Chapter 23

The pack was the same as she remembered. Nothing much had changed. Not even the people. They were still wary of her, but they had accepted Layla with open arms since she was one of them.

She had mingled with them easily, fitting in right with the crowd. Her witty comments and sarcastic nature soon made her popular among the pack wolves. They were eager to learn so many new things about her and the city life. They had several questions about the humans, and she answered every question patiently.

These two weeks were eventful. Kiara hadn’t rested that much. The healer was busy tending to the injured wolves, and they needed all the help they could get. Kian and Rommik were recovering well.

That evening, Lucille and the elders have called for a brief ceremony to celebrate Rommik’s succession as their next pack leader. He had earned the right not just by his birthright but also by going against Konrad.

Kiara learned that Rommik had always been against Konrad’s way of ruling the pack and had spoken against him when he sent the hunters to kill his own daughter. He had insisted on bringing them alive instead. There were several fights between him and Konrad during the period they were gone, and the pack was divided into two.

They were rebelling against Konrad’s rule, and Rommik was soon going to challenge the alpha to death. But they had shown up before the fight.

The celebration was simple with Lucille performing some rituals to honor the Moon Goddess and their ancestors. Then Rommik renewed the oath in front of the Moon Goddess

As his first act of kindness, he decided to forgive Konrad with a warning that he would be killed if he dared to harm anyone else ever again. He was also banned from leaving the pack lands. With his strength gone, he was just like any other wolf in the pack now.

He was driven out of his home and was given a hut outside the village. He would be constantly watched, and he would be assigned duties as any other wolf in the pack.

That evening when the celebrations began, Kiara wanted to leave, but Kian just grabbed her hand and made her sit beside him on the tree stump. Layla was in the middle of the celebration, dancing with one of the werewolves, throwing her head back and laughing at something he said.

At least she was having a good time. She watched as someone invited Layla for dinner over to the wooden table by the side. Layla said something to send the wolf away and continued to dance. Kiara could only scoff. It shouldn’t hurt much, but it did. No one had ever invited her for anything like that before. They would never share their food with her.

However, as the evening progressed, an older wolf approached her with a bowl of stew, handing it to her with a warm smile. Kiara felt an invisible weight lift off her chest. It wasn’t long before more wolves veered toward her and Kian, handing them different dishes with smiles.

She discreetly wiped her tears off, feeling overwhelmed with everything. For the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged.

“Oh, food. Can I have some?” Layla asked, taking a seat across from her.

Kiara smiled and offered her plate to Layla. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good, though this is all new to me.” Layla pointed around her, munching on her food.

“Did you get a chance to talk to your parents? Any updates from the council?” Kian asked.

“Yes. I went to town yesterday. We don’t get a good signal here.” She bit into her meat, chewing it hungrily. “The Council wants my parents to travel around the country and spread the word. They need to meet the other Lune Hunters. But dad said they would need your help to reach out to the other wolf packs.”

That made Kiara think about new possibilities. There was so much left to do. The wolf packs wouldn’t have to live in fear of the Lune Hunters anymore. She finally felt like she had a true purpose.

“Do you think it’d be better to invite them over?” Kiara asked Kian. “I think this is something that should be discussed in the presence of both parties. I’m sure the elders might have more questions.”

Kian nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll talk to Rommik about that later.”

The evening progressed pleasantly. Kiara declined the few invites to dance and stuck to Kian’s side. It was an hour later when Kian tugged at her hand.

“The gathering isn’t over yet,” Kiara said as Kian urged her to leave.

“It’s not like anyone would care,” he said with a breath-taking smile, dragging her away. “There’s something I need to show you.”

After that, she followed him without another word of argument.

The trip to his home took fifteen minutes. She remembered Kian building this home as a teenager. He took help from the other pack members, but he had spent years collecting wood and everything else that was required to build the wooden cabin. He told her that it was a gift to his mate.

The cabin was spacious with a small living room, a bedroom, a nursery, a kitchen, and a backyard where he grew herbs and vegetables.

“Come.” He led her inside the home. “Stay here.”

He headed inside his bedroom while she stayed in the middle of the living room, wondering why he had brought her here suddenly. She glanced around, shifting from one foot to the other as she waited. She couldn’t help but wonder how different the city life was from the pack life. The only light in the room came from the small lamp that was on the table. It flickered, illuminating her surroundings with a yellowish-orange glow.

She was lost in her thoughts when Kian came back, holding something behind his back. Kiara frowned.

Kian forced a smile and squared his shoulders before producing the package. “This is for you.”

“For me?” Her frown deepened, but she took the package, wrapped in a thin cotton cloth, and untied it. A gasp left her mouth upon realizing what it was. Her eyes widened. “T-This is for me?”

He nodded firmly.

She knew exactly what it was. It was a winter coat made of fox fur Kian hunted over the years. Kiara had witnessed the coat taking shape over the years with his careful handy work. She watched him sew it with care while she talked his ears off.

A tear slid down her eyes. It was meant for his mate.

“Will you be my mate, Kiara?” he asked, looking expectant. “I have been thinking for the past few weeks, and I realize you mean a lot to me. I’ll be the happiest wolf in the world if you can accept this humble gift.”

“B-But…I’m a human.”

“Doesn’t matter to me.” He smiled. “Human or wolf, you’ll always be Kiara to me. My Kiara.”

A sob erupted from her chest as she lunged forward to wrap her hands around his middle. His arms immediately circled her, enveloping her in the familiar warmth she had grown accustomed to. His scent blanketed her. Though she wouldn’t be able to smell him like a wolf would, she knew how he smelled to an extent.

I want this for the rest of my life.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I’d love to.”

She felt him smile against her forehead before he pressed a kiss on top of her head. Kiara closed her eyes with a smile of her own. This felt so much better.