Chapter 17

I hung up the phone, still feeling a bit dazed.

But my heart didn't stir at all. I realized I truly didn't love Alpha Damien anymore.

When he called, the first person I thought of was Alpha King Kaelen.

During my recovery, Alpha King Kaelen had been by my side the entire time.

He wasn't much of a talker, but whenever I needed him, he would quietly stand beside me, shielding me from wind and rain, bringing me moonlight herbs for healing, cooking venison stew.

Maybe after experiencing so much disappointment, I no longer craved sweet words. I just felt that having someone willing to stay with me without complaint was the most precious tenderness in this world.

Every day after handling pack affairs, the first thing he did was come see me. Sometimes he brought a bag of fresh berries from the forest, sometimes an old book I liked, but most often, it was a bowl of steaming hot stew he had spent the afternoon making himself.

More than once, I watched his figure bent over preparing herbs or crouched beside my bed cooling down the healing draught. A complex and unfamiliar emotion would rise in my heart.

It was peace of mind.

It was heartache.

It was also guilt.

I began trying to respond to him.

Not instinctively pulling away like before, but truly wanting to get closer.

But I was still hesitant.

Alpha King Kaelen could tell.

That night, I was lying in bed unable to sleep when he brought in a glass of warm moonlight tea. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

I didn't say anything, and he didn't pressure me. He just smiled softly and set down the glass.

He said quietly, "Seraphina, you don't need to force yourself."

I froze and turned to look at him.

His gaze was gentle but incredibly clear and determined. "It's okay if you're not ready yet. Even if you never want to take that step, I won't leave. I just hope you won't trap yourself in place or feel pressured because of my expectations."

My nose tingled with emotion.

"You've always been so good to me, I..." I bit my lower lip, unable to continue.

He sighed softly.

"You know, I first started liking you when you were fifteen."

I was stunned.

He looked at me, his eyes slightly bright. "That year you failed a pack knowledge test and secretly ran to the back mountain to cry, trying not to let me find you. But you forgot I always discovered your hidden treats."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You still remember that?"

"Of course I remember." His voice was impossibly gentle. "I remember you chasing wild rabbits in your training clothes, I remember when you were little and said you wanted to be my mate, and I remember how you gradually stopped meeting my eyes and started keeping your distance."

He paused, his expression growing somber. "I was really scared then, afraid you felt uncomfortable because of me. That's why I asked Former Alpha Ronan and Former Luna Maeve to formally acknowledge our separate bloodlines."

My eyes grew hot with tears.

"You don't owe me anything." He looked into my eyes. "Liking you was my choice. I won't force you to accept me, and I won't rush you to make a decision. But if someday you really want to get closer to me, no matter how long it takes, I'll still be here."

That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The wind outside rustled the trees, casting shifting shadows. I lay in bed as memories slowly surfaced.

Alpha King Kaelen had been with me since childhood. We grew up together, skipped pack lessons together, stole honey cakes together, got caught sneaking out during full moon runs together. We collected shells on the beach back home, chased waves, and raced to see who could spot shooting stars first.

Back then, we were completely carefree.

It wasn't that I had never felt something for him.

I was just too young then. I mistook the mate bond pull for sibling affection, pushed down those feelings, pretended not to see them, and deliberately ignored them.