From where he was sitting, Callum was still scanning the pages, though it was quite obvious he wasn't really reading anything.

And as for Lily, she was still lingering where she stood, her body language hesitant ever since he told her to take a seat.

She was clutching the hem of her gown, taking a slow breath before taking a seat a few spaces away from him.

Callum still didn’t look up.

Instead, he turned a page, his expression was as blank as could be.

“Hope he wasn’t too hard on you,”

Callum finally muttered in a more relaxed tone, his voice clipped.

Lily allowed a pause, stealing a glance at the side of his face.

His jaw was tense, she could tell he was was feeling a measure of anxiety even though it wasn't as visible as her own.

“Well he didn't”

She blurted.

“He… left me alone,”

She added, her tone now was barely above a whisper. Her eyes were looking so lost,

as though she where literally picturing how Alstair had left her alone in the air.

Then she swallowed hard with her throat tight.

“Thanks to you. For earlier, I mean…eh the defense.”

Callum’s hand remained on a particular page.

Slowly, he raised his head, and their eyes met.

For a moment, the world seemed to fall silent.

And it appeared like all the activities in the room had also stopped.

Even Lily’s breathing was affected too, it became unsteady, and she noticed the bobbing of Callum's

Adam apple as he listened.

Then, just as quickly, they both looked away, the seriousness of their unspoken thoughts appearing ever more vivid in that minute.

Finally Callum broke the silence first, addressing the elephant in the room.

“You know my father was right, you shouldn’t have been there,”

His tone was low now, almost scolding.

He closed the book with deliberate care, the sound echoing in the quiet room.

“I know,” Lily admitted, her voice trembling.

“I just…I just…”

She stopped, unsure how to explain her curiosity without sounding foolish.

“I didn’t think it would matter this much. I didn’t think anyone would notice.”

“You didn’t think?” Callum snapped, his eyes now fully on her.

“What if I hadn’t been there? Do you have any idea what could’ve happened?”

Lily flinched at the sudden harshness of his tone, but she held her ground.

“I know it was reckless. I know it was stupid. But I….” She broke off again, biting her lip.

“I didn’t expect anyone to save me.”

Callum let out a small gasp after then his expression softened.

“You can’t afford to think like that. Not here, not now. You're Luna remember?

He ran a through his thick hair.

“The forest isn’t a place for... for someone like you.”

“Someone like me?” Lily echoed, stressing the sentence a little more.

“Yes,” Callum maintained firmly.

“You’re new. You don’t understand the origin of , these rules. And now…”

His voice trailed off, as he looked away, stopping himself from continuing with what he wanted to say next.

“Now what?”

she pressed, it was her turn to stare openly now.

“Now everything’s more complicated,”

he whispered with his face still looking away.

Lily blinked, glancing at the door behind for a second before returning her face to him.

“Wait, You think I don’t feel it too?”

There was silence as Callum seemed genuinely wary of providing an answer to the question.

Lily then took in some breath, emboldened by his silence she opened her lips, but the first set of words that came out where so heavy that she had to quickly stop herself yet again.

“Every time I look at you…”

Her cheeks instantly flushed as she realized what she was already in the process of saying.

But she didn't need to complete it before Callum caught the drift.

It showed in the way he suddenly flung his head towards her,

And in the way his two eyes widened,

for a moment, the mask he had been wearing slipped, revealing the anxiety and confusion he too had been trying to cover since she came in.

“Lily…” he whispered, but whatever he was about to say died on his lips the moment they both heard the sound of footsteps near the library door.

Lily stiffened on her chair.

And as for Callum, his gaze started to darken, and then forcefully,

He gestured towards the door, the tone of his voice low enough for only her to hear.

“Go,” he said quietly, his tone firm.

“Go, before he comes in here.”

Seconds later, Lily was already at the door, she had her hands carefully on the door, pushing it gently as she started to step out of the library,

her heart was racing to the point where she feared it was too loud.

She took in one final deep breath and was just about to make a run for it after stepping out,.

When she nearly collided with one of the maids retreating down the hallway.

Looking startled as hell, Lily almost jumped, she felt like a criminal caught in the act red-handed.

Had the maid been listening to her conversation with Callum?

The maid herself turned sharply at the sound of Lily’s footsteps,

her expression calm but her posture tense.

Lily did not wait for her to say something before she stammered.

With as much composure as she could muster, she gestured awkwardly toward the library door.

“I….I just needed to, um, look for a book. It’s important for… familiar orientation.”

She forced a tight-lipped smile, hoping it sounded believable.

The maid raised one eyebrow but didn’t seem remotely interested in Lily’s fumbling explanation.

Instead, with an air of urgency, the younger lady straightened up and stepped closer.

“Alpha Alistair is back…my lady,”

she announced.

Lily froze afresh.

“He’s back?” she echoed, her eyes going bleak with fear.

Alistair wasn’t supposed to return until the next day. That was what he told her.

Why had he come back this early?

The maid who was still obviously blind to Lily's anxiety went on to nod.

“Yes, Luna. He came to your room looking for you but didn’t find you there.”

She paused, her tone growing more serious.

“He said he brought someone with him. Someone he wanted to introduce to you.”

Lily could feel her sweaty palms now and her head was aching a little beyond the normal.

Why had Alistair returned so suddenly? And who could this person be?

“who?” she managed to ask, her voice almost a whisper.

“I don’t know,” the maid shrugged, also shaking her head.

“But he asked me to find you and bring you to him immediately. He’s waiting in the grand hall.”

Lily faked an understanding nod as she began to follow the maid down the corridor.

Her heart was beating so fast, as questions tumbled over themselves.

Why had Alistair not waited until the next day as planned? Why did he change his mind?

And, more importantly, who was this person he wanted to show her?