Chapter 15

I stood there feeling completely forgotten. Kieran had walked away with those warriors like I didn't even exist. The cold night air made me pull his hoodie tighter around my body, but it couldn't warm the chill of rejection I felt inside.

All around me, couples sat together, laughing and touching. One pair fed each other bits of food, giggling like kids. Another danced slowly by the fire, the guy's arms wrapped protectively around his mate. They all looked so happy, so connected.

And here I was. Alone. The supposed Luna of the most powerful Alpha King, abandoned at my first pack gathering.

I rubbed my arms, trying to ignore the hollow feeling in my chest. My wolf whined sadly inside me, just as confused as I was.

"Lena? Is that really you?"

I spun around at the familiar voice and nearly cried with relief. "Ethan!"

My brother stood there, his face lighting up with surprise and happiness. He looked good—tanned and healthy, his dark hair longer than when I'd last seen him. Without hesitation, I threw myself into his arms for a hug.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, holding me at arm's length to look at me. "I thought you were staying home this summer."

"Change of plans," I said, unable to keep from smiling. Having a piece of home here made everything feel a little less overwhelming. "What about you? Last I heard you were still working in Dad's garage."

Ethan shrugged. "I needed a break. Came here for the summer to learn more about pack life." His eyes narrowed suddenly. "Wait a minute. Are you here for the hunt? Did you find your mate?"

My smile faltered. "Um, yeah. About that..."

"Who is he?" Ethan asked eagerly. "Do I know him?"

I opened my mouth but found I didn't know what to say. How could I explain Kieran to my brother when I barely understood him myself?

"Hey, what about you?" I asked, quickly changing the subject. "I saw you with a red-haired girl earlier during the hunt. She looked pretty cozy with you."

Ethan's face transformed, his eyes going soft and dreamy. "Maddie," he said, his voice full of wonder. "She's amazing, Lena. She's Beta Thornton's daughter from the Cunning Group. She loves cars almost as much as I do, and she can name every constellation in the sky."

I smiled genuinely. "That's wonderful, Jake. I'm happy for you."

"She's really kind," he continued, clearly unable to stop talking about her. "She volunteers at the pack's nursery school, and she—"

"Lena! There you are!"

I turned to see Maya rushing toward me, pulling a tall, handsome guy behind her. He looked vaguely familiar, with the same dark hair and strong jawline as...

"This is my mate, Damon," Maya said breathlessly when they reached us. "Damon, this is Lena, the one I told you about."

Damon gave me a warm smile and extended his hand. "It's great to finally meet you," he said. "I've heard a lot about you in the last hour."

I shook his hand, noticing that he had the same amber eyes as Kieran, though his were warmer, more open.

"Damon is the Beta of the Silver Moon Pack," Maya explained, beaming at him adoringly. "He's also Kieran's younger brother."

My eyes widened. "Kieran's brother?"

Damon nodded. "Yeah, though sometimes I think he forgets that fact." He studied me curiously. "So you're my brother's mate. The Luna everyone's talking about."

Ethan made a choking sound beside me. "Wait—what? Kieran? As in, Alpha King Kieran? The most feared wolf in the northern territories?" He stared at me in shock. "That's your mate?"

I winced. "Surprise?"

"Holy crap, Lena!" Ethan ran a hand through his hair. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was getting around to it," I muttered.

Maya gave me a sympathetic look. "It's been a crazy day for her, Ethan. Cut her some slack." She turned to Damon. "Kieran just abandoned her here. He walked off with those visiting Alphas and left her all alone."

Damon frowned. "That sounds like my brother." He shook his head. "Always putting pack business first."

"It's fine," I said, though it wasn't. "He's busy. I get it."

"It's not fine," Damon said firmly. "You're his mate. He shouldn't be ignoring you, especially not tonight."

"I feel so... neglected," I admitted, the word slipping out before I could stop it. "One minute he's asking me to be his Luna, and the next he's acting like I'm not even there."

Damon's frown deepened. He went still for a moment, his eyes unfocused. Then he blinked and looked at me with surprise.

"Well, that's interesting," he said. "I just mind-linked with Kieran. He's back at the lodge, and he's... let's say not happy."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"He says you disappeared on him," Damon replied. "He's waiting for you to come find him."

"Disappeared?" I repeated incredulously. "He's the one who walked away from me!"

"Welcome to life with my brother," Damon said dryly. "He expects everyone to follow his lead without explanation."

Maya squeezed my arm. "Come on, we'll walk you back to the lodge. You two need to sort this out."

"I'll catch up with you later, sis," Ethan said, looking a bit overwhelmed. "I should find Maddie and... process this whole 'my little sister is mated to the Alpha King' thing."

I gave him a quick hug before following Maya and Damon along a path leading away from the bonfire. My mind was spinning. How could Kieran possibly be mad at me when he was the one who left?

"Has he always been like this?" I asked Damon as we walked.

"Kieran?" Damon considered the question. "He wasn't always so... intense. When we were kids, he was different. Quieter, maybe, but he laughed more." His expression grew serious. "Things changed after our father died."

"He told me about that," I said softly. "About how it happened."

Damon glanced at me in surprise. "He did? That's... unusual. He doesn't talk about it with anyone."

"Maybe because she's his mate," Maya suggested, squeezing Damon's hand.

We walked in silence for a moment before Damon spoke again. "Just... try to be patient with him, okay? He's not great at expressing himself, but he cares. More than he shows."

As we approached a large cabin—more of a lodge, really—I felt my anger building again. The more I thought about it, the more unfair Kieran's behavior seemed. He had no right to be angry with me when he was the one who walked away.

"Thanks for walking me back," I said to Maya and Damon when we reached the front steps.

Maya hugged me. "Good luck. Text me tomorrow, okay?"

Damon gave me an encouraging smile. "Remember, beneath all that Alpha posturing, he's just a guy who doesn't know what to do with the feelings you bring out in him."

I nodded, though I wasn't sure I believed that. As they walked away, I took a deep breath and faced the door.

I will not let him intimidate me, I told myself firmly. I deserve an explanation. And if he tries to blame me or punish me for this, I'll fight back. I don't care if he is the Alpha King.