Chapter Twenty Two:Sebastian
1439 Words
I had been busy.
Very busy.
So busy, in fact, that I had barely noticed the little things happening around me.
The Luna responsibilities had become a rhythm in my life. Meetings in the morning. Visits to families. Conversations with elders. Hospital visits. Charity work. Reviewing financial requests. Checking on children who had recently become part of new families.
And somehow, I loved it.
I loved knowing that something I did could make someone’s life a little easier.
But there was one small thing I had noticed.
For the past week, one of my priestly robes had been missing.
And one of my shirts was missing too.
I had searched through my things once, but I hadn’t found them.
Maybe I had misplaced them.
That was what I told myself.
I didn’t think much about it.
Until that afternoon.
I had just returned to the pack house when I saw Mom walking through the hallway with one of the omegas who helped manage the house. The omega was carrying a large basket filled with folded clothes.
Mom spotted me.
“Sebastian, my darling.”
I smiled.
“Hello, Mom.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine.”
She pointed toward the basket.
“Could you please take that to Kai’s room for me? It’s his clean clothes.”
I nodded.
“Of course.”
I picked up the basket and walked upstairs.
Kai’s room was quiet.
I knocked once, but there was no answer.
I assumed he wasn’t there.
So I stepped inside, placed the basket on the bed, and began arranging the clothes neatly.
Then I noticed something underneath the pillow.
Something white.
I frowned.
Curiosity got the better of me.
I walked closer and carefully lifted the pillow.
My eyes widened.
My robe.
My missing priestly robe.
It was folded neatly underneath Kai’s pillow.
I stared at it.
“What?”
I picked it up and examined it.
It was definitely mine.
But why was it here?
And how had Kai gotten it?
I stood there for a moment, completely confused.
Then I placed it back exactly where I had found it.
I wasn’t going to invade his privacy.
Besides, perhaps there was a perfectly reasonable explanation.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
⸻
Later that afternoon, I went to the hospital to visit Liam.
The moment he saw me, he smiled.
“Look who finally decided to visit me.”
I laughed.
“I’ve been busy.”
“You’ve been busy every day for a month.”
“That’s because I’m Luna.”
He laughed.
“Fair enough.”
We talked for a while.
He told me about Aiden.
I told him about some of the families I had visited.
Eventually, our conversation shifted to our mates.
Then I remembered the robe.
“Liam?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you remember that robe I told you was missing?”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
“I found it today.”
His eyes widened.
“Where?”
I hesitated.
“Under Kai’s pillow.”
There was silence.
Then Liam’s mouth slowly opened.
“Oh.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“Oh.”
“Liam.”
“Nothing.”
“Why are you saying it like that?”
He tried not to smile.
“I just…”
“What?”
“Sebastian, you really don’t understand Alphas, do you?”
I crossed my arms.
“Apparently not.”
He laughed.
“Okay. Let me explain something.”
I waited.
“Alphas can be very possessive about their mates.”
“I know that.”
“No. You know the word. You don’t understand the behavior.”
I stared at him.
“What behavior?”
“They like having their mate close.”
“I am close to Kai.”
“How close?”
“I live in the same house.”
Liam shook his head.
“Not like that.”
“We eat dinner together.”
“Still not like that.”
“I spend time in his office.”
He looked at me sympathetically.
“Sebastian.”
“What?”
“Much closer.”
I blinked.
“What do you mean?”
He leaned closer.
“Intimately closer.”
My face immediately became hot.
“Oh.”
Liam burst out laughing.
“It’s not funny!”
“I’m sorry.”
He was absolutely not sorry.
I looked around to make sure nobody had heard us.
Then I whispered, “We haven’t even held hands.”
Liam stopped laughing.
“You haven’t?”
“No.”
“Have you kissed?”
“No.”
“Sebastian!”
“We haven’t even held hands, Liam!”
He covered his mouth.
“So what exactly do you two do?”
I looked down.
“I bring him tea.”
“And?”
“I sit in his office.”
“And?”
“That’s it.”
Liam stared at me.
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
He started laughing again.
I felt my embarrassment grow.
“Have you ever flirted with him?”
“No.”
“Even a little?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Sebastian, you are going to drive that Alpha insane.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Alphas need their mates.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
He lowered his voice.
“They need their mate’s presence. Their scent. Their closeness. Especially after the bond.”
I looked away.
I remembered what Kai had told me about the bond.
“How much do they need it?”
Liam gave me a knowing look.
“That’s something you’ll understand eventually.”
I immediately stood.
“I’m leaving.”
He laughed.
“Okay, okay!”
I walked toward the door while he continued laughing behind me.
“Bye, Sebastian!”
I didn’t answer.
I was too embarrassed.
⸻
That evening, everyone had dinner together.
I tried not to think about what Liam had said.
I failed miserably.
After dinner, Kai went to his office.
As usual, I prepared his tea.
It had become a routine between us.
I knocked.
“Come in.”
I entered.
Kai looked up from his papers.
“Thank you.”
I placed the cup on his desk.
“You’re welcome.”
He smiled.
“Would you keep me company?”
I nodded.
“Of course.”
I sat across from him.
But my mind wasn’t on the paperwork.
It was on Liam.
Alphas need their mates.
I glanced at Kai.
He was reading something.
Then he looked at me.
I quickly looked away.
A few minutes passed.
I looked at him again.
He noticed.
Another few minutes passed.
I looked again.
This time, Kai put his pen down.
“You want to ask me something.”
I froze.
“What?”
“You’ve been looking at me differently.”
“I have?”
He smiled slightly.
“You look at me all the time. But tonight, you’re thinking about something.”
I lowered my gaze.
He waited.
He didn’t pressure me.
Finally, I took a breath.
“Is it true that…”
I stopped.
Kai waited patiently.
“That… Alphas need their mate’s scent?”
His expression changed.
“Where did you learn that?”
I immediately blushed.
“Just answer the question.”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
My heart skipped.
“Really?”
“Especially mated Alphas.”
I looked down at my hands.
“What does it do?”
“It comforts us.”
His voice softened.
“Your scent reminds my wolf that you’re safe. That you’re here. It helps calm him.”
I swallowed.
Then another question escaped me.
“Do I have a scent?”
Kai stared at me for a moment.
Then his expression softened completely.
“Yes.”
I looked up.
“What do I smell like?”
He leaned back slightly, as though considering the question.
“Strawberries.”
I blinked.
“Strawberries?”
He nodded.
“And rain.”
I couldn’t help smiling.
“Strawberries and rain?”
“Exactly.”
“How do you know?”
“My wolf knows.”
I looked down at my hands again.
For some reason, knowing that made my chest feel strangely warm.
Kai returned to his papers, but I noticed the small smile on his face.
And for the first time, I wondered something I hadn’t allowed myself to think about before.
Maybe the bond wasn’t something I merely had to understand.
Maybe it was something I could slowly learn to feel.
And perhaps…
I wasn’t as afraid of that anymore.
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