The Fated Mate almost Missed

Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - Lyra's POV

I awoke to the sound of rustling leaves outside my window, heart still pounding from a dream I couldn't quite remember. The moonlight was fading, retreating into dawn. The scent of pine and midnight lingered on my skin—and so did the memory of Gavin's hands on me.

My body ached in ways I couldn’t explain. Or maybe I didn’t want to. Every kiss, every growl against my throat, the way his lips had worshipped my skin—I had craved it more than I had ever dared admit. And now I couldn’t deny it: Gavin was my mate. The bond tethering us had snapped into place like a brand on my soul.

But I was still engaged to Brian.

I sat up, pulling the blanket around me and burying my face in my hands. My heart felt like it was split in two. Brian had been my partner, my confidant, the one I’d trained beside for years. We'd built something together, even if it wasn't fated. But Gavin… he ignited something primal. Something I couldn’t control.

I could still feel his breath against my ear.

"You’re mine."

My body flushed at the memory. My wolf stirred, awake and alert, yearning for him again. But reality crashed in like a cold slap.

I had to face Brian.

Pulling on a hoodie and leggings, I headed toward the training fields. The air was thick with tension—the kind that precedes a storm. I could feel the eyes of the pack on me. Whispers followed in my wake. They knew. Of course they knew.

Brian was waiting.

He stood at the edge of the arena, arms crossed, expression cold. There was a sharpness to his posture I hadn’t seen before—tense, like a coiled predator. His golden eyes locked onto me.

"You didn’t come home last night," he said flatly.

I swallowed hard. "I needed space."

"Space?" He stepped closer. "Or did you need him?"

His words cut like a blade. My jaw clenched. "Brian—"

"Don’t. Don’t insult my intelligence. You reek of him, Lyra."

"This isn’t how I wanted you to find out."

"But you wanted me to find out."

I shook my head, trying to breathe through the swell of emotion. "No. This isn’t some game. I didn’t choose this."

Brian let out a bitter laugh. "Didn’t choose? You had a choice. You still have a choice."

"The bond—"

"The bond can be broken!"

I flinched.

He stepped closer, voice low and sharp. "You think I haven’t thought about this? That I didn’t know the moment he walked in, looking at you like you were already his?"

"Brian—"

"Do you love him?"

The question struck harder than I expected. I stared at him, silent.

His face crumbled. Just a flicker.

"I see," he said, jaw tight. "Then you leave me no choice. I’ve already spoken to the Council. The Rite will be honored. If he wants you, he’ll have to fight for you."

My stomach dropped.

"Brian, no. You can’t—"

"It’s done."

He turned away, storming off toward the barracks.

My chest heaved, and my wolf growled, rising to the surface. This wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want bloodshed. I didn’t want war.

But Brian’s pride was too deeply rooted. And the pack watched everything.

I spun and sprinted for the woods. I needed to clear my head, to feel. Leaves whipped past my cheeks, the wind slicing through my hair. I ran until my lungs burned, until I reached the clearing where Gavin and I had kissed.

And there he was.

Gavin stood near the tree line, eyes dark and wild.

"You felt it too," he said.

I nodded. "He invoked the Rite."

A muscle ticked in Gavin’s jaw. "He wants a fight."

"He wants a claim."

Gavin stepped forward, voice low and full of fire. "He can’t claim what already belongs to me."

I didn’t stop him when he grabbed my waist and kissed me. I didn’t stop the tears either. They tasted like guilt and longing.

But I knew one thing for sure: nothing about the days ahead would be easy.

And someone wasn’t going to survive the storm we’d summoned.