Chapter 14- Lines Drawn in Silence
1239 Words
Mikaela didn’t return to the cabin.
She went straight to the training yard.
Eirik was there, running drills with two warriors, movements sharp and aggressive like he was working something out of his system. Mikaela didn’t hesitate—she crossed the packed dirt and grabbed his forearm mid-swing.
“Enough,” she snapped.
The warriors froze.
Eirik turned, surprise flashing across his face before it hardened into something guarded. “Clear the yard,” he ordered.
They left quickly.
Eirik looked down at her hand still gripping his arm. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I shouldn’t be blind,” Mikaela shot back. “Tell me what’s happening.”
His jaw clenched. “Mika—”
“Don’t,” she warned. “Don’t lie to me. Not today.”
Her wolf surged forward, hackles raised, power pressing against her skin. Eirik felt it—his eyes darkening with realization.
“You felt it,” she said quietly. “Didn’t you?”
Eirik exhaled sharply. “Yes.”
“Then tell me why my mate walked away from me at dawn without a word.”
The word mate settled heavily between them.
Eirik looked away. “Kael is here.”
Mikaela’s stomach dropped. “Rhys’s father.”
“He’s Alpha of Red Moon,” Eirik corrected. “And he’s not pleased.”
Mikaela stepped closer. “And Ronan?”
Eirik’s silence was answer enough.
“They’re planning to separate us,” she whispered.
“Yes,” Eirik said. “Formally.”
Her breath hitched. “You’re my brother.”
“I’m Ronan’s beta,” he said quietly. “And today those roles are at war.”
Mikaela searched his face. “Help me.”
Eirik’s throat worked. “If I help you openly, I lose my position. If I help you quietly…” He trailed off.
“I don’t need you to fight them,” Mikaela said. “I need you to tell me the truth.”
Eirik nodded once. “They’re issuing him a command. He’ll be ordered to return to Red Moon immediately.”
“Without seeing me?” she demanded.
Eirik’s voice dropped. “That’s the point.”
Her wolf howled in her head, raw and panicked.
No. Mate must not leave.
Mikaela pressed her palm to her chest, grounding herself. “Where is he now?”
“Council hall,” Eirik said. “You won’t make it in time.”
She turned to go anyway—
“Mika,” Eirik said sharply. “If you run in there, you make it worse.”
She froze.
“They’ll call it defiance,” he continued. “And Kael won’t hesitate.”
Slowly, she turned back to him, eyes shining with fury and heartbreak. “Then remember this,” she said softly. “When this blows up, don’t pretend you didn’t see it coming.”
She walked away before he could respond.
Mikaela didn’t return to the cabin.
She went straight to the training yard.
Eirik was there, running drills with two warriors, movements sharp and aggressive like he was working something out of his system. Mikaela didn’t hesitate—she crossed the packed dirt and grabbed his forearm mid-swing.
“Enough,” she snapped.
The warriors froze.
Eirik turned, surprise flashing across his face before it hardened into something guarded. “Clear the yard,” he ordered.
They left quickly.
Eirik looked down at her hand still gripping his arm. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I shouldn’t be blind,” Mikaela shot back. “Tell me what’s happening.”
His jaw clenched. “Mika—”
“Don’t,” she warned. “Don’t lie to me. Not today.”
Her wolf surged forward, hackles raised, power pressing against her skin. Eirik felt it—his eyes darkening with realization.
“You felt it,” she said quietly. “Didn’t you?”
Eirik exhaled sharply. “Yes.”
“Then tell me why my mate walked away from me at dawn without a word.”
The word mate settled heavily between them.
Eirik looked away. “Kael is here.”
Mikaela’s stomach dropped. “Rhys’s father.”
“He’s Alpha of Red Moon,” Eirik corrected. “And he’s not pleased.”
Mikaela stepped closer. “And Ronan?”
Eirik’s silence was answer enough.
“They’re planning to separate us,” she whispered.
“Yes,” Eirik said. “Formally.”
Her breath hitched. “You’re my brother.”
“I’m Ronan’s beta,” he said quietly. “And today those roles are at war.”
Mikaela searched his face. “Help me.”
Eirik’s throat worked. “If I help you openly, I lose my position. If I help you quietly…” He trailed off.
“I don’t need you to fight them,” Mikaela said. “I need you to tell me the truth.”
Eirik nodded once. “They’re issuing him a command. He’ll be ordered to return to Red Moon immediately.”
“Without seeing me?” she demanded.
Eirik’s voice dropped. “That’s the point.”
Her wolf howled in her head, raw and panicked.
No. Mate must not leave.
Mikaela pressed her palm to her chest, grounding herself. “Where is he now?”
“Council hall,” Eirik said. “You won’t make it in time.”
She turned to go anyway—
“Mika,” Eirik said sharply. “If you run in there, you make it worse.”
She froze.
“They’ll call it defiance,” he continued. “And Kael won’t hesitate.”
Slowly, she turned back to him, eyes shining with fury and heartbreak. “Then remember this,” she said softly. “When this blows up, don’t pretend you didn’t see it coming.”
She walked away before he could respond.
⸻
The Council Hall
Rhys stood alone in the center of the chamber.
Stone walls echoed every breath. Ronan leaned against the far table, arms crossed, expression carefully neutral. Kael stood near the head of the room, hands clasped behind his back—Alpha dominance held tightly in check.
“This is a formal command,” Kael said.
Rhys didn’t speak.
“You are to return to Red Moon territory immediately,” Kael continued. “You will not seek contact with Mikaela of Crescent Moon until further notice.”
The bond flared violently.
Rhys’s fists clenched. “You can’t command instinct.”
“I can command you,” Kael replied. “You are Alpha-in-training. You are bound by oath.”
Ronan finally spoke. “This is temporary.”
Rhys’s gaze snapped to him. “You don’t get to decide that.”
Ronan’s jaw tightened. “If you stay, it becomes war.”
Silence fell.
Kael stepped forward, voice low and deadly. “You leave before nightfall.”
Rhys lifted his head. “And if I refuse?”
Kael’s eyes hardened. “Then I strip you of succession and declare Crescent Moon in violation of treaty.”
The threat hung heavy.
Rhys exhaled slowly, every instinct screaming defiance.
“I won’t see her,” Rhys said quietly. “Not because you ordered me. But because if I do… I won’t leave.”
Kael nodded once. “Wise.”
Rhys turned away, shoulders rigid, the bond screaming in protest.
As he crossed the threshold of the hall, he paused—hand tightening at his side.
Mikaela.
Somewhere beyond stone and politics, she felt it too.
- Writer
