Moonbound Mates

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Rowan was not built for politics.

She was built for impact.

For steel.

For consequences.

So when she found herself seated at a long polished dining table surrounded by people who seemed capable of smiling through open warfare, she felt like a weapon someone had accidentally left in a library.

Kael sat at the head.

Evelyn sat beside him.

Rowan sat opposite.

A perfectly terrible triangle.

Dinner began.

Rowan immediately wanted it to end.

───

The food was excellent.

Which somehow made everything worse.

She couldn't even complain about it.

Silver Moon apparently fed people like royalty.

Or maybe that was because their Alpha literally was royalty.

Rowan stabbed a piece of roasted meat with slightly more aggression than necessary.

Across the table, Lyra noticed.

Of course she did.

"That potato personally offend you?"

Rowan looked down.

The potato was no longer recognizable as a potato.

Jace sighed.

"It was a fair question."

"I'm fine."

"That sounded aggressive."

"It was aggressive."

"See?" Lyra pointed. "Growth."

Across the table, Evelyn smiled pleasantly.

"So," she said. "Tell me about Cedar Ridge."

Rowan immediately knew she was being evaluated.

Not openly.

Not rudely.

Just carefully.

"We're smaller than Silver Moon."

Evelyn nodded.

"I gathered that."

A beat.

"How long were you there?"

"My entire life."

"And you were a warrior?"

"I was the Head warrior."

Something flickered across Evelyn's face.

Surprise.

Gone almost immediately.

"That must have been unusual."

Rowan shrugged.

"Not really."

Evelyn smiled.

"Did you enjoy it?"

The question felt harmless.

It wasn't.

"Yes."

"Enough to stay forever?"

Rowan's grip tightened slightly around her fork.

"I thought I would."

Silence settled briefly.

Then—

"Do you have siblings?"

The abrupt change caught Rowan off guard.

"No."

"Just you?"

"Just me."

Evelyn nodded thoughtfully.

"And your mother?"

The question landed harder.

Rowan looked down at her plate.

"She died."

The table quieted.

Something in Lyra's expression immediately softened.

Evelyn hesitated.

Only briefly.

"Oh."

A pause.

"If you dont mind me asking, What happened?"

Rowan didn't answer right away.

She could feel everyone waiting.

Could feel Kael watching.

"My mother got sick."

Her voice remained steady.

"She needed a transplant. She died before they found a donor."

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

The kind that should have ended the conversation.

Evelyn didn't let it.

"So it was just you and your father growing up?"

Rowan's jaw tightened.

"Yes."

Evelyn nodded slowly.

Something thoughtful entered her expression.

"That must have been lonely."

The words weren't cruel.

That was the problem.

They sounded genuine.

Like Evelyn actually believed it.

Like she couldn't imagine a life that looked different from her own.

Something inside Rowan snapped.

Her hands hit the table hard enough to rattle dishes.

The sound echoed through the dining hall.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody moved.

Rowan stood.

"I was never lonely."

The words came out sharp.

Fierce.

Every eye in the room fixed on her.

"My father was enough."

Her voice shook.

Not with fear.

With anger.

"And I had an entire pack."

She looked directly at Evelyn.

For the first time all night.

"They weren't related to me by blood, but they were still my family. Every single one of them"

The room had gone completely silent.

Rowan swallowed hard.

"I grew up loved, I grew up HAPPY."

The words landed like a challenge.

Kael looked like he was searching for something, anything to diffuse the situation.

Then she pushed away from the table.

And walked out.

Fast.

Before anyone could stop her.

Before anyone could see how badly she wanted to cry.

Behind her—

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Lyra.

Furious.

"Lyra."

Jace this time.

Trying and failing to intervene.

"You went too far!"

"I was only trying to—"

"Don't. That was low, even for you."

Rowan didn't hear anything else.

Because by then she was already gone.

____

Rowan had no idea where she was going.

That became painfully obvious about three hallways ago.

She turned another corner.

Then another.

Then stopped.

"This doesn't look familiar."

Nyra was quiet for a moment.

