Chapter 6

Kieran's POV

I let her walk away.

Every instinct in me screamed to chase after her, to drag her back where she belonged - at my side, bound to me, mine.

But I didn't.

Instead, I stood there, watching as Selene disappeared into the night, each step pulling her further from me. The silver glow of the moon cast shadows through the trees, catching in her dark hair, illuminating the graceful defiance in every step she took.

A muscle in my jaw ticked.

She thought this was over.

She thought rejection was enough to sever what we had.

She was wrong.

The mating bond wasn't some fragile thread that could be cut with a few words. It was forged in blood, in fate, in something deeper than either of us could control.

I exhaled slowly, flexing my fingers at my sides, trying to shake off the fire still burning in my veins from touching her.

That brief, stolen contact - her pulse beneath my fingertips, the way she hesitated just for a second - had been enough to tell me the truth.

She still felt it.

She could deny it all she wanted, but the bond wasn't broken.

It would never be broken.

Not for me.

A rustling sound came from the trees behind me. I didn't turn.

"I let her go," I said flatly.

Finn stepped forward, his arms crossed over his chest, an amused glint in his eyes. "I noticed."

I shot him a sharp look. "Something funny?"

Finn shrugged, his smirk deepening. "Just wondering how long it'll take before you snap and drag her back to yourself."

I clenched my jaw, refusing to take the bait.

The wolf inside me wanted to do exactly that. It snarled and paced, furious that I'd allowed my mate to slip away.

Everything in me rebelled against the idea of letting her go.

But I wouldn't chase after a woman who thought she could walk away from me.

She had rejected our bond.

Now she had to live with it.

Finn sighed, shaking his head. "Come on, Kieran. You're not fooling anyone. If you really wanted to let her go, you wouldn't have come after her in the first place."

I turned away, staring into the dark woods where Selene had disappeared. The wind carried her scent - wildflowers and rain, tinged with something uniquely hers - fading with every passing second.

"She made her choice."

Finn huffed. "Yeah? And you're just going to accept that?"

No.

I wouldn't.

But I also wouldn't chase after her like some desperate fool.

I forced the thought down, shifting my focus.

"Enough about Selene," I said, my voice clipped. "Tell me what you found."

Finn's easy demeanor faded, replaced by something more serious. "Scouts confirmed movement near the eastern border. Nightshade's warriors have been circling closer than usual."

My lips pressed into a thin line. "Darius is testing us."

Finn nodded. "And he's not being subtle about it. He knows we're vulnerable right now."

Of course he did.

My pack was strong, my warriors skilled. But with Selene gone, the bond that should have made me even more powerful had been severed - at least on her end.

Darius was watching. Waiting.

And I had no doubt that he would strike the moment he thought I was weak.

I exhaled through my nose. "Double the patrols. I want eyes on every inch of our borders."

Finn didn't move. "And what about Selene?"

I stiffened. "What about her?"

Finn gave me a pointed look. "You think Darius is just going to ignore the fact that your fated mate is out there alone?"

The thought sent a sharp, unwelcome spike of possessiveness through me.

Selene might have rejected me, but she was still mine.

And if Darius so much as touched her -

My hands balled into fists. The very idea of another Alpha near her, of his scent on her skin, made my blood burn.

"She chose this."

Finn arched a brow and studied me for a long moment before shaking his head. "Right. Just like you're choosing to let her go?"

I didn't answer.

Because I wasn't sure how much longer I could.