My Fated Mate Can Have Her Chapter 22: His Departure

Violet

"I leave within the hour," he answered, his voice asured and controlled. I could suddenly feel his eyes on .

The mate bond pulled at my chest so suddenly that I stiffened. I hated the way he made feel knowing he and Tow shared the sa mindset.

Tow faced him, confused and then she glanced between both of us, a slow understanding dawning on her face.

"Of course," she said, already moving toward the door. "I’ll give you privacy—"

My eyes widened in alarm.

’Don’t leave with him!’

"No." Kael’s tone was firm. "Stay. This won’t take long."

Tow settled against the wall, her expression carefully neutral, but I caught the confusion in her eyes. She was just as surprised by this as I was.

I slowly looked at him as he took a few steps towards . I forced myself not to back away. Not to show how much his presence affected . Or the way my syzygy stirred in response to him.

"I won’t be around for the following month," he addressed directly. His voice was formal, distant. But a sharp contrast to his eyes. He could have just relayed this ssage to through Tow. "Possibly longer."

The information brought so relief... and added frustration.

"I understand," I kept my voice steady as I answered, montarily diverting my attention to Tow.

"While I’m gone, you’ll continue training with Tow until I return."

I looked back at him. Was he going to take over when he ca back?

As if reading my mind, he confird it. "Yes, I will take over from where she left off." Then his voice dropped slightly. "I have made arrangents to ensure your safety during my absence."

My pulse quickened.

His eyes held mine, and there was sothing dark in them now. Sothing absolute. "No one will touch you. I have made sure of that."

His words sent a chill down my spine. A strange pleasant sensation rushed through .

What had he done to make him so sure?

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed a look of shock take over Tow’s face. I could see how much she wanted to speak, but she remained quiet.

"Oh, alright..." I whispered, genuinely lost and surprised.

I didn’t know what else to say, but I felt strange. Maybe he told personally to show just how serious he was about it?

Without another word, he turned away from and headed towards the exit.

"Kael." Tow faced him just as he was leaving.

"Have her take a look around the capital. Only within the inner district," he told Tow and I stood there, stunned.

His words seed to shock Tow too, and just as he left, she turned towards , apologetically.

"Please hold on a mont," she said before racing after him.

Leaving the door open.

Without giving it a second thought, I moved close to the entrance, straining my ears to listen, and hoping they wouldn’t notice.

But Tow’s voice was faint, very faint as the distance increased.

"Kael, what are you doing? This is going to draw more attention to her..."

As much as I hated Tow’s prejudiced views. She was right.

’But isn’t that fine since no one would harm you?’

Still, what exactly had he done to make sure I would not be mistreated in his absence?

[ - ]

Tow still had not returned, and I had grown tired of waiting.

Even though it had been a while since I sensed Kael leave the premises. I walked out into the hallway. It was silent, and unlike minutes ago, there were fewer people on the floor below.

I walked around, trying to take in the layout of the place. It was completely different from the Alpha lodge back in Shadowpine. The houses there were mostly made of wood, but here, they were rely components of the stone structure. Going down another hallway led to discover tapestries lining so walls, a few of them depicting battles and strange ceremonies I didn’t recognize.

There were nurous locked doors, and the ones that were open were nearly empty halls. So windows revealed other parts of the building, and at so point, I began to question just how large the building was.

I pulled away from the window and walked back into the hallway. Three paths stretched in different directions and my head began to ache. I had taken so many turns that I wasn’t entirely sure which way I’d co from.

My heart sank.

I was lost.

I retraced my steps... or tried to. But nearly every corridor and hallway looked the sa. The arched doorways, the tapestries, the windows. Had I passed this one already? Or was it different?

I stopped when I turned a corner. There was soone nearby, on this sa floor. Their footsteps were deliberate, and sounded as if they were looking for sothing.

’Wait, since when did my hearing beco so sharp?’

Or was it when I tried to listen in to what Tow was saying to Kael.

This was strange.

Tow did not walk like this. Neither did Kael. I couldn’t sense any of them either, not even Ila, so who was this?

I contemplated going to et them, they could help find my way back to the hall. But then, how would I even describe it to them, there were other halls here. But what if it was soone like Maren? Or worse, soone like her?

The presence grew closer and I quickly walked towards them. I nearly collided into the figure that turned the corner.

We both jerked back.

The woman looked to be around my age. She wore simple clothes, a fitted dark top and an equally loose dark skirt. Her hair was a faint brown colour I did not even realise existed, and it was tied back in a long braid. She stood still, her dark eyes running over as if she was looking at sothing strange.

"I’m lost," I blurted out.

She jumped, her eyes snapping up to et mine as if she had just co out of a trance.

"Oh! I am so sorry. You must be Violet?" her words ca out rushed as she clutched her hand into a fist and against her chest.

She looked a bit crazy at the mont if I was being honest.

"I... yes. Please, who are you?"

She smiled innocently. "I’m Lyra. Madam Tow sent to show you around the inner district of the capital."