Lyra's POV
"…mine?"
The word dropped between us like a stone thrown into still water. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. My heart slammed violently against my ribs as Kael's voice echoed in my head. His gaze stayed locked on mine; dark, steady, relentless, like he was searching for something.
Waiting.
Waiting for me to admit what he already believed. My wolf stirred uneasily. No.
No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. I forced myself to look away. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said sharply. The lie came out faster than I expected.But even as the words left my mouth, the air between us tightened.
Kael didn't move. Didn't step back. If anything, he stepped closer. The wall behind me suddenly felt colder against my back. "You heard it," he said quietly. It wasn't a question. It was a certainty.
My fingers curled into fists at my sides. "Stop assuming things," I snapped. Inside, my wolf paced restlessly, anxious in a way I had never experienced before. It felt like something deep inside me was pulling toward him, something instinctive, something dangerous.
Something I didn't want to understand. I hated it, I hated the way my body reacted to him. The way his scent wrapped around me, warm and intoxicating, making it harder to think clearly.
Kael watched me carefully. Too carefully. His gaze dropped briefly to my chest, and only then did I realize my breathing had become uneven. My heart was racing. Of course he noticed.
"You're lying," he murmured. Anger flared instantly. "I am not!" The words came out louder than I intended. For a second, neither of us spoke. The noise of the festival in the distance faded into the background. All I could hear was the pounding of my own heartbeat.
Kael tilted his head slightly, studying me like I was a puzzle he was determined to solve. "You froze earlier," he said slowly. My stomach twisted. "And when our hands touched… your wolf reacted."
My breath caught. So he noticed that too, of course he did. He was an Alpha. His senses were sharper than anyone else's here. I tried to push past him.
"Move."
He didn't.
Instead, his hand pressed against the wall beside my head, blocking my path. "Answer me first." I glared up at him. "You're unbelievable." His expression didn't change. "If you didn't hear it," he said, his voice lowering slightly, "then why are you avoiding me?"
I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. Because the truth was…. I didn't have an answer. Not one I was willing to give him. I hated him. At least, that was what I kept telling myself. He was arrogant, intimidating and infuriatingly confident. But standing this close to him was doing strange things to my senses. My wolf stirred again.
Soft.
Curious.
Almost… hopeful. The feeling sent panic rushing through me. No. Absolutely not. I pushed harder against his chest, forcing a small space between us. "Even if I did hear something," I said coldly, "that doesn't mean anything." Kael's eyes darkened. "Oh?"
"Yes." I lifted my chin, refusing to back down. "I don't believe in that nonsense." His brow furrowed slightly. "Mate bonds," I continued. "Fate deciding who we belong to. It's ridiculous." The words sounded bold. Defiant. But they were also true.
I had always believed that. No one should be forced into loving someone just because some ancient instinct decided it. I wouldn't live my life like that. Kael stared at me for a long moment. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes.
"You don't believe in mates." It sounded like he was testing the idea. "Correct." Silence stretched between us. Then slowly… Kael leaned closer. Too close. His voice dropped into a low murmur that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.
"You might not believe in it," he said. "But your wolf does." My breath hitched. His gaze slid down my face before returning to my eyes. "And right now," he continued quietly, "your wolf is reacting to me." My heart pounded harder. Damn him.
Damn his stupid Alpha senses. Before I could respond… A voice cut through the tension. "Lyra?" Both of us turned. Kiera was walking toward us, her expression confused, her eyes darting between me and Kael. "What's going on?"
Relief washed over me instantly. An escape. I stepped away from Kael, ignoring the way my wolf protested at the sudden distance. "Nothing," I said quickly. But Kael didn't look convinced. His gaze followed my every movement. Watching, calculating , unfinished .
As Kiera reached my side, I grabbed her arm. "Let's go." We started walking away before he could stop us. But even as I left, I could still feel his gaze burning into my back. And for some reason… My wolf stirred again. Restless. Almost eager.
The feeling made my stomach twist uneasily. Because deep down, a frightening thought had begun to take shape. What if Kael was right? What if my wolf really had chosen him? And if that was true…Then why did the thought of him being my mate make my heart race…in a way that felt dangerously close to excitement?