CHAPTER 13

"Where have you been, Derek?" Adrian's voice broke the silence, his sharp gaze fixing on me. "I’ve barely seen you these past few days.”

I hesitated for a moment, the half-truth already on the tip of my tongue. "I’ve been working on the building project—the new pack house for the increasing numbers in the pack," I said evenly. "And preparing for the arrival of the Alpha and his sister from the Lunaris Mystique pack." It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth either.

The truth was, I had spent most of my time with Ava at the cave, a sanctuary I had made into something of a second home. 

After her daily shifts, we’d meet there under the cover of darkness, spending the night together. Those hours were our escape—a space where we could bond, talk, and let the tension between us unravel.

If someone had told me before that I’d find solace with someone like Ava, I would have laughed. But she wasn’t like anyone else. 

Ava had a quiet strength about her, a resilience forged from years of being overlooked and dismissed. She wasn’t just the pack’s runt—she was someone who had survived so much and still found the courage to smile.

What we had was intoxicating, even if it wasn’t meant to last. After that first night together, something between us changed. 

We became addicted to each other’s presence. Every moment together was a whirlwind of pleasure and connection. The condoms worked, keeping the bond incomplete, but it was a fragile line.

 There were moments when I came dangerously close to losing control, when my wolf clawed at the edges of my restraint, desperate to mark her. Ava, always perceptive, stopped me each time, her gentle words grounding me.

She wasn’t the shy girl I had first known anymore. Each day, she grew more confident, revealing a side of herself that I suspected no one else had seen. Ava was sweet, smart, funny, and far too kind for someone like me—a man who had once rejected her.

Her company had become something I craved, even in the most mundane conversations. But when the sun rose, we’d return to our roles: me as the future alpha, her as the invisible runt. Around the pack house, we barely acknowledged each other, a painful necessity to keep our secret safe.

“Let’s take a run together by the lake,” I found myself saying, my mind distracted by thoughts of her.

Adrian raised an eyebrow, suspicion flashing across his face. I realized too late that he preferred the hills, not the lake.

"Bro, are you okay?" Adrian asked, his voice laced with concern.

Unable to bear his scrutiny any longer, I shifted into my wolf and took off, running as far as I could from the new pack house. Adrian followed closely behind, his wolf keeping pace. When we reached a secluded area, I shifted back and waited for him.

As he approached, his words hit me like a thunderbolt.

"You and Ava have been spending time together at the cave.”

I froze, every muscle in my body tensing. "What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant, though my heart pounded in my chest.

Adrian raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Three days ago, I went for a run by the lake. I caught your scent, so I followed it. That’s when I saw you and Ava… well, let’s just say you weren’t exactly having a friendly chat." He laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

I growled low in my throat, the sound vibrating through the air. "Keep your voice down," I snapped, my wolf barely contained.

Adrian’s expression turned serious. "Derek, what do you think you’re doing? Spending time with Ava? The pack runt? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?”

Before I could stop myself, I pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with a growl. "Don’t you dare call her that," I spat, my breath coming in heavy pants.

Adrian struggled beneath me but eventually stopped, his eyes searching mine. "She’s your mate, isn’t she?" he asked softly, the realization dawning on him.

I stepped back, releasing him. "Yes," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Adrian’s face was a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "How? When? How long have you known?"

I turned away, unable to meet his gaze. "I’ve known for a while," I said simply.

He pieced it together quickly, his sharp mind working through the implications. "So that’s why you’ve been stronger lately. Everyone thought it was because of your alpha training, but it’s the mate bond, isn’t it?”

I nodded.

"Does your dad know?"

"Of course not," I snapped, glaring at him.

Adrian frowned. "And you’ve been spending time with her, making love to her, even though you’re not bonded? Do you realize how reckless that is?”

"Wait until you have a mate bond," I said through gritted teeth. "Then you’ll understand. It pulls at you. It’s impossible to ignore.”

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What’s your plan, Derek? What happens when the pack finds out? When they realize you’ve been with Ava?”

"I’ve taken care of everything," I said, though the words felt hollow. "We rejected each other, but the bond didn’t break. So we decided to spend a week together, and then I’ll take the bonded mate from the Lunaris Mystique pack when they arrive.”

Adrian shook his head. "This doesn’t make sense. Why would the fates give you a mate and then let you reject her so easily? And now you’re falling in love with her, aren’t you?”

I didn’t answer, but the truth was written all over my face.

"You’ve fallen for her," Adrian said softly, a hint of a smile on his lips.

I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. "Yes. I’ve fallen for her. I’m madly in love with Ava.”

Adrian placed a hand on my shoulder. "You’re not weak, Derek. You’re stronger than you think. But the pack won’t make this easy for you. You need to be prepared for that.”

"I just want her to be safe," I said quietly. "I don’t care what happens to me."

Adrian nodded. "I’ll keep taking the lake run, make sure no one disturbs you. But Derek, you need to figure out what you want. This isn’t just about you anymore. It’s about her too.”

I met his gaze, gratitude and determination swirling within me. "Thank you, Adrian. I’m trusting you with this. Don’t let me down."

"You have my word," he said, his voice steady. "Now, let’s get back before someone notices we’re gone."

As we ran back to the pack house, I couldn’t shake the thought that this was only the beginning

. The fates had thrown us together, and now, it was up to me to decide what came next.