His Scarred Luna

Chapter 5

Kylie was nothing like her brother.

She had long brown hair that looked almost golden in the right light, and eyes the color of rich chocolate. Her features were delicate: high cheekbones, round lips, and an upturned nose. But it wasn’t just her appearance that set her apart from Callan. Her personality was his opposite. She was loud in a way that drew just the right kind of attention, quick with a joke, and almost always smiling.

Jake remembered when she returned from the academy after her mate’s death. She’d reminded him of a candle that had been snuffed out. Over the past couple of years, she had slowly regained some of her light, but he doubted she would ever shine quite as brightly as she once had.

Today, though, she looked radiant in a soft summer dress that ended just above her knees, her brown hair curling gently down her back. Jake wasn’t blind. He had a reputation for noticing, and being noticed by, beautiful she-wolves. But he had never once looked at Kylie that way.

She was Callan’s little sister. And Callan was his best friend. Jake had never had the slightest desire to cross that line.

Still, here she was, sitting across from him at a small café in town. The meeting had been his father’s idea. An encouragement to spend more time with her. Because if Jake didn’t somehow find his mate in the next month, he would be bound by the archaic traditions of his pack and forced to take Kylie as his mate.

The thought made his skin crawl.

Not because of Kylie. But because of what it represented: a union built not on love, not on the bond promised by the Moon Goddess, but on duty. On politics. On preserving bloodlines and strengthening alliances.

Kylie took a sip of her chai tea, watching him over the rim of her mug. “You look like someone just told you your puppy died.”

Jake blinked, pulled from his thoughts. “Sorry. Just… thinking.”

“That’s dangerous,” she teased with a crooked smile. “Might hurt yourself.”

He huffed a dry laugh, grateful for the levity. “You know, I thought you were supposed to be the sweet one.”

“Maybe I was, before life decided to stomp on me,” she said with a wink, then leaned back in her chair. “But I’m still cute, so it evens out.”

He smiled, this time genuinely. “Yeah, you are.”

She raised a brow. “Careful, Alpha. You’ll make a girl think you’re flirting.”

Jake looked away, suddenly fascinated by a crack in the table’s surface. “I’m not. You know I’m not.”

“I know.” There was no bitterness in her voice, just weariness. “You’ve never looked at me like that. Not once. You always noticed every other girl, but never me.”

He met her gaze again, unsure of what to say.

“I don’t want to be forced into this,” he said quietly. “Not with you. Not with anyone.”

Kylie nodded. “I know. But it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. You’re a good man, Jake. I know you’d treat me well. And I wouldn’t…” She glanced out the window. “I wouldn’t mind if you needed to look elsewhere to meet your needs.”

Jake blanched. “I would never do that to a mate, chosen or fated.”

She shrugged, seemingly unfazed. “I know your reputation, Jake.”

He chewed his bottom lip, staring into his coffee. He still hadn’t taken a sip. “I’ve… had an experience recently that made me rethink all of that.”

“The incident with the Alpha of Red Moon?”

He winced. “Callan told you?”

“That you bragged to the Alpha about sleeping with his mate?” She snorted in a very unladylike way. “Yeah, he told me.”

“They weren’t mated when I was with her,” Jake said quickly, his face coloring. “And I didn’t know they were mates when I mentioned it.”

He glanced up. She was watching him with an amused expression, eyes sparkling.

“I know,” she said. “I just like giving you a hard time.”

He rolled his eyes. “Goddess, you’re just like your brother sometimes.”

She gasped dramatically and clutched her chest. “How dare you? Don’t compare me to that mongrel.”

Jake laughed, a full, genuine sound. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend.”

Kylie’s smile lingered for a moment before she looked down at her tea. He watched as her brow creased and she began twisting the mug in her hands.

“What are you thinking?” he asked gently.

“That you deserve someone who makes your wolf stir.”

He stared at her, surprised she’d said it out loud. His wolf, Rome, remained silent, observing. But she was right. There was no spark, no pull. She felt like family. She always had.

“I don’t think I’ll get much of a choice if I don’t find my fated mate soon,” he said, shrugging as he finally sipped his lukewarm coffee.

“Do you think she’s out there?”

He looked out the window. “I’ve been traveling since I was seventeen. I’ve visited a lot of packs. I feel like I should have found her by now.”

“Maybe she’s closer than you think.”

He shook his head. “I know everyone in this pack. If she were here, I’d have known it. And I don’t have time to travel before the deadline. Unless she walks through my door, I don’t see how I’ll find her in time.”

“So…” Her voice was soft. “You’re committed to this? To us?”

He heard the thread of hope in her words, and it cut deeper than he expected. Kylie would make a good Luna. She would be a good mate. Maybe that could be enough.

“Yes,” he said at last, pushing the coffee aside. “If I don’t find her in the next thirty days, I’ll take you as my chosen mate. If that’s what you want.”

She nodded, a small, almost sad smile tugging at her lips. “Okay, then.” She took a long drink, finishing her tea. “Maybe we could spend more time together this month. Lunches, walks, all that date stuff. Get used to it before we have to make it official.”

Jake’s stomach twisted. Rome remained silent, a brooding presence in the back of his mind. And that silence said more than words ever could.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “We can do that.”

Kylie stood, smoothing her dress. “Okay, Jake. I have to get ready for patrol. But you know where to find me.”

He nodded, forcing a smile. “Of course. I’ll see you soon.”

He watched her walk away, graceful, poised, every inch the Luna she could be. For a moment, he tried to picture a life with her. But as she reached the door and stepped out into the sunlight, he sighed.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t imagine a future there.

But what choice did he have?