Serena waited until late morning before going to Alpha Kaidan’s office.
She had spent most of the morning trying to concentrate on ordinary things. Still, her thoughts kept returning to Adrian and the possibility that his appearance had drawn attention she could not afford. She had no way of knowing what had happened after he left Blackclaw. He might have gone about his business without attracting further interest, or someone might have recognised him.
The uncertainty was becoming difficult to ignore.
She could not ask him directly what he had discovered without risking a reaction she wasn’t ready for. If Alpha Kaidan knew something, she needed to find out without making him suspicious of her intentions.
That was why she decided to visit him.
When she reached his office, John was leaving with a stack of documents under his arm. He paused when he saw her.
"Miss Cole."
"John. Is Alpha Kaidan available?"
"I believe so. Do you have an appointment?"
Serena gave him a pleasant smile. "No. I was hoping to say hello. Is that a problem?"
"Not at all. Let me inform him that you’re here."
John stepped back into the office, leaving Serena in the corridor. A moment later, he returned and held the door open for her.
"Alpha Kaidan will see you now."
"Thank you."
Serena entered and found Alpha Kaidan seated behind his desk, reviewing a document. He looked up when she approached, his expression giving little away.
"What are you doing here?"
The bluntness of the question caught her off guard, but she quickly recovered.
"Good morning to you too, Alpha Kaidan."
He put the document down. "It’s almost midday."
"Then good afternoon." She smiled as though his response amused her. "I came to say hello. Is that such a strange thing to do?"
"You could have sent a message."
"And you could have greeted me before questioning my presence." She moved towards the chair opposite his desk but waited for him to indicate that she could sit.
Alpha Kaidan gestured towards it. Serena settled into the chair, crossing one leg over the other. "Since the council meeting, we haven’t really had the chance to talk."
"We’ve both been occupied."
"I know." She studied his face. "I suppose things have changed."
His expression remained steady. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean, Alpha Kaidan. The council meeting, your decision, everything that happened." She lowered her eyes briefly before looking at him again. "I know you didn’t choose me."
Alpha Kaidan said nothing. "I’ve accepted that," she continued. "I won’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed, but I understand that you have made your decision. I only wanted to know what happens to me now."
"What do you mean by that?"
Serena drew a breath. This was the question she had been turning over in her mind since the council meeting, and she needed his answer more than she wanted to admit.
"Am I still welcome in Blackclaw?" she asked. "Or are you going to ask me to leave now that you’ve made your choice?"
Alpha Kaidan regarded her for a moment before answering.
"You’re welcome to stay in Blackclaw for as long as you want, Serena."
She searched his expression, wondering whether there was a condition attached to the reassurance.
"Really?"
"Yes. My decision at the council meeting concerned my marriage and Luna’s position. It wasn’t a declaration that you had to leave the pack."
Serena nodded slowly. "Thank you. I wasn’t sure what to expect after the meeting."
"You don’t have to leave simply because I chose to remain with my wife."
The reminder stung, though she kept it from showing
"I understand."
Alpha Kaidan picked up his document again, but Serena was not ready to end the conversation. She had come for more than reassurance about her place in Blackclaw, even if she had no intention of admitting that to him.
She watched him turn a page. Had John told him anything? Had the household reported the visitor? Had Alpha Kaidan made inquiries of his own?
She saw no sign that anything had changed. There was no unfamiliar file left open on his desk, no report bearing a name she might recognise, and nothing in his manner that offered her a useful answer.
She had expected to find some clue, even if it was only a passing remark. Instead, she had found an Alpha who seemed determined to keep their conversation within the boundaries he had set.
Serena leaned forward slightly.
"How have things been since the meeting?"
"Busy."
"You’ve been spending a lot of time in your office."
"I have responsibilities."
"Of course." She gave a small laugh. "I remember what that was like when I lived here before."
Alpha Kaidan glanced at her. "Why did you really come, Serena?"
Her fingers tightened briefly around the strap of her handbag. There it was again: the direct question she had hoped to avoid. "I told you. I wanted to see you."
"You’ve seen me."
She forced herself to smile. "You make it sound as though you’re trying to get rid of me."
