The Alpha’s forbidden heirs

The Door Opens

After Ronan called her name from the hallway, Lyanna stayed by her bedroom door frozen.

Her hands were no longer shaking, but she was still lost in thought.

Kieran's words would not go away.

I can't get you out of my mind.

The sound of his voice in her head caused her tummy to clench.

Someone knocked at the door of the bedroom.

Lyanna immediately straightened.

“Come in,” she called.

The door opened up and Ronan came in.

Ronan was totally in control unlike Kieran. His dark suit was spotless and his expression was never more serious. He was a future Lycan King, the kind that was respected and feared by the rest of the werewolf world.

Unfortunately, he looked totally oblivious to the fact that his younger brother had just turned Lyanna's morning upside down.

Ronan looked at her for a split second. “There you are.”

A smile was forced onto Lyanna's lips. “You were looking for me?”

Ronan walked further into the room and set a folder on a nearby table. “Before I am gone I want to talk about my time.”

There was a familiar sense of disappointment that came over Lyanna.

Not a greeting.

Not concern.

Not curiosity as to how she was doing.

Business.

Always business.

Lyanna folded her hands together. “Of course.”

Ronan opened the folder and started looking through some papers.

Ronan scanned through the papers. “Tomorrow morning I'm going to be gone.”

Lyanna frowned slightly. “Leaving?”

Ronan nodded. There was a request for a meeting from the Northern Territories and several Alpha leaders will be coming.

He flipped the other page.

Ronan continued speaking. “Then I'll meet with representatives from the Eastern Territories; the whole journey will take about two weeks.”

Lyanna wasn’t surprised.

Ronan spent more time on political matters than at home.

Lyanna approached a chair and sat on it. “ will Queen Luna Selene be at any of the meetings?”

Eventually, Ronan lifted his head from the papers. “A few.”

Lyanna nodded. “Then she’ll represent the family.”

Ronan shook his head. “Not entirely.”

Her stomach felt the same way as it did before.She felt the same way in her stomach.

Ronan shut the folder. “You will be part of a lot of things that I can't be.”

That's what Lyanna had hoped to hear.

She just didn't like it.

Lyanna sighed quietly. “Which events?”

Ronan started to tick them off, like he's making business appointments.

A charity gathering.

A diplomatic dinner.

A pack celebration.

A council banquet.

There were so many that it felt like it would never end.

Ronan spoke calmly. “My lack of presence shouldn't give the impression that the Nightfang Bloodline is pulling back from public affairs.”

Lyanna nodded. “I understand.”

Ronan picked up the folder again. “Good.”

But the discussion should have stopped there.

But no sound was heard in the room.

Lyanna watched him organize papers and review schedules.

Once he didn't ask her about her morning.

He never questioned if she was happy.

He never asked her what it was like to do everything on her own.

But soon Lyanna was unable to stop herself from speaking.

Lyanna studied Ronan's face intently. “Ever feel tired?

Ronan looked up.

It was as if he was taken aback.

Ronan frowned slightly. “Tired?”

Lyanna nodded. “You’re always working.”

Ronan seemed to be thinking it over.

After that, he just shrugged.

Ronan resumed his work on the papers. There is work to be done.

This was all the answer.

But Lyanna wasn't certain why she should have been expecting anything different.

The silence returned.

After a few minutes, Ronan collected his papers.

Ronan approached the door. I am going to leave soon after sunrise tomorrow.”

Lyanna was standing as well. “Safe travels.”

Ronan nodded once. “Thank you.”

Then he paused.

For a split second Lyanna wondered if maybe he'd say something personal.

Rather, he was as calm as he had been in all his conversations.

Ronan tightened up his coat. Please remember the Council Dinner next week!

Lyanna managed a smile. “I won’t.”

Ronan knocked on the door. “Good.”

Then he left.

Behind him the door shut.

There was one person in the middle of the room who was not Lyanna.

The air was even more silent than it was before.

She felt some relief in part.

Two weeks without Ronan meant two weeks without trying to be a perfect mate all day long.

Her another part felt guilty about it.

But most of all she was nervous.

Not because Ronan wasn't the one she was thinking about.

Kieran was.

This was more troubling for her than anything else.

The next day went by in a flash.

Ronan left just as he had arranged, before dawn.

The estate was noticeably quieter by afternoon.

The staff carried on their work.

People came and went.

Meetings took place.

Everything appeared normal.

But Lyanna couldn't help but keep one thing in mind, however.

