Chapter Twenty-Seven- When She Chose Me

Kael’s POV

Something was wrong. My wolf surged so violently that I woke with a gasp.

For one terrifying second, I thought someone had broken into the cabin.

I shot upright, every muscle tense, my senses immediately searching the darkness but I saw nothing.

No footsteps, no strange scent, and movement outside the windows.

Then I looked beside me.

Aria was awake. She was lying on her side, watching me.

Her eyes were wide, and her breathing was uneven.

I stared at her. “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Then why are you awake?”

She hesitated. “My wolf.”

My heart stopped. “What about her?”

“She won’t let me sleep.”

I immediately understood. My wolf had been restless all night.

I’d assumed it was simply because of her heat, but this was different.

He wasn’t merely restless, he was demanding, hungry, and desperate to be close to his mate.

MATE

The word echoed through my mind but I pushed the thought away.

“Aria, you need to rest.” I peered at her.

“I’ve tried.” She rolled her eyes.

“You should try again.” I insisted.

“I can’t.” She sat up. “Every time I close my eyes, she starts screaming.”

I rubbed a hand over my face.

My own wolf growled in agreement and I knew exactly what he meant.

The heat had weakened his resistance, and being this close to her wasn’t helping either of us.

I climbed out of bed. “I’ll leave.”

Her eyes immediately followed me.“What?”

“I’ll sleep in the sitting room.” I said.

“No.” She frowned

I froze. “Aria.”

“I don’t want you to leave.” She folded her arms.

“I need to.” I insisted.

“Why?”

I looked at her. “Because I can barely think when I’m this close to you. I don’t want to do what you don’t want me to do.”

Her expression softened. “Then don’t think.”

My heart slammed against my ribs.

I shook my head. “You don’t understand.”

“I do.”

“No, you don’t.” I moved toward the door.

“Kael.” She called out softly.

I stopped.

Her voice trembled. “Please.”

I closed my eyes. Every instinct told me to stay but every rational thought told me to leave.

I was about to reach for the door when I heard fabric move behind me.

I turned before I could stop myself.

Aria had risen from the bed. She was standing there, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t understand.

Then she stepped closer.

“Aria…” I whispered

She reached for my hand, her fingers were trembling.

“Stay.” She begged.

I swallowed. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I do.” She persisted.

“Your wolf is influencing you.” I pulled away.

“So is yours.” She hissed.

That silenced me.

She stepped closer. “But I’m still me.”

I looked into her eyes. There was no confusion there, only vulnerability.

“I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

My chest tightened. She moved even closer, and my entire body went rigid.

My wolf surged again but i fought him down.

“Aria, if you aren’t certain…” I started.

“I am.” She said immediately.

“Tomorrow?” I raised a brow.

“I’ll still be certain.” She smiled.

I stared at her. “You’re sure?”

She nodded. Then she whispered the words that broke the last wall I had built around myself.

“I want you.”

I closed my eyes. For years, I had imagined hearing those words, but never like this.

Never after everything we’d been through even when I knew how much trust it took for her to say them.

I opened my eyes again.

“If we do this,” I whispered, “it will be because you choose it.”

“I am choosing it.”

“Not because you’re in heat?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Because it’s you.”

Something inside me shattered.

I reached for her slowly. When my hands settled around her, she didn’t pull away.

Instead, she leaned into me.

I lowered my forehead against hers.“Tell me to stop if you change your mind.”

“I won’t.” She giggled shyly.

“Promise me.” I insisted.

“I promise.” She crossed her fingers.

I kissed her slowly, carefully, and almost uncertainly at first.

She responded, and every year of longing seemed to awaken at once.

I had spent so long teaching myself not to want her, not to reach for her, and not to imagine what it would feel like to have her willingly in my arms.

And now she was here, choosing me.

Her hands curled into my shirt. My wolf roared with satisfaction.

But this time, I didn’t have to fight him because Aria wasn’t resisting, she was holding me closer.

I lifted her gently, and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

I carried her back toward the bed.

There was still a question in my mind like a final hesitation.

I looked at her and she nodded.

That was all I needed. The rest of the night belonged only to us.

There were no elders, no throne, no expectations, no arranged marriage, no accusations, and no past.

Only Aria and me. And for the first time since she had returned to Ironcrest, I allowed myself to stop being Alpha.

I was simply the man who had loved her for longer than she had ever known and she was finally in my arms because she wanted to be there.

************

Morning came quietly.

I woke before Aria. For a while, I simply stared at the ceiling, then I looked beside me.

She was sleeping peacefully.

Something inside my chest softened. My wolf was quiet, completely satisfied.

I had expected triumph, possessiveness, or some overwhelming feeling of finally claiming what had always belonged to me.

Instead, I felt something far more dangerous like peace.

I carefully brushed a strand of hair away from Aria’s face.

She stirred, and her eyes slowly opened.

For a moment, she looked confused, then she remembered and her cheeks turned pink.

I smiled. “Good morning.”

She pulled the blanket higher. “Don’t.”

I laughed softly. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.” She said from under the blanket. “You were smiling.”

“Can I not smile?” I burst into laughter.

She looked at me suspiciously. Then, despite herself, she smiled too.

It was small, and shy, but real.

I reached for her hand and she allowed me to take it.

Neither of us spoke.

There was something different between us now.

Something fragile, and something neither of us knew how to name.

Finally, she whispered, “Kael?”

“Yes?” I replied.

“Do you regret it?” She asked.

I looked at her. “Never.”

She lowered her eyes. “I don’t either.”

My heart tightened.

I squeezed her hand. “But I don’t want this to change what you need from me.”

She looked up. “What do you mean?”

“You still get to have your boundaries.” I explained.

Her expression softened. “You really mean that?”

“Yes.” I leaned closer. “What happened last night doesn’t mean you owe me anything.”

She stared at me. I could see the surprise in her eyes.

Maybe she had expected me to become different, more demanding, and more possessive.

Instead, I wanted her to know that choosing me once didn’t mean losing herself.

She looked away. “Thank you.”

I smiled. Then something outside caught my attention.

It was a distant sound of hooves.

My body immediately stiffened.

Aria noticed. “What?”

I sat up. The peacefulness of the morning vanished.

Someone was approaching the cabin.

I reached for my clothes. “Stay here.”

Her eyes widened. “Kael?”

I looked toward the window. The sun was barely above the trees.

No one should have been here. Not unless they knew exactly where we were.

I walked toward the door. My hand tightened around the weapon resting beside it.

The man behind the Alpha had disappeared again, and now the Alpha had returned.

But this time, I wasn’t only protecting Ironcrest, I was protecting the woman sleeping in my bed.

And whoever had followed us here was about to learn exactly how far I was willing to go to keep her safe.