Chapter 16
1049words
If I remembered correctly, he had turned down my invitation to the ball. His parents and several pack elders had made a special trip to see him for the festival.
He was supposed to be at the Silver Creek estate, enjoying a family dinner.
Besides, although he never said it, I knew that Kael was the rightful heir of Silver Creek.
Kael seemed to see through my thoughts and smiled as he handed me the food container.
"They were mainly here to scout a new hunting ground and check up on me. After dinner, the old folks went back to the pack. They said it was too quiet here for them."
Realization dawned on me, and I quickly stepped aside to let him in.
Kael stepped into the gallery, his gaze landing on the lonely, half-eaten mooncake on my table.
"This is all you're eating?"
He frowned slightly, his tone disapproving.
I nodded awkwardly. Just as I was about to say I wasn't hungry, my stomach betrayed me with a loud "grumble."
The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet gallery.
My face instantly turned beet red.
Kael sighed in resignation and hung his coat on the rack.
"Good thing I came," he murmured. "Letting a she-wolf go hungry on a festival night? The Moon Goddess herself would punish me for that."
He walked into the small kitchen with a practiced ease, opening the not-so-full refrigerator. He turned back to ask me, "Is a simple seafood fried rice okay? I saw you had some leftover shrimp."
Leaning against the kitchen doorframe like a hungry pup waiting to be fed, I nodded vigorously.
Soon, a fragrant plate of seafood fried rice, accompanied by several delicate side dishes, sat on my small round table.
Kael untied his apron and was about to clean the kitchen when I reached out and tugged on the corner of his shirt.
"Kael," I said, my voice soft. "Will you eat with me?"
He paused for a moment, then a warm smile spread across his eyes. "It would be my honor."
It was the most comforting meal I'd had in years.
Perhaps it was the festive atmosphere, or Kael's gentle gaze, or maybe the warm saké had done its job.
For the first time, I truly opened my heart to him.
I told him about the confusion I felt when I first arrived in this town, the fear of having nowhere to go even after escaping my own personal hell.
"At first, I thought I would be alone for the rest of my life," I admitted. "After all, a she-wolf like me... covered in scars and secrets... isn't welcome anywhere."
By the end, my voice was choked with emotion.
"Kael," I confessed, "if I hadn't met you, I don't think I would have made it."
Kael listened quietly, never interrupting. He simply took my hand in his.
His palm was broad and warm, and a steady stream of power flowed from his touch, soothing the restless wolf within me.
That night, I got drunk.
In a hazy daze, I fell asleep leaning on his shoulder.
For once, I didn't dream of Aiden. I dreamt only of a warm cedar forest.
In a state between sleep and wakefulness, I felt someone lift me up and gently place me on the bed.
Before the room went dark, a hand gently wiped a tear from the corner of my eye.
Just as the hand was about to pull away, I instinctively grabbed it.
"Don't go..."
I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.
In the darkness, his tall figure froze.
After a long moment, I heard him whisper in my ear, "I won't go," he whispered back. "Serena, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
The next morning.
Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, casting a line across the bed. I rubbed my eyes and found myself held tightly in someone's arms.
Kael was right beside me, sleeping soundly.
This was the first time I had observed him so closely. His eyelashes were long, his nose straight, and even in sleep, his brow held a reassuring strength.
I couldn't help but reach out, my fingertips gently tracing the contours of his face.
The next second, those deep brown eyes opened.
He just looked at me, his gaze clear and gentle, with none of the usual grogginess of someone just waking up.
He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his voice raspy from sleep. "Good morning, Serena."
I looked at him, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Good morning."
After that night, our relationship subtly changed.
Though neither of us had crossed that final line, the air between us was always thick with an unspoken intimacy.
A few days later, Kael told me at breakfast that he had to leave for a few days.
"You're going back to the pack lands?"
I was a little surprised. He usually disliked getting involved in pack politics, preferring his quiet, reclusive life in this small town.
Kael pushed a glass of warm milk toward me and smiled.
"Mhm," he confirmed. "The Black Moon pack's new Alpha is holding a Luna ceremony, and Silver Creek was invited. Our packs have some trade relations, so as Alpha, I have to make an appearance."
Hearing that familiar name, my hand, holding the glass, tightened abruptly.
Black Moon.
The place that had buried the first half of my life.
Kael seemed to sense my stiffness. He covered my hand with his, his thumb gently caressing the back of it.
"Don't worry. I'm just going to observe the ceremony."
He paused, a sharp, cold glint flashing in his deep brown eyes, a meaningful curve playing on his lips.
"And," he added, a dangerous glint in his eyes, "to make sure you get the justice you're owed."
I was taken aback.
"Actually..." I wanted to say that I didn't care anymore, that Aiden had already gotten his comeuppance.
But Kael cut me off.
He looked into my eyes, so earnestly that I couldn't look away.
"Serena, you are my chosen mate. I won't let your wolf suffer another ounce of pain."
"Even for past wrongs, I will help you collect the debt you are owed, with interest."
