Moonbound Mates

Chapter Fourteen

Breakfast was quickly becoming Rowan's least favorite part of living at Silver Moon.

Every morning she walked into the dining room hoping things would somehow be less complicated than they had been the day before.

Every morning she was disappointed.

Today was no exception.

Kael was already there.

Of course he was.

Evelyn sat beside him.

Of course she did.

Lyra was working her way through an alarming amount of food.

Jace looked tired.

Of course he did.

Rowan grabbed a plate and took her usual seat beside Lyra.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself to hope for a quiet breakfast.

Then a servant entered carrying a sealed envelope.

Across the table, Kael visibly closed his eyes.

"Oh no."

Lyra sounded delighted.

"What now?"

Kael ignored her.

A mistake.

He unfolded the letter.

His expression darkened almost immediately.

Lyra narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, this is going to be good."

"It isn't."

"It is."

"It really isn't."

Before Lyra could continue, Kael started reading.

"Trial Activity Two."

The room immediately became suspicious.

Kael sounded exhausted already.

"Alpha Kael will escort Evelyn to dinner this evening."

The tension eased slightly.

Reasonable.

Expected.

Then—

"Alpha Kael will spend the night in Head Warrior Rowan's assigned quarters."

Silence.

Complete silence.

A small choking noise escaped Lyra.

Jace didn't even look up.

"No."

Lyra slowly set down her coffee.

She stared at the table.

Then at the ceiling.

Then at the table again.

The effort it was taking for her to remain silent was physically visible.

Lyra pressed her lips together.

Hard.

Then looked directly at Rowan.

Then Kael.

Then Rowan again.

The silence somehow became worse.

Then, surprisingly, Evelyn was the one who broke it.

She looked toward Kael.

"There’s a new Italian restaurant in town."

Everyone turned toward her.

Evelyn smiled faintly.

"The one near the south market."

Something softened in her expression.

"I've been wanting to try it."

For a moment, Rowan almost admired her.

No argument.

No accusations.

No visible panic.

Just a simple suggestion.

Normal.

As though the Council hadn't just informed everyone that Kael would be sleeping in another woman's room.

Kael nodded once.

"That sounds fine."

The conversation should have ended there.

Instead, Kael glanced toward Rowan.

His expression shifted.

Thoughtful.

Practical.

"You'll need more things."

Rowan frowned.

"What?"

"If you're staying for ninety days."

The words still felt strange.

Ninety days.

"You only packed for a few."

Rowan looked down at her plate.

Unfortunately, he wasn't wrong.

Most of what she'd brought fit into two bags.

Enough for a visit.

Not enough for three months.

Before she could respond—

"I'll take her."

Everyone looked at Lyra.

She looked entirely too pleased with herself.

"I know all the best shops."

"You know all the shop owners," Jace corrected.

"Exactly."

"That's not the same thing."

"It absolutely is."

Lyra ignored him.

Again.

She pointed at Rowan.

"We can make a day of it."

Rowan wasn't sure whether that was a promise or a threat.

Possibly both.

"I don't—"

"Excellent."

Lyra nodded.

Decision made.

Apparently.

"We're going."

Rowan looked toward Kael.

A mistake.

Because he immediately agreed.

"That would probably be a good idea."

Traitor.

As though sensing the accusation, Kael continued.

"I'll cover the expenses."

Rowan blinked.

"What?"

"You'll need clothes."

He shrugged slightly.

"And whatever else you need."

The answer irritated her immediately.

"I can buy my own things."

"I know."

That only made it worse.

Kael met her gaze evenly.

"While you're here, you're part of this pack."

The words settled heavily between them.

"In Silver Moon, we provide for our own."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Something uncomfortable tightened in Rowan's chest.

Because he wasn't trying to impress her.

Wasn't trying to flirt.

Wasn't trying to buy her anything.

To Kael, this was simply obvious.

The way things were done.

The way family was treated.

Before Rowan could figure out how she felt about that, Lyra stood abruptly.

"Perfect."

Everyone immediately became suspicious.

"We leave in an hour."

Rowan groaned.

Lyra looked delighted.

The day was somehow getting worse.

The moment they stepped outside the packhouse, Lyra looked significantly happier.

Rowan wasn't entirely sure that was a good sign.

"You walk too fast."

Lyra pointed accusingly.

Rowan blinked.

"You've known me for a week."

"And?"

