The Unwanted: Embracing Fate

Chapter 3

For what seemed like quite some time they stood in silence staring out the window watching the gardens below that led out to the large forestry surrounding the area in every pack there was always wood or forested areas, a wolf always liked to roam after all. Acteon kept his composure beside her “you are of course welcome to stay here as long as you please especially with your cousin's condition” he suddenly spoke up. His voice caught her off guard but she didn’t show it instead let her gaze turn to meet him.

“thank you, Acteon” Kaia spoke politely she wasn’t sure how to approach the situation but the subject sat at the tip of her tongue begging to escape.

“Of course, you are the future Luna of this pack” Acteon turned his gaze to her, dark eyes staring taking her in. She could see the calculated depths beneath his exterior no matter how poised he kept himself “you have every right to be here.”

“About that...” she began finally bringing herself to speak. She just couldn’t find herself being able to speak freely with him “I am past eighteen now and the mate pull...” Kaia almost rambled over the words.

Acteon suddenly let out a strange laugh catching her off guard “considering your status, Kaia I’m sure you need time for the mate bond to develop” in sudden movement Kaia’s hand was caught in Acteon’s his clawed fingers wrapped around hers “you are still so young let us not rush.”

“Acteon...” she attempted to clarify but he was quick to wave her off.

“Worry no more. Just focus on your cousin and when you have time we can get to know each other” he flashed a large smile “now excuse me I have some duties to attend to” before she could say another word he practically disappeared leaving her alone in the grand hallway before she retreated to the bedroom to check on her cousin.

:::

Luca slept the whole time she was with him, till she finally decided to retreat to her room. The first time she had visited they had shown her, her room which was actually an entire wing of the castle. Gatlin walked quietly by her side seeming to be in her own deep thought “you’re still going to be my Beta... If you will agree that is” Kaia suddenly spoke as soon as they entered the large area dedicated to her.

“I thought you would want Luca to take over?” Gatlin spoke more of a question her olive coloured eyes watching Kaia. Kaia was younger but now stood taller Gatlin, the nineteen-year-old was like an sss.

“I have other plans for Luca, he needs a fresh start, doesn’t he? He’s been through so much” Kaia sighed sitting down onto one of the heavily cushioned lounges in the sitting area.

“I could only imagine how the last few years has been for him over there with those monsters too. The Skodati are really their own breed aren’t they” Gatlin seemed to shiver at the thought of them. She wasn’t wrong they were a group amongst themselves and the only ones not under the Lycan rule, the only outsiders who saw the place were ones taken as prisoners or unfortunately be the mate to one of them.

“At least he is back now I can be thankful for that” Kaia attempted to act casual but she couldn’t hide her perfectly poised self even when she leaned back in the seat. Her longing gaze seemed to linger to the large windows leading out to the wooded area.

“Missing your wolf form” Gatlin observed as she sat down opposite Kaia.

“I always loved being in my wolf form... It was an easy escape from all the drama too” Kaia directed her gaze back to Gatlin who held a sort of sympathetic look in her eyes.

“What are you going to do about all this?” Gatlin finally dropped the question. It was an obvious subject needing to be aired since they left their home.

“Valen is all about duty and doesn’t want to acknowledge we are mates and Actaeon doesn’t want to acknowledge that we aren’t” Kaia laughed “with their sharing ignorance in reality it’s pretty obvious they are related” Gatlin laughed as well they both couldn’t help but giggle at the absurdity.

“Not an easy situation considering the status of you all too” Gatlin sighed.

“Linz..” Kaia’s voice suddenly went soft her eyebrows turned to a frown “did it hurt when you separated the bond? What if that’s what Valen wants—“

“Kaia, no” Gatlin announced she was quick to switch seats to be by Kaia’s side. Perhaps explaining her side of things would have hurt more if it had been different but that wasn’t the case for Gatlin “it was different with Onyx and me, there was nothing there a bond that felt it shouldn’t be there, that should be broken. We are happier apart when Valen saw you and announced you’re his mate at my shop... I think he needs time to come to terms with it, Kaia. Not only were you supposed to be with his cousin but also you're meant to be the Luna over all of our kind it’s a pretty big deal for someone who wasn’t expecting it.”

Kaia nodded slowly in understanding she was trained for this life true but Valen wasn’t he was raised to lead warriors but not a kingdom “I shall give him time to come to terms with things” she concluded.

“Good idea... Go get some rest, Kaia no doubt we will have a big day ahead tomorrow” Gatlin smiled and Kaia reciprocated.

“You’re right, Linz. Good night hopefully things are better tomorrow. Perhaps he could have even come to terms with it by then” Kaia spoke as she wandered off to her chambers sincerely hoping things would look better in the morning.