Chapter 23 You are wrong.
KANE
I blinked and my vision slowly cleared as the beast receded, leaving me kneeling on the forest floor, raw and exhausted. The ache in my muscles was as much from the shift but not with much impact.
My hands were bloodied, clawed fingers retracting back to human skin, and for a moment, I just sat there, catching my breath. The rage within me had quieted, but one image was clear and stubborn as daylight, Catherine.
I couldn't take my mind off her.
She hadn't flinched, not even when I came at her in my beast form. Most people, even Lycans, would’ve run, but she’d held her ground.
And then, unbelievably, she’d wrapped her arms around me, as if to soothe the creature that should have terrified her. Her hands, her touch soft, and her eyes, they looked at me like I was still human.
It was hard to understand. That kind of faith, that level of trust. She’d looked into my worst, into the part of me that I hate, and instead of recoiling, she’d reached out. I felt the sting of shame claw at me, mingling with a strange, gratitude and happiness.
She should have been afraid, should have hated me after what she'd seen, but she hadn’t. I didn’t deserve it, any of it, and yet she was there.
An ache settled deep in my chest, unfamiliar and sharp. I didn’t understand it, but I couldn’t shake it either. It was as if, in her arms, I’d glimpsed something I thought I’d lost forever, a piece of my soul, bruised and battered but still worth something.
I stood rooted to a spot, still thinking about Catherine when Damon’s voice broke through.
“Are you yourself now?” He asked with an eye roll, almost nonchalantly.
I nodded. “Yes, Damon. I’m fine now.”
He looked me over, his gaze scrutinizing. “Wait, it’s unusual.”
My brows furrowed. “What do you mean, unusual?”
“You shifted back faster than usual,” he replied, crossing his arms as if contemplating what that might mean. “It’s not like you to regain control so quickly.”
I hesitated, the words forming before I could stop them.
“Maybe it’s because of Catherine. The beast didn’t resist her. It was as if...” I paused, almost embarrassed to say it aloud. “It was as if it was endeared to her. She’s my mate, Damon.”
Damon didn’t respond right away, and when he finally did, it was with a soft sigh, one filled with something I couldn’t quite place. Was it relief? Or something else? I couldn't tell. He didn’t say a word, just stood there, as if waiting for something else.
“Damon?” I prompted with irritation creeping into my voice. “What is it?”
But he only shook his head.
I glanced at Damon, unable to shake the question that lingered on my mind.
“And Catherine, how is she faring?”
Damon met my gaze. “She’s doing fine,” he replied evenly. “I did the usual, to make her forget.”
A surge of anger rose within me, but I quickly swallowed it back. I knew Damon had only done it to protect me, and likely to protect her too. Catherine still saw the beast as something separate from me, as though I was two different beings. She didn’t know the truth yet, that we were one and the same.
“It’s not easy, Damon,” I admitted. “She doesn’t know it’s me, the beast and me, bound as one. She still sees just a monster.”
Damon’s gaze sharpened. “How long do you think you can keep hiding this from her, Kane?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair, a tired resignation settling in.
“I know I can’t keep it from her forever. I plan to tell her after the mating ceremony. Once she’s truly mine, then I’ll tell her everything.”
Damon raised a brow, clearly unconvinced. “And have you thought about what the consequences might be?”
“I have,” I answered, resolutely. “I’ll respect whatever choice she makes, regardless of the outcome.”
Damon’s expression softened, though his eyes held a hint of sadness.
“That could hurt you, Kane. A lot.”
“What will be, will be,” I murmured, shrugging as if to brush it off. But we both knew that was easier said than done.
Damon sighed, pausing before he spoke again.
“There’s another way I see it. Postpone the mating ceremony.”
“How could you day that? That's obviously not a proper option.”
“Think about it, Kane. Just postpone it, give her some time.”
I shook my head firmly, crossing my own arms in response.
“No, Damon. I’ve waited long enough. Catherine is my mate—whether she knows it or not. I won’t delay this any longer.”
Damon sighed, the frustration evident in his eyes.
“But she still doesn’t know the truth about you, about the beast. You’re asking her to commit to something she doesn’t fully understand. How is that fair to her?”
“Fair?” I echoed, feeling a spark of irritation flare up. “I’ve been patient, Damon. I’ve given her space, tried to keep my distance, and it only makes things harder. The beast, he’s growing restless. If we don’t complete the bond soon, there’s no telling what he might do. Or what I might do.”
Damon looked at me, brows furrowed.
“But you’ve managed it so far. You can control the beast, Kane. Give her time to understand you as a whole and not just the side you let her see.”
My jaw clenched. “And while she’s figuring it out, I should just watch from a distance? I should pretend everything’s fine while I feel myself slipping further away?” I shook my head again. “I can’t risk that, Damon. I need her to be mine, fully.”
“Listen to yourself,” he argued. “You’re talking about this as if it’s only about possession. She deserves honesty too, Kane. She deserves the chance to make a choice.”
I glared back at him. “What do you think I’m trying to do? She’ll have her choice, after the mating ceremony. Once the bond is complete, she’ll understand, she’ll feel it as I do. Then she can decide.”
Damon took a slow, measured breath, his gaze steady.
“And if she chooses to walk away afterward?”
The question hit harder than I cared to admit, but I forced myself to hold his gaze.
“Then that will be her choice. But I have to do this. I’ve made my decision.”
Damon’s expression softened, his shoulders slumping in resignation.
“I only ask you to consider it, Kane. Think about what’s best for her and not just what you want.”
I could feel my resolve solidify as I looked back at him.
“You’re wrong,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but unyielding. “This is what’s best for both of us. She is my mate, and I will not delay this any longer.”