Moonbound Mates

Chapter Thirty-Five

Branches whipped past her.

The forest blurred around her.

She didn't slow down.

Didn't stop.

Didn't think.

Rowan was still back there.

Still fighting.

Gods.

The image refused to leave her head.

Blood.

Teeth.

Steel.

And Rowan standing in the middle of it all.

Alone.

The moment the packhouse came into view, Evelyn pushed harder.

People were everywhere.

Warriors.

Pack members.

Children.

The entire territory seemed to be moving at once.

Smoke rose in the distance.

Someone was shouting orders.

Others were directing people toward the underground shelter.

Chaos.

Pure chaos.

Evelyn burst through the crowd.

Covered in blood.

"Kael!"

Heads turned immediately.

The Alpha spun.

For one terrible second, his face went completely white.

Then he was moving.

Fast.

Crossing the distance between them in seconds.

"Evelyn."

His hands caught her shoulders.

Eyes scanning.

Searching.

Looking for wounds.

Blood.

Injuries.

"Evelyn, are you hurt?"

"No."

She grabbed his wrist.

"Kael, listen to me."

His gaze flicked over her again.

Still searching.

Still not convinced.

"Evelyn—"

"I'm not hurt."

The words came sharply.

Urgently.

The blood wasn't hers.

Gods.

Most of it wasn't hers.

"Rowan saved me."

Kael froze.

Everything stopped.

Around them, the chaos continued.

People ran.

Orders were shouted.

The world kept moving.

But Kael stopped.

Completely.

"What?"

Evelyn swallowed.

Trying to catch her breath.

"There were rogues."

His eyes changed immediately.

Blue vanished.

Gold remained.

Pure wolf.

Pure panic.

"There were over a dozen."

The bond exploded.

She saw it happen.

Saw the exact moment he felt it.

Saw the exact moment terror took hold.

"She told me to run."

Evelyn's voice shook.

"She stayed."

Kael looked like someone had punched him.

Hard.

"Where?"

"The lake."

The answer came instantly.

"There were so many, Kael."

For the first time since she'd known him, he looked helpless.

Actually helpless.

"I..."

The word died.

Evelyn grabbed his arm.

Hard.

"Kael."

His eyes found hers.

"Go."

Silence.

"She needs you."

He was already moving.

Turning.

Shouting orders.

Warriors surged into action.

And seconds later—

The Alpha was gone.

───

By the time Kael reached the lake, the fighting was over.

Warriors crowded the shoreline.

Paramedics moved quickly between the wounded.

The scent of blood filled the air.

Bodies littered the clearing.

Rogue after rogue after rogue.

Dead.

The sight alone was enough to stop him.

For half a heartbeat.

Then he saw her.

Rowan stood in the center of the clearing.

Wrapped in a blanket someone had draped over her shoulders.

Blood covered nearly every inch of her.

Some of it hers.

Most of it not.

A medic was trying unsuccessfully to convince her to sit down.

Rowan was ignoring him.

Of course she was.

Relief hit Kael so hard his knees nearly gave out.

Alive.

Gods.

She was alive.

"Rowan."

Her head turned.

Their eyes met.

For one impossible second, the rest of the world disappeared.

Then he was crossing the clearing.

Fast.

"You're hurt."

The words came immediately.

His hands found her shoulders.

Checking.

Searching.

The cuts.

The blood.

The bruises.

Too much.

Far too much.

"Kael."

"I'm fine."

"You are absolutely not fine."

"I'm healing."

The answer came with obvious irritation.

The kind she always used when people worried about her.

Gods.

She was still doing it.

Even now.

"I'm not a damsel in distress."

Something dangerously close to laughter escaped him.

Mostly because panic was the only alternative.

His gaze swept across the clearing.

Across the bodies.

Across the destruction.

Then back to her.

Slowly.

"Rowan."

She frowned.

"What?"

Kael pointed.

Toward the rogues.

All of them.

"Did you do this?"

Silence.

The entire clearing seemed to freeze.

Warriors stopped moving.

Medics looked up.

Everyone suddenly very interested in the answer.

