Moonbound Mates

Chapter Eighteen

The silence lasted approximately three minutes.

Which, for Lyra, was some kind of record.

Rowan walked beside her through the pack grounds, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket. The morning air was cool, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.

Normally Lyra would have filled the silence by now.

Instead, she looked thoughtful.

Almost guilty.

It was unsettling.

Finally, Rowan sighed.

"You know, this is somehow worse."

Lyra blinked.

"What's worse?"

"You being quiet."

"Oh."

A pause.

"Sorry."

Rowan stopped walking.

"You apologized."

"I know."

"Should I call a healer?"

That earned the first smile Lyra had managed all morning.

Small.

Brief.

Gone almost immediately.

The guilt remained.

Rowan started walking again.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

Then—

"I never disliked Evelyn."

Rowan snorted.

Lyra shot her an offended look.

"I'm serious."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

"I do not."

Rowan simply looked at her.

Lyra sighed.

"Fine. Maybe a little."

"A little?"

"Okay, maybe more than a little."

Rowan laughed despite herself.

Lyra pointed accusingly at her.

"But not because she's Evelyn."

That got Rowan's attention.

"What does that mean?"

Lyra was quiet for a moment.

Searching for the right words.

"When I was five years old, Jace stole my favorite book."

Rowan blinked.

"What?"

"It was rude."

"I imagine."

"He said it was because I spent too much time reading and not enough time playing outside."

"That sounds like something he'd do."

Lyra smiled faintly at the memory.

Then her expression softened.

"And I knew."

Rowan already knew what she meant.

Lyra shrugged.

"I was five. Obviously I didn't know what a mate bond felt like."

"You decided your future mate stole your book?"

"He gave it back."

"How generous."

Lyra ignored her.

"My point is that there was never anybody else."

The teasing was gone now.

The humor.

All of it.

"There was never a question."

Rowan listened quietly.

"I always knew I'd end up with Jace."

Lyra looked down at the path beneath their feet.

"And Kael..."

Her voice softened.

"Kael is the most important person in my life."

The words weren't surprising.

But hearing them said aloud carried weight.

"He's my brother."

A small smile touched her face.

"My best friend."

Rowan nodded.

"I know."

"I wanted this for him."

The smile faded.

"I wanted him to have what I have."

Silence settled between them.

Not uncomfortable.

Just honest.

"I spent years waiting for him to find his mate."

Lyra laughed softly.

"You have no idea how many times I imagined what she'd be like."

Rowan winced.

"Sorry."

Lyra huffed.

"Please. Half of my guesses were terrible."

That earned another laugh.

But only briefly.

The sadness returned almost immediately.

"I never thought about Evelyn."

The words were quiet.

Rowan glanced at her.

Lyra stared straight ahead.

Thoughtful.

Regretful.

"I didn't think about what happened if somebody was already standing beside him when it happened."

There it was.

The realization.

The thing Kael had forced her to see.

Rowan found herself thinking about the look on Evelyn's face.

The smile.

The hurt behind it.

The way she'd left without making a scene.

Without blaming anyone.

Without demanding anything.

Just... hurting.

"It isn't fair," Rowan said quietly.

Lyra nodded.

"No."

Neither of them clarified who they meant.

Maybe because it applied to everyone.

Evelyn.

Kael.

Rowan.

All of them.

After a while, Lyra spoke again.

"I do like her."

Rowan looked over.

Lyra shrugged.

"She's smart."

A pause.

"Kind."

Another pause.

"She makes Kael happy."

The last words sounded almost painful.

"Or she did."

The silence that followed lingered.

Then—

"Well."

A familiar voice cut through the moment.

Both women turned.

Jace stood a few feet away.

Looking exactly as exhausted as Rowan felt.

His gaze moved between them.

Then narrowed slightly.

"What happened?"

"Nothing," Lyra said immediately.

Jace looked at Rowan.

Rowan looked away.

Jace sighed.

"What did she do?"

"I was the victim this time," Lyra informed him.

"I doubt that."

"Rude."

Jace ignored her.

As usual.

Then his attention shifted to Rowan.

"Kael's looking for you."

Rowan blinked.

"For me?"

Jace nodded.

"His study."

Something immediately tightened in her stomach.

Not fear.

Not exactly.

Something else.

Something she couldn't quite name.

Jace jerked his head toward the packhouse.

"He said as soon as you were free."

Lyra immediately perked up.

"Oh."

Rowan pointed at her.

"No."

