Chapter 23

After our passionate kiss, Kieran reluctantly released me, though he kept an arm firmly around my waist. His eyes were still dark with desire as we made our way back through the crowd, which had politely pretended not to notice our intimate moment on the dance floor.

"Alpha Kieran!" A young wolf approached us with a camera. "Would you and the Luna honor us with some photos for the pack archives? To commemorate this historic night?"

Kieran looked to me for approval. I nodded, smoothing down my silver dress self-consciously.

As we posed with various members of the pack, I couldn't help but notice the night air growing cooler as it seeped through the open windows. A slight shiver ran through me, and immediately Kieran's attention was on me.

"You're cold," he said, not a question but a statement of fact.

Before I could protest, he had shrugged off his formal jacket and draped it over my shoulders. The fabric was warm from his body, carrying his scent—pine forests and something wild that I couldn't name. I pulled it closer around me, surprisingly comforted by this small gesture of care.

"Thank you," I murmured.

His hand brushed against mine briefly. "You're my Luna now. Your comfort is my priority."

The photographer directed us for one final photograph, suggesting that Kieran should hold me close. Without hesitation, Kieran pulled me into his embrace, one arm around my waist, the other hand resting on my hip. The camera flashed, capturing the moment—me wrapped in his jacket, looking up at him with what I was sure was a mixture of nervousness and fascination, and him gazing down at me with that intense stare that seemed to see straight to my soul.

"Perfect," the photographer declared. "The Alpha King and his Luna."

Those words still felt strange to hear. His Luna. Part of the Silver Moon Pack now. Following the formal photographs, pack members approached us one by one, offering congratulations and pledging their loyalty. I tried to memorize faces and names, knowing these people were now my responsibility too.

Eventually, Kieran announced it was time for us to depart.

"We have a long journey ahead," he explained to those nearby. "My Luna needs her rest."

Maya rushed over for a final hug. "I'll see you in three days," she whispered in my ear. "Remember what I told you about being strong and standing your ground."

Ethan was next, pulling me into a tight embrace. "Be happy, sis," he said softly. "And remember, you can always call me if you need anything."

With final farewells complete, Kieran led me to a sleek black SUV waiting outside. Two serious-looking wolves stood beside it, clearly security for the Alpha King.

"It's a three-day journey to our territory," Kieran explained as he helped me into the passenger seat. "I could have flown us there, but I wanted you to see the land—to understand what you're becoming part of."

He slid into the driver's seat, nodding to the security detail who got into a second vehicle behind us. As we pulled away from the celebration hall, the sounds of the party faded into the quiet of the night.

For a while, we drove in comfortable silence. I watched the landscape change through the window, forests giving way to open fields under a star-filled sky. Occasionally, I would feel Kieran's eyes on me, and when I turned to meet his gaze, I found him watching me with a softness that contradicted his usual intense demeanor.

During one of these exchanges, as the moonlight flooded the car interior, I noticed something I hadn't seen before. The collar of Kieran's shirt had shifted, revealing several pale scars across his neck and disappearing down his chest. Without thinking, I reached out, my fingers hovering just above one particularly jagged mark.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

Kieran tensed slightly but didn't pull away from my touch. "Battle scars," he answered, his voice deliberately casual. "Part of being Alpha."

But there was something in his tone that suggested there was more to the story. I let my fingers gently trace the edge of one scar, feeling the slightly raised tissue against his warm skin.

"These weren't just from ordinary fights, were they?" I pressed, suddenly certain.

Kieran's jaw tightened, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "No," he admitted after a long pause. "Most of them came from one particular fight. The challenge for Alpha King."

My heart constricted painfully at the thought of him wounded, bleeding. I could imagine it too clearly—Kieran fighting for his life, for his position, for his pack. Whoever had done this to him must have been vicious, aiming not just to defeat him but to destroy him.

"Who?" I whispered, anger building in my chest on his behalf.

"It doesn't matter now," Kieran said firmly. "I won. He lost."

But I noticed how his knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, revealing that the memory still affected him deeply.

Bastard, I thought fiercely, directing my silent fury toward whoever had marked Kieran's skin this way. Whoever had tried to take him down, to inflict pain that would leave such lasting reminders. In that moment, I felt a surprising surge of protectiveness toward this man who, by all accounts, needed protection from no one.

We drove through the night, stopping only briefly for fuel. By the time we reached the hotel where we would spend our first night, exhaustion had overtaken my nervousness about what would happen next.

The hotel was luxurious but discreet—clearly accustomed to hosting important guests who valued their privacy. Kieran checked us in while I waited nearby, too tired to pay much attention to the details of our surroundings.

Our suite was spacious, with a living area separating the bedroom from a large bathroom. I stood awkwardly in the center of the room, suddenly very aware that this would be our first night truly alone together.

"You should shower first," Kieran said, setting down our overnight bags. "You must be tired."

Grateful for the momentary reprieve, I nodded and grabbed my toiletry bag, heading toward the bathroom. As I reached for the door handle, Kieran's voice stopped me.

"Unless," he said, a playful note entering his tone, "you'd like some company?"

I turned to find him watching me with a mischievous smile, his earlier somber mood apparently forgotten.

"I—what?" I stammered, heat rushing to my face.

"I could join you," he suggested, eyes gleaming with amusement at my flustered reaction. "Help wash your back. Among other things."

"No!" I blurted out, trying to sound stern despite my embarrassment. "Absolutely not."

Kieran took a step closer, his presence suddenly filling the space between us. "Why not?" he asked, his voice dropping lower. "You're my mate, my Luna. There are no barriers between us now."

My heart raced at his proximity, at the possessive declaration in his words. Some part of me thrilled at the way he claimed me so confidently, but another part—the part that had been independent all my life—rebelled.

"That's not fair," I protested, trying to keep my voice steady despite the way my pulse jumped when he moved closer. "I've left everything familiar behind to come to your territory. I don't even have the home advantage here."

Something flickered in Kieran's eyes—respect, perhaps, for my attempt to stand my ground. After a moment, he inclined his head slightly.

"Very well," he conceded. "I can be patient."

Relief mingled with an unexpected twinge of disappointment as I slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, only to nearly jump out of my skin when I realized the bathroom had a partially frosted glass wall that faced the bedroom.

While it didn't reveal everything, the glass was transparent enough that Kieran would be able to see my silhouette clearly as I showered. And as if to confirm my suspicions, I could see his shadow moving just on the other side, removing his shirt to reveal the muscled torso I had glimpsed earlier.

I swallowed hard, turning on the shower to buy myself time to think. The water heated quickly, steam beginning to fill the bathroom. Carefully, I undressed, keeping anxious watch on the glass wall. True to his word, Kieran didn't try to enter, but I could sense his presence just beyond the partition.

The warm water helped ease the tension from my shoulders, though I rushed through my shower routine more quickly than usual, hyperaware of my vulnerability. When I finished, I reached for the plush hotel towel and wrapped it securely around my body.

Standing before the fogged mirror, I wiped away the condensation to examine my reflection. Cheeks flushed from the heat, hair darkened by water, eyes wide with anticipation—I looked like someone on the precipice of something momentous.

My heart pounded as I contemplated stepping back into the bedroom, knowing Kieran would be waiting. The thought of him seeing me in nothing but a towel sent a flutter of nervous excitement through my stomach.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and moved toward the door. Whatever happened next, I was no longer just Lena. I was Luna of the Silver Moon Pack, mate to the Alpha King.

And despite all my misgivings and fears, some part of me was beginning to embrace that new identity.