Chapter 308: Dinner

Rebecca’s POV

​I didn’t feel like eating. After everything that had happened, the thought of sitting at another table with Kaden made my stomach turn. But as I stood at the top of the stairs, I gently pressed my hand against my stomach. I wasn’t eating for myself anymore. There was a little life growing inside me, and whether I liked it or not, my baby deserved better than my pride.

​With a deep sigh, I left my room and headed downstairs for dinner.

​The moment I stepped into the dining room, I regretted it.

​Mother was already seated near the head of the table. Lord Callum sat on her left, looking effortlessly handsome in a comfortable dark sweater and tailored trousers. And directly across from him sat Kaden, looking like a storm cloud ready to burst.

​His eyes found me immediately, and the moment they did, his expression softened.

​I deliberately ignored his gaze, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, I walked straight past the empty chair beside Kaden and pulled out the seat directly across from Lord Callum—which also happened to put the maximum amount of distance between Kaden and me.

​Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kaden’s jaw clench so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek. He clearly hated where I chose to sit.

​"Good evening, Mother. Lord Callum," I said smoothly, taking my seat.

​Callum offered me a warm, genuine smile. "Good evening, Lady Rebecca. It’s wonderful to have you join us."

​A maid stepped forward and placed a plate of grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, and warm bread in front of me. I offered her a quick thank-you and began picking at the food.

​"So, tell me, Lady Rebecca," Callum spoke up softly, leaning back in his chair with curiosity. "What have you been doing all this time while your mother was searching for you?"

​My fork froze halfway to my mouth. A sudden, cold weight settled in my chest.

​What was I supposed to say? Oh, nothing much, just growing up in a hostile environment, getting framed for murder, trapped in a choker, and tortured by the Alpha King sitting right across the room?

​Before I could swallow the lump in my throat or come up with a believable lie, Kaden’s cold, authoritative voice sliced through the air.

​"Those are personal questions, Callum," Kaden snapped. "Don’t ask her that."

​Callum raised an eyebrow, completely unbothered by Kaden’s hostility. He slowly turned his head to look at the Alpha King, then looked back at me, catching the brief flicker of pain in my eyes before I masked it.

​"My apologies, Lady Rebecca," Callum said smoothly, offering me a polite nod. "I didn’t mean to pry." Then, his dark dragon eyes narrowed slightly as he looked back at Kaden. "Do you two know each other from before now?"

​"Yes," Kaden barked, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his glass of water. "And don’t ask anything else."

​Callum let out a quiet, sarcastic scoff, but wisely refrained from pushing further.

​Noticing the suffocating tension threatening to ruin dinner, my mother quickly cleared her throat to lighten the mood. "Well! We have a tradition happening tonight that you both might find interesting. The pack is holding a combat bonfire at the main training grounds. It starts in about an hour."

​Callum turned to her with interest. "A combat bonfire?"

​"Yes," Mother explained with a warm smile. "Our young warriors compete in friendly hand-to-hand combat matches around a central fire. It’s a tradition to boost morale and display strength. It’s quite lively and fun. You’re both welcome to come for some sight-seeing if you’d like."

​"I’d be honored to attend," Callum said. "It sounds like a wonderful evening."

​"Sure, I’ll come," I added, glad for any excuse to get out of the pack house.

​Kaden didn’t say a single word. He just sat there, staring at his untouched plate like he wanted to burn it to ashes with his mind.

​Inside my head, Laura let out a soft, miserable whimper. My wolf didn’t care about the past trauma, the prison cells, or how much Kaden had hurt us—her stupid spirit was still longing for her mate, aching every time Kaden fell silent. I shoved her back into the dark corners of my mind.

​Traitor, I thought to my wolf.

​As soon as I finished my food, I excused myself and hurried upstairs to my room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I stared at the wall and let out a long sigh. My whole plan had been to come home to the Stone Pack, settle down, and escape Alpha Kaden entirely. But with him staying under the same roof, breathing my air, and inserting himself into every hour of my day, escaping felt impossible.

​I really missed Stephanie. My best friend had officially taken a position at the pack hospital, training under the head doctors and learning advanced supernatural medicine. She was busy building her career, and while I was incredibly proud of her, I hated that I didn’t have her here right now to scream into a pillow with.

​After a while, the faint sounds of music, cheering, and roaring laughter began echoing through my open window.

​It seemed the combat festival had started.

​Bored of staring at the four walls of my bedroom and drowning in my own chaotic thoughts, I decided to head outside. I threw on a comfortable jacket and walked out of the pack house, following the torch-lit trail toward the main training grounds.

​I had been expecting a small gathering of maybe fifty to a hundred pack members. But as I stepped onto the edge of the grounds, my eyes widened in surprise. There had to be at least seven hundred people gathered around a massive, roaring bonfire in the center of the field. Drums were beating, people were cheering, and two young male warriors were currently sparring inside a drawn circle in the dirt.

​As I walked past the crowd, pack members immediately noticed me. Whispers broke out, and people bowed their heads respectfully as I passed.

​"Lady Rebecca," several guards murmured politely.

​Near the center of the crowd, elevated slightly on a wooden platform, my mother was sitting on a high-backed, throne-like chair overlooking the arena. She spotted me and smiled, waving her hand.

​"Rebecca! Come over here, sweetheart," she called out over the noise.

​I walked up the wooden steps and took the empty chair right beside her.

​Just a few minutes later, the crowd near the stairs parted, and Lord Callum walked up to the platform. He had changed into a pair of simple dark jeans and a fitted gray t-shirt that showed off his broad shoulders. He looked remarkably handsome... I couldn’t deny that.

​"Mind if I join you?" Callum asked casually over the pounding drums.

​"Please, Lord Callum, take a seat," Mother gestured to the chair directly on my right.

​Callum sat down beside me, offering a gentle smile. "It’s a magnificent turnout."

​"It really is," I agreed, genuinely smiling as I watched two young warriors dodge and strike in a clean, friendly match.

​For the first time all day, I felt myself relax. The fire was warm, the energy of the pack was electric, and Callum was being polite, easygoing company without pushing any buttons. I actually began to think this was going to be a fun, peaceful night.

​And then, the entire crowd suddenly fell dead silent.

​The roaring cheers died down to a faint whisper, the drums stopped beating, and a heavy, suffocating aura settled over the entire training ground like a thick blanket.

​I turned my head toward the steps of the platform.

​Kaden had arrived...