Page 40 of Fated (The Bonded Legacy #1)

Cian’s posture shifted, shoulders squaring as he fell under his father’s scrutiny.

“Darius is enamored with Lena,” he said with a faint chuckle.

“It may have been love at first sight. He couldn’t stop calling her his daughter-in-law after meeting her.

” Cian’s tone grew more serious. “But he’s frustrated.

He expected Kai to end things with his girlfriend, Ava.

When I spoke with him this morning, it was clear emotions were still running high. ”

Raelen’s attention whipped back to Kai with renewed fury. “So, you come to my packlands”—his aura surged through the room—”and stake a possessive claim on my daughter while still entwined with another she-wolf?”

Kai flinched, head hanging in shame as the familiar sting of tears pricked at his eyes. Before he could respond, Lena’s voice cut through the tension.

“Dad, that’s not fair.” Her tone was both firm and exasperated. “Kai and Ava grew up together. They fell in love. It’s not easy to turn your heart off to someone you’ve let into it.”

Kai turned to her, overwhelmed by her defense. She shouldn’t have to shield him from her father’s rightful anger, yet here she was, standing up for him.

“And honestly,” Lena continued, incredulity lacing her words, “the shoe could have easily been on the other foot. Or have you forgotten that I spent years thinking I’d be mated to Jace and Ryker?

” Lena’s voice softened, imploring empathy from her father.

“If that relationship had manifested, could you imagine how intense that love would be? How I might fight fate to keep them, even though they aren’t destined to be mine? ”

Cian snorted, unable to hold back his laughter. “You mean what would’ve happened if I hadn’t walked in on the three of you, naked after a shift, arguing about whether both their—”

“ Not the point, Cian!” Lena’s face was bright red as she elbowed her brother in the gut, making him double over with a groan.

Kai’s mind spun. Did they touch her? Taste her? Orion fumed, blood-soaked visions unfurling for the males who dared touch what was his.

Lena turned her scowl away from her brother, focusing back on her father. “The point is that this is all new. To both of us. Finding each other upended a lot of things. Regardless of how strong our bond is, it’s not easy to just walk away from feelings that are deeply rooted in our hearts.”

She looked to Kai, nodding for him to speak.

Taking a steadying breath, Kai met Raelen’s gaze.

“We’ve agreed to take time to get to know each other,” he said quietly.

“Without the pressure of the bond or the expectations of our union. We don’t know what will happen, but we promised to try to chart a path that is right for both of us—one that doesn’t cause harm. ”

“We hope you’ll help bring Alpha Darius to this understanding with us, Dad,” Lena added, eyes still locked on Kai.

“He threatened Kai with banishment if he chose Ava over me.” Lena turned her gaze back to her father.

“What I feel for Kai is strong, and I know he feels it too, but I don’t want to start a life with him because of an ultimatum.

I want him to choose me for me. Not because his hand is being forced.

And not just because Selene wills it so. ”

Her words shrunk something in his chest, making each breath shorter than the last. A tremor started at the base of his skull, racing down each vertebra before settling like ice in his gut.

As he watched her, he noticed a tear clinging to her eyelash, threatening to fall but holding steady.

The sight sent a painful tremor through him, and before he could think better of it, he reached out, gently settling his other hand over hers.

Lena glanced at him, lips pressing together in a faint but grateful smile before facing her father. “Please, Dad. Keep an open mind. Help us.”

The room fell silent as her plea hung heavily in the air.

Raelen leaned back, expression unreadable. Seconds stretched, leeching air from the room. Finally, he exhaled deeply, shoulders relaxing.

“I’ll help,” Raelen said, voice steady but conflicted. “I want you to be happy, Lena. To have a bond that’s strong and beautiful, whether it’s fated or chosen. There will be no undue pressure from me—or from Darius—on how or if you come together.”

Lena let out a soft sigh, shoulders slumping in relief. “Thank you, Dad.”

Kai straightened in his seat, nodding toward Raelen. “Thank you, Alpha Raelen.” He hoped his gratitude conveyed how much Raelen’s support meant—not just to Lena, but to him as well.

Raelen offered a brief nod before grabbing his phone from the desk and typing out a quick message. Once done, he turned his sharp gaze back to Kai.

“Kai, Ryker is on his way to take you to your room. Get settled and get some rest. You’re welcome to join us for dinner, but I understand if you need some quiet after the past few days.”

