Chapter 118 MIND GAME

Chapter 118 MIND GAME
Kael stood still for a moment after Mira left, his eyes still on Adam, that same pleading look sitting heavy in them.

“Please… sit,” he said softly.

Adam hesitated for a second, then walked back to the couch and sat down. His body still felt weak, but he didn’t show it. He leaned back slightly, watching Kael.

Kael moved closer but didn’t sit immediately. He stood in front of Adam for a moment like he was trying to find the right words, then slowly went down on his knees again.

Adam let out a small breath. “There you go again.”

Kael didn’t respond to that. His focus stayed on Adam.

“Please,” he started quietly, “bear with me.”

Adam’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Stay,” Kael continued, his voice low and careful, “at least until you give birth to our pup… before going to Star Moon.”

Adam looked at him, his expression tightening just a little.

“Going to look for my background doesn’t mean abandoning you,” he said. “It just means finding me.”

Kael nodded quickly. “I know. I know that.”

He reached for Adam’s hand again, holding it gently.

“But we have to focus on your health,” he added. “You’re carrying. It’s risky for you to go to Star Moon.”

Adam exhaled slowly. “I’m not heavily pregnant yet. It’s still early.”

“That doesn’t make it safe,” Kael replied immediately.

There was a small pause.

Kael looked down for a second, then looked back up.

“I didn’t want to burden you with this,” he said, “but you’re mated to the Alpha leader of this pack… and we need to officiate our bond.”

Adam blinked. “What does that mean?”

Kael swallowed lightly.

“We need to get officially married.”

Silence.

“It’s… a bad image,” Kael continued, “for an Alpha to be with someone this long without getting married. And I don’t want my pup to be labeled illegitimate.” His grip on Adam’s hand tightened slightly. “So we have to get married before the pregnancy becomes obvious.”

Adam stared at him for a few seconds.

“I don’t know if I want to get married.”

The words came out quietly, but they landed heavy.

Kael’s breath hitched.

He let out a shaky breath, his shoulders dropping slightly.

“Why?” he asked, his voice softer now. “We’ve already gone so far… we’ll have a child together soon.”

Adam looked away.

“Give me some time to think about it,” he said.

Kael nodded slowly.

“Okay,” he whispered. “Take your time.”

There was a short silence before Kael spoke again, like he was trying to shift the mood.

“My uncle will be visiting,” he said. “From the northern side of our pack.”

Adam looked back at him.

“He’ll come with his wife,” Kael added. “His wife will stay longer… to teach you some things you should have learned from my mother if she was still alive.”

Adam raised a brow slightly. “Teach me? What should I expect?”

Kael’s lips curved faintly.

“Just basics,” he said. “And a glimpse of your duties when you officially become Luna.”

Adam nodded slowly.

“I guess it’d be nice to have your family around,” he said. “The house will be less cold.”

Kael tilted his head slightly.

“So you’re bored of me and feel cold around me?”

Adam rolled his eyes.

“That’s not what I said. Don’t twist my words,” he muttered. “Besides, your body heat won’t even let me feel cold.”

Kael’s eyes lit up a little.

“Really?”

Before Adam could react, Kael shifted closer and rested his head on Adam’s shoulder.

Adam let out a small scoff.

“You call me baby but you’re the one always acting like a baby.”

“That’s because I love you,” Kael replied immediately, his voice soft against Adam’s shoulder. “And I don’t want you to get bored of me.”

Adam huffed lightly. “Such a giant whiny baby.”

Kael smiled faintly. “Please stay with this giant whiny baby,” he murmured. “I need to be able to act like a baby… but if you’re not with me, I can’t. I have to be a stern Alpha all the time.”

Adam let out a small laugh. “You’re tired of your job? You want to step down?”

Kael shook his head slightly against him.

“I can’t,” he said. “I have too many lives depending on me. My father did his part… I have to do mine too.”

Adam looked down at him. “Do you hate it?”

Kael shook his head again. “No. I don’t,” he said. “My people love me… and I love them.”

Adam snorted lightly. “I don’t think your council members love you very much.”

Kael let out a quiet breath. “They don’t need to love me,” he said. “They’re a body of politics.”

Adam sighed and shifted, sliding down to lie on the couch.

Kael adjusted immediately, laying down as well, resting his head on Adam’s lap, his legs hanging off the couch.

Neither of them spoke, but the silence wasn’t empty. Adam’s fingers moved slowly through Kael’s hair, soft, absentminded.

Kael closed his eyes, leaning into the touch.

Time passed like that…

Quiet.

Breathing.

Fingers in hair.

After a while, Adam spoke again, his voice soft. “So when is your uncle arriving?”

“In a few days,” Kael replied without opening his eyes.

Silence returned again.

Adam’s hand slowed… then stopped.

His breathing evened out.

He had fallen asleep.

Kael didn’t move. He stayed there, head on Adam’s lap, listening to his breathing like it was the only thing keeping his thoughts from wandering into duties inevitable battle with Star Moon pack.

When Adam woke up, the light had changed. His back felt stiff and uncomfortable. He shifted slightly, wincing.

Kael’s head was still on his lap.

Adam patted his head lightly. “Are you asleep?”

“No,” Kael replied immediately.

Adam let out a small groan.

“Then get up. My back is broken.”

Kael shot up instantly.

“What?” he said, alarmed. “Let me take you to the physician.”

Adam gave him a look.

“Over a little back strain? My back feels broken because I slept on the couch.”

Kael blinked, then relaxed slightly.

“Oh.”

A pause.

“Then I’ll have this couch replaced,” he said seriously. “A bigger and softer one. So we can have more sleep-on-the-couch time.”

Adam shook his head lightly.

“Let’s go for a walk,” he said. “My legs don’t remember they’re meant for walking.”

Kael smiled faintly.

“Okay, love. Let’s go.”

He stood and helped Adam up carefully, his hands steady and gentle.

As they walked toward the door, Kael lifted his hand slightly.

There was a faint shift in the air.

The invisible barrier came down.

They stepped out together, their fingers naturally finding each other.

The evening air was soft, cool, and calm in a soothing way.

Kael took a deep breath as they stepped out of his wing.

“I’d like to go watch the sunset with you,” he said. “But we missed it today. Shall we go tomorrow?”

Adam nodded.

“Sure.”

They walked slowly toward the open field.

The grass stretched wide ahead of them, the sky dimming into evening.

“You know,” Kael said, glancing ahead, “there’s a lake at the end of that field. You want to see it?”

Adam’s eyes followed his gaze.

“Yes,” he said. “Take me.”

A voice cut in:

“How about I show you something more interesting than a lake?”

Both of them froze.

Adam’s heart dropped before he even turned.

Vance stood a short distance away.

A bandage wrapped around his neck, just above his collar. His eyes were calm.

Before either Adam or Kael could speak, Vance smiled faintly.

“I’ve been standing here for hours,” he said. “You finally came out to see me… mate.”

Kael stepped slightly in front of Adam.

“He’s my mate,” Kael said coldly. “Not yours.”

Vance tilted his head slightly.

“Really?” he said softly. “Shall we confirm that?”

Then his eyes shifted to Adam.

And something in his gaze changed, turning sharper and heavier. Then his voice dropped into his commanding Alpha voice.

“Mate,” Vance called out with his Alpha voice.

The word felt different, like it wasn’t just a word.

“Come to me.” He added, sounding even more commanding.

Adam’s body moved before his mind could catch up.

“Alpha…” he whispered.

And he stepped forward… towards Vance.