Rowan looked around.

Then back at him.

As if only now realizing what it looked like.

"I mean..."

Kael stared.

"Rowan."

A pause.

Then—

"Mostly?"

Silence.

Complete silence.

One warrior actually laughed.

Disbelieving.

Another looked horrified.

A third simply stared at her.

Like he'd never seen her before.

Because they were counting.

All of them.

The bodies.

The blood.

The damage.

Over a dozen rogues.

Gone.

A slow realization moved through the clearing.

Not fear.

Not awe.

Respect.

The kind warriors reserved for legends.

The kind earned the hard way.

Rowan opened her mouth.

Probably to argue.

Or downplay it.

Or claim Nyra deserved half the credit.

Instead—

Her knees buckled.

"Rowan!"

Kael caught her before she hit the ground.

The blanket slipped.

Blood stained his hands immediately.

She didn't wake up.

Didn't move.

Just went completely limp.

For one terrifying second, the entire world stopped.

Then the medic shouted something.

People started moving again.

But Kael barely heard any of it.

Because Rowan was unconscious in his arms.

And for the first time since finding her—

He stopped pretending he could lose her.

The realization hit with brutal clarity.

He couldn't.

Gods help him.

He couldn't.

Chapter 36

The first thing Rowan noticed was the smell.

Coffee.

Gods.

Actual coffee.

For one beautiful moment, she considered opening her eyes.

Then reality arrived.

Pain.

Everywhere.

Her shoulder hurt.

Her side hurt.

Her back hurt.

Even her eyelids felt sore.

Rowan groaned.

Immediately regretted it.

"Rowan."

Her eyes snapped open.

Kael.

Of course.

He was sitting beside the bed.

Exactly where she'd left him.

Well.

Not exactly.

The last time she'd seen him, she'd been furious.

That part hadn't changed.

Rowan immediately scowled.

Kael looked relieved.

Actually relieved.

The expression vanished quickly.

But not before she saw it.

"Good."

His voice sounded rough.

Like he hadn't been sleeping.

"You’re awake."

Rowan narrowed her eyes.

"I'm reconsidering it."

A faint smile appeared.

Brief.

Gone almost immediately.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a cart."

"You fought thirteen rogues."

"I stand by my answer."

To her irritation, that earned another tiny smile.

Kael leaned back slightly.

"You're healing well."

Rowan folded her arms.

Then winced.

Everything hurt.

This was unfair.

For a few moments, silence settled between them.

Neither seemed eager to break it.

Then—

"I still have some of the blueberry peach crème pastries."

Rowan blinked.

The statement came completely out of nowhere.

"What?"

Kael's expression remained perfectly serious.

"The pastries."

He nodded once.

"I saved a few."

Rowan stared.

Suspicious.

"You saved pastries."

"Yes."

Silence.

Then—

"I can also get you coffee."

The traitor.

The absolute traitor.

Because suddenly Rowan realized she was starving.

And thirsty.

And exhausted.

And she wanted both of those things more than she wanted to continue being angry.

Which was deeply inconvenient.

Her stomach growled.

Loudly.

Kael's eyes flickered downward.

Then back up.

He wisely chose not to comment.

Rowan scowled harder.

The effect was somewhat ruined by the fact that she was lying in an infirmary bed.

Hungry.

Wrapped in blankets.

Looking like she'd recently lost a fight with a mountain.

"Coffee."

The word came out reluctantly.

Kael stood immediately.

"Coffee."

Rowan hated everything.

The door opened before he could leave.

Lyra burst into the room.

Then stopped so abruptly she nearly collided with the wall.

"ROWAN."

Gods.

There she was.

Before Rowan could react, Lyra had already crossed the room.

A second later she was sitting beside the bed.

Grinning.

Relieved.

And suspiciously emotional.

"You're alive."

"Last I checked."

Lyra ignored her.

Naturally.

"You've been unconscious for three days."

Rowan froze.

"What?"

"Three."

Lyra held up three fingers.

"Days."

The words landed like a punch.

Three days?

No wonder she felt terrible.

"Wait."

Rowan frowned.

