Kael's POV
Mine.
The word still echoed inside my head long after our hands had separated. I hadn't meant to let it slip. But the moment my skin touched hers, my wolf had surged forward without hesitation… claiming what it recognized instantly.
Mine.
The reaction had been instinctive, uncontrollable, and now there was only one question left. Had she heard it? I replayed the moment over and over in my mind. Lyra had frozen.
Completely.
Her eyes had widened, her breathing had changed, and for a brief second, she had looked at me like she understood something she wasn't ready to accept. That reaction hadn't been confusion. It had been recognition. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, agitated and impatient.
Because if she had heard it, then she knew. And if she knew… Why was she pretending nothing had happened? My jaw tightened at the thought.
Rejection.
The word burned in my chest like fire. No one rejected their mate. Especially not an Alpha. And yet, every time we crossed paths today, she had avoided me. Ignored me. Acted like I didn't exist.
The more I thought about it, the more the anger built inside me. My wolf growled low.
Enough.
I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm. Maybe I was overthinking. Maybe she hadn't heard anything at all. But deep down, I knew better. I made my way toward the stands where my sister and Austin were waiting.
The competition grounds were still buzzing with excitement, laughter echoing through the night as people celebrated the end of the challenges.
But none of it registered. My thoughts were still fixed on one person.
Lyra.
"You finally decided to show up," my sister said the moment she saw me. She leaned casually against the railing, arms crossed. Austin stood beside her, watching me with a knowing expression.
"You won the competition," she added.
"Congratulations."
Her teasing tone didn't reach me. Winning should have felt satisfying. Normally, it would have. But tonight, it felt meaningless.
"You didn't look very focused during that last task," Austin said calmly. His sharp eyes studied me carefully. "You were distracted." I scoffed lightly. "You're imagining things."
Austin raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so," he replied. "Everyone noticed." My sister nodded. "There was definitely a shift in the atmosphere," she said. "Right after you ran into that girl."
I stiffened.
Austin's smirk widened. "Lyra, wasn't it?" The moment he said her name, my wolf stirred again.
Restless.
Impatient.
Claiming.
Mine.
I looked away, pretending their words didn't affect me. "It was nothing," I muttered. But neither of them believed me. Austin leaned forward slightly. "You don't lose focus like that," he said quietly. "Especially not during a competition." I didn't respond. Because the truth was…
He was right.
Something had changed the moment I touched her. The air between us had shifted. My wolf had recognized her instantly. And judging by the way she had frozen, she had felt it too.
Which brought me back to the same frustrating question. If she heard it… Why was she pretending she didn't? My irritation flared again. My wolf growled.
Enough.
I straightened abruptly.
"I'll be back," I said shortly.
Before either of them could question me, I turned and walked away. The crowd parted instinctively as I moved across the festival grounds. Whispers followed in my wake.
Curious glances.
Speculation.
But I ignored all of it.
My eyes searched the crowd until they found her.
Lyra.
She stood beside her friend, Kiera, her posture tense, her expression guarded. Even from a distance, I could see the unease in her body.
My wolf surged forward instantly.
There she is.
Mine.
I clenched my jaw. The closer I got, the stronger her scent became; soft, wild, impossible to ignore. For a moment, I considered turning around. Maybe confronting her here wasn't wise. Maybe I should wait. But then I remembered the way she had looked at me earlier.
The way she had frozen. The way she had walked away.
No.
I wasn't walking away again. Not this time. As I approached, Lyra and her friend noticed me. Her friend whispered something to her, then stepped aside, leaving her alone.
Coward.
Lyra stiffened slightly. She saw me, before she could walk away, I reached forward and grabbed her wrist. Her reaction was immediate. Her body tensed. Exactly like before.
"I've had enough for one day," she snapped.
"Leave me alone."
But I didn't release her.
Not this time.
Ignoring the curious stares from nearby onlookers, I pulled her toward a quieter corner, away from the noise and the crowd.
She struggled against my grip. "Don't touch me!" The words only fueled my frustration. The moment we reached the wall, I stepped in front of her, blocking her escape. Her eyes flashed with anger.
But beneath it, I saw something else.
Fear.
Confusion.
Recognition.
My wolf stirred again. She felt it. I could sense it. Her heartbeat was racing, Her scent had changed. Slowly, I leaned closer, studying her expression. "You felt it," I said quietly. My voice came out lower than expected. "Didn't you?" For a brief second, something flickered across her face. And in that moment, Everything became clear.
I hadn't imagined it, she had heard my wolf. Which meant only one thing. I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"Tell me something," I said slowly. "Why are you pretending you didn't hear my wolf call you…"
My voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"…mine?"