Troy:
I felt a little guilty after deciding to start the journey alone instead of taking the others who had been trying so hard to find Clentine.
Then I rembered my own words. I rembered convincing Haiden that when we saw Clentine again, we would not expect her to accept us. She had already made her decision.
But the mont I got the call, I had a different feeling. If I could spend more ti with Clentine, if I could have her with for a few days, maybe I could win her over.
So no, I was not going to follow my own rules or the advice I had given Haiden.
I did not have many warriors of my own. There were only a few who were still loyal to my mother. I called her and asked her to send them to . I needed them.
She asked many questions, but I told her I would explain later.
I had to reach Clentine before the others did.
One thing that surprised was where the call ca from. It was traced back to Yorick’s ho.
I also listened carefully to the instructions Leysa gave during the call. She said she was in Yorick’s pack and that sothing was not right there.
She warned not to listen to Yorick, not to trust him, not to talk to him, and not to tell him I had co looking for Leysa or Clentine.
It stressed out to realize that Yorick might be doing the sa thing I had done. Maybe he found Clentine and decided to keep her.
But why was Leysa acting as if Yorick was so dangerous that I could not even speak to him about Clentine?
When I reached the border, I stopped when I saw the warriors guarding it.
"Is there another way in?" I asked my warriors.
They exchanged looks, and one of them stepped forward.
"Your Highness, give us a few monts and we will check the area," he replied. "But it looks like their alpha has increased security. He has also been cutting the internet connection at tis. That makes think sothing serious is happening here."
I pressed my lips together, unsure what to think.
Since I could not enter the territory directly and could not sneak in, I decided to try another thod.
I approached the border guards and forced a polite smile.
"May I speak with Alpha Yorick?" I asked. "I am an academy friend, Alpha Troy. Tell him I am here to apologize for what happened at the academy. He will understand."
I kept my posture relaxed, trying to look like I had no bad intentions.
The guards looked at each other and whispered. One of them went inside while I waited outside the gates.
The fact that they would not even let step inside made uneasy. I had not been able to contact Leysa again. She said she was using other people’s phones to call and that she would delete the numbers afterward. She was also hiding around the mansion.
Half the ti I could barely understand her. She would whisper, then suddenly go quiet. She said she kept sneaking through windows and then leaving again to hide.
I did not know how she managed it, but if she was really doing all that, I had to give her credit. I never thought Leysa could be this brave.
The guard returned a few minutes later.
"You can go inside, but Alpha Yorick is not here," he said. "His father is present. You may speak with him, and he will pass your ssage along."
"That will be fine," I answered, forcing another smile.
Still, unease settled in my chest.
Where could Yorick be?
If Clentine was really here, he could be staying close to her.
"Sure," I replied.
As I stepped forward, the border warriors stretched their arms out to block my n. I glanced back at my warriors and understood it would not be that easy.
Leysa had been right. Sothing was going on.
I had not received another call from her since the last one. It had been a full day. I checked my phone and saw there was no signal.
That level of security ant sothing serious was happening inside.
I gave my warriors a small hand gesture to show them I would be fine, then followed the guards.
A car was waiting to take to the main mansion. After I got in, it drove off imdiately. When we arrived, they dropped at the entrance and the car sped away without a word.
Yorick’s father stood at the door with his hands behind his back.
He did not look welcoming. He did not look warm or even giggly and weird like he used to be. He looked like a man who was annoyed that I had co.
"Your Highness, I am—" I began, lifting a hand to my chest.
He raised his palm, stopping before I could step closer.
"I know who you are," he said. "And I know you ca here to apologize to my son. But he is not ready to accept anything right now. That woman brought him great sha, and his friends believed it."
His voice remained calm, but there was no kindness in it.
"So forgive him if he does not think any apology matters at the mont. If you have sothing to say, say it now. Otherwise, you should be on your way."
He spoke quickly, as if he wanted the conversation over as soon as possible.
I listened, then nodded, forcing a polite smile even though I wanted to tell him to stop pretending.
"Just tell him that whenever he is ready, I would like to sit down and talk with him," I said.
I was still speaking when his father gave a short nod and turned away.
"Goodbye," he added before walking back inside the mansion.
I stood there with my hands on my waist, letting out a frustrated breath. I had not even been given a chance to say everything I wanted.
As I turned to walk away, unsure what to do next, I noticed movent near one of the trees in the garden.
Soone was peeking from behind the trunk.
I recognized her.
It was Leysa.
When she realized I had seen her, she ran toward the backyard.
I followed her.
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