Page 12 of Bond To The Alpha (Fated Bond #1)

LIANA

"Lina."

Her head swings in my direction immediately and she comes scampering to my side. And as she does I exchange a loaded glance with Kane, where he’s seated, eyes brimming with curiosity. At first, I didn't realize trying to hide Lina from him would be such a hassle until Sam asked me to let Kane stay here. The last thing I want is for him to become aware of our child.

I close the door behind me, my heart racing. Lina looks up at me.

"Mommy, who's that man?" she asks.

"Why was he staring at me like that?"

"It's nobody, sweetheart. Just... someone who's staying here for a little while." I pat her hair fondly with a smile, then pull her gently away from the door before kneeling down to her level.

My voice sinks to a whisper.

"Listen, I need you to do something for me, okay? I don't want you hanging around this place too often while he's here. After school and homework, you can play with your friends at the back until dinner time. And if he tries to talk to you or ask you anything, don't answer him, alright my love?"

"Okay, Mommy.”

Although I don’t completely trust that the mission keep-Lina-from-Kane wouldn’t be a hard task in the long run. The tavern isn't exactly spacious, and Lina's naturally curious. Plus, Kane's not an idiot; he's bound to try to get close to my child eventually.

But I trust Lina to always obey my instructions.

"That's my good girl." I stand up, trying to shake off the anxiety.

"Are you ready for dinner?"

"Yes!" Lina chirps, her earlier confusion now forgotten in the face of food.

I pull out a chair for her, and she clambers up eagerly while I dish out her favorite food— mac and cheese.

"Thanks, Mommy!" Lina says as she starts digging in with gusto.

I lean down to plant a kiss on her cheek. "I'll be right back."

Kane's eyes and mine clash again when I leave the room, and a tremor runs through my core from the gentle heart -quake. Forcing myself to look away, I quickly head for the stairs and go up to my room.

Having not noticed him following behind me causes me to stumble back with a fluster when Kane puts his hand through the bedroom door as I’m about to close it behind me.

"Do you need anything?" I ask, swallowing a lump down my throat.

I can't even bring myself to look at his face.

"You didn't tell me about Lina," he says, giving me the look that he wants some more explanation for whatever had happened downstairs.

"What about her?" I question casually.

"I heard you had a...partner."

Of course, the men would've mentioned Lina to him .

I gather my courage and look up at him, forcing a sardonic smile.

“…which is not you . You don't expect that I was single for six years, do you?"

"Of course not,” he tries to chuckle, hiding his disappointment, a reaction that makes a weak part of me feel a thrill of gratification.

But it doesn't matter how he feels. It can't matter.

"I came to town after giving birth to her," I lie.

Thank god Lina looks so much like me. And thank god I've always reported a fake age for her, so no one can really know.

Kane nods slowly, his eyes not leaving my face.

I've never been officially exiled from Blood Moon Pack, nor have I formally joined the Moonlight Pack. If Lina's true identity is exposed, she'd be required to grow up in the Blood Moon Pack, the last place I want to stay, and I won’t let that happen.

??????

A sliver of sunlight sneaks through a gap in the curtains, painting a golden streak over the bedsheets as I lay underneath them with my eyes wide open to the morning, listening to the distant chirping of birds filtering through the window like a gentle chorus coaxing out of the lingering sleepiness.

As much as I like to remain sunk back into the warmth of the pillow, I sit up, stretching my arms above my head. My body, like it does every morning, remembers the exhaustion from the hustle of running around the tavern the day before. The difference now is that it's no longer just the minor fatigue that has become second nature, it's the drain that comes from the mental gymnastics of avoiding Kane these past few days.

Every time I turn a corner, he's there.

His presence is just like a constant hum in the background of my life.

I’m always holding my breath and ducking into rooms, and taking the long way around just to avoid those piercing blue eyes.

Please, let Sam and Kane resolve this rogue wolf situation quickly.

Let them be successful so Kane can leave, and I can return to the version of normal I’ve been keeping to these past years.

But even as I think it, I know "normal" has always been a fragile concept around Kane. He has this way of shaking the foundation of my life whenever he comes into it, past and present.

Shortly after getting ready for the day. I start my morning rounds, checking in on the guests who've lodged with us. One is a sweet elderly woman in room 3 who greets me with a warm smile whenever I bring her fresh towels; another is a newlywed couple in room 5 who are still fast asleep.

