Chapter 2 – The Instinct That Should Not Exist
826 Words
Aria didn’t rush back to the hall right away. Instead, she paused in the quiet corridor just outside the main chamber, her fingers resting lightly against the cool stone wall as she tried to calm her breathing.
Mate.
The word echoed softly in her mind. Her wolf was restless, alert, and confused—there was something about the bond that felt… off.
Mate bonds were meant to feel certain, inevitable, and clear. But when Alpha Kael Blackthorn looked at her, all she saw was uncertainty and resistance.
“Aria.”
She turned quickly at the sound of Mira’s voice. Her friend approached cautiously, glancing over her shoulder before getting closer.
“What happened?” Mira asked in a low voice.
“Nothing.”
“That didn’t look like nothing.”
Aria shook her head. “It was just a misunderstanding.”
“The Alpha doesn’t misunderstand,” Mira replied pointedly.
Aria hesitated. “He asked for my name.”
Mira blinked in surprise. “That’s worse.”
“Why?”
“Because Alphas don’t ask servants for their names.”
Aria glanced down at her hands, noting their steady state, even as her thoughts spun.
Mate. Her wolf nudged her gently again.
“I think he felt something,” Mira said carefully.
Aria let out a quiet breath. “So did I.”
Admitting that felt risky. Mira’s demeanor softened. “Are you sure?”
Aria nodded faintly. “The bond reacted.”
Mira's eyes widened. “And?”
“And he didn’t.”
Mira frowned. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know.”
Mate bonds were not supposed to confuse Alphas; they didn’t hesitate or feel wrong. But Kael had pulled back as if something instinctual had betrayed him.
“Maybe he’s already promised to someone else,” Mira suggested.
The idea made Aria's heart sink. “That wouldn’t stop the bond.”
“No,” Mira admitted, “it wouldn’t.”
Silence enveloped them, thick and contemplative. Inside the hall, discussions had resumed, yet a tension lingered in the air. The pack had sensed the shift. Powerful wolves were always aware of changes in authority, and Kael’s moment of hesitation had created one.
“Aria,” Mira said cautiously, “if he really is your mate…”
“I don’t want him to know.”
Mira looked at her incredulously. “You can’t hide a mate bond forever.”
“I don’t need forever.”
“Then what do you need?”
“Time.”
Time to figure out why things felt wrong. Time to understand why her instincts felt… incomplete. Time to shield herself from hope.
“Aria,” Mira said gently, “mate bonds are rare.”
“So is rejection.”
Mira didn’t argue. Aria squared her shoulders. “I’ll keep doing my duties as usual.”
“You think the Alpha will let that happen?”
“He let me leave.”
“Or he’s just keeping an eye on you.”
That thought unsettled her. Being watched by an Alpha meant being significant—and significance brought vulnerability.
Meanwhile, in the hall, Kael remained at the high table, calmly conversing with the council elders. To onlookers, he appeared composed and focused, showing no signs of unease. But Luca, standing beside him, had known Kael long enough to spot subtle shifts in his demeanor.
“You weren’t expecting her,” Luca observed quietly.
Kael didn’t reply right away. “No,” he finally admitted.
Luca scrutinized Kael’s expression. “Is she a problem?”
“I’m not sure.”
Kael rarely expressed doubt.
“What did you feel?” Luca pressed.
Kael’s jaw tightened. “Something inconsistent.”
“With what?”
“With instinct.”
Luca furrowed his brow. “That’s unusual.”
“Yes.”
Kael’s gaze flicked toward the corridor where Aria had vanished. Though his face remained calm, his mind was anything but. Mate bonds weren’t supposed to feel incomplete or blocked, and yet, that was precisely what he was experiencing—an instinct that hesitated, resisting a conclusion that his wolf had already reached.
“Do you want me to look into her?” Luca asked.
Kael paused for just a moment. “Yes.”
The response came too quickly to betray any nonchalance. “Discreetly.”
“Of course.”
Kael lightly tapped his fingers against the table—a controlled, deliberate gesture. Because uncertainty was dangerous, and his instincts had always been clear until now.
Across the hall, Selene was observing the Alpha closely. She noticed his hesitation, the delay, the interest. Her smile remained composed, but her thoughts sharpened. Something unexpected had slipped into the situation, and unexpected things rarely stayed harmless for long.
As Aria quietly returned to her duties, she felt the bond stir again. Mate. But this time, the word felt more like a question than a certainty. And questions always had a way of becoming dangerous.
- Writer
