The Luna's Reluctant Alpha

Chapter Five

KAI

Lying there in the dark, my phone's screen was the only light in the room. Scrolling through Alexis's achievements like some creeper, I couldn't shake her from my mind. My wolf, Thunder, was restless too, pacing in the corners of my consciousness. It didn't make sense. I'd barely spoken to the girl.

Caitlin's been on my case lately, saying I'm distant, that I'm not "there" with her. She's not wrong. I've been distracted, and Alexis Kim is the main reason. My chest tightens at the thought of fated mates—the whole concept's a sore spot for me. It tore my family apart once; I'll be damned if I let it happen again.

I close my eyes, trying to push Alexis out of my mind, but it's like trying to hold back a river with your hands.

***

The night was like a dark tapestry, heavy and silent, except for the whispering leaves that seemed to speak in hushed tones of secrets and shadows. I was restless, an unease that kept me from the sleep I desperately needed. Thunder was antsy too, a low growl of discontent rumbling through our shared consciousness. "Let's run," I suggested, more to myself than to him.

We slipped out the back door, leaving behind the imposing structure of the mansion. The forest welcomed us like an old friend, its canopy a protective cloak against the prying eyes of the world. The path before us twisted and turned, gnarled roots snaking across it like something out of a gothic fairy tale. Overhead, branches interlocked in a skeletal embrace, moonlight filtering through to create patterns on the ground that danced with every gentle breeze.

The air was crisp and smelled of earth and life and something else—something familiar. I inhaled deeply, letting the scent fill my lungs. Orange blossom with a hint of jasmine; it was stronger here, intoxicating almost.

The path eventually gave way to the creek that ran along the town like a vein of life, its waters murmuring secrets as they flowed. The creek was always a boundary between our wild existence and the civilized world humans inhabited—a reminder that we belonged to both yet were fully accepted by neither.

I followed its course until I found myself behind a house I recognized as the Kims'. It stood there like it always had—solid, dependable—but now it felt different, like it was hiding something precious just out of reach.

I looked up at the bedroom window where light spilled out into the darkness. There was a figure moving inside—I could tell it was one of Alexis's friends by her silhouette. It was two in the morning; what was she doing up at this hour?

As if on cue, the window slid open and the girl's—Jamie Murray?— head popped out. "Kai? What are you doing here?"

"Couldn't sleep," I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to seem like I wasn't weirdly stalking Alexis by being here.

Jamie squinted down at me suspiciously. "Running at two AM behind someone else's house? Sure."

"I run when I want to run," I retorted defensively.

She laughed softly. "Whatever you say, Alpha."

A pause hung between us before she continued, "Alexis is asleep." It sounded like she was trying to reassure me—or maybe she was just stating facts.

"And you?" I asked.

"Just wrapping up some homework so my weekend's free." She seemed so put together even in her pajamas leaning out of a window in the dead of night.

I wanted to ask about Alexis—how she slept, if she ever talked about me—but pride held my tongue captive.

Jamie smirked as if reading my mind. "I'll tell her you said hi."

"Don't," I shot back quicker than intended. My heart raced at the thought of Alexis hearing about this encounter from Jamie—like some creepy nocturnal peeping Tom.

"Chill," Jamie chuckled before closing her window with a knowing look that made me feel like an open book under her gaze.

Jogging back home with Thunder snickering in my head didn't help either. "Smooth move," he mocked.

"Shut up," I muttered under my breath.

The run back was quicker than usual—or maybe it just felt that way because my mind was racing faster than my feet could carry me. The night air felt cooler now against my heated skin as if it too knew how flustered I was and found it amusing.

By the time we reached home again, nothing had changed—I still couldn't sleep and Thunder still wouldn't let me live down that little encounter behind Alexis's house. But now there were new layers added to my restlessness; layers that smelled like orange blossoms and jasmine and felt suspiciously like longing.

***

I woke up feeling like death warmed over after a grand total of maybe two hours of sleep. My eyes were gritty and my head pounded from tossing and turning all night. I dragged myself to the shower, cranking the hot water knob as far as it would go until the small bathroom filled with steam. The scalding water helped wake me up but did nothing for the bone-deep exhaustion that had seeped into my very soul. I toweled off and checked my phone, ignoring the half dozen texts from Caitlin ranging from "you still coming over tonight?" to "WTF Kai" with a few angry emojis sprinkled in for good measure.

I'd deal with her dramatics later; I had bigger fish to fry right now. A knock at my door made me groan internally. Before I could even answer, the door burst open and my two youngest half-siblings came barging in.

"Kai!" Lindsey yelled, launching herself at me for a hug. Luckily I'd already gotten dressed so her little werewolf claws didn't shred me to pieces. "Mom says come eat breakfast!"

