My Rogue Mate (AI GENERATED)

Chapter 3: Torn Between Two Worlds

Days turned into weeks. Somehow, I managed to keep my secret meetings with Rhys hidden from the pack, though each time I returned, the guilt grew heavier. I could feel it, coiled in my chest like a dark, twisting vine. Every night with Rhys felt like freedom, like I was finally living a life of my own. But every day back with Silvercrest, it felt like I was lying to my family, to my friends, to everyone I’d known my whole life.

It wasn’t fair. But every time I thought of breaking it off with Rhys, something inside me refused. The bond was real, fated by the Moon Goddess herself. It wasn’t something I could just ignore. My heart told me I was meant to be with him, even as my mind warned me that this secret could tear my world apart.

The stress must have shown on my face, because Lian had started watching me with growing concern. He’d always been able to read me like a book, and I knew it was only a matter of time before he confronted me.

“Kael,” he said one morning, stopping me in the hallway after breakfast, “are you okay? You’ve been so distant lately. If there’s something wrong… you can tell me.”

My heart pounded as I forced a smile. “I’m fine, Lian, really. Just… a lot on my mind.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed, his voice softening. “It’s like you’re not even here sometimes.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression neutral. “I’m just tired. That’s all.”

Lian’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. “Alright. Just… don’t keep things bottled up, okay? You don’t have to go through anything alone.”

I managed a nod, but guilt gnawed at me as I walked away. Lian meant well. He’d been my friend since we were kids, and we’d always told each other everything. But I couldn’t tell him this. Not when it could put him in danger. Not when it could mean the end of everything I’d ever known.

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That night, I slipped away from the packhouse as quietly as possible. My heart was racing by the time I reached our meeting place, and I could already feel the tension easing as I caught sight of Rhys, waiting for me in the moonlight.

He turned at the sound of my footsteps, his face lighting up as he caught sight of me. “Kael.”

Hearing my name in his voice was like a balm to my soul. I couldn’t stop myself—I closed the distance between us and threw my arms around him, feeling his arms wrap around me in return, strong and steady. The worries that had plagued me all day melted away in his embrace, replaced by a sense of peace that only he could give me.

“You’re tense,” he murmured, his voice low and comforting as he held me close. “Is everything alright?”

I closed my eyes, letting out a shaky breath. “It’s… it’s just hard. Keeping this a secret. I feel like I’m lying to everyone. Lian, my family… if they ever found out, they’d never forgive me.”

Rhys pulled back slightly, looking down at me with a fierce, protective gaze. “You don’t owe them your life, Kael. You have the right to be happy, to live your own life.”

I wanted to believe him. But the pack had been my whole world. They’d raised me, protected me, given me a place where I belonged. Turning my back on them felt like a betrayal. And yet, the thought of losing Rhys was unbearable.

“Sometimes, I feel like I’m being torn in two,” I whispered. “Like I’m living two different lives, and one of them is going to fall apart.”

Rhys’s gaze softened, and he reached up, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “Then let me help you. You don’t have to carry this alone.”

I looked up at him, heart aching with a mix of gratitude and longing. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep this secret.”

“Then don’t.” His words were quiet, but there was a determination behind them. “Come with me, Kael. Leave the pack. We’ll make a life of our own, somewhere no one can tell us we don’t belong.”

My heart skipped a beat at the thought. I could see it so clearly—me and Rhys, free from the pack’s rules and expectations, living our own lives under the open sky. It was everything I wanted, and yet…

“I… I can’t,” I said, my voice barely audible. “I can’t leave them. They’re my family.”

Rhys’s expression flickered with pain, but he nodded slowly, his hand still resting gently on my cheek. “I understand. I don’t want to push you into something you’re not ready for.”

The warmth in his gaze, the quiet strength in his touch, made my heart ache. How could this be wrong when it felt so right? How could the Moon Goddess have chosen a mate for me that would tear me away from everything I’d ever known?

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I don’t know how to make this work.”

Rhys’s arms tightened around me, and he pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “We’ll figure it out,” he murmured. “No matter what happens, Kael, I’ll be here. You’re my mate. And I’ll stand by you, even if the whole world is against us.”

I clung to him, my heart aching with a mix of fear and love. I knew I couldn’t keep this up forever. Sooner or later, the pack would find out. And when they did, there would be no going back.

But as I stood there, wrapped in Rhys’s arms, I allowed myself to forget, just for a moment. To pretend that this love wasn’t forbidden, that I could have both my family and my mate without fear of losing either.

When I finally tore myself away, Rhys’s hand lingered on mine, his gaze steady and unwavering. “Remember,” he said softly, “I’m here for you. Always.”

I nodded, my heart heavy as I turned and began the journey back to the packhouse. His words echoed in my mind, offering comfort, but the reality of my situation pressed down on me like a weight.

Lian was waiting for me when I returned, his expression a mixture of concern and confusion. “Kael… where were you?”

Panic shot through me, and I forced a smile, though my pulse raced with fear. “Just… needed some air. Couldn’t sleep.”

He studied me, his brow furrowing. “You’ve been sneaking out a lot lately. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

My stomach twisted with guilt, but I shook my head. “No, Lian. It’s nothing. I’m fine, really.”

He didn’t look convinced, and as I slipped past him, my heart pounded with a terrible certainty. The truth was bound to come out, sooner or later. And when it did, I’d have to choose.

But for now, all I could do was keep my secret, even as the world seemed to close in around me.