Chapter 21
900words
But now, I had a more pressing problem.
The "incident."
Kael's wolf had lost control on the night of the full moon. And I, being too close to him, got caught in the storm.
Alcohol, moonlight, and that damned Alpha pheromone.
We tumbled together in a haze, and at the peak of passion, we even completed the first stage of the mating bond.
Afterward, I had intended to pretend nothing happened.
We were both adults, after all, and a werewolf's instincts are notoriously hard to control during a full moon.
But Kael, like a puppy who had just been used and abandoned, was now sitting up, shirtless, pointing to the fresh bite mark on his neck and looking at me with wounded eyes.
"Serena," he pouted. "You marked me. You have to take responsibility."
Seeing this normally stoic and powerful Alpha acting like a spoiled brat, my heart softened, and I nodded my head as if possessed.
Looking back, I had definitely been swayed by that handsome face of his.
I held up my arms, covered in red marks, and slapped my own cheeks in frustration.
"What's wrong?"
Kael, behind me, seemed to sense my movement. He stretched out a long arm and pulled me back into his searing embrace.
His chin rested in the crook of my neck, his voice raspy and sated from the morning's activities.
"Hush now, sleep a little longer."
His large hand roamed restlessly over my waist, sending a jolt of electricity through me.
For the next few days, I was practically useless.
No matter where I wanted to go, Kael always found an excuse to carry me.
"The floor is cold."
"The stairs are steep."
"You were exhausted last night."
It was during these intimate days that I discovered a side of Kael no one else knew.
The day before yesterday, I gave in to my craving for cold and had a few too many glasses of iced berry wine. My period came early, and I was left writhing in pain.
For the entire day, Kael handled no affairs for the Silver Creek pack. He just held me in his arms like a personal furnace, channeling a gentle Alpha energy into me and rubbing my stomach.
Even when he had to respond to an urgent mind-link from an elder, his hands never stopped their soothing motion.
I woke up in a daze to see the concerned frown on his face, and felt a pang of guilt.
"Kael, I'm much better now. You should go take care of your work, the pack..."
Kael chuckled softly, leaned down to kiss my forehead, his eyes so gentle I could drown in them.
"It's fine. If those old men can't function without me, they should just retire early."
"Besides," he added, his voice dropping to a low murmur, "you are my top priority now."
It wasn't until I had fully recovered that Kael took me on our long-planned camping trip.
It was the most beautiful spot in the North to view the aurora.
We sat in a luxurious tent on a mountaintop, sipping elven-brewed mead and watching the brilliant lights dance across the night sky.
The alcohol went to my head, and I let myself go, pointing at the stars and slurring nonsense.
"Kael, I want that one! The brightest one!"
Kael laughed indulgently, held me tighter, and whispered in my ear.
"Alright. Get some sleep. I'll take you star-plucking tomorrow."
When I woke up the next day, I found myself in a comfortable RV. Kael was outside, talking on the phone in a low, mysterious tone.
Seeing me awake, he hung up, walked over, and kissed the back of my hand.
"You're awake? Come on, let's go get your star."
I looked at him, completely bewildered. "What star?"
I'd completely forgotten my drunken rambling from the night before.
Kael didn't explain. He just drove me to the home of a legendary witch who lived as a hermit deep in the forest.
This witch was the most renowned jeweler in the werewolf world.
When we sat down and the witch opened several exquisite velvet boxes, I was nearly blinded by the light.
Each set of jewelry was themed around the stars, inlaid with rare, magically imbued gemstones.
They shimmered with a dreamlike luster in the natural light, as if the Milky Way itself had been plucked from the sky.
"Choose one."
Kael watched me with a knowing smile. "This is what you were crying for last night."
I blushed, embarrassed.
Finally, my eyes landed on a set of sapphire jewelry.
It was a necklace that flowed like a river of stars. Each sapphire was like a miniature planet, and the main stone in the center was as deep and profound as the eye of the universe.
"This one."
Kael raised an eyebrow, picked up the necklace, and personally fastened it around my neck.
The cool gems rested against my skin, and his warm fingertips brushed the nape of my neck, sending a shiver through me.
He looked at my reflection in the mirror, his eyes filled with awe. His voice was deep and solemn as he spoke.
"Stunning. This necklace is fit for a truly noble Luna."
