Chapter four_Nightshade
1416 Words
Lyra pov
The journey to Nightshade was torture, not because anyone hurt me.
But because Kaiden wouldn't touch me.
Which made absolutely no sense considering the mate bond was practically losing its mind.
I sat across from him inside the black SUV while rain slammed against the windows hard enough to blur the forests outside. The inside of the car smelled entirely like him.
Every breath I took made my chest tighter.
Kaiden's sat silently beside the window ,one arm resting lazily against the door while his silver gray eyes stared outside.
Cold. Unreadable.
Like yesterday never happened.
Like he hadn't stood in front of my entire pack and called me his mate.
Meanwhile, my body was painfully aware of every little thing about him.
The veins in his hands. The deep scratch near his wrists.
The way his back shirt stretched his chest every time he breathed.
“You keep staring at me.”
His voice suddenly cut through the silence.
That kind of voice that slid beneath the skin. Heat rushes to my face immediately.
“I wasn't staring.”
Kaiden finally looked at me then. Actually looked at me. Slowly, as he could see every nervous thought in my head.
“You're a terrible liar.”
My stomach flopped embarrassingly fast.
The driver in the front seat suddenly coughed into his fist like he was trying to laugh.
Kaiden's eyes sharpened instantly.
“Do you have something to say?”
“No Alpha.”
Silence returned immediately.
But now the atmosphere inside the car felt different.
Heavier.
Kaiden kept staring at me another second before his gaze dropped briefly towards my mouth.
Then lower.
My throat tightened instantly.
He looked away at first. And somehow that felt even worse.
The rest of the drive became unbearable after that.
Every accidental brush of our legs smelt heat rushing through me. Every time Kaiden adjusted in his seat, his scent thickened until I could barely think straight anymore.
His breathing, his voice, his presence.
It was like my body knew him already even when my mind didn't.
By the time we reached Nightshade territory,I felt half insane.
The borders alone terrified me, armed warriors guarded every corner and entrance. Everything about Nightshade screamed power.
The SUV barely stopped before the wolves began lowering their heads towards Kaiden.
Alpha.
The title followed him everywhere naturally.
And suddenly reality crashes into me again. I was standing inside the territory of one of the strongest Alphas on the continent.
As his mate.
My stomach twisted violently.
Kaiden stepped out front before turning towards me.
“Come.”
Simple word. Commanding tone.
My body obeyed before my mind could think.
The second I stepped beside him, every eye around us shifted towards me. Curious.
A blonde standing near the entrance openly frowned.
“That's her?”
Another woman beside her looked equally confused.
“She's wolfless.”
Kaiden stopped walking instantly.
The air changed immediately. Slowly he turned his head towards them.
The blonde immediately paled.
“You have something you'd like to repeat?” Kaiden asked softly.
Too softly.
Fear spread across both women6face faces instantly.
“No Alpha.”
Kaiden stared at them one second longer before speaking.
“Good.”
Then his hand stumbled against my lower back. My entire body froze, the touch wasn't rough, but it was possessive enough to silence the full courtyard.
My breath caught sharply.
Kaiden guided me forward without removing his hand like he wanted every single person watching to understand something very clearly.
Mine.
Heat crawls slowly up my neck.
I couldn't tell if I felt embarrassed or strangely comforted by it. Probably both.
Inside the packhouse was enormous.
Dark marble floors stretched endlessly beneath silver chandeliers while ancient wolf portraits lined the walls. Everything looked expensive.
Powerful.
Nothing like moon fang.
I suddenly felt painfully out of place.
Kaiden suddenly noticed immediately. Of course he did.
“You're thinking too loudly.”
I blinked in confusion. “What?”
His lips twitched slightly.
Actually twitched.
The almost smile caught me off guard that I stopped walking completely.
For one terrifying second, Alpha kaiden didn't look cold. He looked dangerous in a completely different way.
His beta behind us groaned dramatically.
“Oh no.”
Kaiden's expression flattened immediately.
“What.”
“You're smiling.”
“I'm not.”
“You literally are.”
Kaiden shot him a glare sharp enough to kill a weaker wolf.
The beta grinned anyway before turning towards me.
“I guess I have not properly introduced myself to you yet.”
His lips curved into an easy smile as he stepped forward, calm and confident despite the tension thickening the room.
I'm Ronan,” he said smoothly, his deep voice carrying a teasing warmth. “The Alpha's beta…and apparently the unlucky soul assigned to deal with his moods.”
A low chuckle escaped my lips.
Ronan extended his hand towards me ,palm open in greeting.
Welcome to the pack , Luna.”
The name Luna sounded foreign being addressed to me. I hesitated for only a second before placing my hand in his. His grip was firm, warm and harmless.
But the moment our skin touched the air shifted.
A dark growl rumbled through the room. Low. Dangerous. Possessive.
Ronan suddenly lifted a brow, clearly amused by the reaction. “It's a handshake Alpha,” he drawled. “ Not a kiss.”
That only seemed to worsen it .
Before I could react, he had his large hands wrapped around my wrist, gently but possessively pulling me away from Ronan.
Mine.
“She already knows who you are ,” Kaiden said coldly, his voice edged with warning.
Ronan leaned back with a smirk, completely unfazed.
“And here I thought introductions were considered polite.”
Kaiden's eyes narrowed.
“Not when you touch what belongs to me.”
“Ronan,” he said flatly,” leave.”
The beta smirked knowingly.
“Yes Alpha.”
Then he disappeared down the hallway looking fat too entertained.
The second we were alone again, tension returned instantly.
Stronger this time.
Kaiden looked down at me slowly. “You should often smile.”
The quietness of his voice surprised me. I swallowed hard nervously.
“No one usually gives me reasons to.”
The words slipped before I could still find them.
Kaiden went still. Completely still.
Something dark flashed across his expression.
Anger.
Not at me. At something else. Someone else.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Then he stepped closer.
Too close.
The mate bond surged violently between us. My pulse became uneven immediately.
Kaiden's eyes lowered briefly towards my lips before returning to my eyes again.
“You're nervous around me,” he murmured.
“Yes.”
“At least you're honest.”
I tried stepping back instinctively.
But his mind suddenly caught my wrist. My breath hitched sharply. Not rough, just firm. Warm.
My entire body reacted instantly to the contact.
Kaiden noticed, his eyes darkened slowly.
“Do you know what your scent does to me?” He asked quietly.
My throat went dry.
“No.”
His thumb brushed lightly against the inside my wrist.
The movement alone nearly destroyed my ability to think.
“It makes my wolf insane.”
My heart throbbed painfully at his nearness.
Kaiden leaned in closer slowly. Close enough that his scent completely surrounded me now.
“You smell nervous,” he murmured near my ear.
Then lower _
“And wet.”
Heat exploded across my face instantly.
Shock. Humiliation. Something worse.
Kaiden inhaled slowly against my neck and his eyes darkened further.
“Fuck.”
The curse sounded rough. Like he had lost control for one second.
My body betrayed me immediately. The mate bond kicks in.
For a second, it looked like he might kiss me.
Then suddenly _
“Alpha!”
Kaiden stepped back immediately.
The moment shattered.
A warrior hurried down the hallway towards us looking nervous.
“There's a problem at the western border.”
Kaiden's entire expression changed instantly.
Cold Alpha again.
He released my wrist slowly before looking towards the warrior.
“I'll handle it.”
Then his eyes returned to mine one last time.
“Your room is upstairs, a maid will show you the way,” he said. “Don't leave the pack house.”
And somehow…
That sounded less like an order and more like he was afraid something would happen if I did.
- Writer