“I appreciate it.” Kai rose to his feet, movements slow as he fought the deep-seated tension in his body. “I’ll see how I’m feeling.”

Raelen’s focus shifted to his children, a small smile breaking through his stoic demeanor. “You two, stay. I want to hear more about the summit.”

Kai hesitated for a moment, gaze flicking to Lena.

She reached for his hand, clasping it tightly as he passed her. The warmth of her touch steadied him. She leaned in just enough to whisper, “I’ll talk to you later.”

He nodded, throat tightening as he released her hand and walked toward the door. Ryker was already waiting as he stepped into the hall. With one last glance back, Kai met Lena’s gaze, her silent encouragement enough to push him forward.

As he followed Ryker to the guest suite, Kai couldn’t shake the feeling of gratitude mixed with a persisting sense of uncertainty. Whatever lay ahead, he knew he wasn’t walking this path alone. Not anymore.

Silence crackled between the males. Ryker’s usual swagger had vanished as they climbed the stairs, replaced by measured steps that echoed against the floorboards.

Finally, Ryker stopped in front of a door, hand resting on the handle. He turned to Kai, expression uncharacteristically serious.

“Look,” he began, voice low but firm. “I know this isn’t easy for you.

But Lena’s my best friend, and I’ve been here through all of it—watching her dream about her fated mate for years, then seeing her heart sink when she didn’t find them here at Moonshadow.

” Ryker paused, lost in memory. “She was terrified going into the summit. Not just because she might find her mate, but of what it would mean if she did—having to leave everything she’s built here, everyone she loves. ”

His gaze sharpened as it met Kai’s. “She’s choosing to open her heart to you anyway.

Giving you a real chance, even with everything happening with Ava.

She’s risking having it shattered.” His voice dropped to a protective growl.

“ Don’t make her regret defending you. Don’t make her regret choosing hope over fear.

” Ryker’s expression softened. “And don’t make me regret calling you my brother. ”

He pushed open the door. “Get some rest. We can talk more when you’re ready.”

Kai stepped into the room, chest tight as Ryker’s warning and Orion’s earlier caution echoed in his mind.

The space was simple but welcoming—a large bed with crisp sheets, a sturdy desk near the window, and a small sitting area.

The view beyond the glass showed the sprawling Moonshadow territory, dense forest stretching toward distant mountains.

“Thank you,” Kai said quietly, turning back to Ryker. “For everything.”

Ryker nodded once, his usual grin sliding across his face. “That’s what pack is for.” He stepped back into the hall, pulling the door closed. “Dinner’s at seven if you’re up for it.”

Left alone, Kai sank onto the bed. His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, breaths coming slow and uneven in the silence. Ryker’s words hammered at him: “She’s choosing to open her heart to you anyway.”

She’s risking everything.

I’m clinging to ghosts.

The first sob caught him off guard, ripping free with enough force to double him over.

He tried to swallow the next one and failed.

Everything he’d been suppressing—Lena’s burning bond, his father’s expectations, Ava’s imminent loss—poured out in violent, wracking sobs.

His legs gave out as he slid to his knees, pressing his face into the mattress to muffle sounds he couldn’t control.

He stood to lose everything, no matter what he chose.

Orion’s presence folded around him, a gravitational force compressing his limbs.

Heat bloomed at pressure points—sternum, temples, wrists—his wolf’s energy pulsing against the thin barrier of his skin and matching the erratic stutter of his heartbeat.

Silent comfort radiated through their bond as Kai’s tears soaked into the bedding.

“Let it out,” his wolf murmured. “We’re where we need to be.”

Kai didn’t know how long he kneeled there, letting years of suppressed emotion pour out of him. His sobs eventually quieted to hiccupping breaths, his body trembling with exhaustion. Somehow, he managed to pull himself onto the bed, his limbs heavy and uncoordinated.

The late-afternoon sun cast long shadows across the room, and somewhere in the distance, he could hear the faint sounds of pack life continuing—voices calling, laughter echoing, the steady rhythm of a place that might one day feel like a second home.

The sounds grew distant, muffled, as emotional exhaustion dragged him under.

Kai’s last conscious thought before darkness claimed him was of golden-brown eyes filled with hope he knew he didn’t deserve, and a future he wasn’t sure he was strong enough to choose.