Chapter 58 Soft morning
~ Kael’s POV p~
Waking up, I felt like a brand new person stepping into a brand new day. There was a deep sense of renewal in my chest, a quiet fullness that made my body feel light and my mind unusually clear.
I felt rested, satisfied, and strangely at peace, until reality slowly filtered back in and reminded me where I was.
I woke up in a room I had personally designated as a prison for the past few days, a room meant to restrain and isolate, and I had spent the night in it with the very prisoner it was meant to contain.
I turned my head slightly and looked at her, and before I could stop myself, a smile settled naturally on my lips. She was still fast asleep, her breathing soft and even, completely unaware of the eyes watching her with unrestrained affection.
There was something almost unreal about how peaceful she looked, how beautiful she was in her rest. Her face was relaxed, free of fear or worry, and the sight of it held me captive. I found myself unable to look away, as if blinking might break whatever fragile spell surrounded that moment.
No, she was not a prisoner to me. She used to be but not anymore. She was my mate. And this room was no prison. It could not be, not when I felt this comfortable, this grounded, inside it with her.
I had no idea how to handle the situation I now found myself in. There was no path forward that did not come with complications. There was no way I could announce to the others that she was my mate, no matter how loudly every instinct inside me demanded it.
That was the very reason I had fought the overwhelming urge to mark her the night before, even with Rudy pushing relentlessly at the back of my mind. Marking her would have been final. It would have announced to the world, without room for denial or debate, that she belonged to me and I to her.
At the same time, the thought of anyone referring to her as a prisoner ever again made something dark twist inside my chest.
While I was still lost in those thoughts, she stirred beside me. She stretched slightly, her body shifting against the sheets, before her eyes slowly opened, long lashes fluttering as she adjusted to wakefulness.
She froze almost immediately when she became aware that she was not alone in the bed. The stillness lasted only a second before she lifted her gaze to my face. The moment she realized my eyes were already fixed on her, I clearly heard her heart skip a beat, and her face flushed so quickly that it turned a deep shade of red.
She looked away instantly, clearly flustered, but that small, shy movement was enough to make my body react without permission.
She had passed out the night before after the second round, her body overwhelmed and exhausted, even though I had been far from satisfied. Knowing it had been her first time, I had forced myself to stop and let her rest. Now, with her warm and awake beside me, the only thought occupying my mind was the desire to continue from where we had left off.
“Good morning,” I greeted her, my voice carrying an unmistakable note of amusement as I took in her obvious struggle with embarrassment.
“Good morning,” she replied softly, her voice low, her eyes still refusing to meet mine.
She tried to subtly shift her body away from me, inching back as though distance might offer her some relief, but I caught her by the waist and pulled her gently closer before she could succeed.
“Where are you going?” I asked, leaning down to press a light kiss to her forehead.
“It's morning,” she mumbled. “I need to get out of bed.”
“I’m still here,” I said calmly. “You don't need to go anywhere.”
She hesitated before speaking again. “Dont you have somewhere you need to be?”
“Are you chasing me away?” I laughed softly, and she shook her head immediately.
“I am just asking,” she said.
“I do have somewhere I need to be,” I admitted, “but it is not as important as spending my morning with my beautiful mate.” I lifted my hand and brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face. “You didn't tell me you finally met your wolf.”
That caught her attention instantly. She looked up at me, and I could see excitement swirling unmistakably in her eyes, bright and alive.
“How did you know?” she asked.
I chuckled at the expression on her face. She looked like a young pup who had just discovered her wolf for the first time and was still trying to understand how everything worked.
“I know because I can feel her presence,” I answered.
She lowered her eyes again, suddenly shy. “Its not that I didn't want to tell you. I just didn't get the opportunity to say it last night.”
“Its okay,” I said gently. “Tell me about her. What is she like?”
She lifted her gaze to me again, a small, genuine smile forming on her lips. “She is nice. She is not very chatty, but she is always there when I need someone to talk to. I like her a lot. Her name is Lunaris.”
I listened carefully as she spoke, finding it difficult to ignore the soft melody in her voice.
“Lunaris?” I repeated, tilting my head slightly.
She nodded.
“Are you sure?” I asked, certain she must have misunderstood something.
“Yes, I am sure,” she said, frowning slightly. “Why are you asking like that?”
“There is only one wolf in history with that name,” I explained slowly. “She was a very powerful silver wolf, and she never made another appearance after that.”
She twisted her lips thoughtfully. “Two people can have the same name. Is it different for wolves?”
I shook my head. "It's not different. It's just that the name Lunaris is rare, so it brought back memories.”