Moonbound Mates

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The convoy left Silver Moon just after noon.

Rowan watched the packhouse disappear through the reinforced window of the armored vehicle.

The familiar stone walls.

The training fields.

The territory she'd spent weeks trying to survive.

Gone.

Behind them.

She should have felt relieved.

Instead, she felt tired.

The kind of tired that settled deep in your bones and refused to leave.

Across from her, Lyra was talking.

Rowan wasn't entirely sure about what.

Something involving supplies.

Or warriors.

Or possibly pastries.

The details blurred together.

"Rowan."

"Hm."

"Are you listening?"

"No."

"At least you're honest."

The answer earned the faintest twitch of Rowan's mouth.

Not quite a smile.

Close enough.

Beside them, Jace sat quietly reviewing reports.

Or pretending to.

Rowan wasn't entirely convinced he'd read a single page in the last hour.

The road stretched on.

The vehicle rumbled steadily beneath them.

Outside, forests rolled past in endless shades of green.

Inside, exhaustion slowly won.

Lyra's voice became less frequent.

Then quieter.

Then—

Nothing.

Rowan glanced over.

Lyra was asleep.

Curled against the window.

One arm folded beneath her head.

Mouth slightly open.

Rowan stared.

Then looked away.

Then looked back.

"She's drooling."

Jace didn't even glance up.

"She always does."

"I knew it."

"You should value your life more."

A beat.

"I plan to tell her immediately."

"Then you're braver than I am."

The silence returned.

Comfortable.

Not awkward.

Not forced.

Just quiet.

For several minutes, neither spoke.

The vehicle continued forward.

The steady hum of the engine filling the space between them.

Then—

"Lyra always knew."

Rowan looked over.

Jace was still staring down at the reports in his lap.

As if he hadn't just started a completely random conversation.

"Always knew what?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"That we were mates."

Rowan blinked.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

A quiet laugh escaped him.

"The first day we met."

"That sounds insane."

"It was."

The smile widened slightly.

"She spent years announcing it to anyone who would listen."

Rowan snorted.

"That definitely sounds like Lyra."

"It does."

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Jace's expression softened.

"The thing is..."

He paused.

As though deciding whether to continue.

"I think part of me knew too."

Rowan frowned.

"You did?"

"I just didn't want to admit it."

The answer surprised her.

Jace had always seemed so steady.

So certain.

So impossible to shake.

A dry laugh escaped him.

"It's easier to ignore something when the alternative is your best friend's little sister."

Rowan huffed a laugh.

"Fair."

"I spent years convincing myself she just had a crush."

A beat.

"A completely insane, mildly terrifying, obsessive crush."

"Also sounds like Lyra."

"Exactly."

His smile lingered.

"But a crush."

The silence that followed felt different.

Softer.

More honest.

"When the bond finally clicked..."

Jace shook his head slowly.

"As strange as this sounds, it felt less like discovering something new and more like finally understanding something I'd known all along."

Rowan stared out the window.

The words settling somewhere deep inside her chest.

Dangerous words.

The kind that lingered.

The kind that stayed.

"All those years I spent telling myself it couldn't possibly be her suddenly felt ridiculous."

His gaze drifted toward Lyra.

Still asleep.

Still drooling.

Still completely unaware she was currently the subject of a life-changing conversation.

A small smile appeared.

Fond.

Unquestionably in love.

"Because who else would it be?"

The question landed harder than Rowan expected.

She didn't answer.

Couldn't.

Jace's attention remained fixed on Lyra.

"Who else would the Moon Goddess choose except the sister of one of the people I already cared about most?"

Something tightened painfully in Rowan's chest.

Not because of Lyra.

Not because of Jace.

Because despite everything—

She understood.

Gods help her.

She understood.

Silence settled between them.

The road continued.

The vehicle rolled steadily forward.

Eventually, Rowan spoke.

Quietly.

Almost to herself.

"Is it really worth it?"

Jace looked over.

For a moment, he simply stared.

As though she had asked whether breathing was worth it.

Whether sunlight was worth it.

Whether life itself was worth it.

Then a slow smile appeared.

Small.

Certain.

Without hesitation.

Without doubt.

Without a single second of uncertainty.

"Rowan."

The fondness in his voice caught her off guard.

"There isn't a single thing in my life worth more."

Silence.

Complete.

Absolute.

Jace looked back toward Lyra.

Conversation over.

Answer given.

As simple as that.

Rowan looked away.

Back toward the passing forest beyond the window.

The trees blurred together.

Green and gold and endless.

But she barely saw them.

Because one sentence refused to leave her alone.

There isn't a single thing in my life worth more.

The words followed her for the rest of the drive.

