Moonbound Mates

Chapter Six

Silver Moon was larger than Rowan expected.

That was her first thought as they crossed through the territory gates.

Her second was that everyone was staring.

Not openly.

Not rudely.

At least, not most of them.

But she felt it.

Curious glances followed her as she rode beside Kael. Conversations lowered. Wolves paused in their work. Children pointed before being gently redirected by parents who were pretending not to be interested themselves.

Rowan resisted the urge to sigh.

Great.

Exactly what she wanted.

To become a spectacle.

Ahead of her, Kael remained infuriatingly unaffected by the attention. Wolves bowed their heads as he passed. Warriors straightened. Elders nodded respectfully.

Nobody questioned his place here.

Nobody questioned where he belonged.

Rowan looked away.

Because she wasn't sure where she belonged anymore.

The territory stretched around her in every direction. Larger homes. Wider roads. Training fields packed with warriors. Merchants carrying supplies between buildings. Life moved everywhere she looked.

It wasn't Cedar Ridge.

The realization hit harder than she expected.

These weren't her forests.

These weren't her people.

This wasn't home.

For a brief moment, she missed her father so fiercely it stole the air from her lungs.

Alden would have said something reassuring.

Something annoyingly wise.

Something that made impossible situations seem manageable.

Instead she was here.

Surrounded by strangers.

Bound to an Alpha she barely knew.

And heading toward a future she had never wanted.

"Don't start."

Nyra's voice drifted through her thoughts.

Rowan frowned.

"Start what?"

"The spiral."

"I'm not spiraling."

"You absolutely are."

Rowan ignored her.

The wolf's amusement lingered anyway.

Ahead, the packhouse rose above the surrounding buildings.

Dark stone.

Timber beams.

Large enough to dwarf every structure in Cedar Ridge.

Home.

For Kael.

The thought left an unpleasant taste in her mouth.

As they approached the steps, movement caught her attention.

Someone was running toward them.

Fast.

Too fast.

The woman nearly missed the last step entirely.

"THAT'S HER."

Rowan blinked.

The stranger pointed directly at her.

"Kael found her."

Several nearby wolves immediately looked embarrassed.

Kael closed his eyes.

"Lyra."

The woman ignored him completely.

"No, because I was expecting someone taller."

Rowan stared.

"...What?"

The woman reached them in seconds.

Dark hair.

Bright eyes.

An alarming amount of energy.

She circled Rowan once.

Then again.

Studying her with absolutely no shame.

"You fight."

Rowan blinked.

"Yes."

"I knew it."

"You knew that because I'm carrying three weapons."

"Details."

Kael sighed heavily.

The woman pointed at him without looking away from Rowan.

"See? This is why nobody tells him anything first. He ruins surprises."

"I found my mate," Kael deadpanned.

"Exactly."

Rowan felt a laugh threaten.

She fought it.

The woman stopped directly in front of her and extended a hand.

"I'm Lyra."

"Rowan."

"I know."

That somehow wasn't reassuring.

Lyra's grin widened.

"I like you already."

"That's concerning."

"Good. Means I'm accurate."

A sound suspiciously close to a choke came from somewhere behind them.

Rowan looked past Lyra.

A broad-shouldered man stood several feet away.

The expression on his face suggested this was not his first experience with Lyra.

Nor would it be his last.

Lyra immediately pointed.

"Oh. That's Jace."

"The beta?" Rowan guessed.

"The victim."

Jace groaned.

"I'm not a victim."

Lyra looked at Rowan.

"He's a victim."

"I'm literally standing right here."

Lyra ignored him.

Again.

"I won him."

Rowan blinked.

"You what?"

"I won him."

Jace looked toward the sky as though seeking divine intervention.

"He just hasn't accepted it yet."

"Lyra."

"It's fine. He'll get there."

Rowan looked between them.

Then back again.

"...Is this normal?"

"Unfortunately," Jace said.

"Very," Lyra agreed.

For the first time since leaving Cedar Ridge—

Rowan smiled.

A real one.

Small.

Brief.

But real.

And Kael noticed.

His attention shifted toward her immediately.

Something unreadable flickered across his face.

Gone almost instantly.

But Rowan caught it.

The slight tightening of his jaw.

The way his attention lingered a second too long.

Possessive.

Controlled.

Dangerously aware.

And Rowan felt it.

Even when she looked away.

The bond didn't care about distance.

Only connection.

As they made their way deeper into Silver Moon, the staring somehow became worse.

