Page 63 of Fated
Left alone, Kai sank onto the bed. His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, breaths coming slow and uneven in the silence. Ryker’s words hammered at him:“She’s choosing to open her heart to you anyway.”
She’s risking everything.
I’m clinging to ghosts.
The first sob caught him off guard, ripping free with enough force to double him over. He tried to swallow the next one and failed. Everything he’d been suppressing—Lena’s burning bond, his father’s expectations, Ava’s imminent loss—poured out in violent, wracking sobs. His legs gave out as he slid to his knees, pressing his face into the mattress to muffle sounds he couldn’t control. He stood to lose everything, no matter what he chose.
Orion’s presence folded around him, a gravitational force compressing his limbs. Heat bloomed at pressure points—sternum, temples, wrists—his wolf’s energy pulsing against the thin barrier of his skin and matching the erratic stutter of hisheartbeat. Silent comfort radiated through their bond as Kai’s tears soaked into the bedding.
“Let it out,”his wolf murmured.“We’re where we need to be.”
Kai didn’t know how long he kneeled there, letting years of suppressed emotion pour out of him. His sobs eventually quieted to hiccupping breaths, his body trembling with exhaustion. Somehow, he managed to pull himself onto the bed, his limbs heavy and uncoordinated.
The late-afternoon sun cast long shadows across the room, and somewhere in the distance, he could hear the faint sounds of pack life continuing—voices calling, laughter echoing, the steady rhythm of a place that might one day feel like a second home. The sounds grew distant, muffled, as emotional exhaustion dragged him under. Kai’s last conscious thought before darkness claimed him was of golden-brown eyes filled with hope he knew he didn’t deserve, and a future he wasn’t sure he was strong enough to choose.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
LENA
Lena sat quietly, hands folded in her lap. Her father stood behind his desk with a thoughtful expression that softened his typically sharp features. Cian had claimed Kai’s recently vacated seat, posture relaxed as he toyed absently with the armrest. The tension of their meeting lingered, though the atmosphere shifted with Kai’s departure.
“Lena.” Raelen’s warm tone broke the silence. “I’m proud of your presence at the summit.”
Lena blinked, startled by the shift to praise. “Proud?”
“Very.” Raelen moved closer to her chair, the familiar scent of cedar and leather that always clung to him seeming warmer somehow. “Several alphas reached out to me personally tospeak about you. Alpha Renford was particularly impressed. He mentioned how astutely you identified patterns in the rogue attacks, specifically the vulnerabilities of the smaller northern packs. He said your insights were sharp, well-informed, and invaluable.”
Raelen paused, expression growing wistful. “You remind me so much of your mother in moments like this.” His voice dropped to a reverent hush. “She had the same gift for seeing patterns where others only saw chaos, for finding the threads that held everything together. She could walk into a room full of wolves at odds with one another and leave them united. It wasn’t just her instincts—it was her heart.” He reached across, fingers hovering over Lena’s hand before settling there with gentle weight. “I see the same in you, Lena.”
Tears threatened, demanding release. The ache of her mother’s absence—that ever-present hollow—expanded with her father’s words. She swallowed hard, feeling the gentle press of her mother’s gold pendant against her chest. The responsibility of shouldering that mantle felt both precious and heavy.
“Thank you, Dad.” The words barely escaped her lips as her fingers found the pendant.
Raelen perched on the edge of his desk, hands braced against the lip. “She would have been so proud of you, not just for what you’ve accomplished, but for the courage and clarity you will bring to your role. You’re stepping into your own light, Lena, and it’s a brilliant thing to witness.”
Cian grinned from the seat next to her, pride evident in his voice. “Renford and Darius weren’t the only ones impressed, either. A few heirs mentioned how brilliant you were. Some even said they wish they had someone as sharp as you to guide their own packs. You’re making waves, Lena, and not because of Dad. You’re being recognized as a leader in your own right. Atrueluna.”
Warmth spread across Lena’s cheeks. Her shoulders squared while her fingers fidgeted in her lap, caught between pride and the instinct to deflect. “I was just trying to contribute,” she murmured.
“You did more than that,” Raelen said firmly. “You showed them what Moonshadow is made of. More importantly, you demonstrated that you have what it takes to step into a leadership role, whether that’s in Bloodstone, here, or elsewhere.”
Lena’s gaze fell to her hands. A simple nod was all she could offer as the clock on the wall marked three beats of silence.
Cian shifted in his seat, tone growing more serious. “The summit wasn’t just about strategy, though. It was a wake-up call, Dad.” His eyebrows knitted together. “Seven packs have been wiped out by rogues. Their hierarchies gone, lands abandoned. And like Lena pointed out, the northern packs—the smaller ones—are the primary targets. If Lena were to join Kai at Bloodstone, they’ll be right on the border of where most of the attacks are happening. It won’t be long until they’re pulled into this conflict.”
Raelen’s brow furrowed. “And the land disputes? What’s the situation there?”
Cian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “It’s a mess. Packs are scrambling to claim the abandoned lands, but it’s turning into a free-for-all. Ironclaw and Redridge were fighting over the Denali territory. This type of in-fighting amongst the alphas is escalating, and unless something changes, it could turn into an outright war. The last thing we want is to be dealing with territorial battles while we are facing the rogue threat.”
Raelen frowned, expression darkening. “Ironclaw has been especially aggressive, hasn’t it?”
Cian nodded. “They’ve taken over the lands of two smaller packs in the past year, either through negotiation or force. Thorne’s not just opportunistic—he’s strategic. If Ironclaw gets their claws into Denali, they’ll have a significant foothold in the region. It’s something we need to watch closely.” Cian leaned back in his seat. “The good news is that Kai bought us some time on that front. He managed to build consensus around keeping the Denali lands neutral, for now, which was no small feat.”
Raelen tapped his fingers on the desk, mind clearly working through the implications. “And Crescent Fang? I know they attended this year. Did you have a chance to connect with them? What are your insights? Do they have a position in all of this?”
“Crescent Fang was...unexpected.” Cian said, fascination evident. “Most alphas didn’t know what to make of them at first.” He leaned forward. “But Caleb commands respect without demanding it. Not just because of his lineage—though being Caelum’s descendant definitely turned heads.”
Raelen’s brow lifted. “Caelum’s bloodline?”
