Talon's POV
I was a little hesitant when I received Kaisa's invitation because I had already assured Caitlyn that I had nothing to do with Kaisa and no interest in her whatsoever.
However, Kaisa claimed to know my secret and insisted on meeting with her that night to keep her quiet.
Although I wasn't sure which secret she was referring to, being in the palace meant many decisions were beyond my control. I had to confirm the relationship between Kaisa and the king earlier. Consequently, I reluctantly agreed to Kaisa's invitation.
I was taken aback when Caitlyn unexpectedly appeared, and I sensed the disappointment in her eyes from a distance.
"Come on, let's go to my room," Kaisa said, taking my hand affectionately, momentarily overwhelming me.
Almost instinctively, I wanted to pull away, but Kaisa's subsequent words dispelled that notion. "Hurry up and go; the King's surveillance is everywhere. The more you show concern for Caitlyn, the more dangerous it becomes for her."
Upon hearing Kaisa's words, I glanced around and spotted a few sneaky individuals in the high walls and dark corners. It seemed Caitlyn's defiance against the king had piqued his interest.
"Caitlyn, what are you doing here?" I asked with feigned indifference, signaling with my eyes for her to leave.
"How would we know about your secret meeting if we weren't here? I apologize; it's our fault. We'll leave now and won't disturb your good deed," Caitlyn said before she could say anything else, with Leona rushing up indignantly beside her.
I mentally sighed, realizing that explaining now would only complicate matters. "It's late; go home. We'll sort things out later." I told Caitlyn, ignoring Leona's indignation and speaking in a tone audible only to Caitlyn and me.
Caitlyn froze for a moment, then nodded blankly. "Okay." She pulled Leona away, and they headed back.
As I watched Caitlyn's forlorn back, my heart lurched.
"Stop looking at her; she's gone far away."
After confirming that no one was following her, Kaisa let go of my arm and took the lead towards her room.
As I entered Kaisa's place, I noticed several clansmen's eyes converging on me; surprise, curiosity, and even a hint of hostility were mixed in with those complex glances.
"Have a seat. What would you like to drink?"
Following Kaisa to her room, the delicate and lovely decoration style created a stark contrast to her own demeanor.
"What do you want?" I looked at Kaisa warily, afraid that her efforts to bring me here weren't as simple as offering me a cup of coffee.
"What I want to do, I told you a long time ago—I want you to be my mate." Kaisa dropped her hand, which was about to pour tea, and slowly raised her head to look at me seriously.
"Alpha Kaisa, I know that if it wasn't for you at that time, I might have been dead already. I'm not ungrateful, but if this is what you want in return, I'm afraid I really can't promise you."
My heart sank at Kaisa's words, but Caitlyn's smiling face immediately surfaced in my mind, prompting me to clarify the situation.
"Just kidding, I know it's not that simple."
Kaisa couldn't help but laugh at the serious look on my face.
"So, what do you mean?"
Kaisa's reaction puzzled me a bit, but I maintained a trace of vigilance in my heart. After all, she's the king's most powerful confidant nowadays, and I maintained the same level of wariness about her words.
"I know you're not Yone's son because he doesn't have a son at all." Kaisa's words were like throwing a stone into a calm lake, and the ripples turned into waves in my heart. However, I tried to maintain my outward composure.
"I don't know what you're talking about; the king made sure of that last time at the palace." I shrugged noncommittally, indicating that what she said was a complete joke.
"I won't argue with you. You know in your heart what the truth really is. But don't worry, I'm not interested in talking about these things in front of the king. I don't care whose son you are, and I don't want to know the purpose of your staying at the palace all this time."
Hearing Kaisa speak like that, my guard against the woman in front of me rose once again.
I was quiet and silent, anticipating her next words.
"I think you should have inquired about me as well, so I won't sell you short. The reason I've been helping you and even seeking your intervention with the king is that I want to bond with you as a mate. Ever since my father was murdered due to his lack of strength, I swore that I would lead my pack to become strong in the future. I would never let my pack be bullied in any way again," Kaisa said in a deep voice.
I observed the same unshakable conviction in her that I possessed.
"As long as I can make my pack strong, I will sacrifice anything for that. Not only do I know that you're not Yone's son, but I also know that you're the Alpha of that mysterious pack, Blood Wheel Moon, and that you're far more powerful than you let on."
"Even if the one you're going to bond with is someone you don't like?"
I couldn't help but frown; Kaisa's philosophy was very different from Caitlyn's.
"Yes, as long as he's a stronger werewolf than me, I don't care about anything else." Kaisa nodded her head gently.
In that moment, her body trembled from excitement, and I could feel her fervor. Perhaps it had always been a belief in her heart, only now she had let it out.
"But I can't, and so can't Caitlyn."
My words were like a pot of cold water poured over Kaisa.
"But she's a human. You mustn't forget who you are. While I don't know what your plan is, I know it must be a very difficult thing to do. As a human woman, all Caitlyn can offer you is a drag."
Kaisa seemed a little puzzled and looked at me with a tight frown.
"No, you're wrong. No one is anyone's tool. You are first and foremost yourself before you are the Alpha of a pack. You have to think for yourself. You can't just take the blame on yourself every day; you won't be able to hold it together one day that way."
"You don't understand at all. In the world of werewolves, only strength matters. Everything else can be ignored. Just like my stupid father, there is no pity for his kindness. The consequence of his lack of strength can only be to be subsumed by the others. That's how cruel the world is."
Kaisa stood up, determination welling up in her eyes. It was hard to imagine what had gone through her tiny body.
"Maybe that's what makes you different from Caitlyn."
I understood it was Kaisa's insistence and stopped struggling, letting out a soft sigh.
"I understand that at this moment in your heart, I'm nowhere near Caitlyn. But as I told Caitlyn, I'm going to start a fair fight with her, and I'm going to make you fall in love with me."
Kaisa's sincere confession felt like an oath, and I had to laugh helplessly and bitterly. "You'll figure it out someday."
I shook my head and slowly walked out of the room as Kaisa watched.