Chapter 45
Kael’s POV.
I paced my study, my boots heavy on the rug, my heart pounding with worry. The room was dim, the candle’s light flickering, causing shadows on the stone walls.
A guard stood by the door, his armor glinting, his face tense, waiting for my orders. I’d sent him to find Aria, my Luna, who I knew was really Aria pretending to be Celeste, but she hadn’t returned.
Hours had passed since she left the packhouse at dawn, her quick exit, her distant words "I’m leaving for a bit" still stinging.
My side throbbed, the wound under my bandage burning, a mystery that gnawed at me.
My wolf, Zeus, whined, his protectiveness fierce, urging me to find her, to make sure she was safe. The seer’s warning "Don’t fall deeply in love with her. You’ll be hurting her" still in my head no matter how hard I tried to get it off, the visions of her screaming, blood-soaked, haunting me.
Was she avoiding me because of that?
I stopped by the window, my hands clenching, my eyes scanning the courtyard below, empty except for a few maids sweeping.
"Any sign of her?" I asked the guard, my voice rough, my jaw tight. It was the third time I’d asked, my worry growing with each shake of his head.
"No, Alpha," he said, his voice low, his eyes dropping.
"No word yet." His words hit hard, my chest tightening, frustration mixing with fear.
The elders were waiting in the throne chamber, expecting me, expecting their Luna, and her absence was a disgrace, a crack in my leadership.