Page 77 of Fated
Their fist bump was solid, connecting with a satisfying thump that sealed something between them.
Kai’s phone buzzed against the wooden table as he shut down his laptop. A glance showed Magnus calling. He shot off a quick text and turned to Cian, gathering his things. “Sorry. That’s Magnus. I’ll probably be late for lunch.” His chair scraped as he stood, confirming he would meet the heirs at the dining hall when he was done.
He called Magnus back as he closed the door to Raelen’s study, footsteps echoing in the hallway as he made his way toward the stairs.
“Hey, man. Sorry about that. I was wrapping up with Cian and Alpha Raelen.”
“No worries! Everything cool with them now?” Magnus’s voice came through clearly, familiar and reassuring.
Kai released a breath as he climbed, hand trailing along the smooth wooden banister. “I think so. It was a bit frosty that first day, but Lena helped smooth things over. They seem to understand. Or at least are trying to.”
“That’s good. So, what were you meeting about?”
Kai explained what he’d shown the alpha and heir as he made his way up to the third level, voice gaining momentum as he talked about the ideas they’d come up with. Words poured out faster by the second, echoing slightly in the stairwell. By the time he reached his guest suite and pushed open the door, he’d barely taken a breath.
“That sounds awesome!” Magnus said. “I think Elias would love that too. He hasn’t gotten a chance to venture out, and he doesn’t get an annual summit the way we do.”
“One sec. I need to put you on speaker.” Kai turned on the speakerphone setting and tossed the phone onto his bed, where it landed with a soft bounce on the navy comforter. “About that. Do you remember that idea I had a while ago about deltas and a gamma retreat?”
“Yeah.”
Kai rummaged through the dresser for a pair of running shorts and a shirt, the wood drawers sliding smoothly under his hands. “The heirs are all deep in their training since they take over next month. It’s been really hard on Jace, especially because of how wide the gamma’s net is. He also has cross-training to prepare for when Cian and Ryker will be away. I told him about my idea and he got so excited. Said he’s been telling everyone that gammas need more support and deserve a summit of their own.”
“Are you thinking Jace’s endorsement could help sway your dad?”
“Not exactly.” Kai pulled a soft cotton shirt over his head, the fabric settling comfortably against his skin. The mattress sagged as he sat to lace his sneakers. “Raelen was just telling Cian and me that the legacy of our reigns should be our own. Setting up a training exchange for the warriors would be a start, but what if the seven of us worked together to really drive innovation in the pack structure?”
“Seven?”
“Well, the Moonshadow heirs, you, Elias, me, and Lena. Maybe I can check with Cian about adding you guys to the invite for his ceremony. Then you can come down with my dad and we can all talk about what the next year could look like?”
“Lena too?” Magnus’s smile bled through his tone. “Sounds like things are still going well.”
Kai flopped back onto the mattress, sunlight streaming through his windows, warming his face as he stared up at the ceiling. “Ireallylike her, man. Borderline obsessed. She’s funny, and smart, and kind, and so Goddess-damn sexy. I just want to be around her all the time and know everything there is to know about her.”
He ran a hand through his hair, grinning at the empty room. “When we first met, I thought it was the bond pulling me towards Lena, but honestly, I think I would be into her even if she wasn’t my fated. She’s just so fucking magnetic. Did I mention that she’s hot?Goddess!The way her mind works is incredible. And what we saw at the summit? Doesn’t even scratch the surface... The pack’s going to love her. Her legacy is sure to surpass my grandpa’s. Not because she’s going to make us bigger or richer, but just because of how extraordinary she is.”
“Tell him how her laugh makes our heart race,”Orion interjected, voice warm with affection.“How she smells like Thanksgiving.”
Magnus’s laugh crackled through the speaker. “So, you’ll be bringing her home with you?”
“I want to, but I don’t know if she’s ready, and I don’t know if a month will be enough time. I think...” Kai paused, remembering how he’d felt earlier about not wanting to go back to Bloodstone without her. The certainty of it settled in his chest like a stone. “I think I want to stay here, even after Cian’s ceremony, until she’s ready to be mine.”
“Do you think you’ll get there with her?”
“I hope so. Ryker keeps dropping not-so-subtle hints about how it’s a sure thing.” Kai ran a hand over his face, remembering what the future beta had whispered in his ear before the bonfire:“Her vibrator’s been working overtime because of you. Maybe give the poor thing a break?”He was embarrassed about how he’d sat vigil outside of her room the last two nights, desperate to know if what Ryker said was true, to hear his name fall from her lips in that breathy moan that had haunted him since that first night at the summit. “There are times when I’m so confident she feels the same way about me. Our chemistry is electric. And the way she just melts into me. And how easy it is...”
“I sense a‘but’in there,“ Magnus said.
“It also feels really fragile. Like if I try to take the next step and she’s not there with me, it could all fall apart. I don’t know if I could survive that, Magnus. Even with how little of her I’ve had.”
Magnus was quiet for a moment. Kai could hear the distant sounds of Moonshadow life through his open window—voices carrying on the afternoon breeze, the rustle of leaves.
“And what if she’s afraid of the same thing?” Magnus asked.
Kai didn’t have an immediate answer. He understood Lena had learned to keep the most vulnerable pieces of herself tuckedaway—a lesson she’d learned because of the way he’d tried to resist her and their bond. “Then I definitely need to stay. Prove to her that I’m not just here because my dad orchestrated it. That Iwantto be here. Forher.”
“Choose her every day,”Orion rumbled approvingly.“Make sure she knows.”
