CHAPTER 8: TOO CLOSE

Aurora forgot how to breathe.

Kael stepped into the room slowly, moonlight spilling across his shoulders from the windows behind him.

For one terrifying second, nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Even Lena looked shocked silent for once.

Kael’s gaze swept across the room calmly.

The unpacked boxes.

The fireplace.

The curtains moving softly in the night breeze.

Then finally aurora.

His eyes lingered there for half a second longer than necessary.

Just half a second.

Still enough for her heart to react stupidly.

Aurora immediately looked away.

Lena cleared her throat loudly.

Very loudly.

“So.”

Kael looked at her.

Lena pointed between the connecting door and Aurora.

“This is deeply inappropriate.”

Aurora nearly died.

Again.

Kael remained completely expressionless.

“The Luna’s chambers were designed this way.”

Lena folded her arms.

“That does not make it less inappropriate.”

Aurora wanted to throw her out the window.

Respectfully.

Kael’s eyes shifted back toward Aurora.

“You should rest.”

There it was again.

That strange tone.

Not soft.

Kael was never soft.

But not entirely cold either.

It unsettled her more than cruelty would have.

Aurora forced herself to speak normally.

“I can manage.”

Silence.

Kael stared at her.

And suddenly Aurora realized something horrifying.

They were alone together, well technically Lena remained in the room.

But emotionally?

Emotionally Aurora felt trapped beneath the full attention of a man who rarely noticed her before tonight.

Kael’s gaze drifted briefly toward the boxes still sitting unopened near the fireplace.

“You haven’t unpacked.”

“I just arrived.”

The answer slipped out before she could stop it.

Lena looked impressed.

Aurora herself felt impressed.

Because she had never spoken to Kael that casually before.

Kael blinked once.

As though mildly surprised too.

Then unexpectedly the corner of his mouth moved.

Barely.

Almost invisible.

Not quite a smile.

But dangerously close to one.

Aurora’s entire brain stopped functioning.

Lena noticed instantly.

Her eyes widened so dramatically Aurora thought they might fall out.

“Oh my goddess,” she whispered.

Kael’s expression immediately returned to normal.

Cold.

Controlled.

Untouchable.

Too late.

Aurora already saw it.

And somehow…

That tiny almost-smile affected her more than it should have.

Far more.

Kael stepped farther into the room.

Aurora instinctively stepped backward.

Not because she feared him.

Because being near him suddenly felt overwhelming.

Unfortunately, her foot caught against one of the boxes behind her.

Aurora stumbled backward immediately.

A startled sound escaped her lips.

Kael moved instantly.

His hand caught her waist before she hit the floor.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Aurora froze completely.

Her mind went blank.

Entirely blank.

Because Kael was touching her again.

Not her wrist this time.

Her waist.

Warm fingers pressed lightly against her side as he steadied her effortlessly.

Close.

Far too close.

Aurora could smell cedarwood again.

Winter air.

Him.

Mate.

The bond stirred painfully beneath her skin.

Kael froze too.

Aurora realized it instantly.

Because his hand tightened unconsciously for one brief second.

Their eyes met.

And suddenly the room felt too small.

Aurora could hear her own heartbeat.

Fast.

Embarrassingly fast.

Kael’s gaze dropped slightly.

Toward her lips again.

Aurora’s breath caught instantly.

No.

No no no.

Not again.

That strange warmth spread through the bond once more.

Soft.

Dangerous.

Pulling.

And for one horrifying moment aurora thought Kael felt it too.

His expression changed instantly.

Confusion flickered across his face again.

Real confusion.

Then suddenly “Ahem.”

Lena.

Kael stepped away immediately.

Immediately.

Warmth vanished.

The mate bond snapped painfully quiet again.

Aurora hated herself for feeling disappointed.

Kael looked away first.

His jaw tightened slightly.

As though annoyed with himself.

Lena stared between them dramatically.

“I feel like I interrupted something.”

“You didn’t,” Aurora answered too fast.

Kael spoke at the exact same time.

