Chapter 188

Chapter 188
Lynette's POV

I pressed my back against the bathroom door. My hands were still shaking.

Not from fear. Not from the attack in the hallway.

From what Kael had said.

"You having secrets just means you don't trust me yet. That's my failure."

I could hear him moving around in the room. The soft thud of his shoes coming off. The rustle of fabric as he shrugged out of his jacket.

Normal sounds. Domestic sounds.

They shouldn't make my chest feel this tight.

I turned on the faucet. Let the water run cold. Splashed my face once, twice, three times.

Get it together.

I was Lynette. Former Alpha of the Northern Territories. I'd led armies. Negotiated treaties. Survived assassination attempts that made tonight's encounter look like a playground scuffle.

I didn't fall apart because a man was kind to me.

Except.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Water dripped from my chin. My eyes looked too bright. Too vulnerable.

"When I'm with you, I don't have to be the heir. The Alpha. I can just be Kael."

Damn him.

Damn him for being patient when I needed him to push. For being understanding when I needed him to demand answers. For looking at me like I was worth waiting for.

I grabbed a towel. Dried my face with more force than necessary.

This was just stress. Just the adrenaline crash from the attack. Just—

Who was I kidding?

I turned on the shower. Maybe hot water would help. Maybe if I stood under the spray long enough, I could wash away this feeling in my chest. This warmth that had nothing to do with attraction and everything to do with something more dangerous.

Trust.

The water pounded against my shoulders. I closed my eyes.

In the north, I'd learned to trust no one. To keep everyone at arm's length. To be the lone wolf at the top of the mountain because that was the only way to survive.

But Kael made me want something different.

He made me want to be someone who could have a partner. An equal. Someone who—

No.

I shut off the water. Grabbed another towel.

I couldn't afford to want things. Wanting things made you weak. Made you vulnerable.

Made you care about something more than survival.

And caring got you killed.

I dried off quickly. Wrapped the towel around myself.

Then froze.

My clothes. I'd forgotten to bring clean clothes into the bathroom.

I stared at the door. At my reflection in the steamed-up mirror.

Twenty years in the north. Countless battles. Strategic planning that had kept an entire territory safe.

And I couldn't remember to grab a shirt.

This was pathetic.

I cracked the door open. Just a sliver. Enough to peek out.

And came face to face with Kael.

He'd been walking toward the bathroom. Probably to check on me. Now he stood there, frozen, his hand halfway raised to knock.

His eyes met mine.

Heat flooded my face. I jerked back. "I... forgot my clothes."

Smooth. Real smooth.

There was a pause. Then his voice, rougher than usual. "I'll get them."

"You don't have to—"

"It's fine."

I heard him move away. Heard the sound of my bag being unzipped.

Then silence.

A long silence.

I pressed my ear to the door crack. "Kael?"

"Yeah." His voice sounded strained. "Just... finding your pajamas."

More rustling. Then footsteps approaching.

"I'll leave them by the door," he said.

I waited until I heard him walk away. Counted to ten. Then opened the door.

My pajamas were folded neatly on the floor. The shirt on top. The pants underneath.

And beneath those, carefully tucked out of sight, my underwear.

My face burned hotter.

He'd seen them. Had to have. They'd been right on top when I'd packed this morning. White lace that Elara had insisted I bring because "you never know."

I grabbed everything. Slammed the door shut.

Then stood there, holding the clothes, trying to get my heartbeat under control.

He'd folded them. Had taken the time to fold them neatly. Had put my underwear on the bottom so I wouldn't be embarrassed.

That small gesture of consideration hit me harder than any of his earlier words.

I got dressed quickly. The pajamas were soft. Comfortable. Nothing special.

But my hands were shaking as I buttoned the shirt.

When I finally opened the door, the room was dim. Just one lamp on by the window.

Kael sat on the couch. His back was to me. He was staring out at the dark ocean, his shoulders tense.

I walked to the bed. Sat on the edge. Neither of us spoke.

The silence should have been awkward. Should have been heavy.

Instead it felt like waiting. Like something was building between us and neither of us knew how to name it.

"Kael—"

He glanced at his phone. Tapped the screen a few times. His frown deepened.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He held up the phone. The signal bars showed nothing. "We're completely cut off."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean completely blocked." He stood. Walked to his bag and pulled out a small device. "Even satellite communication is down."

I was on my feet in an instant. All thoughts of embarrassment and feelings shoved aside. "That's not normal."

"No." He tried the device again. Nothing. "Belser's cutting us off from the outside world."

My mind raced through possibilities. None of them good.

"Do you have a backup plan?" I asked.

Kael met my eyes. "Drake and I have a protocol. I check in every five hours. If I miss two check-ins in a row, he sends people."

"When's your next check-in?"

"Was supposed to be twenty minutes ago."

I did the math. "So if you miss the one five hours from now—"

"Drake will mobilize by tomorrow afternoon." Kael's jaw tightened. "But that's still hours away. And a lot can happen in hours."

I walked to the window. Looked out at the dark water. Somewhere on this ship, Rezar was planning something. Belser was preparing for something.

And we were trapped in the middle of it.

"We need to be ready," I said quietly.

"For what?"

"For whatever comes next."

I felt Kael move closer. Not touching. Just... there. His presence solid behind me.

"Lynette."

I didn't turn around. "Yeah?"

"Earlier. When I said you matter to me." He paused. "I meant it. Whatever happens tomorrow, I need you to know that."

My throat tightened. I wanted to turn around. Wanted to close the distance between us. Wanted to stop running from this feeling in my chest.

But I couldn't.

Not yet.

"I know," I said instead.

Another pause. Then Kael moved away. Back to the couch.

"Get some sleep," he said. "I'll keep watch."

"Kael—"

"I'm not asking." His voice was firm. Final. "You fought tonight. You need rest more than I do."

I should have argued. Should have insisted we take turns.

But I was tired. Bone tired. And the bed looked soft.

And maybe, just maybe, I wanted to trust him to keep watch while I slept.

"Wake me in four hours," I said. "Then we switch."

"Deal."

I climbed into bed. Pulled the covers up. The sheets smelled clean. Neutral.

Safe.

I closed my eyes.

"Lynette?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For trusting me this much."

I didn't answer. Couldn't answer.

Because he was wrong.

This wasn't trust.

This was something far more dangerous.

This was hope.