THE CHASED MATE

Chapter Eighteen

The days following Kael’s victory over Ethan were tense, the air still crackling with the remnants of the challenge. Ethan had retreated to the outskirts of the pack’s territory, his pride wounded but his intentions clear. The quiet threat he represented lingered, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike back.

Lyra found herself torn between relief and a lingering unease. While the pack’s unity had been restored for the time being, she couldn’t ignore the dangerous game Ethan was playing.

“Ethan’s not going to just let this go,” she said one evening, sitting beside Kael on the porch of his cabin. The distant howls of the pack were muffled by the thick trees surrounding them. The quiet comfort of the moment felt fragile.

Kael was silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “No, he won’t. But we’ve shown him that we’re not afraid. We’re stronger than he gives us credit for.”

Lyra leaned into him, the warmth of his body grounding her as she breathed in the familiar scent of the woods and him—woodsmoke, pine, and something deeper, something undeniably Kael.

“I’m not afraid of him,” she murmured. “But I don’t know how long we can keep him at bay.”

Kael’s arm tightened around her, pulling her closer. “As long as we stand together, we can face whatever comes next.”

Lyra met his gaze, her heart thudding in her chest. There was no denying it now—she was all in. She had always been afraid of trusting, of letting someone into the fractured parts of herself. But Kael had fought for her, not just physically but emotionally, in ways that no one else had.

“I believe you,” she whispered.

Kael kissed the top of her head, his voice soft but firm. “Then believe in us.”