Page 48 of Bonding with the Beta (Fated Souls #2)

48

KAYDEN

“ H aving a good day?” I ask Jaxon as I raise my glass to my lips.

He nods and adjusts his cufflinks. “Yeah, a really good day for Aurora. A great turnout. That girl is so loved.”

“As she should be.” I tilt my glass towards him. “It’ll be one to remember.”

“Most definitely.”

Jaxon glances behind me and steps forward. “Cole, it’s good to see you again.”

I turn to face Cole and his wife, Priscilla, walking towards us. “Thank you for your generous invite to Aurora’s party. We greatly appreciate it and love to meet some friendly faces.”

Jaxon shakes Cole's hand. “It’s our pleasure. Glad you could be here.”

Cole turns to me and holds out his hand, and I take it. “Good to see you, Cole.” I nod once. “And you, Priscilla.”

“Likewise.” He smiles. “Thank you for all your help, Kayden. Our integration definitely could have been far worse, but you’ve really made this district feel like a home.”

My mouth curls at his words. “That’s what we’re here for.”

“We will return the favour,” Priscilla says sincerely.

I shake my head once. “It’s not a favour. We did it because we know exactly what it feels like to be in your position. We wanted to show you that we’re friends and allies.”

Cole raises his glass. “Well, I can cheers to that.”

Our glasses clink in the middle.

One second, I’m smiling; the next, I feel like I’m about to be knocked off the axis of the Earth. My lungs feel like they’ve been squeezed like a lemon, and I can’t catch my breath. Hell, I can barely see. My entire body tingles to the point I worry if I take a step, I’ll fall straight to the floor.

Their voices echo around me, but I can’t focus on them until Jaxon rests his hand against my shoulder, snapping me back into the room. “Kayden?”

I glance at him, suddenly taking a shallow breath.

Jaxon’s brows furrow. “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” I straighten myself out. “Sorry.”

I stand back, my eyes flicking across them and the groups of people in the room, but I can’t make out a single face as this tidal wave of intensity collapses into me sideways.

My hand presses to my chest, and I rub through the zapping inside me.

“U-uh,” I rasp. “I’m gonna go grab some air.”

I don’t wait to hear what they have to say. I spin on my unsturdy heels and push my way through the sea of people until I reach outside. I gulp down the air like I’m suffocating.

Everything trembles inside me, yet fresh air doesn’t make me feel much better.

I reach the edge of the pillars and grip my fingers on the balcony, bowing my head to take low breaths. My eyes clamp shut, but I’m spinning like I’ve had one too many.

Shit. Have I been spiked?

No. Who the hell would spike me?

My wolf unexpectedly stirs inside me, and realisation suddenly dawns on me.

Oh, fuck.

No. No. No. No.

“Kayden.” A hand lands on my back and I jump. “Woah.”

My eyes meet Kayleigh’s as she stares back at me with furrowed brows.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I rasp and wipe my hand across my jaw. “ Nothing .”

“Are you sure? You’re sweating like hell.”

I step away from her and shift between my feet. “Kayleigh, sorry…I just need a minute to myself.”

“Kayden,” she says as she wraps her arms over her elbows. “What’s going on?”

“ Please ,” I hiss a little too harshly. “Sorry. I just really need a moment. Please, give me a moment.”

Kayleigh’s eyes flick over me with confusion. “Uh…okay,” she hesitates. “I’ll see you in there?”

“Yeah,” I murmur and avoid her eyes.

She pauses for a moment before leaving me alone, but my chest is still vibrating like I’ve been given an electric shock.

Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.

Not here. Anywhere but here.

I take a quick walk around the grounds to shake off this sensation, but it doesn’t leave my body. It only intensifies when I reach the front of the building again.

My gaze flicks across the group of people loitering outside with drinks in hand and laughing between them. I slide a hand through the back of my hair and tug at the strands.

My vision tightens as I sense someone walking directly towards me until my gaze rests on her. Dark hair, green eyes, and olive skin. She’s beaming, with tears in her lash line. Skin tinting pink.

Oh, Goddess.

I’m stuck. I can’t fucking move.

She doesn’t stop walking. She’s heading straight for me.

“Hi,” she whispers when she’s close enough.

My fingers itch to do something as my wolf howls deeply inside me.

“H-hi,” I stutter, my mouth tasting like sandpaper.

Before I can register what’s happening next, she moves closer and wraps her arms around me, drawing me into a hug. My wolf cries out at the sensation, and I can’t quite voice what’s happening.

Because you know exactly who she is to you.

“I can’t believe this,” she murmurs into my shoulder.

A warmth spreads through my body and wraps around my head, convincing me to take a breath and relax.

She’s my?—

She’s—

Fuck.

I gulp back the lump in my throat and return the hug.

After a moment, she pulls back and stares up at me. “Are you okay?”

No. Yes. I don’t know.

My wolf wants me to wrap her up in my arms again, but my heart is telling me something completely different.

Kayleigh. My Kayleigh, who is no less than thirty feet away inside.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“Sorry.” I pull away, suddenly realising we have an audience of my pack members. “I’m just in shock.”

I never thought this would happen.

I thought hearing Kayleigh’s thoughts meant something.

Yet, here is my…mate, standing directly in front of me.

“What’s your name?” she asks.

“Kayden,” I make out slowly.

Her entire face brightens. “I’m Harley.”

Goddess, why now?

I can’t take my eyes off her.

I can’t feel my legs.

I can’t think.

“I can’t believe I met you here,” she gushes.

“A-are you a part of Cole’s pack?”

She nods with a blinding smile. “Yes. You’re the Beta of Jaxon’s. Right?”

“Right,” I say and lick my drying lips.

My wolf howls when she stares back at me with those big green eyes full of hope and happiness. I gulp, my hands trembling by my sides. My stomach churns when she walks towards me and places a delicate hand on my arm.

It feels good. Fuck. My arm tingles. But she isn’t Kayleigh.

“What’s the matter?” She frowns.

I shake my head once. “Nothing.” Everything.

Harley’s eyes flicker for a moment, and her mouth presses into a thin line. “Are you not happy with what you see?”

“No,” I state instantly because I don’t want to hurt her feelings. “Not at all.”

There is nothing wrong with her. She’s pretty. But it’s not right.

“Then what?”

My lips part, but nothing comes out.

What can I say to her without shattering her to pieces?

I’m the fool. I’m the fool. I’m the fool.

Harley’s hands rise, and she presses them both to my cheeks. I freeze at the sensations that wash over me as she smiles softly and tilts her head. I try my hardest to pull away, but I can’t. My wolf is drawing me in after being deprived for his entire life.

“I get you’re in shock,” she whispers. “But this is meant to be the greatest moment of our lives. We were made for this moment.”

She presses our foreheads together, and I close my eyes as my wolf takes over and dives into the waves of the matebond emitting off us.

I should pull away. I need to pull away.

But I can’t, and I hate myself for giving in to this moment when I know where my heart lies.