Lost Luna

Chapter 9

Kaelith’s POV

I turned back towards Astra. “Did she look uncomfortable?”

Astra hesitated. “Not really.”

“That doesn’t sound like something worth worrying about then.”

She nodded slowly. “I guess not.”

But she didn’t stand up to leave. She stayed seated, watching me like she was waiting for something else to happen. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to push the thought away. Nymera didn’t hide things from me. She never had. If something was wrong, she would tell me. Still, I knew Astra wouldn’t bring something up without a reason. Even if it wasn’t serious, she didn’t usually mention things unless she thought it mattered in some way.

“Why does it matter to you?” I asked her after a moment.

“It doesn’t,” she said quickly. “I just care about both of you. That’s all.”

I nodded slowly, even though my thoughts were still unsettled. Astra stood up finally, smoothing her dress like she was preparing to leave.

“I probably shouldn’t have said anything,” she added casually. “Forget I mentioned it.”

I didn’t reply right away, her words were rolling around in my head and I didn’t know what to say or what to do. She gave me a small smile and turned toward the door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said lightly before stepping out. The door closed behind her, and the room felt loud and silent at the same time. I stayed standing by the window for a long time, thinking about what she said. About Nymera talking to a warrior. About how easily Astra had brought it up like it was nothing. Nymera had never given me a reason to doubt her. Still, I found myself replaying it over and over in my head in a way I didn’t like.

Nymera’s POV

I could barely focus on anything that entire week.

Every single time I thought about the coronation ceremony, my stomach filled with nervous excitement so strong that it almost made me dizzy. I thought about telling Kaelith he was going to be a father, and i daydreamed about how he would be so overcome with happiness. Sometimes I caught myself smiling for no reason while helping daddy organize papers in the archives, and he would just shake his head knowingly before teasing me about finally becoming “grown enough to stop hiding behind books.”

But it wasn’t just the ceremony itself that made me happy. It was what came after. For the first time in my life, I truly believed things were going to change for me. Not just because Kaelith loved me, but because the Moon Goddess herself had chosen us for each other. We had a real mate bond, it was beuatiful and so scary at the same time. And maybe most importantly, it meant my wolf would finally be awaken.

I thought about that part constantly.

Sometimes I stayed awake at night imagining what she would sound like in my head or what shifting would feel like after spending eighteen years being different from everyone else around me. I wouldn’t have to feel embarrassed during training gatherings anymore or avoid certain conversations because I had nothing to contribute. I wouldn’t have to watch younger wolves awaken before me while pretending it didn’t hurt. Everything was finally falling into place. I would finally have my wolf, Kaelith and my baby. I smiled.

That evening, I was sitting in my room brushing out my hair after returning from dinner when there was a soft knock at the door.

“Come in,” I called.

The door opened slowly and one of the younger palace maids stepped inside. Sandra. I recognized her immediately because she worked mostly near the western wing where Kaelith’s rooms were. She bowed politely before walking closer.

“Lady Nymera,” she said softly. “I was asked to give you this.”

My eyebrows lifted slightly when she held out a folded note.

“From who?”

Sandra smiled quickly. “Prince Kaelith.”

My heart skipped instantly.

The moment she handed it over, she bowed again and quietly left before I could ask anything else.

I stared at the folded paper for a second before quickly opening it.

Meet me at the back garden behind the palace. Come alone.

That was all it said. It had no name or signature on it. I could feel the blush rising up my neck to my cheek. I gently touched my stomach, Baby, let’s go see your daddy.

The back garden behind the palace was quiet and mostly empty at night because hardly anyone went there anymore unless they were avoiding crowds or sneaking away for privacy.

A small smile spread across my lips before I could stop it. Kaelith probably wanted alone time. Honestly, that wasn’t surprising lately. Ever since the mate bond revealed itself, he had become even more attached to me than before. Sometimes he would just stare at me randomly during conversations like he was thinking too hard about something, and whenever I asked what was wrong, he always brushed it off.

I folded the note carefully and pressed it against my chest for a second like an i***t before standing up quickly.

Then I panicked slightly because suddenly I cared too much about what I looked like.

I changed my dress twice before finally settling on a simple pale blue one that Astra once said made my eyes look brighter. I brushed my hair again, stared at myself nervously in the mirror, then immediately felt silly for acting like this after being with Kaelith for over a year already.

Still, my heart would not calm down.

By the time I quietly slipped out of my room, the palace hallways had already become mostly silent for the night. A few guards stood at their usual posts while servants moved around carrying late trays or cleaning things quietly.

I kept smiling to myself the entire walk toward the back gardens.

The night air felt cooler once I stepped outside, and I wrapped my arms around myself lightly while walking down the familiar stone path behind the palace.

The further I went, the quieter everything became.

The back garden was darker than the front palace grounds since there were fewer torches there. Most wolves probably would not struggle much seeing through it, but I still had to squint slightly while walking because my eyesight remained frustratingly human compared to everyone else around me.

I spotted a figure standing ahead near the trees and immediately relaxed.

“Kaelith?” I called softly.