I ruffled her hair affectionately. "Alright kiddo, let's go."

Connor gave me a shy smile, scuffing his sneakers on the worn floorboards. He worshipped me but was much quieter than his sister about it.

We headed to the main house, the smell of bacon and waffles hitting me like a punch in the face as we entered the massive kitchen. My stomach rumbled loudly.

Amelia smiled when she saw us shuffle in. "There you are! I was about to send out a search party."

I loaded up a plate with a bit of everything—eggs, bacon, waffles smothered in syrup—and inhaled it all in record time. Lindsey watched me, clearly impressed.

"So what's the update with Dad?" I asked Amelia between giant bites.

Her smile faded. "Not good. His fever spiked again last night. The wound..." She glanced at the kids meaningfully. I got the message—not for young ears.

After bolting down the last few strips of bacon, I headed up to my dad's room. The smell hit me as soon as I opened the door—rot and sickness and death. My inner wolf recoiled.

Nala stood over the bed, worry etched into the lines on her kind face. "His wound is badly infected," she said quietly. "I drained some fluid and it was dark brown, foul-smelling."

I stepped closer to look. The jagged gash in his side, which he'd gotten years ago in the rogue attack, was an angry swollen red. The skin around it looked grey and dead.

Dad's breathing was shallow, his face pale and sweaty. When I touched his arm, the heat coming off his skin nearly burned me.

"We're running out of time," Nala murmured, her dark eyes brimming with tears.

I swallowed hard. "I know. But we'll figure something out. We have to."

My old nanny nodded and looked up with a determined expression in her eyes. "I'll call Hai-Mei, the old woman. She has a better understanding of these things than I do. She will have something to make the Alpha feel comfortable."

Keeping my composure took almost everything I had left to keep me standing. I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "Definitely call Grandma Chen." I patted Nala's shoulder. "I trust you to keep him safe."

After checking on Dad, I headed to the holding cells where we kept prisoners. The rogue from last night was curled up on a thin mattress, still looking like something the cat dragged in. His head jerked up when I entered, lips curling in a silent snarl.

"Let's try this again," I said evenly, arms crossed over my chest. "Who sent you?"

No answer. Just cold contempt in his yellow eyes.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Still nothing. I cracked my knuckles menacingly.

"Have it your way then."

I stepped forward and the rogue leapt to his feet, pressing his back against the far wall of the cell, looking for any escape. But there was none.

***

It's late when I return to my father's room to look in on him.

Dad's room smells like a strange mix of hospital disinfectant and the decay that's been gnawing away at his leg. The once powerful Alpha, the man who could fell trees with his bare hands and run faster than the wind, lies there, frail and motionless. The herbs Nala scattered around help suppress the stench of rot, their earthy aroma battling against the creeping scent of death.

The room has been converted into a makeshift hospital ward, with monitors beeping softly in the background and IV bags hanging like morose balloons at a celebration that nobody wanted to attend. I stand there, watching him sleep, his chest rising and falling so shallowly it's like he's practicing for his final rest.

Amelia has been sleeping in the guest room, close to Connor, Lindsey, and Coco's bedrooms. She needs to be strong for them; they can't see her break. Not yet. I can't remember the last time she slept next to Dad; it must've been before his leg got bad.

Taking a break from my duties as Acting Alpha is rare. I'm always on call, always needed somewhere. But tonight, I watch over him. Maybe it's selfishness on my part—a silent plea for him to wake up and fix everything like he used to.

I lean forward in the chair that's become my temporary throne during these nocturnal vigils. "Dad," I whisper, though I know he won't respond. My voice sounds foreign in this place of silence and sorrow.

"I don't know if you can hear me or if you're just too far gone, but there's something eating at me." My words hang in the sterile air, a confession to a man who cannot judge or advise me anymore. "I just really need someone to talk to, so listen up."

"I promised Quentin as he was dying that I'd take care of Caitlin." My throat tightens as I recall my friend's last moments—his blood on my hands, his breath faltering as he extracted that vow from me. "She had no one else but their elderly aunt and uncle."

Caitlin... We've been together because of that promise, but every day it feels more like a chain than a bond. She clings to me with desperation and hope, thinking she'll become my fated mate when she turns eighteen. But deep down, I know that will never happen.

"And now there's Alexis Kim." Just saying her name stirs something wild inside me—a wolf pacing restlessly in its cage. "I think she might be my fated mate." The words taste like betrayal on my tongue.

The monitors continue their monotonous chorus as I confess the sins of my heart to a man who cannot absolve me.

"I've been angry at you for so long," I admit, a lump forming in my throat. "For leaving mom for Amelia... For causing mom's death. It was heartbreak that killed her—a broken heart that you gave her when you found your fated mate."

