Chapter 205

Once our bags were packed, we returned to Kendrick's black SUV. The atmosphere inside was tense, the weight of uncertainty hanging in the air.

"Took you long enough," Kendrick mumbled, not bothering to look up from his phone.

He spat out a location to his chauffeur and the SUV began to move again.

I found myself leaning closer to Lucas as we drove, trying to find some kind of comfort.

He noticed and placed a warm, gentle hand on my thigh.

Just when I thought Kendrick was finished ordering us around, he wasted no time briefing us about our journey's next leg. "To reach the palace, we'll need to cover a distance beyond what a car can manage. I've arranged for a private jet. It'll be a 15-hour flight."

A private jet? I'd never been on a plane before, let alone a private jet.

The nervous fluttering in my stomach intensified.

"15 hours?" I questioned. "That's awfully long... How will we sleep and eat?"

Finally, Kendrick looked up from his phone, giving me a puzzling stare. "Have you never flown before?"

I shook my head, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Kendrick has probably flown more times than I'd ever dream of. Lucas, too, must've had a lot of experience flying.

Of course, I was the odd man out, being put in a situation I wasn't familiar with.

Lucas must have sensed my unease because he subtly squeezed my thigh for reassurance. "It won't be too bad. You can sleep on the jet and I'm sure there will be a chef on board for us to have meals."

"Yes," Kendrick said. "My chef will be there. Don't worry, you won't starve. It won't even feel like you're thirty thousand feet in the air."

Thirty thousand feet in the air? My blood ran cold at the thought.

"And for security purposes, my entire team will be accompanying us," Kendrick added. "With the White Wolf on board, we need to ensure maximum safety."

The notion of having a security team made me feel oddly comforted, but Kendrick's sudden change in demeanor left me unsettled.

Was he genuinely trying to make me feel comfortable? Or was it because he had some kind of ulterior motive that I couldn't place yet?

After all, Kendrick was a man driven by wealth and power. In the time I've known him, he's only been conniving and brutal. How could this be any different? Someone doesn't change that easily overnight.

As the chauffeur continued to drive us to the airport, I seized the opportunity to seek clarity. "What exactly is your plan, Kendrick? You mentioned having one. Does it involve me?"

Kendrick glanced at me with a calculated expression. "Of course, it involves you. Your identity and the fact that you're dating my son change the dynamics. Why do you think I reached out to the Alpha King?"

The question hung in the air, and I found myself at a loss.

What did Kendrick expect from the Alpha King?

What could he possibly do for me?

Kendrick leaned back, steepling his fingers. "The Alpha King is not just a ruler... He's a mediator, a source of wisdom and authority among our kind. When he speaks, others listen."

The Alpha King seemed so much bigger than the small city we lived in. It seemed as if he was a part of a different world entirely.

For years, to me, I'd only ever thought of him as somewhat of an enigma. He was mentioned every so often, but I never thought our worlds would collide.

"My plan is to present you before him, showing him just how significant you are," Kendrick continued. "The Alpha King may have insights, knowledge, or perhaps even a solution to certain... challenges."

"Challenges?" Lucas questioned. "What do you mean?"

What challenges did Kendrick expect the Alpha King to resolve?

"Like I said, the Alpha King is power. Power is all it takes to be able to generate change. With him, anything is possible." Kendrick's response was cryptic, and he avoided delving into specifics. Instead, he turned his head to glance out the window, leaving us with more questions than answers.

Honestly, Kendrick's answer was completely avoidant, and I had no idea what it meant. He beat around the bush and purposefully ignored Lucas's question.

That made me nervous because I had no idea what he was truly planning. There was something he had up his sleeve, but he wasn't ready to divulge the details to Lucas and me yet.

Lucas, sensing my unease, shot me a supportive glance.

I appreciated his silent reassurance, but the gravity of the situation left me yearning for answers that Kendrick had yet to provide.

Unable to contain the curiosity that simmered within, I turned to Lucas, his eyes reflecting a mirrored uncertainty.

"I wish we knew more about what's going on," I confessed, my voice barely audible above the hum of the car engine.

Lucas nodded, his gaze fixed on the distant clouds outside the window. "Yeah, this whole situation feels... off. Like there's more to it than what my father's saying."

"Not surprising." A shiver of apprehension coursed through me. "And what's he expecting from the Alpha King? What could he possibly want from me?"

Lucas sighed, his fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on my thigh. "I don't know, Shana. I think the Alpha King might just be curious about you. The White Wolf has been a legend for centuries. I don't think anyone has ever believed it to be true."

"So, you think part of it is to see if Kendrick's telling the truth about me? How would they even know if he's lying or not?"

Lucas shrugged. "I'm not sure... Perhaps they'll be able to sense it somehow? Or maybe they'll perform some kind of test."

"You think so?" I asked Lucas. "I hope I don't embarrass myself there. You and I both know that I don't have this whole wolf thing down yet."

"If you feel comfortable enough to share that with the King, then go ahead." Lucas's voice got quieter as he said, "But I think I would keep some things to yourself. We don't know who to trust, or what to trust."

I nodded, understanding what Lucas was saying.

Just because he was the Alpha King and held immense power like Kendrick had said, it didn't mean he could necessarily be trusted. It was best if I tried to protect myself as much as possible...

Which meant that I would keep my lack of control to myself for the time being.

"Shana, whatever happens at the palace with the King, I won't let anything happen to you," Lucas whispered into my ear. "Don't feel like you're alone."

I couldn't help but shiver at his deep voice, feeling goosebumps prickle over the skin of my neck.

"I know that," I whispered back, wetting my lips. "I know I'm not alone."

"Are the two of you done whispering sweet nothings over there?" Kendrick snapped, making me jump and causing Lucas to pull his face away from me.

Immediately, I felt the loss of heat.

"Do you mind?" Lucas snapped back at his father, shooting him daggers.

"Actually, I do mind," Kendrick simply replied. "Keep the romance to a minimum."

The hand Lucas held on my thigh tightened, and I rested my hand over it to hopefully calm him down.

As the SUV carried us toward the airport, I pondered what the Alpha King knew about the White Wolf.

Did he believe all the legends?

Did he know more than what the legend held?

Maybe... he held answers that I hadn't been able to discover yet.