The Shrewd Wolves (H&HP Series #3)

Chapter 38

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi :D

This is the reason why I had to update today! Anyway, here is chapter 38 and it is dedicated to @krystalpreet :D

Cover above was done by me :P

ALSO, BASED ON THE SCENE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER... I PLANNED THE WHOLE STORY ;)

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"I want to say somewhere: I've tried to be forgiving. And yet. There were times in my life, whole years, when anger got the better of me. Ugliness turned me inside out. There was a certain satisfaction in bitterness. I courted it. It was standing outside, and I invited it in."
_Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

ONE WEEK LATER....

DARYA P.O.V

The music was soft and slow, just the way I wanted it at the moment. Raising my right hand above my head, I grabbed the pole and walked in a circle around it before hooking my left leg round the pole. When I got a good grip, I arched my body backwards and swung around the pole.

As I kept swinging, I stretched my leg straight and danced in accord with the music holding the pole. Closing my eyes, I recalled the event that had happened since Nick's death.

His funeral was held early next morning. The whole pack mourned his death. Nick's parents were inconsolable. I could still remember the way his mom had rested her head on his chest when the pallbearers had come close. I remembered everything about that day.

Duncan had told me that Konrad's body was buried in the same spot that he was killed. It was in the outskirts of the territory and no one bothered to go there often.

I had stayed in Emperor the next two days. All the neighboring packs celebrated Konrad's death but there was only gloom in Emperor. I couldn't bring myself to celebrate Konrad's death. I could only remember that he killed Nick, who was more of a friend than bodyguard. I loved him... maybe not the same way as he did.

The third day, Sel and Raven asked me to return to Serene. I agreed because staying in Emperor made it harder for me to forget what happened to Nick. Quillon came that evening to take me there. When I reached here, everyone hailed me for killing the monster.

The fourth day, I attended college. It felt normal until I saw Mikhail, Shane and Fox standing near the entrance after my classes were over. It was too much to bear and I begged Duncan that afternoon to discharge them from their duties. I did not want a guard anymore.

For years, it had been the same cycle. I become friendly with them and when they die protecting me, it would hurt me terribly.

It was only after I broke down that Duncan agreed to remove them.

At home, I even told Quillon to not keep any guards for me. He said he had already removed them because he thought I would become a lazy lump if I have them protecting me.

Asshole!

After hearing that, I cracked a smile for the first time after days. As Quillon hugged me close that night, I was pathetically grateful he was there with me when I needed him the most.

The following three days, everything felt normal. Like always, I learned to move on with my life. It wasn't as easy as I say but I had a lot of good memories with Nick and I would always cherish them.