Page 39 of Lycan Prince's Secret Baby

I sipped my tea, wondering what I was meant to do about that. Undoubtedly, I had lingering feelings for him, too. I thought of how every time he leaned down near me to touch Lina during treatments, his scent, his warmth, his handsomeness pressed in on me, all making me feel too much. But I couldn’t forgive Kyle for his past actions.

I can’t.

Roman broke my reverie, and it was as if he were voicing what I felt. “I can’t keep up this act much longer,” he warned me. “Besides, much more naked pool and changing time, and our happy couple status is definitely going to be blown.”

I snorted, enjoying the release of laughter that came from Roman, too.

But as he breathed out a sigh, he was serious again. “You need to tell him to lay off me.”

I felt the air between us shift. Roman’s request hung heavily in the air. His frustration battled with the unguarded tenderness in his gaze, and I knew this wasn’t fair to him. Our sanctuary suddenly felt too small and confining. With Kyle here, it was only in this room that we could be our true selves with one another.

The thought of facing Kyle, of acknowledging the animosity that he felt toward Roman, meant exhuming the past—our past. A fresh wave of anxiety crashed through my chest.

I looked down, my fingers tracing the rim of my teacup, willing the tumult within me to settle.

But deep down, I knew it was time. “I will,” I declared, my voice steady yet laced with apprehension. It was more than just a promise to Roman; it was a commitment to myself, a crucial step toward reclaiming the life I had fought so hard to rebuild in Kyle’s wake.

My heart raced as determination coursed through me. I would make it clear to Kyle that we were over and that the remnants of our past had no place in my future. It was time to solidifythe boundaries I had hesitated to draw and to protect my heart. I wouldn’t allow him to reopen the wounds that had only just begun to heal. This was my moment to reclaim not just my relationship with Roman but with myself.

Chapter 21

Kyle

I couldn’t bear the intimacy between Leah and Roman. My stomach spasmed every time I saw them together. As I strode down the hallway of the safehouse, vivid images of them invaded my mind, relentlessly replaying the scene from the greenhouse yesterday: Roman’s big beefy hands gripping her waist, Leah tilting her head back, kissing him. The beautiful flush creeping over her cheeks pierced my heart far deeper than his touch ever could. It made my blood boil with fury and paralyzed me with a suffocating mixture of envy and despair. She responded to him. She was attracted to the Blood Moon Alpha. The thought vibrated through me, twisting and burning until I could hardly breathe.

My footsteps grew heavier as I turned down the hallway to the kitchen. The familiar entrance to the subterranean cavern where the Blood Moons trained—the only place that offered me respite within these walls. By Igaluk, I needed that ring today. I needed the rush of adrenaline that came from the fight, the only balm against this agony in my chest.

As I rounded the corner, the woman at the forefront of my thoughts stood there, lingering outside the kitchen. Her hair wasswept back in a messy bun today, and she wore the pastel blue sweater and jeans I’d seen her in regularly.

Shona, another shifter, passed by, greeting us both casually, “Hey, Leah. Hey, Kyle.”

My heart leaped in absurd joy at the sound of our names woven together.

Leah’s expression, however, was as tense as it always was around me. “Kyle, I need to talk to you.”

Dread jolted through me at the sudden thought that something might be wrong. “Is Lina alright?” I blurted. Why else would Leah seek me out when she could hardly stand the sight of me?

“Lina’s fine,” Leah replied, her eyes warm and open suddenly. Her expression made my heart soar. But she looked down the corridor, where Kade was approaching.

“Can we talk in the kitchen?” she asked.

I nodded, following her into the kitchen. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs hanging from the rafters—fennel, rosemary, and kiva. My thoughts went back to standing in my office with Leah, the spicy aroma of the kiva conjuring the memory of her carrying a steaming cup of tea. I remembered how quickly the names of the herbs had rolled off her tongue, her herbal knowledge as skillful as Lyvia’s magical arts.

Goddess, I wished for that again. I longed to unravel time, to rewrite what had been, and to stand with Leah in the warmth of that shared moment, side by side in the glow of possibility. I thought of how I’d seen kiva growing in the Shadow Moon lands while I’d been to meet with Alexis. I wanted to tell Leah abouthow spicy its aroma was in the lush wilds. I longed for the casual intimacy of the past that I’d taken for granted, which I’d do anything to restore now.

Leah’s voice sliced into my reflections. “You need to stop challenging Roman.”

I feigned innocence. “I don’t know what you mean.” But I was well aware that as the Blood Moon Alpha, Roman’s wolf was forcing him to challenge me left, right, and center. As a newcomer to the pack, that instinct would have been strong. But with Leah and I being fated mates, the need to put me in my place must be overwhelming.

“Just stop it, Kyle,” she said, anger washing over her features. “Roman’s a good man and a good leader. He doesn’t need this continual baiting that you’re doing.”

My nostrils flared, annoyed that the Blood Moon Alpha had gotten Leah to fight his battles for him. “If he can’t hack fighting me, he doesn’t need to accept my challenges,” I griped.

“Kyle, just stop,” she said, her stormy eyes locking with mine.

At least she’s looking at me.

The air charged with heat as we held each other’s gaze. How had I forgotten just how stormy her eyes could be? My heart pounded in response as I felt like a man at sea, mesmerized by the power of the oncoming squall. Defiance sparked in her gaze, and the tension between us flared, bringing forth an intoxicating mix of longing and frustration. The sparks that before had always had an inflammatory effect on my barely restrained desire threatened to incinerate me now.

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