Chapter 158

It was just past eight when I returned to Kenzo’s room. He lay sprawled across his bed, his deliciously toned body barely concealed by the thin sheets. As soon as I entered, he stirred, his lips curling into a teasing smile as he beckoned me to join him. But the moment he truly looked at me—his gaze sweeping over my expression—his amusement vanished. His eyes darkened as he caught the horror written across my face.

I told him everything. About Hadrian’s disappearance. About Selene declaring herself regent. I tried to stay calm, to deliver the facts without breaking, but my trembling hands betrayed me. I was nowhere near composed. Kenzo didn’t hesitate—he pulled me onto the bed beside him, his arms wrapping securely around me. Gently, he guided my head to his shoulder, and the moment I surrendered to his embrace, he began stroking my hair in slow, soothing motions.

It felt… strange.

This morning, with nothing more than a simple touch, he offered me more warmth and sincerity than I’d felt the entire night I spent in his bed. His lips curved into a soft, reassuring smile, but his eyes held something unfamiliar—something restless, uncertain.

I knew it wasn’t Hadrian’s disappearance that troubled him. He had signed a truce with the vampire king, yes, but his hatred for their kind ran deep, surfacing time and time again. And Hadrian was no exception.

“You’re worried,” I murmured, my head still resting on his shoulder.

His smile faltered, shifting into a grimace. “Yes,” he admitted with a weary sigh. “Commander Kroos informed me about the degenerates… General Larkspur says he’s never seen creatures like the ones they’re fighting. It’s terrifying that the Royal Army is losing ground. And if someone like Hadrian Kessler fell to them…” He exhaled sharply. “That would mean an unimaginable threat for my warriors.”

I understood his fear all too well.

I had seen Hadrian fight. Witnessed his sheer power when he went up against another vampire noble, Vikram. I had watched him obliterate Malcolm, one of the strongest warriors of the Southern Moon Pack, in under a minute. The thought of him losing—of him being defeated by something none of us understood—sent a sickening dread curling in my chest.

Kenzo suddenly straightened, gently pulling me away just enough to examine my face with an unreadable expression.

I arched a brow at him. “What?”

His scrutiny deepened, as if searching for something I couldn’t quite grasp. “Hazel’s room is number two hundred and twenty-eight, first floor. Go see her now. Let her check you before we leave,” he said, his voice laced with an odd seriousness.

I blinked. “There’s nothing wrong with me.” A nervous chuckle escaped me, though I was painfully aware of how shaken I still felt. But physically? I was fine.

“I just want to be sure…” His voice softened, his smile turning warm. “You’re extremely precious to me.”

His gaze flickered briefly to the crook of my neck. Instinctively, my hand rose to the spot, fingers brushing over the skin, but I felt nothing out of the ordinary. Deciding not to overthink it, I nodded and agreed to see Hazel.

As I made my way downstairs, a memory surfaced—one that sent a shiver down my spine.

Kenzo had bitten me.

One of his bites had been sharper than the others, but at the time… well, I had been far too lost in pleasure to focus on anything else. And then there was his wolf bite—the one that had left me feverish.

Was that what he was worried about?

I reached room two hundred and twenty-eight and knocked. Hazel answered, her expression instantly shifting into a knowing grin as she ushered me inside.

“So… how was your night?” she asked, eyes sweeping over me with a mischievous glint.

I narrowed my gaze at her, suspicious. “Did Kenzo send out a newsletter or something?”

She laughed. “You have his scent all over you.”

“Oh.” Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I averted my gaze, feeling entirely too exposed under her scrutiny.

Even without looking at her, I could sense the change in her demeanor. A brief pause, then a quiet sigh.

I turned back to her, catching the slight flicker of disappointment on her face.

“What?” I asked, frowning.

“Nothing,” she said with a shrug, moving toward the table where her medical bag sat. “I’m guessing the Alpha wanted you checked after… your first night?” She tossed me a glance, retrieving a thermometer and stethoscope.

“Yeah,” I admitted. “Though I’m not really sure why…”

Then again, maybe this was a good opportunity. I needed answers—needed someone to explain things I didn’t fully understand.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked hesitantly, offering a small, nervous smile.

“Of course.” She winked, bringing the thermometer toward my forehead.

“Do you have a mate?” I blurted out.

“Yes,” she answered, her eyes gleaming with intrigue.

My lips twitched into an awkward smile as I struggled to find the right words for my next question.

“What was it like for you… when your mate—”

“When he marked me as his?” she finished for me, a sly grin curving her lips.

I nodded.

Her eyes sparkled even brighter as she let out a soft giggle, reminiscing about the moment. “It was incredibly intimate. We made love under the full moon, and the instant he left his mark on me, I felt this overwhelming surge of happiness—like I could cry from sheer joy.”

As her words settled in, a sinking realization hit me. I suddenly felt like a complete fool. Kenzo’s bite… That was the true seal of the bond. The mating ritual wasn’t complete without it. I had been so focused on the emotional aspect of our connection—our relationship—that I had completely overlooked the supernatural element. That explained why Kenzo kept glancing at my neck.

In my defense, I never thought I would need to know the specifics of the ritual. It was one of those topics I’d never been comfortable discussing with Oberon, and frankly, neither had he. The one time I attempted to bring up anything about boys or relationships, he had gone stiff before bursting into uncontrollable, hysterical laughter.

I had never seen him more flustered than in that moment. And when he finally told me about the mate bond, he had described it as something deeply personal, profoundly intimate. That was why I had foolishly assumed it was just about making love. The embarrassment washing over me now was akin to an Amish girl accidentally discovering the purpose of condoms.

I rubbed the crook of my neck, a nervous chuckle slipping past my lips. “Are there any… particular circumstances where the ritual wouldn’t work?”

She hesitated for a moment before locking eyes with me. “Not usually…” she trailed off, her expression unreadable. “But I’m not sure it would work with you.”

I blinked, tilting my head slightly as if she had just spoken in an ancient, forgotten language.

She snorted, then pulled down the neckline of her shirt to reveal a faint, crescent-shaped mark on her skin, tinged with a soft pink hue. “The mark is like a wedding ring—except you can’t take it off once you have it. That’s how it works for wolves. But for you… it might be different.”

“Different how? And why?” I pressed, unease creeping into my voice.

She exhaled, eyeing me thoughtfully. “You heal too fast. Faster than any of us. So even if Alpha marked you, there’s a chance the bite wouldn’t stay.” She shrugged, but something about the way she said it felt… off. As if there was more she wasn’t telling me.

“And the other reason?” I asked, my heartbeat quickening.

She hesitated again before laughing awkwardly. “The other reason would be that you’re not…”

I stiffened. “I’m not… what? His mate?” The words tasted like acid on my tongue, my pulse hammering against my ribs.

“Forget it,” she waved a dismissive hand, forcing a smile. “Sometimes I just ramble nonsense. If Alpha feels the bond, then you’re his mate. His future Luna. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

But I wasn’t convinced. She had dodged the question too quickly, brushed it off too easily. When I tried to press further, she shut me down and redirected her focus entirely, moving on to examine me instead. After a thorough fifteen-minute check-up, she concluded that nothing was wrong with me—at least, nothing that couldn’t be fixed with rest.

I thanked her and left, maintaining a carefully composed mask, forcing an air of indifference. But the moment I closed the door behind me, that facade shattered.

A tidal wave of anxiety crashed into me, suffocating and relentless.

What if Kenzo had lied?

What if I wasn’t his destined mate after all?