“You didn’t.”

Silence.

Lena’s expression became unbearable.

“Oh, that’s even worse.”

Aurora wanted death.

Kael rubbed a hand once against the back of his neck.

The movement startled Aurora.

Because she had never seen him look uncomfortable before.

Not once in three years.

Then suddenly, a sharp knock echoed through the outer doors.

Kael’s expression immediately hardened again.

Back to Alpha.

Back to untouchable.

“Enter.”

One of the guards stepped inside quickly before bowing.

“Alpha, the elders are requesting your presence.”

Kael frowned slightly.

“At this hour?”

“The festival preparations encountered complications.”

Aurora immediately noticed the shift in atmosphere.

Kael’s entire posture changed subtly.

Sharper.

Colder.

Focused.

Duty.

It always came naturally to him.

Kael nodded once.

“I’ll come shortly.”

The guard bowed again before leaving.

Silence returned briefly.

Then Kael looked toward Aurora once more.

“You should lock the balcony doors tonight.”

Aurora blinked.

“…Why?”

“There were rogue sightings near the eastern forest yesterday.”

Lena immediately looked alarmed.

“Rogues?”

Aurora frowned slightly.

Nightfang territory rarely experienced rogue problems.

Kael noticed her expression.

“The patrols handled most of it.”

Most?

Aurora’s stomach tightened slightly.

Kael glanced toward the windows.

“The forest remains unstable after the last attack.”

Attack.

Right.

Aurora remembered hearing whispers among the warriors weeks ago.

Small border conflicts.

Missing patrol scouts.

Tension growing near neighboring territories.

Kael rarely discussed pack problems openly.

Especially not around her.

Yet tonight he had mentioned it without hesitation.

Strange.

Very strange.

Kael moved toward the connecting door again.

Then paused halfway.

Aurora looked up automatically.

For one second, he simply stood there quietly.

As though debating something internally.

Then finally “If the pain returns tonight…”

Aurora froze.

Kael’s eyes met hers fully.

“…send for the healer immediately.”

Silence crashed through the room.

Lena blinked.

Aurora forgot how to breathe again.

Because that sounded dangerously close to concern.

Real concern.

Kael seemed to realize it too.

Because his expression hardened instantly afterward.

Without another word, he turned and disappeared back into his room.

The connecting door remained slightly open behind him.

Aurora stood frozen in the center of the room.

Still feeling the ghost of his hand against her waist.

Still hearing those words echo inside her head.

If the pain returns tonight…

Lena slowly turned toward her.

Then screamed silently into a pillow.

Aurora jumped.

“Lena!”

Lena grabbed her shoulders dramatically.

“What is happening?!”

“I don’t know!” Aurora whisper-shouted back.

“Yes you do!”

“I absolutely do not!”

Lena stared at her wildly.

“Kael Ravencrest almost smiled at you.”

Aurora covered her face immediately.

“Please stop saying that.”

“He touched your waist.”

“Lena.”

“He sounded worried.”

“Lena.”

“He looked at your lips twice.”

Aurora nearly collapsed.

Lena looked personally victimized.

“I have lived in this pack for four years and that man barely blinks emotionally.”

Aurora sat heavily on the edge of the bed.

Her thoughts felt tangled.

Messy.

Dangerous.

Because Lena wasn’t entirely wrong.

Tonight Kael had acted strangely.

Too strangely.

And Aurora did not know what frightened her more the possibility that she imagined it…

Or the possibility that she didn’t.

The fire crackled softly nearby.

Moonlight poured through the tall windows.

Everything felt too quiet suddenly.

Then a cold breeze brushed against Aurora’s neck.

She frowned immediately.

The balcony doors were closed.

Weren’t they?

Aurora slowly looked toward the curtains near the far side of the room.

They moved again.

Softly.

Like someone had just passed behind them.

Aurora’s heartbeat stopped.

Lena noticed her expression instantly.

“What?”

Aurora stood slowly.

Very slowly.

Because suddenly someone else was inside the room.