CHAPTER 5: HIS LUNA’S ROOM

Aurora tightened her grip around the wooden box instantly.

Hard, too hard.

Kael noticed, of course he noticed.

His eyes darkened slightly as he stopped a few feet away from her.

The room suddenly felt smaller, warmer, too quiet.

Aurora could hear everything.

The crackling fireplace, the wind outside the balcony doors, her own heartbeat especially her heartbeat.

Kael's gaze never left the box.

"What is inside it?"

His voice remained calm, controlled but Aurora knew him well enough now to hear the sharpness beneath it, suspicion, questions.

Aurora forced herself to breathe normally.

"Nothing important."

Silence.

Kael stared at her for several seconds.

Then, "If it's not important, why are you holding it like that?"

Aurora hated that question immediately because she knew exactly how she looked right now, defensive, nervous, afraid, she tried to relax her shoulders slightly tried to loosen her grip it didn't work.

Kael noticed that too, aurora looked away first.

"It's private."

Another silence followed, longer this time.

He should leave.

That was what usually happened.

Kael asked one question.

Aurora avoided answering.

Then he lost interest and walked away that was how things between them had always worked.

Distance, silence, cold politeness.

So why was he still standing there?

Aurora swallowed carefully.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

The question slipped out before she could stop it.

Kael's brows furrowed slightly.

"Like what?"

"Like you're trying to solve something."

Silence.

Kael didn't answer immediately and somehow that bothered her more.

Finally, he said quietly,

"Maybe I am."

Aurora's breath caught just briefly but Kael noticed of course he did.

He always noticed things at the worst possible moments.

Aurora turned away quickly and moved toward the bookshelf near the fireplace.

Distance.

She needed distance but Kael followed, not close enough to touch, never that yet still closer than usual.

"What happened earlier?"

Aurora stared at the books without seeing them.

"What do you mean?"

"The silver light."

There it was again.

Aurora closed her eyes briefly.

Think.

Think carefully.

Because one wrong answer could ruin everything but Kael was waiting, watching.

Aurora forced herself to shrug lightly.

"It was probably stress."

Kael didn't respond.

Aurora turned slightly.

He was still staring at her.

Still unconvinced, still trying to understand, frustration suddenly rose inside her chest, not at him, at herself, at her stupid heart for reacting every time he stepped closer, at the mate bond for refusing to die quietly,.at the fact that after everything, after tonight, part of her still noticed the way moonlight caught against his dark hair.

Still noticed how unfairly handsome he looked standing there, still loved him.

How pathetic.

Aurora hugged the box tighter against her chest.

Kael's gaze dropped toward it again.

"You're hiding something."

The words landed softly.

Certain.

Aurora laughed quietly a humorless sound.

"Everyone hides something."

"Not like this."

Her fingers tightened.

Inside the box were years of humiliation.

Years of feelings she never should've written down.

Letters she wrote after nights waiting alone.

Letters written after hearing whispers about Selene.

Letters full of hope.

Painful hope.

Things like:

I waited for you again tonight.

I think I finally understand you will never love me.

I still wish you would.

Aurora would rather burn the entire room down than let Kael read them.

She looked at him carefully.

"You really want to know what's inside?"

Kael held her gaze.

"Yes."

The answer came too quickly.

Aurora's chest tightened unexpectedly.

Dangerous.

This was dangerous because Kael rarely wanted anything from her yet tonight, questions, attention, concern.

No, not concern.

Stop thinking that.

Aurora inhaled slowly.

Then deliberately placed the box behind her on the shelf, farther from him.

Kael watched the movement carefully.

The room grew quiet again.

Then suddenly "Why did you ask for one month?"

Aurora froze.

Her pulse stumbled immediately not this again.

Anything except this.

She looked away first.

"I already answered that."

"No."

Kael's voice remained low.

"You avoided answering."

Aurora felt irritation rise.

Because yes.

She had avoided answering.

Intentionally.

What else was she supposed to do?

Tell him the truth?

Tell him she was terrified?

Tell him every healer she visited looked at her with pity?

Tell him she asked for one month because deep down she felt time slipping through her fingers?

No.

Absolutely not.