"Because it isn't."

"Helpful."

"I try."

Rowan sighed heavily.

The packhouse seemed even larger when she was angry.

And unfortunately she was very angry.

Angry at Evelyn.

Angry at Kael.

Angry at herself for caring.

Mostly angry because she missed home.

She turned down another corridor.

Immediately regretted it.

"This is definitely wrong."

"You're taking directions from instinct."

"I am not."

"You absolutely are."

Rowan ignored her.

Again.

The wolf seemed to find that amusing.

Eventually the corridor ended at a set of glass doors.

Rowan frowned.

That definitely hadn't been on the way to her room.

Curiosity won anyway.

It usually did.

She pushed the doors open.

And stopped.

The garden stretched before her beneath the evening sky.

Stone pathways wound through flower beds bursting with color.

Small lanterns glowed softly among carefully trimmed hedges.

A fountain sat near the center, water dancing beneath the fading sunlight.

For a moment, Rowan simply stared.

It was beautiful.

Not in the wild way Cedar Ridge was beautiful.

Not untamed.

Not rugged.

This was deliberate.

Cared for.

Loved.

Someone had spent years creating it.

The realization made her chest ache unexpectedly.

"Wow."

Nyra sounded impressed.

"It's beautiful."

Rowan nodded.

"Yeah."

She wandered toward a nearby bench and sat down heavily.

The quiet settled around her immediately.

For a while neither she nor her wolf spoke.

Then—

"That went badly."

Rowan laughed once.

The sound held no humor.

"You think?"

"You yelled."

"I did."

"You never yell."

"I know."

Silence returned.

The fountain continued its gentle rhythm nearby.

Finally Nyra spoke again.

"You aren't angry because of Evelyn."

Rowan looked toward the flowers.

"Partly."

"Not mostly."

The wolf was right.

Annoyingly.

Rowan wrapped her arms around herself.

"She made it sound like I had nothing."

Nyra's voice softened.

"But you did."

The words hurt.

Because they were true.

Rowan swallowed hard.

"I had everything."

Her father.

Her pack.

Her home.

Her life.

Everything she'd ever wanted.

And now all of it felt impossibly far away.

The ache in her chest sharpened.

"I need something familiar."

Nyra immediately understood.

"Call him."

Rowan nodded.

Her hands were already reaching for her phone.

For the first time all night—

The idea of hearing her father's voice felt like being able to breathe again.

The phone rang twice before he answered.

"Sweetheart."

That was it.

One word.

And somehow it almost broke her.

Rowan laughed weakly and rubbed at her eyes.

"Hi, Dad."

Alden was quiet for a moment.

Long enough that she knew exactly what he was doing.

Listening.

"You've had a bad day."

It wasn't a question.

Rowan stared at the fountain.

"Is it that obvious?"

"To me?" He snorted softly. "Always."

Despite herself, she smiled.

The sound of his voice felt like home.

Warm.

Familiar.

Safe.

For a few moments neither of them spoke.

Then Rowan sighed.

"I yelled at someone during dinner."

Alden laughed.

Actually laughed.

"That bad?"

"That bad."

"Did they deserve it?"

"Probably."

"Then I'm not seeing the issue."

"Dad."

"What?"

Rowan rolled her eyes.

Even though he couldn't see it.

The smile faded quickly.

"I miss home."

The words came out quieter than she'd intended.

On the other end of the line, Alden was silent.

Not because he didn't know what to say.

Because he did.

And he was choosing the right words.

"I miss you too."

That hurt worse.

Rowan swallowed hard.

"This place is huge."

"I imagine it is."

"I got lost."

Alden immediately laughed.

"You've inherited my sense of direction."

"I absolutely did not."

"You called me from the wrong side of Cedar Ridge three times last year."

"That happened once."

"It happened three times."

Rowan groaned.

The laughter faded.

The silence that followed was gentler this time.

"I don't know what I'm doing here."

The admission slipped out before she could stop it.

"I know."

"I don't belong here."

Alden was quiet for a moment.

