Page 6 of Fated (The Bonded Legacy #1)

CHAPTER FIVE

KAI

M orning sunlight streamed through the windows of Darius’s study, casting long shadows across the massive dark oak desk, worn smooth by generations of alphas who’d sat in this very room. The scent of books and polished wood permeated the air.

Kai watched his father review the stack of papers before him, noting how the silver threading through Darius’s dark hair caught the light.

Even in a simple cable-knit sweater, his father cut an imposing figure.

Broad-shouldered and stern. Those distinctive Bloodstone green eyes, penetrating as ever, beneath strong brows.

The creases framing his mouth deepened when he spoke, geography carved by decades of unquestioned commands.

Lesser wolves still averted their gaze when those lines appeared.

“The annual summit is in a week.” Darius’s deep voice filled the room as he looked up from the papers, fixing Kai in his crosshairs.

Kai leaned back in his chair, the leather cool against his palms as he braced himself. “I know.”

“You know,” Darius repeated, voice edged with sarcasm. “But are you ready?”

Kai’s shoulders locked into place, vertebrae stacking tight. “Of course I’m ready. I’ve been to the summit every year since I was fifteen.”

“Watching is not leading, Kai.” Darius’s words cut like steel. “This time, you won’t just stand behind me. You’ll speak.”

“Speak?” Kai blinked, surprised. “What do you mean?”

His father set the papers down, folding his hands with deliberate precision.

“Some of the regional alphas have decided to let their heirs take part as surrogates to prepare for their pending alpha ceremonies. Given our pack’s proximity to the rising rogue threat, I must still attend, but you’ll present our position on the northern border dispute.

The abandoned Denali lands have become a point of contention.

The alphas from Ironclaw and Redridge will be there to assert their claims. You’ll argue for our interests. ”

Kai’s heartbeat thundered against his ribs. This was his chance—to prove himself, to step out of his father’s shadow—but the suddenness of it left his fingertips tingling, the taste of metal sharp on his tongue. “You trust me to handle this?”

“Trust is earned, Kai.” Darius’s eyes narrowed. “You think you’re ready to lead this pack? Show me you understand the intricacies of regional politics, how to balance our hold and influence with the greater needs of our community. Prove that it’s your time.”

Kai met his father’s gaze, determination hardening his spine. Orion’s pride surged through their bond. “I will.”

“Good.” Darius crossed his arms. “Don’t embarrass me.”

A heavy pause filled the room before Darius continued, his expression unreadable. “There’s one other thing you should know. Some packs are sending their unmated females to the summit this year.”

Kai’s stomach twisted. “Why?”

Darius’s lips curled into a humorless smile.

“The Collective wants to acknowledge the changing demographics in our community. They hope the she-wolves will learn from the lunas and beta-females in attendance and perhaps even find their mates.” He fixed Kai with a steady look.

“I think this may be a chance for you to find your fated as well.”

“I don’t want a fated mate,” Kai said, the words worn smooth with repetition. “I want Ava. I trust Selene will bless our chosen bond because Ava is the only one I will ever love.”

His father’s alpha aura filled the room like a gathering storm.

“I know what you want, but the pack needs strength. A bond with your fated mate will bring you into your power and could solidify alliances we need.” He pounded a clenched fist on the desk.

“The region faces tenuous times. The rogue attacks keep increasing and growing more vicious. Or have you forgotten how Ava came to join our pack to begin with?”

Kai’s jaw tightened as Orion growled inside him. “Fate again,” his wolf muttered.

The stern lines of Darius’s face softened.

His shoulders slumped as he rubbed at his temples.

“Look, I know you care deeply for Ava, but I’m not convinced she cares just as deeply for you.

” His father’s voice carried the force of Bloodstone legacy.

“I don’t want to see you forsake your destiny and the vitality of the pack for someone who’s not meant for you. ”

Kai rose, but Darius held up a hand, expression softening even further into something almost painful to witness. “My heart breaks for the loss Ava endured at such a young age.”

The rare expression of vulnerability drained the resistance from Kai’s limbs as he sank back into his chair.

“Yes, she is beautiful and smart.” Darius’s fingers drummed once against the ancient desk.

“She has a strong will that would make for a fortuitous luna, but…” He leaned forward, voice dropping to barely above a whisper.

“I sense she aspires to be Luna of Bloodstone more than she wants to be yours .”

Kai remained silent, teeth grinding against the accusation. A bitter taste spread across his tongue as he fought to keep his breaths even.

Darius sighed. “The pack’s future is my priority, but as your father, so is your happiness.

As we’ve discussed, I will pass the alpha title to you on the equinox after your twenty-fifth birthday.

If you haven’t found your fated mate by then, I’ll support your decision to seek the chosen bond blessing with Ava. ”

Kai nodded and surged to his feet. “I’ll prepare for the summit.”

“See that you do.”

The study door slammed behind Kai with a satisfying bang that echoed down the hallway. Frustration simmered beneath his skin, threatening to boil over. This was supposed to be his moment—finally, a chance to prove himself. Yet his father’s words about fated mates stuck like thorns in his mind.

