“I’ll get my bike.” I try to move past him, but he catches my arm.
“Aurora.” His touch burns through me, igniting the bond. I have to fight not to turn into the circle of his arms, not to lean into his chest. “I just want to say, I admire you for your strength and bravery. All the things you know—it’s amazing. And the fact that you care so deeply about the packs, even though…”
“Even though what? Even though I’m not really one of them without my wolf? Even though I’ve been rejected, treated like an outcast?” I meet his gaze steadily as he winces with regret. “I know what it’s like to be alone and afraid without a pack. I won’t let that happen to anyone else.”
Something flashes across his face—pride? Admiration? Whatever it is, it doesn’t mean anything to me anymore. Doesn’t ignite that spark in my chest, make my pulse flutter, or turn my stomach into knots.
I can’t let myself believe that I can have him, after all these years and everything we’ve said to each other.
So I pull away and head for my bike, trying to ignore the weight of his gaze on my back, the smell of him on the shirt he gave me. Knowing what’s coming weighs heavy on me as we prepare to leave. Somewhere out there, the high fae are gathering their forces and planning their attacks. Soon they’ll strike, and more packs will fall like mine did. Unless we can warn them in time.
I’m loading up my things when I feel something deep and primal. Looking up, I find Kieran watching me with an expression I can’t quite read. There’s longing there, raw and undisguised. His eyes trace me like he’s memorizing every detail, and the rejected bond pulses between us. I can feel something leak out through it, some force of affection and desire so strong it takes my breath away.
For a moment, I let myself imagine a different world. One where I have my wolf, and he decides I’m good enough for him. A world where things are different, and we’re mates, instead of… this.
I wish that we could just be together, whole and complete.
But we can’t. So I turn away and climb onto my bike, letting the engine’s roar drown out the sound of my heart bleeding out into my chest.
We’ve got shit to do. Packs to warn. Even if every moment spent with Kieran feels a little like dying inside.
No one else will grow up without a pack, a family, or a home, the way I did.
Not on my watch.
Chapter 22
Aurora
My heart is heavy as we make our way through wide-open desert scrub, my motorcycle’s engine humming beneath me, Kieran’s wolf form a stocky silhouette in the distance. The sun has set and the moon hangs heavy in the sky, our guiding light as we head southwest toward Pack Diamond to warn them about the impending fae attacks.
Every time he pauses to scent the air, muscles rippling beneath thick fur, I feel the broken mate bond pulse in my chest. The kiss we shared in the ruins is at the forefront of my mind. I can still taste him on my lips, feel his tongue seeking entry into my mouth. His scent lingers on my skin. It felt so right in that moment, like the completion of something that was a long time coming. The memory torments me, making my skin flush hot even in the cool night air.
The road ahead splits into two divergent trails, each leading toward the pack. Kieran signals for a stop, so I pull over, my engine idling. He shifts behind a tree, and I hear rustling as he pulls his clothes on from his pack. When he emerges, his shirt is in disarray, a strip of tanned skin visible just above his waistline, and moonlight plays across the defined planes of his abdomen. There’s a visible patch of pubic hair trailing off toward his hips,and his hair is sticking up all over the place. My mouth goes dry at the sight.
He’s brooding as he approaches me. “I know it’ll add time to our trip, but I’ve decided we should take the northern route,” he says, his voice commanding, as if he’s the only one who gets a say. Something about the growl in his throat makes my thighs clench around my bike. “The southern path may be faster, but it’s too exposed.”
“It’ll add hours to our journey.” I cut the engine of my bike, swinging my leg over to dismount and face him, despite the way it makes my heart race. “We don’t have time for that. Every minute counts if we want to warn Pack Diamond in time.”
“The southern route not only takes us through territory known for fae activity—it’s a winding mountain road. It’s dangerous to take your bike that way.” His jaw clenches, the scar that bisects his cheek and jawline pulling taut. “It’s not safe for you.”
“Nothing about any of this is safe, but that’s not the point of it!” Frustration bubbles inside me, mixing dangerously with the arousal still thrumming through my veins and the strength of the mate bond reborn. “The fae are going to attack one way or another. At least this way, we can save lives by getting there as soon as possible.”
“And what about your life?” Kieran steps closer, looming over me, so close that I can smell pine and cinnamon and pure, raw man. His voice rises with emotion. “You were nearly killed by those fae in the ruins. I won’t risk my—” He cuts himself off, looking away.
“Won’t risk what? Your mate that you rejected?” I move into his space, tilting my chin up defiantly. The heat of his body radiates onto me, intoxicating and difficult to resist. “I’m not some fragile woman that needs protecting, Kieran. I can handle myself—you made sure of that.”
“I know you can… and I know that I hold some responsibility for that. You wouldn’t have had to fight so hard to prove yourself if it weren’t for me.” His ice blue eyes, dark with emotion, lock onto mine. “But I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”
“Why do you care?” The words burst out of me with raw pain and emotion. “You rejected me, Kieran. You made itveryclear that I wasn’t good enough to be your mate, and as far as I know, nothing has changed. I’m still not good enough for you.”
“That’s not—I never—” Frustration flashes across his face, as if he feels torn between saying or doing… I don’t even know what anymore. “I never should have rejected you,” he finally blurts out, freezing as the words hang between us.
My heart stops, and for a moment my chest doesn’t ache at all. “What did you say?”
“I shouldn’t have done it.” He breathes rapidly, his eyes wide and his voice full of wonder, as if he also can’t believe the words that just came out of his mouth. “Rejecting you was the biggest mistake of my life.”
The bond flares to life between us, no ache or wild thing this time, but a steady flow of emotions. I can feel his regret, his shame, his desire—all of it, without words, without touch.
