Fates | Book 2 ✔️

[15]

Night after night, I could not sleep, so I took to patrolling the village with Kaj. I was growing restless as the days passed by. Soon that restlessness grew into anxiousness, and here I am now trying to release all of this nervous, worried energy. Nothing had really changed since then. He makes worry like this.

I ruffle my hair and let out a long sigh, catching Kaj's attention.

"You look like someone nearly on their death bed. Is Emery really stressing you out that much?"

I look at him and shake my head. "No, he's a handful, but he isn't very stressful. He's a sweet kid... that thinks the world of me and I don't know why. That's the only stressful part."

Kaj laughs before scratching the back of his neck.

"Kids are like that. They can see all the good in you and not the bad. They're not supposed to... You wouldn't want them to."

"You're right... "

"What is it that you are worried about then?" Kaj looks at me again with a small smile. "Is it Lance?"

I wet my lips before nodding.

"He'll be back soon."

"You said that three days ago."

"Soon doesn't mean now, Seth."

"I should have gone with him."

"He didn't want to leave Emery with just anyone. He had to be with you."

"Wh--"

"Because you're his father. And even though he doesn't say it out loud, he trusts you a lot more than he lets on. Why else would he had given us these orders?"

"I suppose you're right."

"Let's head back and call it a night. You need to get some sleep. Lunas knows you'll need it. The sun has almost risen and Emery will be up soon."

We start our trek back to the village in silence. I already know he has a lot of questions he's been wanting to ask me since I told him I was Lance's mate. Out of decorum, he hasn't asked, but I know he wants to.

I look at him just as he turns his head away from me.

"If you have something to say then say it."

"... Our Alpha and you... You were telling the truth, right?"

"Of course. Emery is proof enough, isn't he?"

He nods. "I thought... he said that his mate had died... yet you're... " 

I rub my neck impatiently, not wanting to explain this to another person that's only going to shut me down.

"Seth."

"He thought I had... because of our... because someone else marked me, untethering me to him."

"And you let them?"

"I didn't let him do anything. It happened."

Kaj eyes me. "It happened...? That's hard to believe, Seth. Just tell me. You left him for someone else? I won't tell."

"I didn't-- Why would I ever leave him for someone else when he meant everything to me? As annoying and frustrating and stubborn as he can be, I wanted to be with him. In the end, things... things became complicated. I thought... someone else was my mate."

"... Because of the mark?"

I press my hand on it and nod. "It's never supposed to be broken... for reasons like this... "