All Chapters of Desired Mate: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

CATHERINE Kane’s body remained heavy against mine as he adjusted to his surroundings. His breaths were shallow, his every movement deliberate and slow, as though he were testing the limits of his strength. The silence was thick, broken only by the occasional crackle of the dying fire.Finally, his hoarse voice broke the quiet. “Where... are we?”His question was raspy, barely audible, but it showed how much confused he was. I shifted, adjusting his position so he could lean more comfortably against the rocky wall of the cave.“We’re in the woods,” I replied softly. “In a cave, far from the castle.”He grunted, his brows furrowing in clear dissatisfaction. His piercing gaze fixed on mine, and the intensity in his eyes reminded me, even in his weakened state, that Kane was still Kane.“Why aren’t we at the castle?” he demanded.I dropped my head, unable to meet his gaze. How could I explain everything without reopening his wounds, both physical and emotional?He caught my hesitation an

KANERoaming through the endless expanse of the forest, my legs felt like lead, dragging with every step. The ground beneath me was damp and uneven, but I hardly noticed anymore. My body was running on pure instinct, driven by a hollow ache in my chest that refused to subside. The world around me had become a blur of greens and browns.And then I caught it, a faint trace of her scent. Catherine.The smell was so faint, so fleeting, that for a moment I thought I’d imagined it. My breath hitched as the familiar odour sent different emotions crashing over me: longing, anger, and that deep, gut-wrenching hurt that seemed to have taken permanent residence inside me. But the scent was too weak, diluted with something unfamiliar. Someone else.I clenched my fists, claws digging into my palms. It wasn’t her. It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t be here, not after everything. And if she was... if she was, then why did her scent carry traces of someone else? The thought alone was enough to make my bl

KANEThe early morning air was crisp, the kind that bit at your skin and made every breath sharp in your lungs. I moved swiftly through the forest, the damp leaves crunching beneath my boots.I knew I shouldn’t have left so early, not in the state I was in, but I couldn’t stay idle any longer. Every fiber of my being demanded answers, even if it meant risking my life to get them. My destination was clear: the castle.As I made my way through the dense woods, my heightened senses picked up everything—the distant chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, even the faint sound of water flowing from a nearby stream. It was all background noise compared to the one sound I dreaded most: footsteps.The first sign of trouble came when I crossed the old stone bridge leading to the outskirts of the castle grounds. The scent hit me first, a group of Lycans. I took a moment to observe them and found out they were Damon’s minions.I crouched low, keeping to the shadows as I scanned the

KANEThe moment I walked into the cave, Catherine’s eyes lit up. She sat up from the makeshift bed she had put together, her body language already radiating curiosity.“Kane,” she began with urgency, “what happened? What’s the outcome of your trip?”I shrugged my shoulders and sat down opposite her, trying to gather my thoughts. “I made it to the castle,” I said. “I encountered Durmas. He was the only one there, and he filled me in on everything.”Her brows knitted in confusion. “Durmas? What was he doing there? And what did he tell you?”I recounted the entire encounter in detail: Durmas's revelations about the council’s schemes, the kill order on my head, and the council’s plans to name Damon as Alpha Regent. As I spoke, Catherine listened intently, her gaze never leaving mine. She absorbed every word, her lips pressed into a thin line.When I finished, she sat back slightly, her eyes narrowing in thought. Then, after a long pause, she tilted her head and asked, “Do you trust Durma

CATHERINE The sun was beginning to set when Kane and I finally emerged from the forest. My legs ached from the relentless pace, and every breath felt heavier than the last. We were now in the city and I was obviously relieved.We were closer to safety. But that relief evaporated as soon as we spotted the guards stationed near the border, inspecting every traveler with unnerving scrutiny.Kane tensed beside me, scanning the checkpoint. He grabbed my hand gently, pulling me toward a shaded alleyway where we wouldn’t be spotted. “We can’t go any further, I guess” he said, clearly frustrated.I leaned against the wall, taking a moment to catch my breath. “What now?” I asked, keeping my voice equally hushed. “Aren’t the people you wanted to contact nearby?”He shook his head. “No. They’re outside the city. Far beyond the borders.”“So, what do we do?” I pressed, though I knew he didn’t have an answer yet.Kane didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he leaned back against the wall.“Give m