Lyra grinned.

"I wasn't going to say anything."

"That's a lie."

"Probably."

"I'll find you later."

That sounded suspiciously like a threat.

Jace looked between them.

Then toward the packhouse.

Then back at Rowan.

"Good luck."

Rowan narrowed her eyes.

"That doesn't sound encouraging."

"It wasn't meant to."

Then he walked away.

Leaving Rowan staring after him.

Uneasy.

Confused.

And suddenly very aware that Alpha Kael wanted to see her.

For reasons she didn't understand.

The walk back to the packhouse felt longer than it should have.

By the time Rowan reached Kael's study, she had convinced herself this was probably related to the trial.

Hopefully related to the trial.

Because she wasn't ready for another conversation about breakfast.

She knocked.

"Come in."

Rowan pushed open the door.

Kael sat behind his desk, reading through a stack of papers.

For a moment he didn't notice her.

And for some reason, Rowan found herself pausing.

His sleeves were rolled up.

Dark hair slightly disheveled.

A faint crease between his brows as he focused on whatever document sat in front of him.

One hand rested against the desk.

The other turned a page.

Strong hands.

A small scar crossed one knuckle.

Rowan frowned.

Had that always been there?

Then his gaze lifted.

Their eyes met.

And suddenly she noticed everything.

The sharp line of his jaw.

The blue of his eyes.

Had they always been that blue?

The way he carried himself.

Confident without being arrogant.

Powerful without needing to prove it.

What the hell was wrong with her?

Rowan immediately looked at the bookshelf.

The desk.

The wall.

Anywhere except him.

Nyra sounded suspiciously amused.

Rowan ignored her.

"Everything alright?"

His voice pulled her attention back.

Unfortunately.

"Fine."

One eyebrow lifted.

Clearly unconvinced.

Thankfully, he let it go.

Instead, he reached toward the corner of his desk.

And held up an envelope.

The seal stamped across the front was instantly recognizable.

Council.

Rowan groaned.

"They never stop, do they?"

"No."

"They enjoy this."

"I've suspected that for years."

That earned the faintest hint of a smile.

Then Kael broke the seal.

Pulled out the letter.

And began reading.

The smile disappeared.

Immediately.

Rowan straightened.

"What?"

Kael continued reading.

Then handed her the paper.

"You should probably see for yourself."

That was never a good sign.

Rowan took the letter.

Her eyes moved across the page.

Then stopped.

"No."

A corner of Kael's mouth twitched.

"That was my reaction too."

She read it again.

Hoping she had misunderstood.

She hadn't.

Trial Activity Three

Alpha Kael is to depart on a three-day journey with Miss Evelyn Ashford.

They will be allowed one day for planning.

Upon their return, Alpha Kael is to depart on a separate three-day journey with Miss Rowan Wilder.

They will be allowed one day for planning.

The Council expects detailed reports regarding compatibility, cooperation, and overall experience.

Rowan lowered the page.

Slowly.

"Six days."

Kael nodded.

"Eight."

She blinked.

Then counted again.

Planning day.

Three-day trip.

Another planning day.

Another three-day trip.

"Eight days."

"Eight days."

Rowan dropped into a chair.

"The Council has entirely too much free time."

Kael leaned back slightly.

"We agree on something."

They sat in silence for a moment.

Both staring at the letter.

Both imagining exactly how complicated this was going to become.

Finally Rowan looked up.

Only to discover Kael was already looking at her.

The room suddenly felt quieter.

Neither spoke.

For just a second, the memory of the previous night surfaced.

Warmth.

Comfort.

The steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek.

Across the room, something shifted in Kael's expression.

As though he had remembered too.

The silence lingered.

Not awkward.

Just...

Different.

Rowan looked back down at the letter.

Then folded it carefully.

"I should probably find Lyra."

The words sounded strangely loud.

Kael nodded once.

"Probably."

Neither moved.

Then Rowan stood.

This time Kael looked away first.

And somehow that felt just as significant.

"I'll see you later."

His gaze returned to hers.

"Later."

Rowan turned and headed for the door.

Trying very hard not to think about why the room had felt different.

Or why she suddenly found that impossible.

____

The study door clicked shut behind Rowan.

Silence settled over the room.

For several long seconds, Kael remained exactly where he was.

Staring at the closed door.

Then he looked down at the letter in his hands.

Attempted to reread it.

Failed immediately.

His wolf laughed.

The sound echoed through his mind.

Slow.

Satisfied.

