All Chapters of FORBIDDEN BOND: The Alpha's Desire : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

(Kael's POV)"I love solitude," I say, a mantra I've repeated so often it feels like a truth. But the stars above me, cold and distant, seem to whisper a different story. Maybe I don't love solitude as much as I'm used to it. Maybe it's a shield I've constructed, one brick at a time, against a world that doesn't have a place for me. Aaron came along and showed me what it was like to have a space in someone's world, to be seen, appreciated, even…treasured. Now he's gone, back to his own kingdom, his own life, and I'm left with the unsettling echo of what could have been.I don't have the luxury to travel to his kingdom, I belong to the royal family so I don't even have free will to go anywhere.Here I am, lying on the cool grass of the palace gardens, the scent of night-blooming jasmine doing little to soothe the turmoil within me. Alaric's apology replays in my mind, a broken record of remorse that I don't know if I can, or even want to, listen to anymore.He rejected me. He, my mate,

My life felt like a tightly wound coil, threatening to spring apart at any moment. Alaric's apology had loosened the tension, but not entirely. It was like he'd unlocked a door, only to stand awkwardly in the doorway, unsure if he should enter. The way he treated me had changed drastically. Gone was the icy indifference, replaced by a… Well, I wasn't sure what to call it. A constant need to be near me, perhaps? Lingering glances, accidental brushes of hands, and a possessiveness that made my insides flutter. He had me sneaking around at night like a love-struck teenager, but we weren't teenagers, and there was nothing to be love-struck for. He still hadn't accepted the bond… Officially.Today, the coil threatened to snap entirely. Alaric and Casian were inspecting the new training facility for the royal guards. And of course, I, Kael, the glorified tea-fetcher, had to accompany them.The morning air was crisp as we rode in the carriage. I sat across from the princes, trying to appear

Well, isn't this just peachy?As if my life wasn't complicated enough, now I was apparently starring in my own personal fairytale – only instead of a glass slipper, I got a prince who blows hot and cold faster than the Veridian weather.The morning air was crisp as I sat beside my mother on the small porch behind her quarters, the scent of damp earth and blooming jasmine filling my lungs. We were carefully plucking mint leaves and chamomile flowers from her small herb garden, preparing her special blend of calming tea. Her hands, calloused but gentle, moved with practiced ease."Sleep well, Kael?" she asked, her eyes crinkling at the corners."As well as can be," I replied, forcing a smile. How could I tell her I spent half the night replaying Alaric's apology, his touch, the near-kiss… and the other half battling the crushing weight of knowing none of it could truly be?Just then, a shadow fell across the porch. My heart leaped before I even looked up.There he was. Alaric. The Alpha

A prince, heir to the throne, brought to his knees not by war or political intrigue, but by his own body. A cruel jest played by fate, a twisted metaphor for the gilded cage he inhabited. He was a prisoner of his own body, a gilded cage now rattling with the force of his internal storm.Alaric was experiencing rut and it was more than just mere discomfort; it was molten agony searing through his veins. It was a familiar fire, one he’d weathered before, but this… this was different. This was a raging inferno threatening to consume him entirely. His wolf, usually a controlled, dignified presence in the back of his mind, was clawing, snarling, a primal beast demanding release, demanding… mate.The word echoed in Alaric’s head, a guttural roar that threatened to shatter his sanity. Mate. Mate. Mate. Each repetition hammered against his skull, a relentless drumbeat urging him towards the adjacent room, towards the source of the intoxicating omega scent that was driving him mad.Kael.He sl

"Hush, my little star, you're safe now." Aaron murmured, his voice a low rumble as he wiped a stray strand of sweaty hair from Kael’s forehead.Later that day, Kael awoke to the now-familiar ache throbbing in his lower belly. He blinked, the opulent surroundings of Aaron's guest chamber still foreign, a stark contrast to Alaric's austere room. He wanted to move, to curl up and hide, but his limbs felt leaden, unresponsive. The heat, a burning tide, was already beginning to rise again.He managed a weak groan, the sound barely audible.The door to the chamber opened softly, and Aaron entered, carrying a large tray laden with food. Kael watched him, his heart doing a painful little dance of gratitude. Aaron’s brow furrowed in concern as he took in Kael’s pale face and glazed eyes."Hey, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?" Aaron asked, his voice laced with worry.Kael attempted a smile, but it faltered before it could truly form. "Tired," he rasped, his throat dry. "And… sore."Aaron didn'