Between Two Bonds
1038 Words
Chapter Three: Between Two Bonds
Kate’s pov
I said yes to the silence.Not because it was easy.Not because it was right.But because of the way the Alpha looked at me and told me the truth, I knew instinctively that speaking would destroy more than it saved.
So I nodded.
“I won’t tell anyone,” I said, my voice barely steady. “Not the elders. Not the pack. Not… him.”
The Alpha watched me for a long moment, his eyes unreadably , heavy with things he did not allow himself to say.
The bond between us intensified , hot and restless, like a living thing trapped beneath my skin.
“This secrecy will hurt you,” he said finally.
“I’ve lived with hurt before,” I replied.
That was when his jaw tightened.
“Very well,” he said. “Then from this moment on, you are under my protection. You will be watched. Guarded. And if the bond overwhelms you—”
“I’ll endure it,” I interrupted.His eyes darkened.
“That is not what I meant.”
The silence that followed pressed close, intimate and dangerous. I felt it then, the sudden pulled toward him. Not just my wolf, but me.
The way my body leaned forward without permission. The way my breath shortened when he stepped closer.I hated it but I also wanted it.
When he dismissed me, it felt like being cut loose from gravity. I left his chambers shaken, my wolf pacing anxiously beneath my skin, every step away from him an act of will.
I told myself I was doing the right thing.
I told myself this was survival.
The pack returned from the border war three days later.
The horns sounded at dawn, echoing through stone and bone alike. Wolves flooded the courtyard, excitement rippling through the air. Victors returned bloodied but alive.
Cheers broke out as familiar faces emerged from the treeline.
My husband was among them.I spotted khim instantly, relief crashing through me so hard my knees almost gave out. He looked tired. .
A shallow cut marked his cheek. But he was alive and that is all that matters
I ran to him before I could stop myself.
“You’re back,” I breathed.
He smiled when he saw me, real warmth softening his features as he caught me in his arms. His scent wrapped around me, familiar, comforting and safe .
“I told you I would return,” he said,giving me a tighter hug .Guilt hit me like a blow.
I hugged him tighter than necessary, my arms trembling as I clung to him. Around us, wolves laughed and embraced, celebrating survival.
But all I could think about was the bond burning quietly in my chest.Not for him.But For his brother.
The Alpha stood apart from the crowd, watching. Always watching.
I felt his eyes like heat against my skin. Even without looking, I knew when his attention settled on me.
The bond stirred instantly, sharp and demanding, my wolf lifting her head inside me.
Mate.
I swallowed hard and forced my focus back to my husband.
“You should rest,” I said softly. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing,” he replied. “I missed you.”
The words cut deeper than any blade.
That night, I lay on my bed , staring at the ceiling. I couldn’t help but think about my husband. Who has been good to me .
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to the dark.
Every time I closed my eyes, I felt the Alpha’s presence. His voice. His restraint.
His nearness without touch.
The next morning, I ran into him by accident.
Or at least, that was what I told myself.
The corridor was narrow, the stone walls cold beneath my fingertips as I turned the corner and collided with a solid chest. Strong hands caught my arms before I could stumble back.
My breath left me in a sharp gasp.His scent flooded my senses—power, command, heat.
The Alpha.
For a second , neither of us moved.
His hands were firm but controlled, fingers biting just enough into my sleeves to remind me he was holding back.
The bond increased violently, my wolf crying out in recognition.
I felt it everywhere. In my chest. My stomach. Lower.
I hated how my body leaned toward him.
“You should not wander alone,” he said quietly.
I swallowed. “I wasn’t wandering.”
His eyes flicked to my mouth. Just for a second.
“Your husband returned safely,” he said.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Something unreadable crossed his face. I might have mistaken it for jealousy.
“You kept your word,” he continued. “You said nothing.”
“I won’t,” I said. “I swear.”
His grip loosened slightly, but he didn’t step away.
“You welcomed him,” he said.
It wasn’t a question.
My cheeks burned. “He’s my husband.”
The bond hurt painfully.
His jaw tightened. “And you felt guilty.”
The accuracy of it stole my breath.
“Yes.”
His eyes darkened, and for the first time, I saw clearly the cost of his control. The way his wolf strained beneath discipline. The way his body was rigid, coiled like a storm barely held at bay.
“Do not mistake my silence for weakness,” he said softly. “Or my restraint for lack of desire.”
My pulse thundered.
“I don’t,” I whispered.
We stood there too long. Too close. One step away from something neither of us was ready to unleash.
Finally, he stepped back.
“You will remain under guard,” he said. “For your safety.”
“For yours too,” I said before I could stop myself.
A corner of his mouth twitched, dark and humorless.
“Yes,” he agreed. “Especially mine.”
He turned and walked away.
I stood there long after he was gone, my skin still burning where his hands had been, my heart split painfully between duty and fate.
I had agreed to the secret.But secrets, I was learning, were far more dangerous than truth.
- Writer