And no matter how hard she tried—

She couldn't stop thinking about them.

The convoy rolled through Cedar Ridge's gates just before sunset.

Relief hit Rowan so hard it almost hurt.

Home.

The familiar training grounds stretched beyond the main path. The scent of pine filled the air. Warriors moved through the territory carrying supplies. Familiar faces turned toward the vehicles as they arrived.

Word spread quickly.

Rowan was home.

Pack members began gathering almost immediately.

Questions followed.

Concern.

Relief.

The vehicles finally came to a stop.

Everyone piled out.

For several moments, the courtyard dissolved into organized chaos.

Warriors unloaded supplies.

Messages were exchanged.

Questions were answered.

Edrin appeared shortly afterward.

The Alpha listened carefully while Kael and Jace gave him a brief summary of the situation.

The rogue attacks.

The evacuation.

The underground shelters.

The fact that Silver Moon had been forced to abandon its territory for the moment.

None of it sat well.

Not with anyone.

Eventually Edrin nodded.

"We'll discuss strategy after everyone's settled."

Kael agreed immediately.

Nobody had slept properly in days.

Nobody was operating at their best.

"Rowan."

She turned.

Connor was crossing the courtyard toward her.

A familiar grin immediately tugged at her mouth.

"Connor."

The warrior stopped in front of her.

His gaze immediately swept over the remaining bandages still visible beneath her sleeve.

"You look terrible."

Rowan smiled.

"There he is."

"I was worried."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

"I know."

Connor's expression softened slightly.

Only slightly.

Then he nodded toward the group behind her.

"Are these the Silver Moon people I've heard so much about?"

"Unfortunately."

Lyra gasped.

Offended.

Connor ignored her completely.

Rowan pointed.

"Connor, this is Lyra."

Lyra immediately stuck out her hand.

Connor shook it.

"You're smaller than I expected."

"You're ruder than I expected."

"I get that a lot."

Then Rowan pointed toward Evelyn.

"And this is Evelyn."

For a moment, Connor looked toward her.

Then smiled politely.

"It’s nice to meet you."

Evelyn returned the smile immediately.

Warm.

Graceful.

Perfectly composed.

"You as well."

They shook hands.

Nothing happened.

At least, nothing obvious.

Then Connor stepped back.

The conversation moved on.

The attack.

The territory.

Sleeping arrangements.

Food.

Security.

A dozen other concerns immediately demanded attention.

Within moments everyone was moving again.

The brief introduction forgotten.

Or so Rowan thought.

───

A short while later, Edrin began assigning rooms.

"We've set up a suite for the three of you."

He gestured toward Rowan, Lyra, and Evelyn.

"And another for Kael and Jace."

Edrin folded his arms.

"We have more available if anyone wants to move around later."

A pause.

"But given the circumstances, sleeping in groups seemed wise."

Nobody argued.

The attack remained an active threat.

Nobody was particularly eager to sleep alone.

The group split up.

Almost immediately Rowan noticed something strange.

Evelyn was unusually quiet.

Not upset.

Just...

Distracted.

The woman nearly walked past their suite.

Twice.

Lyra noticed too.

"Are you okay?"

Evelyn blinked.

"What?"

"You've been weird."

"I have not."

"You absolutely have."

Evelyn frowned.

"I think you're imagining things."

Rowan exchanged a glance with Lyra.

Neither looked convinced.

"Sorry about the room situation," Rowan said.

Evelyn looked confused.

"The room situation?"

"Being separated from Kael."

Evelyn stared at her.

"Oh."

A pause.

"Right."

"It's only temporary," Lyra added helpfully.

"What is?"

"The sleeping arrangements."

"Oh."

Another pause.

"Right."

Rowan frowned.

Something was definitely wrong.

Evelyn looked like she was having an entirely different conversation.

By the time they reached the suite, Rowan was convinced Evelyn was trying very hard not to be upset.

The door closed behind them.

Silence settled over the room.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Then—

Evelyn spun around.

Both hands flew into the air.

And she shouted—

"I FOUND MY MATE!"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Rowan froze.

Lyra froze.

Neither moved.

Neither blinked.

For one long moment, neither of them appeared capable of forming a single coherent thought.

Evelyn's eyes widened.

Slowly.

Horribly.

The realization hit.

She had yelled.

Actually yelled.

Both hands immediately covered her mouth.

Pure horror flooded her expression.

Because Evelyn Ashford did not yell.

Ever.

Rowan stared.

Then stared harder.

Then finally—

"What?"

The word came out several seconds late.

Lyra pointed.

"You found your WHAT?"

Evelyn made a strangled noise behind her hands.