People bowed their heads as Kael passed. Warriors straightened. Conversations lowered into murmurs.

And then there were the glances.

Curious.

Cautious.

Confused.

They looked at her and then quickly looked away when she noticed.

As though they were trying to be discreet.

They were failing.

Spectacularly.

Rowan resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Subtle," she muttered.

Lyra snorted.

"Oh, they're trying."

"That's concerning."

"It should be."

Lyra fell into step beside Rowan as they crossed the territory.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Rowan was grateful for it.

Silver Moon was larger than Cedar Ridge.

Busier.

Wolves moved throughout the territory carrying supplies, repairing buildings, training in groups. Children raced between homes while elders sat beneath shaded porches, watching the activity around them.

It felt alive.

Different.

Not wrong.

Just unfamiliar.

"You look like you're trying to memorize everything."

Rowan glanced at Lyra.

"I am."

Lyra smiled.

"Smart."

"You think so?"

"I think if I woke up tomorrow in a territory I'd never seen before, I'd probably do the same thing."

Rowan nodded.

Most people filled silence because they were uncomfortable with it.

Lyra seemed perfectly content to let it exist.

Ahead of them, Kael walked beside Jace.

Even from a distance, wolves stepped aside as he approached.

Not because they were afraid.

Because they respected him.

The realization settled heavily in Rowan's chest.

"You've known him a long time?"

The question escaped before she could stop it.

Lyra followed her gaze toward Kael.

A grin immediately appeared.

"Oh, unfortunately."

Rowan frowned.

"Unfortunately?"

"I've been stuck with him my entire life."

It took Rowan a second.

Then she blinked.

"You're his sister."

Lyra placed a hand dramatically against her chest.

"Was it the shared features that gave it away?"

Rowan snorted.

For the first time all day, the tension in her shoulders eased slightly.

Lyra looked entirely too pleased with herself.

"There it is."

"What?"

"The smile."

"Don't get used to it."

"Oh, I absolutely will."

Rowan rolled her eyes.

Ahead of them, Kael glanced over his shoulder.

His gaze landed on them briefly.

Then moved forward again.

But Rowan caught the slight narrowing of his eyes.

As though he were trying to determine what his sister had said.

Lyra followed her gaze and sighed.

"See?"

"See what?"

"Nosy."

A laugh escaped Rowan before she could stop it.

Lyra pointed triumphantly.

"Twice."

"Don't push it."

"Fine."

A beat passed.

Then Lyra added,

"When we were younger, he used to pretend he didn't care about anything."

Rowan looked toward Kael.

"I don't believe that."

"Neither did anyone else."

The fondness in her voice was impossible to miss.

"He'd act annoyed every time I followed him around. Then if I disappeared for more than ten minutes, he'd start looking for me."

A strange warmth settled in Rowan's chest.

The image felt... human.

Not the Alpha King.

Not the powerful wolf every pack respected.

Just Kael.

A brother.

A son.

A person.

As they passed one of the training fields, several warriors slowed.

Their attention shifted immediately to Rowan.

Whispers followed.

Quiet.

But not quiet enough.

"That's her."

"The mate?"

"She's a warrior."

Rowan resisted the urge to groan.

"What exactly were they expecting?"

Lyra looked thoughtful.

"A princess, maybe."

Rowan barked out a laugh.

The warriors immediately looked away.

Guilty.

Caught.

Lyra grinned.

"See? Terrifying."

One of the older warriors approached before they could continue.

His silver hair marked him as one of the territory's elders.

"Welcome to Silver Moon."

Rowan dipped her head politely.

"Thank you."

The elder studied her for a moment.

Not rudely.

Curiously.

Then his gaze shifted toward Kael.

Something knowing flashed through his eyes.

"Interesting."

Before Rowan could ask what that meant, he continued on his way.

"Interesting?" she repeated.

Lyra winced.

"You're going to hear that a lot."

"Why?"

"Because everyone is curious about the alpha's fated mate."

Rowan frowned.

"And?"

A smile tugged at Lyra's lips.

"I don't think anyone expected the head warrior of Cedar Ridge."

Something about that made Rowan stand a little straighter.

Not because she cared what strangers thought.

Because she was proud of what she'd earned.

Lyra seemed to notice.

Her smile softened.

"Good."

"What?"

"You look less like you're heading to your own execution."

Rowan huffed.

"Maybe because you've finally stopped talking long enough for me to think."

Lyra gasped dramatically.

"I was trying to be welcoming."

"Is this welcoming?"

