THE ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN VOWS

A MATTER OF DISTANCE

THE ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN VOWS

CHAPTER NINE

A MATTER OF DISTANCE

The next morning, Aria made a decision.

She would stop noticing.

It was a ridiculous decision, considering how often the Alpha seemed to appear wherever she happened to be. But if he wanted distance, she would give him exactly that.

No lingering glances.

No unnecessary conversations.

No wondering why he left whenever she entered a room.

And certainly no more allowing herself to feel hurt by it.

She had more important things to worry about.

According to what Lila had said,she told herself the mate bond was the cause,but she hadn't even gotten her wolf

The Moonlight Gathering was only two days away, and the entire pack seemed to be preparing for it.

By breakfast, the main hall was already filled with activity.

Tables were being moved. Decorations were being sorted. Servants hurried in and out of the kitchen while members of the pack discussed the arrangements.

Aria took a seat beside Lila and kept her attention on her breakfast.

She had barely lifted her spoon when the room suddenly became quieter.

She didn't need to look up.

The Alpha had entered.

She continued eating.

Across the room, Adrian walked toward the head table with Marcus beside him.

His expression was unreadable.

He acknowledged several pack members with a brief nod before taking his seat.

Aria kept her eyes down.

She could feel his presence without looking at him.

That irritated her.

She hated that her awareness of him had become so instinctive.

Lila leaned closer.

"You've become very good at pretending he's not there."

Aria continued eating.

"I've had practice."

Lila glanced toward the head table.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Is he pretending too?"

Aria finally looked at her.

"I don't know could you just let me eat in peace?"

"You're not going to look?"

"No,I won't"

Lila smiled slightly.

"Very convincing."

Aria ignored her.

At the head table, Adrian was speaking quietly with Marcus.

He should have been listening to the report in front of him.

Instead, his attention kept drifting toward the other side of the room.

Aria hadn't looked at him once.

He told himself that was exactly what he wanted.

It should have been a relief.

It wasn't.

"Alpha."

Marcus's voice brought him back.

Adrian looked at him.

"The eastern patrol is ready."

"Good."

Marcus paused.

"The arrangements for tomorrow night are almost complete."

Adrian nodded.

"Make sure the guards are positioned around the outer grounds."

"They will be."

"And keep the younger wolves away from the northern boundary."

"Of course."

Marcus closed the report.

Then, after a moment, he added,

"Anything else?"

Adrian knew what he was really asking.

"No."

Marcus nodded.

But his eyes briefly moved toward Aria.

Adrian noticed.

"Don't test my patience Marcus."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were about to."

Marcus smiled.

"I'll leave you to your breakfast, Alpha."

Adrian gave him a warning look.

Marcus walked away.

Adrian returned his attention to the table.

He told himself he wasn't going to look.

He lasted less than a minute.

Aria was laughing at something Lila had said.

It wasn't a particularly loud laugh.

It was just enough to make Adrian's attention shift toward her.

She looked relaxed.

Happy.

Completely unaffected by him.

For reasons he couldn't explain, that irritated him.

He looked away.

He had no right to care.

And he certainly had no right to expect her attention after deliberately avoiding her.

That was the point.

He had made his choice.

Distance was safer.

After what the elders say the council had said he thought and have decided that distance was the way forward.

---

After breakfast, Aria went to the gardens.

She preferred them when they were quiet.

The flowers had begun blooming along the eastern path, and the morning air was cool enough to make the walk pleasant.

She was carrying a basket of herbs for the healer when she heard voices behind her.

She stepped aside.

Two warriors passed.

"Careful with those."

"We are."

"Alpha said the preparations have to be finished before sunset."

Aria continued walking.

She had almost reached the healer's cottage when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Aria."

She stopped.

She turned.

The Alpha was walking toward her.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Aria waited.

He stopped a few feet away.

"Those are for the healer?"

She looked at the basket.

"Yes."

"I'll carry them."

"No, it's fine."

She adjusted the basket against her hip.

"I've got them."

His jaw tightened slightly.

"All right."

There was an awkward silence.

Aria didn't know what he wanted.

She wasn't going to ask.

Finally, he stepped aside.

"You should be careful around the eastern grounds."

She nodded.

"I will."

"There are still warriors training there."

"I aware alpha ."

"Good."

He turned to leave.

Aria watched him for a moment.

Something about the exchange bothered her.

Not because he had been rude.

He hadn't.

He had simply been...

distant.

As always.

He stopped.

He turned slightly.

"I was just thinking"

Aria hesitated.

She could have asked him about the Moonlight Gathering.

She could have asked why he hadn't told her.

Instead, she shook her head.

"it's irrelevant."

His eyes remained on her for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"All right."

He walked away.

Aria watched him disappear between the trees.

She lowered her eyes to the basket.

She wasn't going to chase after him.

If he wanted to say something, he would.

---

The training grounds were louder than usual that afternoon.

Aria had gone there because the healer needed a particular herb that grew near the edge of the field.

She stayed along the outer path, careful not to interrupt the warriors.

The Alpha was training with them.

She saw him before he saw her.

He was moving quickly, focused entirely on his opponent.

The warrior lunged.

Adrian blocked the attack.

A few seconds later, the match ended.

The warrior stepped back, breathing heavily.

"Again."

The warrior groaned.

