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The clothes felt warm and comfortable, imbued with Charlotte’s scent. I detected honeysuckle and peach. Then I caught the aroma of the food I was cooking, and my stomach growled ferociously. I had to hurry out of the bathroom to get closer to the food. Charlotte was whipping the potatoes on the counter, and the savory scent of the chicken and potatoes enveloped me. Their delightful aroma mingled with onion and garlic, all assuring me that this was going to be the best meal I had ever had in my life. This was probably even better than anything I had ever had at the pack house.

“Oh, good. The clothes fit you better than I thought,” Charlotte said when her eyes found mine. “Nathaniel is home. Why don’t you go out there and introduce yourself?”

This made me tremble because I didn’t know anything about Nathaniel. He could be very much like my father, who only looked upon me with disgust.

He could also be someone like his mate who wants to help us,my lycan argued.

It didn’t calm my nerves, but she was right.Fine. Hopefully, our instincts are correct.

18

Kylie

I stepped into the living area and felt my nerves twisting in my gut.

Nathaniel emerged from the left bedroom with an uneasy smile. Commanding in presence, he was easily six feet tall with the unmistakable bulk of a lycan. The fine lines near his eyes betrayed his age, revealing years beyond youthful energy. Dominance rolled off him in waves.

His brown hair was neatly cut shorter on the sides but longer on top. The faint waves of his hair softened an otherwise imposing figure. The smile on his lips grew as his deep brown eyes swept over me.

“Evening, Kylie. I’m Nathaniel. Welcome to our humble abode.” Nathaniel’s voice was soft, but there was a power behind his words that he kept hidden.

I tilted my head to the side in submission, exposing my neck to him. It was a gesture I should have offered Charlotte, but the instinct was stronger with Nathaniel. The undeniable presence pressed heavily on me and my instincts.

Leadership radiated from his very being. There was no doubt he could have ruled a pack if he wanted to.

“None of that, Kylie. I am not an alpha anymore, and I have no interest in going through all of that again.”

I widened my eyes in shock. I had never known an alpha to act like this, at least not in my experience. Most alphas pursued power and dominance relentlessly. Nothing would stop them from clawing their way to the top and cutting down anyone who stood in their path.

Nathaniel was somehow different. He sensed my unspoken questions yet didn’t offer any explanations. Instead, he just smiled with calm, knowing energy. He had made peace with his place in the world and was satisfied with everything he had.

“Another time. Tonight isn’t about me.”

I could hear Charlotte moving behind me, and I turned just in time to see her carrying a big bowl of potatoes. “Sit, dear, please,” Charlotte said, balancing a comically large bowl of garlicky potatoes in her arms.

I raised my eyebrows as she laughed. I didn’t argue, and I couldn’t—especially not with how loudly my stomach was growling, rivaling my beast. I had no time for amusement as they chuckled at my roaring stomach. A sharper-than-usualhunger gnawed at me, made louder by a pregnancy that left me ravenous.

Charlotte placed two small, golden-brown chickens on my plate. The skin was blistered perfectly, locking in the juices and sealing in the flavor. I was tempted beyond reason by the rich, savory aroma. I tore into the succulent chicken without hesitation, forgetting all of my manners. Crisp skin crackled between my teeth, releasing a rush of warm, aromatic flavors. I tasted garlic, rosemary, and black pepper weaving together into a symphony of flavor. The meat beneath was tender and dripping with juices. Finally feeling sated, I let out a satisfied growl.

Nothing else mattered right now. That was the best meal I had ever had.

I didn’t stop eating until I stripped the chicken to its bare bones. I still had another chicken left, and I ripped into that with the same level of feral energy.

Charlotte and Nathaniel didn’t say a word. They sat there watching me tear into the birds without a single comment. I expected them to be shocked or even unnerved by the sheer intensity of my hunger. Their expressions changed when I stripped the meat off the second bird and moved on to the mashed potatoes. They didn’t show any horror or judgment. All I could read from their faces was a sense of quiet amusement. They were entertained by my display of feral hunger instead of being appalled, as I would have expected.

“Charlotte told me you were rejected. I’m sorry to hear that, Kylie. A mate should be treated as a gift.”

I swallowed the mashed potatoes, their velvety texture and buttery richness the perfect complement to the roasted chicken. The warmth of the meal lingered, urging me to keep eating and savor every bite.

I couldn’t let myself get lost in the food; my hosts were waiting for me to respond. It would be incredibly impolite to ignore them, and they needed an answer. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“Yeah,” I said, resisting the urge to take another bite of potatoes. “My mate rejected me and left me with nowhere to go. Coming here seemed like the right thing to do.”

Charlotte growled with a power I wasn’t expecting. I should have anticipated it, as she was previously a luna, and the power still lingered.

“He should have his coat shaved off for doing this to you. No one rejected their fated mates in our day. Why did he reject the gift of a fated mate?”

Pain flared in my chest as if I had opened an old wound, causing the bond to throb. Even thinking about it felt like peeling away a scab that refused to heal. My mouth was dry and my throat felt lined with sandpaper. I grabbed the water and took a long sip to soothe the discomfort.