Kieran was still alive.

She only saw him once at supper time.

The battle was brief, only lasting for several minutes.

They did not say anything about breakfast.

Both did not look at the other for a prolonged period.

The tension remained.

Unspoken.

Dangerous.

When night fell Lyanna was tired.

Unfortunately, lack of sleep meant exhaustion.

Hours passed.

The property slowly fell silent.

The bed room windows were lit by the moonlight.

Lyanna lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, under the blankets.

The dining room was on her mind every time she closed her eyes.

Kieran’s voice.

Kieran’s expression.

The feeling of his hand around her wrist.

She despised that her mind would constantly wander there.

She didn't like that bit of her that didn't want it to end.

After a pained sigh, Lyanna lay on her side.

Still sleep would not come.

After a while, she sat up.

He looked at the clock and saw that it was late at night.

The majority of the property should have been sleeping.

Including her.

Suddenly she was interrupted by a knock.

Lyanna turned to the door of the bedroom.

The first thing she assumed was that something was needed by one of the servants.

Perhaps there was an issue with tomorrow’s schedule.

Maybe the message was sent by Queen Luna Selene.

There was another knock.

Lyanna rolled out of the blankets and out of bed.

She called, “Come in.”

The door opened.

Lyanna immediately froze.

Kieran came into the room.

The sight of him instantly sent her pulse racing.

She didn't expect to see this guy in front of her at midnight.

Kieran silently shut the door after him.

Lyanna's shock was soon replaced with alarm.

Lyanna looked at him. “What's the point of your being here?”

Kieran stayed by the door. “We need to talk.”

At once Lyanna shook her head. “No.”

Kieran crossed his arms. “Yes.”

Lyanna indicated the hallway. Get out of here.

Kieran didn’t move. “Not yet.”

It was like it was not real.

It should never have been Kieran here.

If anyone caught him in her room at night people will ask a lot of questions.

Questions they couldn't afford to ask.

Lyanna took a step forward. “Have you gone CRAZY?”

Kieran actually smiled. “Possibly.”

Lyanna couldn’t believe his reaction. “This isn’t funny.”

The smile disappeared.

Kieran's face again grew serious. “I know.”

They fell into silence.

Lyanna wanted her heart to stop beating.

It wasn’t helping.

Nor was it the way he always looked when he was with her.

Confident.

Frustrating.

Impossible to ignore.

Lyanna wrapped her arms around her chest. “Leave.”

Kieran's head shook. “No.”

Lyanna narrowed her eyes. “I’m serious.”

Kieran took a step toward her. “So am I.”

All her instincts were telling her to get him to leave.

Unfortunately, she wasn't certain that she wanted him to.

It gave her a shock.

Lyanna stepped backward. “Kieran.”

But Kieran kept on coming closer. “You ran away this morning.”

Lyanna’s jaw tightened. “Because if you did, then you wouldn't be in the game.”

Kieran nodded once. “Fair.”

She was taken aback by the solution.

She was anticipating a fight for some reason.

Rather, Kieran just kept on watching her.

The room now appeared a lot smaller than it had just a few minutes before.

Lyanna again gestured to the door. “Still got to get out.”

Kieran remained silent.

Then he took another step forward.

Lyanna took a step back.

She moved on, until her back hit the wall.

Only then did she know that she had no place left to go.

Kieran stopped a short distance away.

Close enough to make her nervous!

Far enough to be able to walk away if she wanted to.

They both remained silent.

They did not look away from each other.

Finally, Kieran broke the silence.

Kieran spoke quietly. “Really want me to go?”

The question was more of a surprise than she could have imagined.

Because there was no easy answer.

The answer was indeed a correct one.

The safe answer was “yes.”

The response she was supposed to provide was that she should say yes.

But, the word did not come out.

Lyanna opened her mouth.

Nothing happened.

Kieran noticed immediately.

Of course he did.

Kieran took another step closer. “Yes, I suppose that's what I thought.”

Lyanna's heart pounded in her ears.

For a moment Lyanna looked away. “You should not be here.

Kieran’s voice softened. “Probably not.”

Lyanna looked in his direction once more. “Then why are you?”

Kieran just glared at her.

Then he lifted her chin up, lightly, so that she looked directly at him.

All of Lyanna's muscles froze.

Both of them were stationary.

Both refused to turn their heads.

Kieran fixed her with his eyes and whispered in her ear. “If I'm not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere.”