"No."

Lyra smiled.

"This is me behaving."

For the first time since leaving Cedar Ridge, Rowan found herself genuinely smiling.

And when the packhouse finally came into view, her shoulders weren't quite as tense.

Not relaxed.

Never relaxed.

But steadier.

Ready.

Or at least as ready as she was going to be.

The packhouse rose ahead of them, built from dark stone and timber. Larger than anything in Cedar Ridge. Elegant without being excessive.

Home.

For Kael.

The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

As they climbed the steps, Rowan felt it again.

That strange shift that always happened when Kael was nearby.

The bond.

Steady.

Aware.

Watching.

Waiting.

She hated how conscious of him it made her.

Hated that she could feel when his attention drifted toward her.

Hated that she always knew.

The doors to the packhouse opened.

Several wolves immediately approached Kael.

Questions.

Reports.

Greetings.

Their Alpha had returned.

Rowan lingered near Lyra and Jace, content to stay out of the center of attention.

Then she heard it.

"Kael."

The voice carried easily through the room.

Soft.

Warm.

Familiar.

Beside Rowan, Lyra stilled.

Everything else did too.

Kael turned immediately.

And Rowan followed his gaze.

A woman stood at the top of the staircase.

Beautiful.

Not in an intimidating way.

Not in a dramatic way.

Simply beautiful.

Long dark hair spilled over one shoulder.

Her posture was graceful.

Confident.

Comfortable.

Like she belonged exactly where she was.

Like she had never doubted it.

For a moment, relief flooded the woman's face.

Then she descended the stairs.

Not running.

Not rushing.

Just moving with quiet certainty.

Toward him.

Toward Kael.

Rowan's stomach tightened.

The woman stopped in front of him.

And smiled.

The expression transformed her entire face.

Warm.

Affectionate.

Loving.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Not dramatically.

Not possessively.

Just naturally.

Like it was something she had done a hundred times before.

A thousand.

Kael hugged her back.

The sight hit Rowan harder than she expected.

Not because it was intimate.

Because it was familiar.

Comfortable.

Real.

This wasn't some distant story.

This wasn't an abstract complication.

This was a woman who loved him.

A woman he loved in return.

Mine.

Nyra exploded.

The force of it nearly made Rowan flinch.

Mine.

The wolf surged forward.

Agitated.

Furious.

Every instinct screamed at the sight.

At another woman touching their mate.

At Kael allowing it.

At the fact that nobody else seemed bothered.

Rowan silently pushed back.

"Stop."

Nyra growled.

"Mate."

"I know."

"Mate."

"I know!"

The response came out sharper than intended.

The wolf settled slightly.

Not calm.

Never calm.

But contained.

Barely.

The embrace ended.

The woman stepped back.

Only then did her gaze shift.

Finding Rowan.

Immediately.

Her eyes moved over Rowan slowly.

Taking in her clothes.

Her posture.

Her weapons.

Her face.

The look wasn't openly rude.

Nobody else would have noticed anything wrong with it.

But Rowan did.

Because warriors noticed threats.

And for one brief moment, she felt evaluated.

Measured.

Found wanting.

The woman smiled politely.

"Kael," she said. "Who's your friend?"

The room became very quiet.

Kael opened his mouth.

Lyra beat him to it.

"Oh."

The single word sounded far too cheerful.

Rowan immediately knew something terrible was about to happen.

"This," Lyra announced brightly, gesturing toward Rowan, "would be Kael's mate."

Silence.

Then Lyra smiled wider.

"His fated mate. Rowan."

Time stopped.

Just for a second.

Rowan saw it.

The truth.

Raw and unguarded.

Anger.

Horror.

Disbelief.

All of it flashed across the woman's face.

Gone almost instantly.

So quickly Rowan almost convinced herself she'd imagined it.

Almost.

The woman recovered beautifully.

Years of practice, maybe.

Or sheer force of will.

Either way, her smile returned.

Elegant.

Controlled.

Perfect.

She stepped toward Rowan and extended her hand.

"It is nice to meet you, Rowan."

Her voice was warm.

Kind.

Flawless.

And somehow that made it worse.

The woman smiled.

"I'm Evelyn."

A brief pause.

Then—

"Kael's chosen mate."

Something sharp settled behind the words.

Polite enough that nobody could object.

Clear enough that Rowan understood exactly what was being said.

Evelyn's smile never wavered.

"It seems we have a lot to discuss."

And suddenly Silver Moon felt a great deal less welcoming.