Orion growled softly. “You don’t choose fate, Kai. She does.”

“Don’t start,” Kai shot back, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Ava’s laugh reached him before he saw her—sharp and confident, cutting through the air like a blade.

She lounged in the main sitting room, surrounded by warriors eager for her attention.

A familiar twinge of possessiveness tightened Kai’s throat, even as Orion’s disapproval prickled along his spine.

Her platinum-blonde hair cascaded like liquid moonlight over her shoulders, framing features as calculated as they were beautiful. The moment Kai entered, her pale blue eyes—cold and mesmerizing as arctic ice—snapped to his. The warriors scattered like leaves in a storm.

“There’s my future alpha,” she purred, rising with fluid grace.

Every detail was seductive, from the black sweater hugging every curve to the way she’d painted her lips that signature blood-red—a color as bold as her ambition—to the slight sway of her hips as she approached.

She moved like a predator stalking prey, the scent of her floral perfume intensifying with each step.

Kai didn’t stop walking, but she fell into step beside him, fingers ghosting along his arm.

“Rough morning with the old man?” Ava gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

“Something like that.”

Ava studied him. “You’re tense. What did he say?”

Kai stopped at the back door, one hand braced against the frame. “He wants me to argue our position on the northern borders at the summit.”

Ava’s perfectly sculpted brow arched. “About time. Your mind for strategy is unmatched. Darius is finally recognizing what I’ve always seen in you.”

“That’s the easy part,” he muttered. “The hard part was hearing him go on about fated mates again. He thinks I’ll find her at the summit—that somehow my ‘perfect bond’ will be found in the middle of a parade of the regional alphas’ unmated daughters.”

Something flickered in Ava’s expression as she tilted her head.

“You know, the idea of fated mates...it’s beautiful, in a way.

A perfect bond, created by Selene Herself.

” Her voice wavered—a crack in her perfect facade that tightened his chest. “But it’s also terrifying, isn’t it?

What if fate doesn’t care about what we’ve built, about what we’ve fought for? What if it pulls us apart?”

“That won’t happen. You’re the one I want.”

The hard light in her eyes dimmed, a sheen of moisture catching the light as her fingertip traveled the edge of his jaw, hesitating at the corner of his mouth.

“I know, Kai, but fate... It doesn’t play fair.

Promise me you’ll fight for us, no matter what.

” The edge in her voice made the hairs at the back of his neck rise.

“I promise.” He caught her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm.

“So, what did you tell him?” Her thumb brushed across his knuckles before she let go.

“The same thing I always tell him.” Kai’s huffed. “That I’ve made my choice, and I trust Selene will bless our bond.”

Ava’s smile crept across her face, confidence radiating in her voice, though something about it made Orion seethe.

Her hand pressed against his chest. “Exactly. We’ve built something stronger than chance, Kai.

” Her fingers danced across his collarbone.

“Selene will see us for what we are: a strong match. An unshakable luna and her alpha. When the other packs see us together—see how we compliment each other’s strengths—they’ll understand why Bloodstone will thrive under your leadership. ”

Orion rumbled dissent, but Kai focused on Ava’s touch.

“I’ll prove myself, and in turn, prove to my father that you’re the right choice,” he said with quiet determination. “I’ll show everyone I don’t need some predestined bond to secure my future.”

Kai started to tell her that Darius had promised to support their chosen mating if he remained unmated when he took his alpha oaths, but something stopped the words in his throat.

A nameless hesitation, a shadow of doubt that flickered at the edges of his certainty.

His wolf stirred restlessly beneath his skin, as if sensing the unspoken truth: part of him hungered for that wholeness his parents had shared, the completion that supposedly came only when joined with the soul Selene had crafted specially for his own.

“We’ll show them,” he said instead, the promise feeling both true and somehow hollow in the same breath.

“That’s my future alpha,” she cooed. Her smile widened as she rose on her toes, brushing her lips against his jawline—the touch tender yet somehow distant.

“She doesn’t love you.” Pain and protectiveness bled through Orion’s snarl . “You deserve someone who does.”

Kai stiffened, pulling back slightly, his wolf’s words cutting deep.

Ava pulled back, searching his face with an intensity that made him want to look away.

“Don’t let him distract you,” she murmured.

“You’ve already proven yourself—the warriors respect you, the pack will prosper under your oversight, and you’ve never backed down from a challenge.

Darius wants you to follow his path, but we’re better than that. You’re better than that.”

Kai nodded, though doubt churned in his gut. Orion’s disapproval continued to rattle through his bones, making Kai’s teeth ache as if storm pressure had settled in his jaw.

“I need to get ready for training,” he said, pulling away.

Ava’s gaze lingered. “Don’t let your father get in your head. You already know what you want.”

Kai didn’t respond. Instead, he pushed through the door. The cool air hit him like a slap, raising goosebumps along his arms as he strode toward the training grounds, his wolf restless beneath his skin.

“She isn’t yours , ” Orion insisted.

“She will be , ” Kai answered, each step dogged. “I’ll make sure of it . ”