Chapter 19 — The Infirmary Incidents
708 Words
as days went on Alpha Kaden start to make excuses to see Skyler a lot, he started to fake being sick, so he could go to infirmary, the first time, Skyler believed him.
Kaden appeared at the infirmary just after dawn, cloak half-on, hair still damp from sleep, eyes heavy with what looked suspiciously like suffering.
“I feel… warm,” he announced gravely.
Sai blinked inside Skyler’s mind.
Is he serious or flirting badly?
Skyler pressed the back of her fingers to his forehead.
Cool. Very cool.
She frowned. “Where exactly?”
“My bones,” he said solemnly. “Deep inside.”
Kane whispered smugly,
Say ‘soul’ next. It sounds more dramatic.
Skyler stared at him. “…That’s called existing.”
Kaden looked genuinely wounded.
“Perhaps internal fever,” he offered.
Skyler sighed and handed him a cup of bitter tonic. “Drink.”
He did without complaint never breaking eye contact. Not like a patient.
Like a wolf watching his mate.
Sai muttered,
He’s not sick. He’s lonely.
---
The second time, Skyler was suspicious.
Kaden arrived mid-afternoon, one hand braced against the doorframe like he might collapse at any moment.
“I think it’s back.”
Skyler didn’t even look up. “Sit.”
She checked his pulse. Strong. His temperature. Perfect.
She squinted. “You ran patrol this morning.”
“Yes.”
“At full speed.”
“…Yes.”
“Without collapsing.”
He hesitated. “The fever is shy.”
Sai burst out laughing inside her head.
That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard.
Skyler stared at him until he looked away.
“Lie down.”
He obeyed instantly.
Kane smirked.
See? She still tells you what to do.
---
By the third visit, the entire infirmary knew.
Kaden staggered in dramatically, hand pressed to his chest.
“Alpha,” one warrior said carefully, “you look… robust.”
“Don’t mock illness,” Kaden growled weakly.
Skyler crossed her arms. “Why are you here?”
He avoided her gaze. “The bond....”
She stepped closer. “Finish that sentence carefully.”
“…misses you.”
Silence.
Then laughter.
The head healer choked. Someone pretended to cough.
Skyler pinched the bridge of her nose. “You do not have a fever. You have a problem.”
Kaden brightened. “You can heal that.”
She leaned in until they were eye to eye.
“If you fake one more illness,” she whispered, “I will assign you bed rest. Publicly. With guards.”
His eyes widened. “That’s barbaric.”
She smiled sweetly, lean to his shoulder and whisper “I’m alpha-born. Remember?”
Kane went quiet.
We are in danger.
Sai purred.
We are enjoying this.
“…Stay five minutes,” Skyler sighed.
Kaden lay back like a victorious wolf.
---
That night, they ran.
No patrol. No duty.
Just instinct.
The moment their paws hit the forest floor, Sai and Kane surged forward and blocked their human thoughts completely.
Finally, Kane said. Silence.
You’re terrible at pretending to be sick, Sai teased.
You’re terrible at pretending you don’t like it.
They raced through moonlight, circling, darting, brushing shoulders just close enough to spark heat through the bond.
If we don’t give them time together, Kane muttered, they’ll invent new illnesses.
Next he’ll claim “existential fever”.
They collided mid-run, tumbling through leaves, laughing in wolf form no ranks, no fears.
Just two souls finally allowed to exist.
When they shifted back, breathless and flushed, Skyler blinked.
“Why do I feel like I just ran five miles?”
Kaden frowned. “Why do I feel… emotionally fulfilled?”
Their wolves said nothing.
---
Far from the forest laughter…
Lyra stood beside Eryx in the shadows of Ironfang’s outer cliffs.
“They think they’re safe,” Lyra said coldly.
Eryx’s eyes glinted. “They’re happy.”
Lyra smiled slowly. “That’s what makes it fragile.”
Eryx’s wolf stirred darkly.
We didn’t lose everything so they could enjoy theirs.
Lyra turned toward the fortress lights.
“Let them heal,” she whispered. “Let them laugh.”
Her eyes hardened.
“Then we remind them what the moon takes back.”
- Writer