Then—

"You don't have to belong somewhere the first day you arrive."

Rowan frowned.

"I'm serious."

His voice softened.

"You couldn't become Head Warrior in a day."

She leaned back against the bench.

"No."

"You couldn't build a home in a day."

"No."

"You couldn't build a family in a day."

Rowan's throat tightened.

"No."

Alden sighed softly.

"Then stop expecting yourself to figure all of this out in a day."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Finally Rowan glanced toward the darkening sky.

"We meet with the Council tomorrow."

"I know."

"I'm nervous."

That earned a warm chuckle.

"Good."

"What?"

"It means you care."

Rowan huffed.

"That's terrible advice."

"I've been told."

A smile tugged at her mouth.

A small one.

But real.

"I should probably go."

"Probably."

A pause.

"I love you, Dad."

The answer came immediately.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

The line went quiet.

But somehow the ache in her chest felt a little lighter.

Rowan lowered her phone slowly.

For a few moments she remained exactly where she was.

Listening to the fountain.

Listening to the quiet.

Letting the sound of her father's voice linger a little longer.

The ache in her chest hadn't disappeared.

But it felt smaller now.

Manageable.

"Feel better?"

Rowan nearly jumped.

She turned.

Lyra stood several feet away holding two pastries and looking entirely unapologetic about startling her.

"How long have you been standing there?"

Lyra looked thoughtful.

"Long enough to know your dad sounds nice."

Rowan groaned.

"You were eavesdropping."

"I was making sure you weren't crying alone in a mysterious garden."

"That's somehow worse."

"I know."

Lyra sat beside her without being invited.

Rowan was beginning to suspect invitations meant very little to Lyra.

For once, neither of them spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward.

Just quiet.

Eventually Lyra sighed.

"I'm sorry."

Rowan glanced over.

Lyra was staring at the fountain.

Not smiling.

Not joking.

Just honest.

"Evelyn shouldn't have done that."

Rowan looked away.

"She didn't mean it the way it sounded."

"No," Lyra agreed.

"That's what makes it worse."

The words surprised a laugh out of Rowan.

Small.

Tired.

Real.

Lyra's mouth twitched.

"There she is."

"Don't."

"I can't help it."

"You absolutely can."

"I absolutely can't."

For the first time all evening, the knot in Rowan's chest loosened slightly.

Lyra stood and held out one of the pastries.

Rowan accepted it automatically.

"What is this?"

"I have no idea."

"You just took random food?"

"I live dangerously."

Rowan shook her head.

"You're ridiculous."

"I've heard that."

A pause.

"Mostly from Jace."

That earned another reluctant smile.

Satisfied with herself, Lyra pointed toward the garden entrance.

"Come on."

"What?"

"I'll walk you back."

Rowan raised an eyebrow.

"I can find my own room."

Lyra stared at her.

Both of them knew that was a lie.

"Right."

Rowan sighed.

"Fine."

Together they made their way back through the endless hallways of the packhouse.

This time Rowan didn't bother trying to memorize the route.

That felt like a problem for tomorrow.

Everything felt like a problem for tomorrow.

By the time they reached her room, she was exhausted.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

The kind of tired that settled into bones.

Lyra stopped outside the door.

"Try not to punch anybody tomorrow."

"No promises."

"That's fair."

For a moment neither moved.

Then Lyra smiled.

A softer smile than usual.

"I'm glad you're here."

The words caught Rowan off guard.

Before she could think of a response, Lyra turned and disappeared down the corridor.

Leaving Rowan standing alone.

Again.

But somehow not quite as alone as before.

───

The room was dark when she entered.

Quiet.

Still.

Rowan kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the bed without bothering to change.

The mattress sank beneath her.

Soft.

Comfortable.

Unfamiliar.

Tomorrow she would stand before the Council.

Tomorrow they would ask to sever the bond.

Tomorrow she could finally start putting her life back together.

Rowan pulled the blankets higher and closed her eyes.

Sleep came quickly.

The last thing she thought before darkness claimed her was simple.

She couldn't wait for all of this to be over.