I stand up and pace the room—three steps one way, three steps back—like an animal trapped in too small a cage. Thunder rumbles in my mind; even he's restless tonight.

"I know it wasn't your fault," I continue, forcing the words out against years of pent-up anger and grief. "You didn't choose for Amelia to be your fated mate any more than I chose... whatever is happening with Alexis."

I stop pacing and look down at him—this man who was once larger than life but now seems so small against the white sheets.

"But damn it, Dad," I say with quiet intensity. "You could've handled it better. You could've been there for us instead of just abandoning mom."

Silence answers me—a stark reminder that no matter what I say or feel, nothing will change what happened.

"You always said being Alpha wasn't just about strength—it was about making tough choices for the good of the pack." A bitter laugh escapes me. "Well, now I'm making those choices."

My eyes drift to the window where moonlight filters through the blinds, casting slivers of silver across Dad's motionless form.

"I won't let Caitlin be alone because I promised Quentin... But Alexis Kim is changing everything." It feels like admitting defeat or maybe just acknowledging a truth I've tried too hard to ignore.

"And now here we are," I say with a heavy sigh as I sit back down. "You're fading away in this bed while I'm out there trying to hold everything together."

I wish he could give me some sign—anything—to tell me what to do about Caitlin... about Alexis... about this mess that seems too big for me to clean up alone.

But there is no sign—just the steady beep of the heart monitor and Dad's quiet breathing. It's up to me now—to honor old promises and confront new realities. To find a way through anger and responsibility towards whatever future awaits us all.

My watch ends with the first light of dawn creeping through the window blinds—an unwelcome intruder into this sanctuary of sorrow and secrets shared with a man who can no longer bear witness to my turmoil.

I stand up stiffly from the chair; duty calls elsewhere now—a pack needs its leader even when his heart is torn between past vows and present truths.

As I step out into the hallway and gently close Dad's door behind me, it feels like closing another chapter—one where he was strong enough to give advice rather than lie silently while his son bears his soul into an indifferent night.

The next day was no better. The pack's on edge with rogue attacks spiking. Dad's getting weaker by the day, and I can't afford to be sidetracked by some high school girl who might be—no, who can't be—my fated mate.

We got word of a rogue sighting near the northern border. Time to shift gears and handle business. In wolf form, we're faster, stronger—feral.

"Let's run them down," I growl through our mental link.

Thunder is eager as always. "About time we get some action."

The forest blurs past us as we close in on the rogue. He's haggard, fur matted with dirt and blood, reeking of desperation and fear—a stark contrast to our pack wolves' sleek coats.

He tries to bolt when he spots us, but we're on him like lightning. There's a tussle—snarls ripping through the air, teeth bared in aggression—but it ends quickly with our superior numbers. We pin him down; his yellow eyes are wild with terror.

We shift back to human form for the interrogation—wolves can't talk after all.

"Who sent you?" I demand as we tie his hands behind his back with a length of rope.

He spits at my feet and stays silent.

"You're not leaving until you spill," Jason growls beside me, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

The rogue just glares, his lip curled in defiance.

"Hard way it is then," I say with a sigh. We don't torture—that's not our style—but intimidation can work wonders. We lean into our reputations; being an Alpha has its perks for scaring information out of stubborn rogues.

While this circus unfolds in the woods, Amelia's been hitting the books hard back home. Dad’s condition ain’t getting any better and time is something we’re running short on.

Later that evening after we'd left the rogue under guard for further questioning, Amelia catches me before I can head out again.

"Kai," she says with that tone that means business mixed with worry. "I've been researching your father’s illness."

"Yeah?" My ears perk up despite myself; she’s smart as hell and if anyone can find something new, it’s her.

"There’s talk about a shaman in Tibet," she continues, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Specializes in death curses."

My mind races—could this be it? The cure? But Tibet is half a world away and what if it’s just another dead end?

"We should look into it," Amelia insists.

I nod slowly. "I’ll consider it."

She places a hand on my shoulder, her green eyes searching mine for something more than just concern for Dad—I can tell she knows there’s something else bugging me too.

"You okay?" she asks softly.

"Just tired," I lie smoothly and offer her a reassuring smile that doesn’t quite reach my eyes.

As she heads back inside to tend to Dad and continue her research, Thunder speaks up again inside my head: "You can't keep avoiding this mate thing forever."

"I know," I admit quietly into the cool night air as if saying it louder would make it more real or worse—inescapable.

That night brings no sleep; instead it’s filled with thoughts of rogues that won’t talk and fathers who are fading fast—and girls who smell like orange blossoms mixed with jasmine that haunt both my waking moments and dreams alike.