This is my domain and my little slice of the world where I'm in control, would have been my definition of a typical morning until it’s time for me to check on the last room. Then that tension comes rushing back in full force. I stop outside his door, as usual, to listen for any sign of movement inside.

Silence.

He's probably already left for his early morning patrols with Sam.

Still, I can't help the way my heart races whenever I turn the knob to go in.

The room is empty, and the bed is already neatly made, but I still move around the room to straighten things that don't really need straightening.

The fact that our regular cleaner is on leave is the only reason I'm in here at all. It doesn't matter that my fingers linger a moment too long on his jacket hanging over a chair, or that my eyes are drawn to the notepad on the desk where his handwriting is calling out to me from the front page.

A burst of high-pitched giggles reaches my ears while I’m trying to still read what Kane has scribbled down. I recognize that laugh even though it’s not something I hear very often.

I walk to the window, carefully pushing it open.

Still giggling is Lina whose body is suspended high in the air, and below her is the one who's holding her up, grinning from ear to ear as she stretches her tiny arms towards a ripe apple hanging just out of reach, and my forehead immediately wrinkles up at the sight.

That used to be a scene straight out of my deepest, most secret fantasies— the same ones I've ruthlessly squashed down over the years.

Kane playing the doting father with our child.

"Almost there…” Kane encourages her, also hiking a bit higher on his heels.

I wait in suspense as her little fingers wiggle consistently until they manage to grasp the fruit.

"Got it!" she screams excitedly.

She never screams.

Lina has always been a very reserved child, shy most of the time too.

Kane lowers her gently to the ground and ruffles her hair as she beams up at him.

"Well done, kiddo.”

I lean closer to the window, straining to hear more of their conversation. I want to rush down there and snatch Lina away from Kane. But I remain rooted to the spot, unable to look away.

"Can I go next? Please, please, please?" A chorus of voices begins to pipe up, and I notice for the first time that there's a small crowd of kids from the pack gathered around Kane.

"Alright, alright." Kane laughs….in a way that makes my heart skip a beat.

"Form an orderly line, apple pickers!"

One by one, he lifts each child to excited squeals.

At times he makes a game of it and pretends to struggle with some of the older kids, but he manages to hoist two of them at once, the cheers are deafening.

I’m smiling too.

Wait, why am I smiling?

This is the Kane I remember, the one who could light up a room with his presence, who always had time for the younger pack members. The one I fell in love with, before everything .

Kane's head turns towards the window.

I jerk back and forcefully slam the window shut, so much so that the handles break off.

I hiss, staring at the broken handles in my hands in a brief moment of disbelief before rushing out of the room.

"Mama I brought you something,”

Lina's little face peeks around the edge of the bedroom door, showing two shiny red apples and holding them out to me like a peace offering

She knows I saw her earlier on.

I can’t bring myself to scold her because she has done nothing wrong.

I pretend to be upset anyway and turn back to what I’m doing.

She then shuffles into the room, hands behind her back and looking every bit the picture of adorable guilt

"I got these for you," she announces again.

I sigh and take the apples, smiling at her and then her face brightens up.

"Did he...did he ask you anything?" I ask. "Anything weird?"

Lina's eyes light up even further at the mention of Kane.

"Oh, mama, he's so nice!" she gushes, scrambling to get on the bed.

"He told me I'm strong like a warrior princess!"

I force a smile. "Really?"

She nods enthusiastically.

"He also taught us how to do a backflip."

"He what?"

"Well, not a real one," Lina giggles.

"He showed how to do it on the ground. Watch…"

Before I can stop her, she's rolling backward on the bed, her legs kicking up in the air until she lands in a messy heap, grinning from ear to ear.

"That's...that's interesting," I comment, a bit surprised to see Lina this giddy.

“Can I tell you a secret, mama?"

She cups her hands around my ear and whispers,

"He's my crush."

"Crush?" I repeat, smiling with both surprise and unease.

Lina nods. "Mhm."

"Do you even know what that means?" I ask.

She grins, revealing the gaps where her front teeth used to be.

"It means best friend."

"Ah, I see," I nod slowly.

"What about me then? I thought I was your best friend."

Lina's face scrunches up in thought for a moment before breaking into a beaming smile.

"You're my bestest friend!" she declares and throws her arms wide as she wraps her arms around me.

I hug her tight…really tight because I’m scared.

I’m scared because now I don’t know: am I making the right choice?

Is keeping Kane in the dark really protecting Lina, or am I just protecting myself?