Page 70 of Fated
and signed her name with a heart before slipping it under his door, pulse racing like a teenager with her first crush.
The day had felt like it took forever to pass. Now Kai would be here in thirty minutes, and she couldn’t decide what to wear.
Behind her, Ryker sprawled across her bed with theatrical drama, one arm flung over his eyes. “This is so unfair,” he groaned. “Ishould be invited to warrior bonfires. I’m practically one of them.”
“You’re a few weeks from being one of their bosses,” Lena reminded him, pulling out another option and holding it up in front of the mirror. “Unless you want to start extending invitations to our dads whenever you have kickbacks, you’re going to have to suffer through your FOMO.”
“But why doyouget to go? And withhim? He’s not even a pack member!”
Jace snorted from his spot in her reading chair. “Poor Ryker, having to deal with the reality of rank and not being the center of attention.”
“Suck it, Jace.” Ryker threw a pillow at him. “At least you get to hang out with the elites tomorrow while I’m stuck at some boring council meeting.”
Jace threw the pillow back. “I’m not ‘hanging out’ with them. I’m observing patrols and assessing who might be a good fit for Cian’s detail. You know,training. Just like you are for the jobs we’re about to take on.”
Lena stepped out of the closet, adjusting the buffalo-print flannel she’d left unbuttoned over her longline, tan, lace bralette and black leggings. She tugged on her fur-lined ankle boots and turned to face her friends.
“Enough about that.” She did a little spin. “How do I look?”
Ryker’s jaw dropped, his playful complaints forgotten. “Holy shit, Thing 1! You look absolutely biteable.”
She giggled, heat creeping up her neck. “That good?”
“Damn.” Jace adjusted himself. “Bloodstone should take a number and get in line.”
Lena rolled her eyes. “We’ll see about that.” She moved to her vanity, fingers trembling as she started working her hair into a messy top knot, pulling tendrils out to frame her face.
“How have things been going?” Jace’s voice turned more serious. “With him, I mean.”
Lena met his eyes in the mirror. “Good. Really good.” She picked out a tube of lipstick—the umber shade she’d worn the night of the summit opening reception. “Being with Kai, especially here, it’s as easy as breathing.”
“That’s awesome. How it should be.” Ryker perked up. “And Kai seems to be settling in well here too. Full sentences, lessbroody, smiles—sometimes even with teeth—it’s like watching someone come alive.”
“Yeah. He’s been showing up to warrior training every day. Has gotten in good with the elites,” Jace added.
Lena quirked a brow, lipstick pausing before it touched her mouth. “How does he measure up?” She’d always wanted a strong mate, someone she could fight alongside.
“He’s brilliant actually. He’ll definitely be a fighting alpha.” Jace paused with a smirk. “Though he did lose his first sparring match yesterday.”
Lena gaped. “Really? Who?”
“Holden. Kai was too busy staring at you across the courtyard with fucking hearts in his eyes when you were walking with Nerina,” Jace snickered. “It was all the opening Holden needed.”
She couldn’t help the smile that formed on her face as she dabbed lipstick across her mouth.
“That’s actually adorable,” Ryker said. “So...do you think tonight’s the night? Mating and marking?”
Lena’s hand stilled. “Goddess, no. We’re definitely not ready for marks. It’s still new, and there’s so much uncertainty. I need to know this isn’t temporary. ThatI’mthe one he wants—forever—before I could even think about bearing his mark or giving him mine.” She set down the lipstick and turned to face them. “But the tension between us is...” She fanned herself dramatically, then stood up, unable to sit still. “Palpable. Ireallylike him. Like, even if he wasn’t my fated, I think I’d still be completely smitten.”
She paced, words tumbling out faster as her excitement built. “Having dinner with him has become thebestpart of my day. I learn something new about him each time—how his mind works, what makes him laugh, the way his whole face changes when he talks about something he’s passionate about.” She paused, pressing a hand to her chest. “And helistensto me. Reallylistens. Not like he’s waiting for his turn to talk, but like every word I say matters to him.
“He asks about my day, what I think about pack politics. And when I tell him about the frustrating parts—dealing with vendors or the pressure of being a female first-born—he doesn’t try to fix it or dismiss it. He just...gets it.” She spun to face them, eyes bright, body vibrating. “I find myselfcravingthat closeness, that connection.”
“We need to meet his wolf,”Elara interjected, voice eager.“Ask him to run with us.”
The thought sparked something wild in Lena’s chest. She’d never seen Kai’s wolf, had only felt Orion’s presence when they were close.What does he look like? Are those emerald eyes even more striking in wolf form?The idea of running alongside him, of experiencing that primal connection, sent a thrill through her.
Ryker grinned. “Now look who has fucking hearts in their eyes.”
