Caitlyn's POV
Since the last encounter, the king seemed to have genuinely dispelled his suspicions about Talon and never summoned him alone again. The two-month deadline, once spoken by Kaisa, became an unspoken topic of conversation for everyone.
"Well, what does Talon think about it?" Leona approached with a curious expression just as I returned to the room.
"Talon is still choosing to remain silent about me. I just can't figure out if he just thought all this time I wasn't qualified to fight alongside him." I recalled Talon's serious expression from the previous night, feeling a bit sad inside.
"Maybe what he said is true; he has his own hardships, and this is now the way for him to protect you." Perhaps, being a werewolf as well, it was easier for Leona to understand the responsibility that Talon carried.
"But there are many ways to protect me. Why did he choose this? He also mentioned becoming as cold as before in public in the future when we meet each other." I muttered nonchalantly, feeling like my presence was a mistake, making me feel neglected.
"Then maybe you're still not doing enough."
"What? I risked my life to save him, and in return, what do I get? That's a terrible feeling." Leona's words were somewhat unbelievable, but she didn't retort. Instead, a playful smile appeared on her face.
"I'm not talking about that. I meant what you guys did last night."
"Leona, you're so annoying." I instantly grasped the meaning of her words, and a flush appeared on my face. I couldn't help but lightly smack Leona. Seeing her ploy succeed, a smug smile surfaced on her face before we playfully jostled.
Leona and I grabbed our pillows, engaging in a pillow fight on the bed, reminiscent of our childhood. We ended up lying flat on our backs, exhausted and breathing heavily.
"Stop talking about me all the time. How's it going between you and Bard?" I asked, twisting my head toward Leona with a sudden change of tone.
"Forget it. Didn't I come all the way to the palace thinking I could be closer to you guys and see more of you in general? But you know what that fool Bard told me?" Leona said, sitting up with some indignation.
"He said it's been a special time lately, and he wants to keep Alpha safe," Leona continued in Bard's tone, which, for a moment, made me chuckle a little.
"Then either we go get them now."
Suddenly, I don't know where the courage came from, and I grabbed Leona, ready to head towards Talon's room.
"Now? Are you sure?"
Seeing how determined I was, Leona hesitated for a moment.
"Didn't you just teach me about being proactive? How come it's your turn to back down now?"
"Alright, let's go. There's nothing I'm afraid of!"
Leona was a little embarrassed by my taunting, then sat up violently from the bed and pulled me towards Talon's room.
Although the two of us were ostensibly fighting with each other, in reality, we were both aware of the consequences of going so rashly. Perhaps there were countless pairs of prying eyes hidden in corners we hadn't even realized were there.
So Leona and I walked at a slower and slower pace, but neither of us said anything about going back. Just as the two of us were at a standstill with each other, suddenly a familiar figure stood in the courtyard not far away, which instantly caught Leona's and my eyes.
"What a coincidence, Caitlyn. I didn't expect to meet you here. I happen to have a few more things I'd like to talk to you about."
Just as I was about to pull Leona to leave, Kaisa suddenly turned around and greeted me extremely warmly. It made it hard for me to believe that she hadn't engineered all of this in advance.
"Although you once saved my life, things like feelings aren't something that can be humbled, so you don't have to expect me to give up this fight."
I looked at Kaisa and responded in a somewhat calm tone.
And Kaisa's gaze lingered on Leona for a while before returning to me.
"I think you misunderstood me; that was actually my intention when I spoke that way in the palace the other day. I'm not a pawn of the king or a weapon for him to wage political war."
Kaisa's eyes were brimming with sincerity, momentarily confusing me.
"I don't think you're unaware of the danger of being rejected, right? Caitlyn has already miscarried a child for Talon. Regardless of your intentions, if Caitlyn and Talon were to reject each other, it could be a fatal blow to her."
At this point, Leona, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up, glancing at Kaisa nonchalantly.
"Who's this?"
Kaisa looked at the assertive Leona and lightly frowned.
"I'm Caitlyn's best friend."
Leona replied with deliberate emphasis on the 'best.'
"You're a werewolf too, aren't you?" Kaisa gently narrowed her eyes. "Of course, I know exactly what it means to be rejected. That's why I gave Talon two months to think about it. Similarly, you should understand the significance of finding a mate who is truly compatible."
Kaisa faced Leona and spoke casually.
"In short, I will never allow anyone to hurt Caitlyn in front of me."
After hearing Kaisa's words, Leona froze. It was the first time I had seen Leona look defeated, but it was evident that Kaisa's words held a rationale that no werewolf could refute.
For any of Alphas, having a strong mate was a prerequisite for both packs to thrive and be robust, a fact that almost all werewolves accepted by default.
"No one wants to hurt her, provided she can also take responsibility for her choices. It's not just a matter of two people; it's a matter of two packs. Oh, I'm sorry, I seem to have forgotten that Ms. Caitlyn has now been banished from the pack and reduced to a rogue."
Kaisa said, a smile of a victor surfacing on her face.
"You!"
Leona's eyes widened, clearly on the verge of an outburst.
"Well, there's no time to play around with you guys anymore. The person I'm waiting for has arrived."
Kaisa let out a soft laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. Her eyes blinked towards Leona and me before turning her body towards the exit.
And just at that moment, Talon's tall figure appeared in front of me. Seeing me here, Talon couldn't help but frown, but immediately, Kaisa came over and very naturally wrapped her arms around Talon.
"Come on, let's go to my room."