Chapter 87 Chapter 87

Chapter 87 Chapter 87
E L A R A

Kane exhaled sharply, his color returning as the poison's grip loosened. Sera tied off the last stitch, wiping her hands on a rag before straightening. "That should hold," she said, her tone brisk now that the crisis was averted. "I'll have them bring in food and drinks until the healer arrives."

Kane nodded, his eyes heavy-lidded but sharp, dismissing her with that single gesture.

Sera gathered her supplies, the maid trailing behind with the bloodied basin, and they slipped out the door without another word.

The room fell quiet, save for the distant murmur of the pack beyond the walls and the crackle of the fire.

I turned to Kane, my heart still racing from the confrontation, questions piling up like storm clouds. But he just reached for me, his hand rough and warm against my arm, pulling me closer as if the world outside could wait.

The silence stretched between us, thick and charged, until the words slipped out of me unbidden.

"I do not like her." I had meant to whisper it to myself, a private confession to ease the knot in my gut, but it echoed in the quiet room, louder than I intended.

Kane's lips curved into a low chuckle, the sound rumbling from his chest like distant thunder.

He shifted slightly on the bed, careful of his fresh stitches, and met my eyes with that piercing gaze of his. "Sera can be a handful," he admitted, his voice rough but laced with amusement. "But half the time she means well. With Alric's attack breathing down our necks, the last thing we need is internal issues."

His words were practical, a reminder of the bigger threats looming beyond these walls, but they did little to soothe the sting of Sera's familiarity with him.

I bit my lip, watching as he patted his lap with one hand, the gesture casual yet commanding. Come here, it said without words.

I hesitated, my eyes flicking to the bandaged wound on his abdomen, still raw and vulnerable beneath the linen. The last thing I wanted was to press against it, to cause him more pain after what he'd already endured.

Slowly, I moved closer, lowering myself onto his lap with deliberate care. His thighs were solid beneath me, warm even through the fabric of his trousers, and I perched on the edge, keeping my weight light.

Kane's arm slid around my waist, steadying me, his touch possessive but gentle in a way that made my pulse quicken.

He took my hand in his, his callused fingers enveloping mine, thumb tracing slow circles over my knuckles. "You are the Luna," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. "You should always remember that, when I am around, and when I am not."

The title hung in the air, a crown both heavy and empowering, but it couldn't quite bury the jealousy twisting inside me. "Doesn't erase the fact that you have touched her," I said softly, the words escaping before I could cage them.

I searched his face, waiting for denial, for reassurance, but he said nothing, just held my gaze, his expression unreadable. The silence was answer enough, it had happened, in the tangled web of his life before I entered it.

Part of me wanted to rage, to demand details that would only wound me further, but another part recognized the truth, this was long before me, before the vows and the claiming bite that still tingled on my skin.

Should I be upset? The question churned in my mind, unresolved.

Kane's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of something sharp crossing his features. "Is that why you went training with Hunter?" he asked, his voice dropping to a low growl. "To spite me because you were thinking of my past affairs?"

My eyes widened at his accusation, the words hitting like a slap. "No," I blurted out, shaking my head emphatically. The very idea twisted something inside me, the last thing I would ever think of was training to spite him over someone like Sera.

Hunter's lessons had nothing to do with jealousy or revenge, they were born of necessity, of the raw fear that clawed at me every time I thought of Luca's safety in this unforgiving world.

I drew a steadying breath, my fingers tightening around his. "Hunter is only worried," I explained, my voice softening as I searched his face. "At first, I thought he had lost his mind, pushing me like that. But I think he is right. I need to improve my skills. Sitting in here isn't going to save me and Luca"

The words felt heavy on my tongue, a quiet admission of the vulnerability that had driven me to the training grounds, sword in hand, sweat stinging my eyes.

Kane's jaw tightened, his free hand coming up to brush a stray lock of hair from my forehead, the touch unexpectedly tender.

"Regardless," he said, his tone firm but not unkind, "you had just finished your ceremony. Your duty was to be resting and not training. Even if they don't say it, they will assume I put you up to it."

The implication hung between us, the whispers that would follow, the judgments from the pack about their Alpha forcing his new Luna into the fray. I tilted my head, meeting his gaze with a spark of defiance.

"And when did you start to care what they think about you?" I challenged, the question slipping out sharper than I intended.

He didn't flinch, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "When it comes to you," he replied quietly, "yes, I do worry what they think."

I opened my mouth to respond, some retort or reassurance bubbling up, but nothing came out. The sincerity in his voice rooted me in place, and as I held his gaze, I realized he was utterly serious.

This man, who had built his life on ruthless commands and unyielding strength, was admitting a vulnerability for me.

His intention had been to use me as bait alongside Luca to lure Alric out, a cold strategy that still sent chills down my spine when I dwelled on it. And now, here he was, worried about the pack's opinions, about protecting my place among them.

The contradiction swirled in my chest, warming the edges of my lingering doubts.