My Rogue Mate (AI GENERATED)

Chapter 2: Secrets in the Shadows

Every day after meeting Rhys felt like a dream I couldn’t shake. Or maybe it was a nightmare, I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t eat without hearing his voice in my head, and I couldn’t close my eyes without seeing his piercing gaze.

It was the bond. I knew that now. The Moon Goddess didn’t make mistakes. But why him? Of all the wolves in the world, why would she pair me with a rogue alpha—a man who lived outside the laws, who was everything my pack feared?

I shook the thought from my head as I finished setting up the tables for breakfast in the packhouse. No one here could know. They’d never understand, and I didn’t think I could bear their disappointment. Even the other omegas, who were closest to me, would see my bond with Rhys as treason. To them, he was a monster, the enemy. And I’d been taught all my life to fear him, too.

But how could I be afraid of someone who looked at me the way he did?

“Kael!” The sharp voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to see my friend Lian frowning at me. “You’ve been staring off into space all morning. Are you okay?”

I forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

Lian tilted his head, clearly not buying it. “You’ve been acting weird lately. Is something going on?”

“No,” I replied quickly, a bit too quickly. “Nothing’s wrong. Really.”

He gave me a look but didn’t press further. As he turned back to his work, I felt a pang of guilt. Lian had always been a good friend, but I couldn’t tell him the truth. No one could know about Rhys, not if I wanted to stay here. Not if I wanted to protect him.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Every time someone spoke to me, I felt like they were staring straight into my soul, like they knew I was hiding something. I couldn’t relax, couldn’t think clearly. All I could focus on was getting back to him.

When night finally fell, I found myself slipping out of the packhouse, my movements as silent as possible. The forest was dark, and a chill settled over the trees, but I barely felt it. My mind was already miles away, on the path that led to him.

---

It didn’t take long to reach the spot where we’d first met. And, like he’d been waiting for me, Rhys stepped out from the shadows, his eyes fixed on me with that same intensity that had haunted me since our last meeting.

“You came back,” he said, his voice soft, but there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Like I had a choice,” I muttered, but the smile tugging at my lips betrayed me. Being near him was like breathing again, like everything that had been wound tight inside me all day was finally relaxing.

Rhys’s gaze softened as he stepped closer. “You’ve been feeling it, haven’t you? The bond.”

I nodded, unable to deny it. “It’s… impossible to ignore.”

“It’s not supposed to be ignored.” His voice was almost a whisper, but it hit me with full force. “The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes, Kael.”

My heart skipped a beat at his words. I wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that this was fate and not some cruel twist of destiny. But reality crashed over me, and I shook my head.

“My pack would never accept this,” I said, voice barely a whisper. “They’d never accept you.”

Rhys’s expression didn’t change, but I caught a flicker of something in his eyes. “Then we won’t tell them.”

I looked at him, surprised. “What?”

“We don’t have to tell anyone,” he said simply. “If you want to keep this a secret, then that’s what we’ll do.”

My heart clenched at his words, at the quiet determination in his voice. I hadn’t expected him to say that. Rhys was an alpha, a rogue alpha, someone who could take what he wanted by force. And yet here he was, offering me a choice.

I swallowed, feeling my throat tighten. “Why?”

He stepped closer, reaching out to gently cup my cheek. His touch was warm, grounding, and I leaned into it without thinking. “Because you’re my mate, Kael. And I want you to be happy. I don’t care what it takes.”

The sincerity in his eyes broke through every wall I’d built up. I couldn’t stop myself—I closed the distance between us, my hand resting on his chest as I looked up at him. His heartbeat was steady, strong, and I felt it echo in my own chest. The bond between us thrummed, pulling me closer, and before I knew it, his lips were on mine.

The kiss was slow, tender, as if he was savoring the moment. It felt like coming home, like all the tension I’d carried for days melted away in his arms. When we finally broke apart, I was breathless, my cheeks warm as I looked up at him.

Rhys’s hand lingered on my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek. “I don’t care what they think,” he murmured, his voice fierce but soft. “I’ll wait for as long as it takes, Kael. As long as you need.”

I nodded, my heart swelling with something I couldn’t quite name. Love. Hope. It didn’t matter. All I knew was that this bond was real, as real as the ground beneath my feet, and it was mine.

But as I slipped back into the packhouse later that night, my joy gave way to dread. Every glance my way felt like an accusation. Every smile from my packmates felt like a cruel reminder of the life I’d chosen to keep secret. How long could I live this double life? How long could I keep the truth from them?

And worse—what would I do if they ever found out?