Page 95 of Fated
“Kai,” Lena tried once more, tone firmer this time. “You’re scaring me!”
The words broke through the haze. His foot eased off the gas and the car slowed, though the tension in his body didn’t lessen. He still didn’t look at her, but his white-knuckled grip on the wheel loosened—just barely.
“Thank you,” she murmured, voice shaky. She turned to the window, focusing on the blurring landscape rather than Kai’s rigid profile.
As the miles stretched between them and Moonshadow, Lena’s thoughts raced, Kai’s silence cutting deeper than any words could. With each passing minute, the territory that had sheltered their growing intimacy receded behind them.
Will he let me in when we reach Bloodstone? Or will Ava’s pull be stronger than anything we’ve built?
Her fingers twisted anxiously until a gentle pressure built at the base of her skull. Elara stepped forward with a steadying presence that flowed down her spine like cool water.
“We will be here for mate,”Elara whispered.“Whatever way he will let us. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Where Lena’s thoughts spiraled in chaos, Elara’s instincts cut through with primal clarity. She unclenched and placed her palms flat against her thighs, drawing strength from her wolf’s certainty.
She prayed silently to Selene—not for Kai, but for herself. For strength to withstand his distance. For patience to wait. For wisdom to understand what he needed.
Even if it wasn’t her.
The car hit a bump. Lena glanced at Kai again—something raw and hollow flickered across his face, breaking her heart. She longed to reach for him, to wrap her pinky with his, but the wall between them felt insurmountable.
The road stretched endlessly before them, trees casting long shadows in the morning light. Their silence grew heavier with every mile, pressing against the windows and leeching the air from the confined space. Closing her eyes, Lena clasped her hands in her lap and sent one final prayer into the void between them.
Please, Goddess. Help me be enough.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CALEB
Vital sign monitors hummed softly, punctuated by distant beeps and the squeak of a nurse’s shoes in the hallway—the sterile rhythm a stark contrast to yesterday’s chaos. Antiseptic couldn’t quite mask the metallic tang of blood that still lingered in the corridors and suites of the Bloodstone hospital.
Caleb had refused to leave Asher’s side, even after Garreth’s arrival, even after the doctors assured him his beta would recover. The stiff-backed plastic chair creaked as he shifted his weight, watching Asher sleep soundly beneath thin hospital sheets. His gaze shifted to Garreth snoring quietly in the recliner, head tipped back, exhaustion etching deep lines into hisface even in sleep. Despite the calm in the room, Caleb’s mind was far from quiet.
Fenrir stirred in the back of his consciousness, his presence a tangible warmth spreading across Caleb’s shoulders like a protective cloak. Asher’s scent—pine and earth after rain—briefly overpowered the antiseptic hospital smell as a low hum of comfort threaded through Caleb’s thoughts.
“He’s strong,”Fenrir assured.“He’ll recover. So will we.”
The rogue attack on Bloodstone opened wounds Caleb thought he’d buried, but Fenrir had been a steadying force throughout the night, anchoring him even as memories of Crescent Fang’s own devastations tried to resurface.
“Good morning, Alpha.”
Caleb turned at the sound of the doctor’s voice. The older male stepped into the room, expression kind and focused. He moved to Asher’s bedside, checking the bandage that stretched across his beta’s side.
“The wound is healing well,” the doctor said after a moment. “It’s a good sign that the silver has worked its way out of his system. I’ll send a nurse in shortly to remove the stitches and redress the wound. He should be ready to leave in a few hours.”
Caleb exhaled with relief, worry lifting from his shoulders. “Thank you.”
The doctor gave them a reassuring nod before stepping out.
Caleb glanced at Garreth, still slumped in the recliner. Rising from his chair, he moved across the room and placed a hand on the former beta’s shoulder. “Garreth.” He nudged him awake. “He’s doing well. The doctor says we’ll be able to head home soon.”
Garreth’s eyes drifted opened. He sat up with a groan, rubbing his neck as the words sank in. Relief softened his features as he studied Asher, searching face for confirmation.
“Thank Selene,” Garreth said softly. He moved to his son’s bedside, his hand resting on Asher’s shoulder. Garreth didn’t say much else, but the way his hand lingered on his son’s shoulder, thumb brushing against the edge of the bandage, spoke volumes.
Asher roused at the sound of their voices, eyes opening slowly. Still groggy, he managed a faint smile as he met his father’s gaze. “I’m okay, Dad. You can stop worrying.”
Garreth huffed. “You say that now. We’ll see how you feel when I’ve got you chopping firewood again.” The faint quirk of his mouth betrayed his firm tone.