"Oh, don't start."

"I haven't said anything."

"You were about to."

"Fair."

Kael sighed.

He tossed the letter onto the desk.

Something felt different.

Not wrong.

Just...

Different.

His wolf sounded entirely too pleased.

"You noticed."

Kael frowned.

"Noticed what?"

Silence.

Then—

"Her."

His jaw tightened.

Immediately.

Which told him everything he needed to know.

His wolf laughed harder.

"There it is."

Kael leaned back in his chair.

"This isn't funny."

"It's a little funny."

"It isn't."

His wolf ignored him.

As usual.

"You noticed her eyes."

Kael frowned.

His wolf continued.

"And her smile."

Silence.

"The way she looks at things when she's thinking."

Kael rubbed a hand across his face.

He hated this conversation.

Deeply.

His wolf was having the time of his life.

"You noticed."

"Fine."

The word came out more irritated than intended.

His wolf sounded victorious.

"Finally."

Kael looked toward the door again.

The same door Rowan had disappeared through moments earlier.

Something tightened unexpectedly in his chest.

His wolf hummed.

"The bond."

Kael froze.

The bond.

Of course.

"What about it?"

His wolf sounded almost amused.

"It's stronger."

The words settled heavily.

Kael stared at the desk.

Because...

It was.

The pull felt different.

Closer.

More present.

More difficult to ignore.

His wolf continued.

"You spent an entire night beside your mate."

"We were asleep."

"You were together."

Kael groaned.

His wolf ignored him.

Again.

"The bond reacted."

Silence.

Then—

"And it's only going to keep growing."

Kael's head lifted.

"What?"

The wolf sounded delighted.

"The bond."

A pause.

"It's going to keep getting stronger."

Kael stared into space.

Not liking that answer at all.

"Stronger?"

His wolf laughed.

"How long exactly did you think you were going to fight a mating bond?"

Kael didn't answer.

Because suddenly he wasn't sure.

"Every conversation."

The wolf's voice softened.

"Every touch."

Another pause.

"Every moment spent together."

Kael looked toward the door again.

"The bond responds."

Silence stretched.

Then—

"You think this is difficult now?"

His wolf laughed.

"Oh, Kael."

That was not encouraging.

Not even slightly.

─────

Rowan had almost made it halfway across the packhouse before Nyra finally spoke.

"Took you long enough."

Rowan narrowed her eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

The wolf sounded unbearably pleased.

"Oh, come on."

"I don't know what that means."

"Yes, you do."

"No."

Nyra laughed.

The traitor.

Rowan continued walking.

Determined to ignore her.

It lasted approximately twelve seconds.

"What is wrong with you today?"

Nyra sounded innocent.

"Nothing."

"Liar."

The wolf grinned.

Rowan could practically feel it.

"One night."

Silence.

Then—

"One night sleeping beside our mate and suddenly you're acting completely different."

Nyra's amusement immediately returned.

"That's because I know something you don't."

Rowan slowed.

Immediately suspicious.

"What does that mean?"

The wolf was quiet for a moment.

Then—

"The bond."

Rowan frowned.

"What about it?"

"It's stronger."

The words settled heavily.

Rowan stopped walking.

Completely.

"What?"

Nyra sounded smug.

"The bond is stronger."

Silence.

Then—

"Oh."

Suddenly several things made far more sense.

The study.

His eyes.

The way she'd noticed him.

Noticed everything.

Nyra sounded delighted.

"Exactly."

Rowan resumed walking.

Slower this time.

Thinking.

"The bond got stronger because we slept next to each other?"

"Together."

Nyra corrected.

"Whatever."

The wolf ignored that.

"It reacts to closeness."

A pause.

"To connection."

Another pause.

"To time spent together."

Rowan didn't like where this was going.

At all.

Nyra did.

Very much.

"The longer this trial continues, the stronger it's going to become."

Silence.

Then—

"Why do you think I fought so hard when you wanted to reject him?"

Rowan frowned.

The wolf's voice softened.

"Because I knew."

A pause.

"Once you got to know him..."

Another.

"It would grow."

Rowan looked away.

Toward a distant stretch of forest.

"He chose Evelyn."

The words came quietly.

Firmly.

As if saying them often enough would make them easier to believe.

Nyra remained silent.

"In eighty-seven days, I'm going home."

Another pause.

"Back to my father."

For a moment, the wolf said nothing.

Then—

"We'll see."

Rowan immediately disliked that answer.

A lot.