"The attack—"

"Still happening."

The answer came immediately.

Lyra's expression sobered.

"The entire pack is in the underground shelters."

Rowan straightened slightly.

Ignoring the protest from every muscle she possessed.

"What?"

"The warriors are holding the borders."

Lyra nodded toward the window.

"The attacks haven't stopped."

A knot formed immediately in Rowan's stomach.

Gods.

Three days.

Three entire days.

"The only people above ground are essential personnel, warriors, healers, and a few guards."

Lyra hesitated.

Then added—

"And us."

Rowan frowned.

"Us?"

"You're injured."

Lyra pointed at her.

"You're not going underground."

Another point.

"Evelyn's helping coordinate supplies."

A third point.

"And Kael refuses to leave."

The room went quiet.

Slowly, Rowan looked toward the chair beside her bed.

The chair.

The one he'd been sitting in.

The same chair.

For three days.

Lyra followed her gaze.

Then sighed.

"He wouldn't leave."

Something uncomfortable twisted inside Rowan's chest.

"He didn't eat."

Rowan looked back at her.

Lyra nodded.

"Healers practically had to threaten him."

The knot tightened.

"He slept here."

Another pause.

"Well..."

Lyra looked thoughtful.

"Slept is a generous description."

Rowan stayed silent.

"He mostly just sat there."

The smile faded.

"He'd doze off sometimes."

Something about the way she said it made Rowan's stomach sink.

Then—

"He talked in his sleep."

Rowan blinked.

"What?"

Lyra immediately looked delighted.

"Oh, now we're interested."

"Lyra."

"I'm just saying."

The grin widened.

"Apparently Alpha Kings drool like everyone else."

"LYRA."

"Fine."

She sighed dramatically.

Then her expression softened.

"A couple times he said your name."

Rowan's heart stopped.

Just stopped.

Entirely.

"And once..."

Lyra hesitated.

For the first time since entering the room.

"Once he was begging you not to go."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Rowan stared.

Unable to breathe.

Unable to think.

Because none of it made sense.

None of it.

Not after Fernhaven.

Not after—

I should have.

The words echoed through her mind.

Fresh.

Painful.

If that was true...

Then why?

Why stay?

Why refuse to leave?

Why sit beside her bed for three days?

Why beg her not to go?

The questions tangled themselves into knots inside her chest.

And before she could sort through any of them—

The door opened again.

Kael stepped back inside carrying coffee.

Jace followed behind him.

The Beta stopped immediately.

Blinked once.

Then smiled.

Actually smiled.

Rowan nearly checked for signs of possession.

"Well."

Jace crossed his arms.

"There she is."

Rowan narrowed her eyes.

"Hello, Jace."

"Little Miss Badass is awake."

The room fell silent.

Even Lyra blinked.

Rowan stared.

Certain she'd misheard.

"What?"

Jace looked completely serious.

"For what it's worth—"

A faint grin appeared.

"You're officially a legend among the warriors of Silver Moon."

Rowan froze.

"No."

"Oh yes."

Lyra looked delighted.

Absolutely delighted.

Jace nodded toward the window.

"You've become extremely annoying."

Rowan frowned.

"How is that related?"

"Because nobody will shut up about you."

The grin widened.

"Do you have any idea how many times I've heard the phrase 'she fought how many?'"

Heat crept into Rowan's face.

Immediately.

"No."

"Neither do I."

Jace sounded tired.

"After fifty, I stopped counting."

Lyra gasped dramatically.

"Wait."

She pointed between them.

"Jace."

The Beta looked suspicious.

"What?"

"You never talk to people like this."

The realization hit her all at once.

Her eyes widened.

Then she turned toward Rowan.

"Rowan."

"No."

"Rowan."

"Lyra."

"You should feel special."

Jace groaned.

Immediately.

"There she is."

Lyra looked proud.

As she should.

And for the first time since waking up—

Despite the pain.

Despite the confusion.

Despite Kael sitting only a few feet away—

A small smile appeared on Rowan's face.

Just for a moment.

Before she remembered she was still angry.

And wiped it away immediately.