Chapter 65 Chapter 65
Tiana
“I got this for you.”
I looked up from the book I’d been forcing myself to read, my breath catching at the sight of Zane standing in the doorway of my chambers.
He held a small wooden box in his hands, his expression blank as always.
“For me?” The words came out surprised.
He crossed the room with that predatory grace that never failed to make my pulse quicken, stopping a few feet away.
“Yes.” He extended the box.
“Thank you,” I muttered, reaching out. “But why would you?”
“You cooked at camp,” he replied. “The meal I thought Rowan had prepared.”
Heat flooded my cheeks at the memory.
“I made a promise,” he continued. “I keep my promises.”
My hands trembled slightly as I received the box. The wood was smooth and dark, carved with intricate patterns that caught the afternoon light.
We had been back from camp for three days now.
And now he was here, giving me a gift.
I lifted the lid of the box, and my breath stopped entirely.
Nestled in dark velvet was a bracelet unlike anything I’d ever seen. Delicate silver links formed a chain, but woven through them were small stones that seemed to glow with their own inner light.
“Moon opals,” I stuttered. “Oh gosh, I heard they are rare.”
“The old legends say they enhance intuition. Also, protect against dark magic.” Zane added. “I don’t know if I believe in legends. But they’re traditionally given to new Lunas.”
“I have heard of it,” I shook my head. “That it also strengthens the mate bonds.”
Zane did not respond to it, only standing there blankly.
I took out the bracelet from the box and, while struggling to put it on, Zane took my wrist in his hand.
My wolf stirred immediately, responding to the mate bond with an intensity that made me dizzy.
His fingers were warm and surprisingly gentle as he fastened the bracelet around my wrist. The moon opals settled against my skin cool at first, then warmed up to match my body temperature.
I looked down at the bracelet, then up at him, and found him already watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.
“Thank you,” I whispered, because what else could I say? How could I express that I was a teeny bit overwhelmed receiving a gift from him?
“The meal was excellent. And it came at a time that was crucial to the team and me.” Zane paused, and after a while, he muttered. “Thank you.”
Pride bloomed in my chest.
“I should go,” he said abruptly. “I have meetings with the council.”
“Of course.” I clutched my wrist.
He turned to leave and then he was gone, the door closing softly behind him.
I stood there for a long moment, staring at the bracelet on my wrist.
My fingers traced over the smooth stones, and I felt some inexplicably dangerous emotion unfurling in my chest.
The next day, I was heading to the library when I heard the voices.
“—Can you believe it? The Alpha’s nephew Kaius, is getting married!”
I slowed my steps, recognizing the speaker as one of the younger servants who worked in the main hall.
“The elders announced it this morning,” another voice confirmed. “His betrothed arrives soon. I heard she’s some Alpha’s daughter from one of the territories.”
My feet stopped moving entirely.
Married? Kaius was getting married?
“From what I have gathered, she is beautiful,” the first servant continued. “And well-connected. It’s a good match politically.”
“Poor thing, though. Marrying into this family.” Then laughter followed. “First the Alpha bonds with a servant, now his nephew gets saddled with an arranged union.”
“At least his bride comes from a proper lineage. Not like—”
“Shh! Someone might hear.”
I pressed myself against the wall, my heart hammering for reasons I didn’t fully understand.
Maybe the comparison between me and this betrothed, or that Kaius was getting mated.
But we had been together at camp, and he had never mentioned a betrothal. Had he known then?
My chest tightened. I could tell that the confusion sitting in my chest wasn’t jealousy.
It felt like betrayal somehow. Like he had kept something this significant from me, especially when I had only asked him a few days ago.
The voices faded as they moved down the corridor, leaving me alone with my spiraling thoughts and there, I knew I needed to talk to Kaius.
I found him in the training yard, working through sword forms with an intensity that was unusual.
“Kaius.”
He turned at my voice, surprise flashing across his face before settling into something else.
“Tiana. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I heard you are getting mated.” I blurted out.
His jaw tightened, and he drove his sword into the practice dummy with more force than necessary. “News travels fast, I guess.”
“Is it true?”
He pulled the blade free and turned to face me fully. “Yes. The elders finalized the arrangement this morning.”
The confirmation shouldn’t have hit as hard as it did. But hearing it from him directly made it real in a way the gossip had not.
“You didn’t mention anything at camp,” I said quietly. “I asked you.”
“Because I didn’t know. I only just found out too.”
“Arranged marriage,” I voiced out, recalling that it was the one thing he had said he did not want.
“Yes.” He set the sword aside and ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. “The other pack wants stronger ties with Fangstain. I’m apparently the perfect bargaining chip.”
There was bitterness in his voice that I recognized all too well.
“I’m sorry,” I said, and meant it. “That’s not fair.”
He laughed without humor. “Fair? Nothing about pack politics is fair.”
“I am just pained because I believe this is purely orchestrated by someone.”
“Who?” My nose was scrunched up as I stared at him but before my question could land, I corrected myself.
“Zane!”
Kaius shook his head softly. “He probably did not suggest it. But before the elders can decide anything like this, they need the Alpha’s approval. He gave it.”
He was right! How could I forget for a second when Zane had mentioned it to me?
“I am going to meet him.” I turned, ready to storm out.
“Hold on.” Kaius blurted out immediately, holding me back. “What are you going to do?”
“Let him know he can’t impose his decisions on others.” I hissed.
“I don’t think you want to do that.”
I was too angry to think and I broke loose from Kaius, moving straight to the one place I expected Zane to be, the central hall.
As soon as I sighted him, “Alpha,” I called, before I could talk myself out of it. “I would like to speak with you.”