All Chapters of Run Little Mate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

KAEL’S POVThe first blade met mine with a clang that rang through the yard, sharp and jarring. The second warrior barely had time to lift his shield before I sent him sprawling into the dust. The third I didn’t bother sparring with, I disarmed him with a single strike, my frustration bleeding into every movement.Dawn hadn’t yet fully broken, but the training grounds were already stained with sweat and the sound of breathless grunts. None of them could keep up, not with the pace I set or the weight behind my blows. I wasn't training. Maybe it was the restless night, or the dream I wanted badly not to think about. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn’t spoken to Elara since... that day! It's been a week now that we ever spoke to each other. Gracious!I ripped my sword from the ground and handed it to the weapon msster. My chest rose and fell in sharp breaths. No one said anything. They all knew better than to say anything. My warriors scattered, letting me pass in silence.By the time I

ELARA’S POVI woke before dawn, unable to return to sleep. The dream had been fragmented, shadows crawling across snow, a red moon hanging too close to the earth, and the sound of something growling just beyond the trees. I couldn’t shake it.So, I went where I always did, the infirmary.The halls were still and quiet, lanterns flickering low along the stone walls. Healer Mae was already awake, her hands steeped in chamomile and sage, organizing dried herbs into cloth pouches. She looked up when I stepped in and gave a small smile.“Elara. Couldn’t sleep again?”I shook my head wordlessly, reaching for the pestle to start grinding calendula petals. My hands moved on instinct, but my mind stayed far away, in Kael’s voice slicing through the hallway, in the way his eyes had followed me and too much restraint.I focused harder on the herbs.An hour passed quietly, the scent of mint and ash filling the air, until the doors burst open.Two warriors stumbled in, one half-carrying the other,

KAEL’S POVSteel clashed with steel before the sun even cleared the treetops.Lucan came at me hard, his blade angled for my ribs, but I parried with a snarl and shoved him back. The circle of warriors around us shifted, murmuring low bets as we moved like predators, quick, brutal, precise.I needed this.The burn in my muscles. The sting of sweat in my eyes.A distraction from the dreams.Lucan grinned through bloodied lips. “You fight like you haven’t slept in days.”“I haven’t,” I growled, twisting behind him and landing a blow to his shoulder. “Do you want to keep talking or stay conscious?”He laughed and lunged again.By the end, we were both breathing hard, our shirts clinging to sweat-soaked skin. The warriors gave polite nods, some respectful, others wary. I’d pushed too hard. Again. But none dared say it.As I wiped my blade clean, Damon appeared at the edge of the training yard, his expression dark.“Another attack?” I asked before he could speak.He nodded. “Northwestern b

KAEL’S POVElara stumbled into my room like she’d just escaped a windblown, lips parted, eyes wild. Her shirt hung open, one shoulder bare, hair tangled from the forest floor and my hands. I shut the door behind us hard, the slam echoing through the room.We stood there for a breath. Then another.The silence wasn’t empty. It was suffocating and thick with hunger, pain, and a desperation I hadn’t felt in years. Her eyes met mine and didn’t look away. Not this time.I crossed the room in two strides and pinned her to the wall, crashing my mouth to hers like I’d been starving for it, because I had. Her hands were in my hair instantly, tugging, dragging me deeper, her tongue sliding over mine like she wanted to taste everything I’d buried.I growled low in my throat, grabbing her thighs and lifting her off the ground. Her legs wrapped around me without hesitation. I pressed her harder against the wall, grinding into her through our clothes, and she gasped into my mouth.There were no wor

ELARAThe morning broke colder than usual, the bile in my throat was what woke me up. I bolted upright in bed, clutching my stomach as waves of nausea rolled through me. I barely made it to the basin before I vomited. My hands trembled against the edge, breath ragged.It had been like this for three days now. Early waking, nausea, exhaustion like my body had run a marathon while I slept. I told myself it was stress and lack of sleep. The confusion and ache still lingering from what happened with Kael in the forest… and in his bed.But this morning, something felt heavier.I forced myself to dress and head to the infirmary. The moment I stepped inside, the warm scent of dried herbs wrapped around me like an old memory. It should have soothed me. It always had.Until I reached for the wolf’s bane.The sharp, acrid smell hit me like a slap, and I gagged, nearly knocking over the tray of vials. I stumbled back, pressing my hand to my mouth.“You alright?” an older healer asked gently, her