Lycan's Abused Mate II: Lunaria Saga

Chapter nine:Balance

The air in the corridor was cold and quiet, filled only with the faint echo of Darren’s footsteps as he guided Kyley through the long stretch of wooden hallway. Every creak of the floorboards carried unpleasant memories, some faint, others sharp enough to cut through Darren in persistent waves.

When they reached the door at the very end, Darren pushed it open slowly. A gust of dust-laden air met them, drifting out like a breath released after years of being shut close and neglected.

This was Darren’s old room.

The space was larger than Kyley expected, though dim, rustic, and heavy with time. The Wooden walls were lined with small carvings of wolves and moons that seemed to be made by a child, a wide bed pressed to the far corner, draped in thick, aged fur. A desk sat near the window, its surface covered in a thin film of dust, and beside it, an old shelf half-filled with books and broken trinkets.

The curtains were torn at the edges, swaying faintly in the wind seeping through the cracks. Moss had crept in from the outside, spreading faint green veins along the walls. And somewhere near the window, the faint hum of night insects filled the silence as the light of dawn crept in.

Kyley took a slow breath, holding Skye close. “It’s been a long time since anyone’s been here,” she murmured.

Darren gave a short nod, scanning the place with eyes that were colder now than before. He said quietly. “Since I left Lunaria… no one’s set foot in this room it seems.” He was more furious that he had returned.

He moved in first, toward the window, his hand brushing across the wood. Dust came away in brown streaks against his skin. “Exactly how I left it.”

Kyley looked down at Skye as she strode in . The little girl was still fast asleep, her tiny lips parted in peaceful breaths. For a moment, Kyley frowned when she realized how strange it seems. “How is she still asleep after everything that’s happened?” she asked softly.

Darren glanced over his shoulder. “They must’ve used the Aredie sap…” he said after a pause. “A sedative of some sort that’s used to calm the nerves of injured warriors undergoing treatment. It’s made from blue heather. Not harmful… just strong enough to keep the body calm.”

Kyley’s eyes creased slightly. “Is it the same ointment you used on me back then,” she said, remembering the first night she’d woken up in Darren’s cabin years ago. She remembered the strange blue ointment that Darren had used on her wounds back then.

Darren nodded faintly. “Yeah. It’s similar”

For a while, neither of them spoke. The air was thick with heavy silence.

Then, Darren turned to her fully. His jaw was tight again, his eyes still conveying the worry in his heart. “Kyley,” he said, his voice low and heavy. “I’m sorry.”

Kyley looked up at him, startled by the sudden tremor in his tone.

“This…” he gestured around the room, but his voice cracked halfway through. “All of this. It’s my fault. If I’d handled things differently back then. If only I hadn’t--”

“Stop,” Kyley cut him off gently, shaking her head. “Don’t do that.”

But Darren only clenched his fists harder. “You shouldn’t have had to step in back there. I should’ve been able to protect you both without… without putting you through any of this.”

Kyley watched him, her heart tightening. For all his strength, his rage, and his stubbornness, this side of him full of quiet guilt was what always broke her the most.

She stepped closer to him, her voice soft. “You did what you could, Darren. This isn’t any of our fault, really. I’m glad our little one is safe. That’s all that matters.” She said, cupping Darren’s face and looking down at the sleeping Skye in her arms. Darren sighed, nodding his head. “ You’re right.”

“What comes next is what matters now.” Kyley muttered in a low tone.

He frowned at her, his eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”

Kyley took a breath, trying to steady herself. “I mean,” she said slowly, “As long as we can go home after, I’ve already made my peace with this. If this is what it takes to get Skye out safely, then I’ll bear it. I’ll make the sacrifice.”

This was a lie Kyley told herself to cope, she knew it even as she said it. But her voice didn’t shake, only her heart did. Deep down, fear was curling tight around her chest; fear of losing him, of watching Darren drift further away from her. Especially after seeing Dana.

She tried not to think about it, about the woman’s eyes eyeing Darren.

“I just want us out of here,” Kyley whispered.

Darren’s head snapped toward her, his tone sharpening. “That’s not fair.”

She blinked, startled. “What?”

He stepped closer, the muscles in his jaw tightening. “You can’t talk like that. You can’t start giving up before I’ve even tried.” His voice cracked slightly, frustration bleeding through. “I will find a way to fix this. I swear to you, Kyley.”

“Darren--”

“No.” He reached out, cupping her face in his hands. His palms were warm, calloused, trembling slightly. “I will never do anything to hurt you again. I’ll never betray you, ever again. I’ll get us out of this.”

Kyley looked into his eyes. That fierce, unyielding glint in them had her enthralled, and for a moment, her resistance melted. He always had that way of making her believe him, even when everything around them screamed otherwise.

She nodded faintly. “Okay,” she whispered. “I trust you.”

He smiled weakly, brushing his thumb over her cheek. “That’s all I need.”

The exhaustion finally started to sink in. The weight of the day, the travel, and the fear. It all pressed down like stone. Kyley sighed softly. “Maybe we should… settle in first,” she said. “Skye needs rest. We all do.”

Darren nodded. “I’ll clean up the place first. You hold her.”

Kyley hesitated, but when she saw the firmness in his eyes, she obeyed, taking a seat on the edge of the fur-draped bed. She watched him move across the room, pulling off dusty covers, sweeping away cobwebs, clearing the shelves one by one.

Her eyes wandered, taking in every detail. Then something caught her attention. A small wooden sparrow figurine lying near the desk, its beak chipped, and its body scarred with burn marks. She picked it up, brushing the dust away.

“What’s this?” she asked softly.

Darren turned and looked. A faint small, nostalgic smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “That? I used to play with it when I was younger,” he said, walking closer. “My mother left it for me…” His voice trailed off.

Kyley glanced at him curiously. “What was she like?”

For a moment, Darren didn’t answer. His eyes softened, distant- like he was searching for a memory he never truly had. Then he moved closer, stopping right in front of her.

“I never met her,” he said quietly. “But if I had…” He brushed his fingers against the figurine in her hand, his gaze meeting hers. “I think she would’ve been a lot like you.”

Kyley’s breath caught. “Darren…” she whispered, stunned.

He leaned in slightly and kissed her cheek, a soft, fleeting touch that left warmth lingering on her skin. Then, without another word, he turned back and continued cleaning.

Kyley sat there, frozen, her heart fluttering in her chest. It wasn’t until the weight of their situation slowly crept back in, dimming the warmth again that Kyley regained her composure. Her eyes drifted toward the window, where the faint light of morning filtered through. The fear returned, steady and quiet.

‘Can we really make it out of this?’ Kyley sighed in her mind, unsure as she fell in thought.

When Darren was finally done, he turned toward her and gestured softly. “Come now,” he said. “You must be tired.”

Kyley nodded, rising to her feet. She climbed into the bed beside him, Skye nestled between them. The mattress creaked softly under their weight, smelling faintly of old wood and smoke.

She rested her head against Darren’s chest, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his heart.

After a long moment, she whispered, “Do you think Volke was always like this? Even with your mother?”

Darren’s hand paused mid-motion. His jaw tightened. For a moment, silence answered for him.

Then he said quietly, “Maybe even worse.”

Kyley shivered slightly, pressing closer to him. The warmth of his body and the sound of his heartbeat the only thing that made her feel safe in this cold, cruel place.

Kyley had been up all night, and as such, the exhaustion slowly caught up to her as she felt safe. Her eyes grew heavy, her breathing slowed, and soon, sleep found her.

Outside, the wind sighed through the moss and tall trees, carrying with it the faint scent of rain and the promise of storms yet to come.