."
It wasn’t exactly a lie. I had a lot to think about. Leaving the women to continue their conversation, I stepped out of the manor and made my way toward the Great Hall. The evening air was cool against my face, carrying the familiar scent of earth from the surrounding forest.
Halfway there, movement on a smaller path caught my attention and I noticed someone stood alone beneath the fading evening sky.
Keisha.
She wasn’t walking anywhere or doing anything in particular. She simply stood there, looking upward as though waiting for some external force to answer her.
For a moment, I simply watched her, my heart skipping a beat, then I changed direction. "Keisha."
She turned at the sound of her name and the instant our eyes met, something inside me tightened with confusion.
She looked... angry. Furious even.
I crossed the remaining distance between us, concern replacing my earlier curiosity. "What happened?" I asked. "Is everything alri—"
Before I could finish, she planted both hands against my chest and shoved me. It wasn’t enough to move me, but the force behind it caught me completely off guard.
"You," she snapped, glaring at me. "You’re a bad person."
I blinked. "...What?"
She folded her arms tightly across her chest, still glaring as though I’d committed some unforgivable crime. "You don’t care!"
A frown pulled at my lips.
What the hell?
.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!