The Luna's Fated Choice

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: Shadows Of The Past .2

Darius is at the edge of the forest, having taken a moment for isolation from the pack and the politics of it. He stares up into the shining moon and wants the Mother Goddess to rain down the answers that he needs. Although Kiadaria is at his side, he feels the heat of her womanly form, his mind is bound to his deep thought.

Many of the thoughts are centered around the fact that he knows he has not earned the heart of his Luna. Darius even doubts that she would be here if it weren't for the bond between them. He wonders if she thinks about Joshua and misses the touch and intensity of the other Alpha. He believes she sees the Shining Moon as her people, but he doesn't know if she is indeed his, although pressed beside him.

The weight of his pack, the weight of wishing to possess her in total, and the presence of the past are all weighing heavily on him.

"Is everything okay?" Kiadaria quizzes. Her voice is soft, her head pressed into his chest, with a hand splayed flat on his chest by her face. "You seem very troubled."

Darius tries to pivot as he shifts his gaze to her.

There are things he wants to say but doesn't know if he can.

He can't believe she's here, and they are close like this.

As much as he desires her closeness, it makes him feel uneasy.

Why?

Why is she simply settling into him now, when she doesn't love him?

He still fears that Kiadaria may desire her old life with Joshua and doesn't want to push her toward that decision. "We've made a lot of changes. It's only the weight of being Alpha on me. I also know the threat of Rising Moon is very real. Joshua has been quiet, but it won't last."

She knows that he is holding something back.

Her head almost lifts at the odd tone in his voice.

In her mind, her wolf ears stand up stiff.

Kiadaria's eyes become slants, but she looks out at the beautiful night sky. Her head returns to rest, and her hand makes a gentle circle on his chest.

"We will handle it all together. The warriors are quick learners and have become better every day. I am proud of them." She then takes his face in her hands, kissing him softly. "I am proud of you, and we got this."

His smile is brittle and thin. "Thank you, my Luna. I really appreciate you."

However, the silence that comes after his words tells a foreboding notion of unspoken secrets and hidden worries. Kiadaria tries to shake the feeling, knowing that despite the mate bond, things are still complicated between them. She hopes that their mating will solve some of that, but she's been too chicken to bring up the mating ceremony to Darius because she's too chicken to come to the truth of why she wants it.

The bond is the bond, but Kiadaria can't allow herself to accept that she isn't in love with the new Alpha. She feels a deep sense of familiarity and friendship, but overall accepts him as a part of the future she wishes to create for herself. So, she doesn't push it and she doesn't push herself.

As they return to the Alpha house, Darius doesn't realize his silence as the memory of a moment that shaped his entire future plays in his mind. He wants to tell Kiadaria about it, but he can't risk turning her against him.

He remembers a moment when he saw Kiadaria as a young girl.

She held a lot of the strength and commanding presence she has now, but softer, and she stood next to a towering male with convincing blue eyes...Joshua.