Aurora folded her arms tightly.

"You rejected me publicly tonight."

Kael's expression hardened slightly.

Aurora continued before she could stop herself.

"You announced another woman in front of the entire pack."

Silence.

"You don't get to question my decisions after that."

The words came out sharper than intended.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Kael's jaw tightened slightly.

A tiny movement barely noticeable but Aurora saw it.

Always.

For several long seconds, neither spoke.

Then Kael said quietly,

"You think this is easy for me?"

Aurora blinked.

Completely caught off guard.

Because what?

What did that even mean?

She stared at him openly now and for the first time tonight, Kael looked tired not physically, something else, something hidden beneath all that control.

Aurora's chest tightened again.

Dangerous, very dangerous.

She forced herself to look away.

"Selene doesn't seem to think so."

The moment the words left her mouth, silence crashed heavily between them.

Kael's expression became unreadable again instantly.

Walls.

Distance.

Coldness.

Everything returned.

Aurora regretted speaking immediately not because she cared about his feelings because she hated sounding jealous, weak, pathetic.

Kael looked toward the balcony briefly before speaking again.

"The Moon Festival tomorrow will attract Alphas from neighboring territories."

Aurora frowned slightly.

What did that have to do with anything?

Kael continued,

"There are already rumors spreading through the pack."

Aurora laughed softly.

"Only rumors?"

His eyes returned to hers.

"You are still my Luna."

The words hit harder this time.

Aurora hated herself for it because part of her stupid, broken heart still reacted whenever he said things like that.

Even now.

Even after everything.

Kael stepped closer slowly.

Close enough now that she could smell cedarwood and cold winter air again.

Mate.

Aurora's wolf stirred painfully beneath her skin.

She hated it.

Hated herself more.

Kael's gaze lowered slightly.

Toward her face.

Toward her lips.

Aurora stopped breathing for one terrible second.

The air suddenly felt too heavy.

Too warm.

Too dangerous.

Then pain.

Sharp pain exploded through her chest instantly.

Aurora gasped softly before she could stop herself.

Her hand flew against her chest immediately.

No.

Not now.

Not in front of him.

Kael moved instantly.

"Aurora."

His voice changed immediately.

Sharp.

Concerned.

Real concern this time.

Aurora stumbled back.

"I'm fine."

Lie.

Terrible lie.

Another pulse of pain shot through her chest harder than before.

Her knees weakened briefly.

Kael caught her arm immediately before she could lose balance.

Warm fingers wrapped around her skin.

Aurora inhaled sharply.

The mate bond reacted instantly.

Silver light flickered faintly beneath her sleeve again.

Once.

Then brighter.

Kael froze completely.

His eyes locked onto her arm.

Aurora's blood turned cold.

No.

No no no…..the silver glow spread slightly beneath her skin like cracks of moonlight.

Beautiful.

Terrifying.

Impossible to hide now.

Kael's face changed instantly.

Not confusion.

Recognition.

Shock.

Real shock.

Aurora saw the exact moment he understood this wasn't normal.

His grip tightened slightly around her arm.

"What is happening to you?"

Aurora looked away immediately.

Because she couldn't answer that question.

Not truthfully.

Not while he was looking at her like that.

Like he actually cared.

Another sharp pulse tore through her chest.

Aurora winced.

Kael noticed everything.

Every movement.

Every breath.

His voice dropped dangerously low.

"Who have you seen about this?"

Silence.

Aurora's heartbeat pounded painfully.

Kael's eyes darkened further.

"Aurora."

Still silence.

And suddenly, very suddenly kael looked angry.

Not at her.

At the situation.

At himself.

At something.

Aurora had never seen that expression before.

Then slowly too slowly kael lifted his hand toward her face.

Aurora froze instantly.

Because he had never done that before.

Never.

Not once in three years.

His fingers stopped just short of touching her cheek.

Like he wanted to.

Like he almost forgot himself again.

The room became unbearably quiet, neither moved, neither breathed properly.

Then a sharp voice suddenly shattered the silence.

"Kael?"

Both of them turned immediately.

Selene stood at the doorway.

And the moment her eyes landed on Kael holding Aurora her smile disappeared completely.