"And how do you already know how fast I walk?"

"I pay attention."

That answer was somehow more concerning.

Lyra linked her arm through Rowan's before she could escape.

"Come on."

"I can walk by myself."

"I know."

"Then why are you dragging me?"

"So you don't wander off."

"I am perfectly capable of finding my way."

Lyra stopped walking.

Slowly turned her head.

And stared.

Rowan sighed.

"Fine."

"Thank you."

They continued down the road.

Silver Moon was different during the day.

Bustling.

Alive.

People moved between shops and homes.

Children darted through the streets.

Merchants called greetings from open storefronts.

And everywhere Rowan looked—

People smiled at Lyra.

Not because she was the Alpha's sister.

Because they genuinely seemed to like her.

Which was confusing.

"I heard that."

Rowan frowned.

"Heard what?"

"You thinking."

"I wasn't."

"You absolutely were."

Unfortunately, Rowan had no defense against that.

---

The town center sat several minutes from the packhouse.

Rows of shops lined the streets.

Bakeries.

Tailors.

Bookstores.

Jewelry shops.

A florist overflowing with flowers.

One woman spotted Lyra and immediately groaned.

"Oh no."

Lyra gasped.

"Rude."

"You said you were only looking last time."

"I was."

"You bought six things."

"They were excellent things."

The woman pointed toward the door.

"Out."

Rowan laughed.

The shop owner looked delighted.

"Oh good."

"What?"

"You laugh."

Lyra looked offended.

"I make her laugh."

"Not on purpose."

"That still counts."

---

Several shops later, Rowan found herself carrying three bags.

Then five.

Then somehow seven.

"How?"

Lyra looked innocent.

The expression was deeply suspicious.

"How what?"

"How do I suddenly own things?"

"You bought them."

"I bought one shirt."

"You bought several shirts."

"That isn't the point."

Lyra ignored her.

Again.

A skill she had clearly spent years perfecting.

---

By midday, they were sitting outside a small bakery.

Rowan had a pastry.

Lyra had three.

"How are you not sick?"

"I have gifts."

"Those gifts are concerning."

Lyra accepted this without argument.

For once.

The silence that followed wasn't awkward.

Just comfortable.

The kind that appeared naturally.

Eventually, Lyra nudged her shoulder.

"You know."

Rowan immediately distrusted that tone.

"What?"

"You're doing better."

The words caught her off guard.

She looked down at the pastry in her hands.

"I don't know about that."

"I do."

Lyra leaned back in her chair.

"When you got here, you looked like you were planning an escape route."

"I was."

"Exactly."

Rowan smiled despite herself.

A small one.

But real.

Lyra pointed immediately.

"There."

"Oh, stop."

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Predictably.

"I like that smile."

"You're weird."

"I've been told."

Many times, apparently.

The smile softened.

Just slightly.

Then Lyra looked out across the busy street.

At the people.

The shops.

The pack.

"Silver Moon isn't perfect."

The unexpected seriousness caught Rowan's attention.

Lyra shrugged.

"Neither is Cedar Ridge."

Fair.

"But this place matters to me."

A pause.

"So I hope you give it a chance."

The words were simple.

Honest.

Not a demand.

Not pressure.

Just hope.

And somehow that made them harder to dismiss.

For a moment, Rowan looked around.

Really looked.

At the families.

The businesses.

The people laughing in the street.

The children running between market stalls.

Home.

That's what this was.

For all of them.

The realization settled quietly in her chest.

Uncomfortable.

Complicated.

Because for the first time—

She understood why leaving this place might be just as difficult for Kael as leaving Cedar Ridge would be for her.

And that was a dangerous thought.

Especially on Day Two.

The walk back to the packhouse was quieter than the rest of the day.

Not because Lyra had run out of things to say.

That seemed physically impossible.

But because Rowan found herself looking at Silver Moon differently.

The streets no longer felt unfamiliar.

The faces no longer felt like strangers.

For the first time since arriving, she could almost understand why people loved this place.

Why they stayed.

Why they fought for it.

Beside her, Lyra continued talking about something involving pastries, poor decisions, and a shop owner who was apparently still holding a grudge.

Rowan only half listened.

Because a dangerous realization had settled quietly into her chest.

Silver Moon was starting to feel less like a place she was visiting.

And more like a place she could imagine missing.

That was a problem for future Rowan.

Today's Rowan was tired.

And carrying entirely too many bags.