"I’m asking you a question."
"And I’ve answered it."
Alpha Kaidan held her gaze for a moment, then returned to his document. He did not press her, nor did he try to warm the conversation.
Restlessness settled inside her. She had wanted to leave the office knowing whether he had learned anything about Adrian. Instead, she was leaving with the same uncertainty she had brought with her.
She would have to be patient.
"There’s something else I’ve been meaning to ask you," Alpha Kaidan said.
Serena’s attention sharpened immediately.
"What is it?"
"Are you planning to visit Ravencrest?"
For a moment, the room seemed to lose its air.
Serena swallowed, careful not to let her fear show.
"I will," she lied.
The thought of returning to Ravencrest terrified her. She had been banished from the pack, and going back would mean defying that banishment and risking the consequences of her actions. She had no intention of putting herself in the hands of people who had already made it clear she was no longer welcome. For now, Blackclaw was the only place she believed she could find protection, and she couldn’t afford to lose it.
"I’m just not ready to make any arrangements yet," she added, forcing herself to sound casual.
Alpha Kaidan nodded. Serena managed a small smile, but his question continued to trouble her. She couldn’t tell whether he had asked out of simple curiosity or whether something had prompted him to think about Ravencrest. She would have to be careful not to let her uneasiness show.
"Why do you ask?"
Alpha Kaidan shrugged slightly. "You haven’t mentioned returning to your pack. I wondered whether you intended to visit."
Serena swallowed, careful not to make the movement obvious. "I will, eventually."
"When?"
"I haven’t decided yet. There’s been a lot happening here, and I haven’t had time to make arrangements."
"That makes sense."
She watched him, waiting for another question, but he returned to the document on his desk. That was all.
He had asked whether she intended to visit Ravencrest, and she had told him she would. He had not accused her of avoiding her former pack, nor hinted that he knew anything about her circumstances there. Still, she could not dismiss the question.
"Is there a particular reason you want me to visit?" she asked, keeping her tone light.
"No. It’s your pack, Serena. I assumed you might want to see the people there."
"Of course I do."
The answer came too quickly. She softened her expression and added, "I just need to find the right time."
Alpha Kaidan nodded. "Then take your time."
Serena sat for another moment, trying to decide whether there was anything else she could ask without making her visit seem unusual. Every possible question led back to the same problem. She wanted information he had not offered, and asking for it would only draw attention to what she was trying to conceal. She had to leave without it.
"Well, I won’t keep you any longer," she said, rising from her chair. "I know you have work to do."
Alpha Kaidan looked up. "All right."
She waited for him to say something more, perhaps to ask her to stay or suggest they speak again. He did neither.
"Thank you for letting me stay in Blackclaw," she said.
"You’re welcome."
Serena gave him one final smile before turning towards the door. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Alpha Kaidan."
"You too, Serena."
She left the office and walked down the corridor without looking back. Only when she had turned the corner did she allow her expression to change.
Alpha Kaidan had given her exactly what she had asked for on the surface. She could remain in Blackclaw, and he had not suggested that he intended to send her away.
She had seen no report, heard no revealing remark, and noticed nothing that suggested Alpha Kaidan had uncovered anything new. That should have reassured her. Instead, the lack of information left her uncertain about what might be happening beyond her view.
And then there was Ravencrest.
She had told him she would visit, but the thought of actually returning made her stomach tighten. She could not remain in Blackclaw forever under the assumption that the past would leave her alone. Yet she could not risk going back without knowing what awaited her.
For now, she would stay where she was and act as though nothing had changed. Alpha Kaidan had assured her that she was welcome. She intended to hold on to that reassurance for as long as it served her.
Inside the office, Alpha Kaidan finished reading the page before him and set it aside. Serena’s visit had been brief, and her questions about remaining in Blackclaw were understandable after the council’s decision.
Her answer about Ravencrest had also seemed reasonable. After everything she claimed to have endured during the four years she was missing, he could understand why she might not be ready to return to her former pack.
He had no reason to question her explanation simply because she wasn’t prepared to visit yet.
He returned to his work, unaware of the fear his question had stirred in her.