LYRA’S POV
It had been a few hours since we’d returned to Bloodmoon, and I hadn’t left the room since.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
My eyes had stopped glowing, but the memory wouldn’t fade—the feeling of Kiara surging forward, the word mate echoing through my mind.
After Cassian rejected me, I thought that was the end.
I thought I’d live the rest of my life without a mate.
I’d accepted it even before the words left his lips.
And now this…
A knock sounded at the door, followed by a maid’s soft, respectful voice.
“Luna?
The pack doctor is here to see you.”
I stood immediately, pulling on a dress and smoothing my hair.
I took a deep breath, steadied my nerves, and headed out.
At the top of the stairs, I saw him.
The doctor stood in the foyer with a bag in hand.
Beside him, Kael sat comfortably on the black leather sofa, his long legs crossed as he twirled a silver lighter between his fingers.
The cap opened and closed with a soft click—a rhythm I was starting to recognize as one of his tells.
The doctor noticed me descending and bowed.
“Luna.”
“Lyra,” I corrected quickly.
“Just call me Lyra, please.”
“Luna.” Kael’s voice cut through the room like a blade.
He didn’t even look up from the lighter.
“That’s what you’ll call her.”
The doctor nodded quickly.
“Of course, Alpha.”
I sighed and walked across the room, settling onto the sofa across from Kael.
I kept my distance, crossing my arms protectively over my chest.
The doctor approached, his movements careful and deliberate.
“Luna, I’d like to examine your eyes first.”
I nodded.
“Go ahead, please.”
He leaned in, pulling a small light from his bag.
He shone it gently into my left eye, then my right, his brow furrowed in concentration.
I held still, barely breathing.
“The inflammation has decreased significantly,” he murmured.
“The chemical burn is healing well, and your vision should continue to improve over the next few days.”
He stepped back.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to check your cuts and burns.”
I extended my arm, the bandaged wrist still tender.
He unwrapped the gauze carefully, examining the red marks beneath.
“The burn on your wrist is healing well,” he said calmly.
“It’ll scar, but there’s no sign of infection.
The cuts on your legs are superficial.
They’ll heal completely with time.”
Then he reached for my face, gently tilting my chin to examine the chemical burn on my skin.
“The redness is fading, and the swelling has gone down.
With proper care, there shouldn’t be any permanent damage.”
I nodded, relief washing over me.
He stepped back and glanced at Kael.
“With your permission, Alpha, I’d like to test how she responds to bright light and see how much the sensitivity has improved.”
Kael’s gaze flicked to me.
Then he nodded at one of the maids standing by the wall.
“Switch on the lights.”
The maid reached for the switch.
I squeezed my eyes shut instinctively, bracing myself for the pain.
But as the light flooded the room, I forced myself to open my eyes… slowly, carefully.
It was bright.
It was uncomfortable.
But the searing, agonizing pain I’d felt before was gone.
I blinked a few times, adjusting to it.
“Excellent,” the doctor said, his voice warm with approval.
“The sensitivity has decreased significantly.
You’ll still experience some discomfort in very bright conditions, but the healing is progressing well.
In another few weeks, your eyes should be back to normal.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
“Thank you.”
He bowed.
“It’s my pleasure, Luna.
I’ll return in a few days to check on your progress.”
He gathered his bag, bowed to Kael, and took his leave.
The door clicked shut behind him.
I stood abruptly, my nerves frayed.
“I’m going to head upstairs.”
“Sit.”
Kael’s voice was quiet, but it carried enough authority to make me freeze mid-step.
I stopped, one hand resting on the armrest.
“Lyra.” He stood and crossed the room toward me.
“Sit down.”
“Fine.” I raised a hand to keep him where he was.
“But you need to stay back.”
He ignored me anyway.
Kael sat down beside me, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice low.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
I looked away.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Lyra.” His hand reached for my hand, but I pulled away before he could touch me.
“You’ve been avoiding me since we left Moonveil.
You won’t look at me.
You won’t let me touch you.
What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Lyra!”
I flinched, my grip tightening around the edge of the couch.
“Listen…” His voice softened.
“You can talk to me.
Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
I stared at my hands, twisting them in my lap.
If I told him, would that change everything?
Our arrangement?
Our deal?
What would happen after that?
But if I didn’t tell him, I’d be lying to him.
And I’d already been lied to enough for one lifetime.
“Kael…” I started.
“Is this about the rejection?” he asked, his eyes hardening.
“Do you regret it?”
“What?” My head snapped up.
“No.”
“Then what is it?
Everything was fine until you woke up earlier.
And each time I get close…” He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Does it bother you?”
My breath caught.
Did he know?
Could he feel it too?
Or was he pretending?
“Lyra.” Kael’s voice was patient but firm.
“I just asked you a question.”
I dropped my gaze, staring at my hands in my lap.
“Can I ask you a question first?”
A beat of silence.
Then I felt it… a finger under my chin, tilting my face upward.
“If you’re going to ask a question,” Kael said, his voice low, “look into my eyes while you do it.”
A jolt went through me at his touch.
Heat spread across my skin where his finger rested beneath my chin.
My pulse quickened, and suddenly I was too aware of every inch of space between us.
I swallowed hard, folding my palms together to steady myself.
“How long have you been ill?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
His expression shifted.
Kael leaned back and crossed his arms.
“Is this about what my grandmother said?”
I went quiet, not denying it.
“It started before my mother passed away,” he said, his voice flat.
“So I’d say…
six or seven years.”
Six or seven years.
The words hung in the air between us.
“Is that why you don’t have a mate?” I asked.
“That’s two questions.” He raised an eyebrow.
“But…”
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
“How about this?
I answer a few of your questions, and you answer mine.
Honestly.
No dodging.”
I didn’t even think about it.
“Deal.”
He stared at me for a long moment.
I held his gaze, refusing to look away.
“As for my mate,” he finally began, “I’ve never found her.
And even if she were close, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t recognize her.”
My eyes widened.
“Why?”
He looked down, his jaw tightening.
“My wolf.
I can barely feel him.
It’s been that way since the sickness started.
It took more from him than it did from me.”
That explained why he looked so healthy.
So he wasn’t pretending.
He just couldn’t feel the bond.
And for some reason I couldn’t explain, that bothered me more than it should have.
I sat up straighter.
“And is there a cure?
There has to be something.” I paused, thinking back to that morning.
“The pills—is that what they’re for?
Do they help?”
Just as quickly as his walls had come down, they slammed back up.
“That’s enough questions for today.”
“Kael…” I said in frustration.
“The child,” he cut in.
“How did you lose it?”
I stiffened immediately.
The memories hit me all at once: the concert, the kiss cam, the crash, the hospital bed, Cassian’s cold voice authorizing the surgery.
How did he know?
Had Cassian told him…?
“Lyra, I’m waiting.”
“It happened the same day I found out about Cassian and my friend,” I said quietly.
“I saw them together and started bleeding.
Then the taxi crashed while I was trying to get back.
By the time I woke up in the hospital, the baby was gone.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
His eyes flickered with something dark.
“Would it piss you off,” he said slowly, “if I told you I invited them to our wedding?”
“Yes,” I said immediately.
“It would piss me off a lot.”
“Oh.” He said it flatly, as if he’d expected that answer.
I stood abruptly.
“You invited them already?
Why the fuck would you…”
“Watch your language,” he cut in.
“What?” I blinked at him.
“I’m twenty-five.
I’m allowed to curse.”
He frowned.
“You want to try it again?”
I took a deep breath and sat back down, forcing myself to stay calm.
“Is this ceremony really necessary?” I asked, keeping my voice controlled.
“We’re already legally married.
And obviously, my family won’t be there, so why…?”
“They’ll be there,” he cut in.
“They already gave us their blessing.”
My eyes widened.
“They did?”
“You should learn to have a little faith in me.” He stood and picked up his phone.
“There’s a reason I’ve remained Alpha all these years, sick or not.”
He tucked the phone into his pocket and looked at me.
“We’re heading to the pack house to meet the pack members.”
“What?”
“Be ready, Lyra.” He turned toward the stairs.
“We leave in two hours.”
He was gone before I could say another word.