Only a fated mate can bear children for them. Those words stuck to Yuki like a curse she could not shake. She tossed and turned in bed for what felt like hours with Aevia’s voice echoing in her head.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not push the thought away. Her small feelings for Kieran no longer mattered. They could never survive, not only because of the curse but also because they were about to beco family once Alexander adopted her.
Sleep refused to co. After lying there restless for far too long, Yuki finally gave up. She slipped out of bed, her bare feet touching the cold floor, and found her slippers. The pack house was silent as she stepped into the empty corridors. Not a single guard or maid was around at this hour.
Her footsteps echoed softly off the walls while she wandered through the quiet halls under the bright moonlight streaming through the windows.
She walked without any real direction until she reached a courtyard that opened into a beautiful garden. Moon lilies covered the ground, their petals glowing with a soft silvery light under the moonlight. The flowers created an almost magical scene that made the whole place feel peaceful and otherworldly. For a mont Yuki stood there lost in the sight, admiring how the lilies shimred.
The light also caught her platinum blonde hair, making her look breathtaking amid the lilies. She continued through the garden, lost in admiring the flowers. She did not realise she had wandered further until the garden path led her straight into the training grounds.
A man stood in the open area under the moonlight, completely shirtless. Sweat glistened across his broad shoulders and back as he punched a thick tree trunk over and over. Each heavy blow landed with a dull thud and the sound of splitting wood. Blood coated his knuckles and dripped onto the grass but he did not stop. The raw power in every strike made the air feel charged.
Yuki froze. At first, she thought it was Kaden because she had never seen Kieran lose control like this. The brothers looked so similar, especially in the dark. But sothing about the way he moved felt familiar. He looked wild with his black hair damp from sweat and his muscles flexing under the moonlight. Normally a violent sight like this would have turned her stomach but sothing was entrancing about him in this mont. He carried a dangerous edge that pulled her in even though she knew she should look away.
She knew she should leave. He seed completely lost in his rage and had not noticed her yet. Instead, Yuki stepped behind a wide pillar and stayed hidden, watching him. Her heart beat faster as she wondered if he was out here because of what happened between them earlier that night.
A voice suddenly cut through the silence. "Kieran."
Yuki’s breath caught. It really was him. Kieran turned his head and his gaze swept across the area. His brows pulled together when he caught a glimpse of blonde hair near the pillar. He started to focus, sharpening his senses to check who was there.
Her heart raced. She pressed herself tighter against the pillar, terrified he would spot her. Before he could investigate further, another voice called out followed by a small cry of pain. Kieran’s attention shifted imdiately.
Eloise had tripped over a plant root and scraped her knee badly. Kieran moved toward her without hesitation. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice concerned. "It is late for you to be in the pack house."
Eloise looked up at him timidly. "Kaden was in a bad mood so I stayed over. I went to your room but you were not there." Her eyes fell on his bloody fist. The wounds had already started healing. "You should not do this to yourself," she said softly.
Kieran sighed, pulling his hands back. "You should not have bothered," he said.
Yuki stayed hidden, listening to every word. She rembered how gentle Kieran could be but the way he spoke to Eloise was even softer. It stung in a way she did not want to admit.
Eloise smiled, her hazel eyes catching the moonlight. "If I do not worry about your brothers, who will? Your parents are going through a difficult ti but you should not punish yourself like this." She tried to stand but the pain made her stumble forward.
Kieran caught her easily. "You should be more careful. Your wolf is not strong enough yet." His tone remained gentle even as he scolded her. He looked at the scrape on her knee, which was not deep. A faint light appeared at his fingertips and the injury vanished completely, leaving her skin smooth again.
Eloise gazed at him for a mont. Sothing shifted in her eyes. She reached up, grabbed his face, and pressed her lips to his. Kieran stiffened at first but he did not pull away. He kissed her back on instinct, his fingers sliding into her hair as he pushed the kiss deeper.
Yuki felt her chest tighten. She knew she should leave but her feet would not move. The sight hurt more than she expected.
It was not the first ti he had kissed Eloise but it still stunned him. Eloise’s kiss was skilled compared to Yuki’s. Her lips moved with ease against his as she deepened the kiss with everything she had. He pushed her against the grass and they slowly beca entangled.
Then an image flashed in his mind which should not exist. Yuki. The kiss they had shared in the car and that heat he could not explain. A surge of irritation filled him and his body reacted on its own.
Kieran suddenly broke the kiss and pushed Eloise away. She stumbled back, her hair ssy and sprawled on the grass, her lips slightly swollen. She looked alluring under the moonlight but sothing was off.
"Kieran?" she called softly, reaching for him again. Kieran had never rejected her before.
He stepped back, avoiding her touch. "I am sorry. My mind is not in the right place right now." Before she could say anything else, he shifted in one fast motion. The large wolf disappeared into the trees in a blur.
Yuki had seen enough. She slipped away quietly, her heart heavy with humiliation. She could not believe she had kissed him earlier knowing he already had soone else. The mory of their kiss in the car played over and over in her head. Now she felt like nothing more than a ho wrecker.
She hurried back toward her room. The glowing moon lilies no longer looked beautiful in her eyes. The night felt colder than before.
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