A sound somewhere between excitement, panic, and embarrassment.

Rowan blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then—

"Wait."

A pause.

"You found your mate?"

Evelyn nodded frantically.

Lyra looked moments away from passing out.

"WHO?"

The answer came immediately.

Without hesitation.

Without thought.

Without dignity.

"Connor."

Silence.

Again.

Rowan stared.

Lyra stared.

Both of them looked genuinely stunned.

Then simultaneously—

"CONNOR?!"

Evelyn groaned.

And buried her face in her hands.

Because yes.

Connor.

The warrior she'd met approximately ten minutes ago.

Apparently the Moon Goddess had decided things weren't complicated enough already.

For several long moments, nobody spoke.

Rowan sat on one bed.

Lyra sat on the other.

Evelyn remained standing in the middle of the room.

Still looking vaguely horrified by her own behavior.

Still recovering from the fact that she'd just yelled.

Actually yelled.

The silence stretched.

Then Lyra recovered first.

Naturally.

Because Lyra recovered from everything first.

"Oh my Goddess."

She pointed at Evelyn.

Again.

"You found your mate."

Evelyn covered her face.

"Please stop saying it like that."

"I absolutely will not."

"Lyra."

"You found your mate."

Evelyn groaned.

Rowan couldn't help it.

A laugh escaped.

Small.

Unexpected.

The first genuine laugh she'd managed in days.

Evelyn immediately pointed at her.

"You don't get to laugh."

"I absolutely do."

"You really don't."

"I really do."

Lyra looked between them.

Then gasped.

"Oh."

The sound immediately made both women suspicious.

"What?" Rowan asked.

Lyra's eyes narrowed.

"What was it like?"

Evelyn blinked.

"What?"

"The bond."

Lyra leaned forward.

"When you met him."

"Oh."

Evelyn immediately looked away.

A faint blush appeared.

Which somehow made the entire thing worse.

For her.

Better for everyone else.

"What was it like?" Lyra repeated.

For a moment, Evelyn looked thoughtful.

Then—

"Quiet."

Both Rowan and Lyra blinked.

"Quiet?" Rowan repeated.

Evelyn nodded slowly.

"Everything else just..."

She struggled briefly for the words.

"Stopped."

The room fell silent.

Because both Rowan and Lyra understood exactly what she meant.

The world.

The noise.

The people.

Everything.

Gone.

Leaving only one person.

Evelyn stared at the floor.

A small smile appearing despite herself.

"I couldn't stop looking at him."

Lyra immediately made a noise.

Rowan buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, she's gone."

"Rowan."

"She's gone."

Evelyn laughed despite herself.

Then the laughter faded.

The reality returned.

Connor.

Kael.

The bond.

Everything.

For the first time, uncertainty crossed her face.

Real uncertainty.

Lyra noticed immediately.

The teasing disappeared.

"What happens now?"

The question settled heavily between them.

Evelyn stared.

Not at Lyra.

Not at Rowan.

Somewhere beyond them.

As though she were seeing a future she no longer recognized.

"I don't know."

The answer came quietly.

Honest.

Painfully honest.

The room fell silent.

Evelyn lowered herself onto the edge of a chair.

Her hands folding together in her lap.

"Kael and I always planned to complete the bonding ritual before we found our mates."

Neither Rowan nor Lyra spoke.

They already knew that.

But hearing it now felt different.

"He always intended to reject his bond."

A pause.

"So did I."

The words hung in the air.

Strange.

Uncomfortable.

Because suddenly it wasn't just Rowan and Kael anymore.

Now Evelyn stood on the same side of that choice.

The same impossible crossroads.

"I never thought about what I would do if that didn't happen."

Her voice softened.

"I never thought about what I would do if I found my mate first."

For the first time since entering the room, she looked scared.

Not panicked.

Not overwhelmed.

Just... scared.

Because for years her future had been written.

Now it wasn't.

And she didn't know who she was supposed to be without that certainty.

The silence stretched.

Then Rowan spoke quietly.

"What do you want to do?"

Evelyn looked up.

For a moment, she seemed genuinely surprised by the question.

Then her gaze drifted toward the window.

Toward the fading light beyond it.

Toward somewhere Connor wasn't.

And somehow, exactly where he was.

"I don't know."

A small smile appeared.

Soft.

Wondering.

Confused.

"I think..."

She hesitated.

Then laughed quietly.

"I think I'd like to meet him first."

Lyra immediately collapsed backward onto the bed.

"Oh thank the Goddess."

Evelyn blinked.

"What?"

"I was really worried you were going to say something mature."

Rowan laughed.

Evelyn stared.

Then, despite everything—

She laughed too.