Page 47 of Fated
Darius approached, nodding at Caleb with a firm smile, offering apologies for the intrusion and asking to speak to Kai alone
Kai shot Caleb a grateful look, though frustration gnawed at him. He’d been so close to understanding, to finding a path forward that didn’t require destroying everything he held dear. Now, bracing for another contentious discussion with his father, he felt more lost than ever.
Caleb’s words about facing the future together echoed in Kai’s mind as he trailed his father to the lobby. Though laughter and conversation spilled from the banquet hall, it felt distant, muted by the charged silence stretching between him and Darius.
They came to a stop by the tall windows. Moonlight carved sharp angles across the alpha’s face as he turned, but his expression softened in a way Kai hadn’t witnessed in years.
“Kai,” Darius’s tone lacked its usual edge. “I want you to know how proud I am of you.”
Kai’s spine stiffened as his muscles locked in place, mouth opening but producing no sound. His father’s approval—that perpetually dangling prize always yanked away at the last moment—now lay before him like an unexpected gift. His pulse thundered in his ears, mind struggling to process praise after years of criticism.
“Watching you at this summit…” Darius continued. “You’ve stepped into your alpha power in ways beyond my dreams. Your command during the Denali negotiations, your presence in every session—seeing you embrace your legacy brings me more joy than you can imagine.”
Kai’s throat constricted. The warmth and pride radiating from his father felt alien. Darius’s aura reached out with comfort rather than the suffocating dominance Kai had come to expect, allowing him to breathe freely for perhaps the first time in years.
“I know I’ve been hard on you,” Darius admitted, rare vulnerability threading through his tone. “Especially this past year. But I see your potential, Kai. You’reso closeto becoming the leader Bloodstone needs. And this is the most important lesson: being alpha means putting the pack first.Always. Even when it hurts. Even when it fights against everything you want.”
Kai’s breath caught as his father’s words settled. He knew where this led.
“Dad…” His voice cracked. “What you said means everything. All I’ve wanted was to make you proud. I know I haven’t made it easy, but this tension between us... It’s been crushing.”
Darius nodded, features softening further. “I know, son. I hate that it’s been this way. I only wanted to guide you—protect youand the pack—not break your will. I’ve seen how this summit has changed you. I believe you’re ready to make the right choices now.”
“He’s right.”Orion’s conviction pulsed through their bond like a second heartbeat.“Time to move forward. Lena is our path.”
Darius exhaled. “I know sending you to Moonshadow without letting you return home first was underhanded. I feared you’d panic, act rashly. I hated forcing my will on you, but I had to. These past days proved I chose right.” A wistful smile crossed his face. “Your future luna… She’s remarkable. You feel it too, don’t you? How she steadies you? How she sparks something in you?”
Kai couldn’t deny how Lena had woven herself into his soul with terrifying ease, but his mind clung to Ava. To the seven years of whispered promises and shared dreams that he’d carved into his identity.
Darius’s next words fractured his composure.
“I heard what you said about ‘personal obligations.’ I think I know what, or rather who, you meant. You’ll still leave with Lena tomorrow, but...I asked Ava to come with Elias to deliver your car.”
Kai’s vision tunneled, blood draining from his face, lungs incapable of drawing air. “What?” The word escaped on a strangled breath. “She’s here? Now?”
“Waiting in the parking lot with Elias,” Darius confirmed gravely. “Talk to her, Kai. Tell her the truth. Do the honorable thing before three hearts break and two packs suffer.”
Panic clawed at Kai’s chest, each breath becoming shallow and insufficient. His legs turned leaden, stomach twisting into knots. He wasn’t ready. How could he face Ava now with his world crumbling?
Darius gripped his shoulder, the touch meant to be assuring. “You’re a good male, son. You’ll be a good alpha. I know you’ll choose right. It won’t be easy, but clarity is kindness.And if you’re not up to returning to the reception tonight, I’ll understand.”
He turned back toward the hall, leaving Kai alone in the quiet lobby.
Kai stood frozen, thoughts churning. His legs faltered as he moved toward the exit, each step heavier than the last. When he pushed through the doors, his stomach dropped at the scene before him.
Elias leaned against the Range Rover, expression stormy and posture rigid. Beside him, Ava paced frantically, gesturing wildly as she spoke in hushed tones. Her usual composure had vanished, replaced by raw, untamed energy Kai had never witnessed.
“She’s unraveling.”Orion’s observation came with a retreat, the wolf curling into a tight ball of discomfort deep in Kai’s core. “Because of us.”
Kai drew a steadying breath before stepping forward. “Hey,” he called, voice strained.
Ava’s head snapped toward him, eyes wide and glassy. For one charged moment, they stared at each other. Then she raced toward him. She leaped into his arms, legs wrapping his waist as she sobbed into his neck.
“Kai,” she choked out. “Oh, Goddess, Kai…”
Her body trembled, tears soaking his shirt. Even Orion fell silent, protests dying in the wake of her anguish.
Kai wrapped tentative arms around her, stroking her back. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’ll be okay.”
