Chapter 64 FEVERISH
(Adam's POV)
I'm seriously getting lazier by the day, I woke up already tired.
Not the sore-but-happy kind that came after Kael’s rut or long walks or nights where we talked until my throat hurt. This was different. Heavy. Like my body hadn’t decided whether it wanted to be awake or not and settled on neither.
Kael was already dressed, sitting at the edge of the bed and pulling on his boots.
“You’re awake,” he said softly, turning to me with a smile.
“Unfortunately,” I muttered, rolling onto my back. “Why does morning exist?”
He laughed. “Morning is good.”
“It's not good.” I groaned into the pillow.
“Come on, dear. Get up and get ready. The pack needs this Alpha, and this needs his beautiful mate.”
“I think they’d survive a day without you,” I said.
“I don’t,” he replied easily. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Don’t you want to come with me?”
I stared at the ceiling. “Not really.”
He paused. “Tired of me already?”
“No,” I said quickly. “Tired of everyone else.”
He straightened slowly. “Ah.”
I sat up, hugging a pillow. “I’m tired of following you around like a decorative item. And I’m tired of pretending I don’t hear the jabs.”
“They’re subtle,” he said.
“They’re bad at it,” I replied. “And I’m bad at pretending.”
Kael walked back over and brushed my hair back with his fingers. “You don’t have to follow me today. You can stay in, if you want.”
“And do what?” I asked. “Stare at the walls? Or perhaps, stay at that huge painting of me?”
“I can find you something,” he said. “A hobby.”
I made a face. “You said that the day before yesterday and tried to teach me knitting.”
“Yeah, that didn't work because you were holding the needles wrong.”
“I was holding them aggressively,” I corrected. “I can't knit. Why would you even think of having me do that? Y'all don't play football here?”
He smiled like I’d just said something adorable. “What about archery?”
“I shot the target stand.”
“You hit it eventually.”
“After you moved the target closer,” I said. “By a lot.”
He thought for a moment. “Setting traps.”
I blinked. “Traps? For humans? Or for Star Moon pack?”
He laughed and shook his head, “ohh dear. For small animals,” he said quickly. “It’s quiet. Slow. You might like it.”
I sighed. “Fine. But if I accidentally catch myself, you’ll be the one explaining it to that stern physician.”
He grinned. “Deal.”
We ended up in the forest by midday. The light was soft, filtered through leaves. Kael moved easily, like he's really a master at walking through bushes. I followed, trying not to trip over roots.
“You okay?” he asked for the fifth time.
“I’m great,” I lied. “Just… tender.”
“Tender?” he repeated.
“Like a bruised fruit,” I said. “Still edible. Just sensitive.”
He snorted. “You are not food.”
“Tell that to your wolf,” I muttered.
He stopped walking and turned. “Too far.”
I smiled. “Worth it.”
He showed me how to set the trap slowly, carefully. “Here,” he said, kneeling beside me. “You anchor this end. No, not like that— gentler.”
“I am being gentle.”
“You’re threatening the rope,” he said.
“I don’t trust it,” I replied.
He laughed quietly and guided my hands, his chest warm against my back. His breath brushed my neck and I forgot what I was doing entirely.
“You’re doing that on purpose,” I accused.
“Teaching?” he asked innocently.
“Breathing,” I said.
He chuckled. “Focus.”
“I am focused,” I said, immediately tightening the knot wrong.
He fixed it without comment and kissed the side of my head. “Good enough.”
We didn’t catch anything. Kael said that was normal. I said the forest had conspired against me personally because I'm seriously trying to find a hobby and nothing seems to be working in my favor. I'm tired of following Kael everywhere and having to listen to everyone not so subtly throw jabs at me…
On the way back, he picked fruit while I sat on a fallen log and watched. He handed me berries one by one.
“You’re spoiling me,” I said.
“I like feeding you, I want you to plump up.” he replied.
“That’s unsettling.”
“I’ll live.”
As we neared the pack house, I noticed movement. Servants wheeling carts. Bundles of silk. Crates of food. Flowers everywhere.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
Kael smiled. “Preparations.”
“For what?”
“The new moon feast.”
I frowned. “That sounds big.”
“It is,” he said. “And this year will be bigger.”
“Why?” I asked.
He glanced at me. “Because I’ll announce our bond.”
I stopped walking. “You’re doing what?”
“I’ll announce us,” he repeated. “Publicly. Officially.”
“And the extra decorations?”
He shrugged. “I decided we’ll celebrate longer. Dedicate the days to my mate so I can celebrate extra days every year.”
I stared at him. “You could have just asked when my birthday is.”
He blinked. “You have a birthday?”
I snorted. “Yes, Kael. Humans are born.”
“We’ll celebrate that too,” he said immediately. “And, I was born too. Werewolves are born too.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m thorough,” he corrected.
“What is the new moon feast like?” I asked as we walked again.
“It marks the start of a new season,” he said. “We give thanks. We pray to the moon goddess. There’s dancing. Food. Stories. Performances like sword dance and wrestling, and there's ascension to higher heights, getting new titles…”
“I don’t understand half of that,” I admitted.
“That’s fine,” he said. “You like my voice.”
I smiled despite myself. “I do.”
The moment we got inside our chamber, I bent to set the fruit basket down and the world went dark.
Just for a moment.
A blink. A sway.
I straightened quickly. “All good.”
Kael turned. “What?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Just dizzy.”
He frowned. “Adam—”
“I’m fine,” I insisted. “I’ve just been lazy. My body forgot how to stand.”
He studied me, then nodded slowly. “We’ll rest.”
I didn’t tell him it had been happening more often.
I didn’t want to worry him.
I climbed onto the bed and curled up. Kael joined me immediately, pulling me close.
“See?” he murmured. “You found a hobby.”
“Snuggling?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “You’re very dedicated.”
I smiled into his chest, feeling weak and warm and strangely clingy.
Maybe I really was just lazy.
Maybe tomorrow I'll feel better… this will go away soon.