"Alpha, we've already done this six times."

"Then you'll know what you're doing wrong,again, don't test me"

The other warriors laughed.

Aria smiled despite herself.

There was something almost different about him here.

Less distant.

Still commanding, but not cold.

She quickly looked away.

She shouldn't be watching.

She turned toward the herb she had come for.

A sudden movement caught her attention.

One of the younger warriors lost his footing.

His training weapon slipped from his hand and flew toward the edge of the field.

Toward her.

Aria barely had time to react.

A hand caught her arm and pulled her backward.

The weapon struck the ground where she had been standing.

Silence fell.

Aria looked up.

The Alpha was standing in front of her.

His hand was still around her arm.

For one brief second, neither moved.

Then Adrian released her.

"Are you hurt?"

Aria shook her head.

"No."

His expression remained serious.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I am."

He looked at the weapon on the ground.

Then at the warrior who had dropped it.

"You're dismissed."

The young warrior lowered his head.

"Yes, Alpha."

He hurried away.

Adrian looked back at Aria.

"You shouldn't be standing this close to the training area."

"I was getting herbs."

"I don't care what you were doing."

His tone was sharper than necessary.

Aria's expression changed.

"I didn't realize I was in the way."

"You weren't."

"Then why are you making a big out of it ?"

Adrian went still.

He hadn't meant to sound angry.

He looked away.

"I'm not."

Aria didn't respond.

She simply picked up her basket.

"I'll be more careful."

She started to walk away.

"Aria."

She stopped.

He hesitated.

He wanted to apologize.

Instead, he said,

"Just be careful."

She nodded.

"I sure will."

Then she left.

Adrian watched her go.

Marcus approached from behind.

"You could have said you were sorry."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"I don't need advice."

Marcus folded his arms.

"You pulled her out of the way before you even thought about it."

"She was in danger."

"You didn't hesitate did you alpha?."

"She could have been hurt,why would I allow a pack member get hurt when I can do something about it "

Marcus studied him.

"Exactly."

Adrian looked toward the path where Aria had disappeared.

His jaw tightened.

"It was instinct."

Marcus said nothing.

Adrian turned back toward the training grounds.

"Continue."

Marcus shook his head.

"Of course, Alpha."

---

That evening, Aria sat by her bedroom window.

Her arm still remembered the Alpha's grip.

Not because it had hurt.

Because it had been so sudden.

For one brief moment, she had seen something in his expression that she couldn't explain.

Fear.

It had disappeared almost immediately.

Maybe she had imagined it.

She sighed.

She didn't want to think about him.

She especially didn't want to think about the way he had looked at her after pulling her out of danger.

He had seemed almost angry.

But not at her.

At the possibility that she could have been hurt.

Aria shook her head.

It didn't mean anything.

The Alpha was responsible for every member of the pack.

Of course he would react if someone was in danger.

She refused to make it personal.

A knock sounded.

Lila entered.

"You're quiet."

"I'm tired."

Lila smiled.

"You always say that when you're thinking too much."

Aria looked at her.

"Do I?"

"Yes."

Lila sat beside her.

"I heard what happened at the training grounds."

Aria sighed.

"Of course you did."

"Everyone did."

"He pulled me out of the way."

"Apparently, he moved faster than anyone else."

Aria looked down.

"It was nothing."

Lila studied her.

"You don't believe that."

"I do."

"Then why are you smiling?"

Aria immediately stopped.

"I wasn't."

"You were."

"No."

Lila laughed.

Aria picked up a pillow and threw it at her.

"Go away."

Lila caught it.

"Fine."

She stood.

"But tomorrow is the final day before the gathering."

Aria's smile disappeared.

"I know."

"And you're still going?"

"Of course."

"Even though you don't know what the Alpha plans to announce?"

Aria looked out the window.

"I'll find out when everyone else does."

She said it calmly.

But somewhere inside her, that small hurt remained.

She had wanted to hear it from him.

She wasn't sure why.

Perhaps because, despite everything, a part of her had hoped she mattered enough for him to tell her.

She pushed the thought away.

She wouldn't beg for a place in anyone's life.

If the Alpha wanted her at a distance, she would remain there.

And if he wanted anything else...

He would have to be the one to show it.

---

Across the estate, Adrian stood alone in his office.

The Moonlight Gathering was tomorrow.

The council expected him to speak.

The pack expected an announcement.

And yet the only thing occupying his mind was a quiet moment in the training grounds.

The look on Aria's face after he had spoken sharply to her.

He hadn't meant to hurt her.

He knew that.

But perhaps hurting her was better than allowing himself to get closer.

He had already broken too many of his own rules simply by allowing the bond to affect him.

He couldn't let it go further.

He picked up the report on his desk.

His eyes moved over the words without taking any of them in.

Then he remembered the way Aria had said:

"I'll be more careful."

No accusation.

No complaint.

She had simply accepted his words and walked away.

He should have been relieved.

Instead, he found himself wondering whether she had been hurt by them.

Adrian closed the report.

"This has to stop."

He said it to the empty room.

He didn't know whether he meant his thoughts...

Or the distance he kept creating between them.

Either way, he knew one thing.

Tomorrow night, the entire pack would gather beneath the moon.

And he intended to make sure nothing happened that would bring him any closer to the woman he was determined not to love.