Lycan Prince’s Secret Baby (Moonlit Forbidden Love #1)

Chapter 2

Kyle

The double doors of the council chamber loomed ahead, and their polished surface gleamed beneath the harsh electric lights. The oppressive aura of the rune-covered walls felt suffocating. It was like walking into a tomb. Anger bristled through me, and the hairs on the back of my arms stood on end. My assistant’s words from minutes ago drummed through my head, echoing with my footfalls: “The Moonlight patrol has apprehended a Blood Moon.”

I hurried toward the meeting hall as my thoughts hurtled back to the past—my mother’s face surfacing. Three years ago, while I’d been away at university, I’d received the devastating news of her death. Even years later, the memory of my mom’s death whipped up a furnace of rage because of the way she’d passed. The Blood Moon Alpha had murdered her.

My beast’s fury mingled with mine. I remembered how lacking in honor that bastard had been. My mother had been engaged in peace talks when the Blood Moon Alpha had brutally cut her life short. I gritted my jaw, feeling how little I wanted to deal with one of these monsters. I wondered what harm the Blood Moon had been up to in the dead of night.

But I forced my anger down. As Alpha heir, it was my duty in my father’s absence from the pack to ensure the moon goddess’s justice was served. Hollowness whispered through me. Ever since my mother’s death, I’d found it difficult to believe in Igaluk’s justice. Yet, my mother’s lessons had seeped through the pages of the human history I’d studied at the University of Washington. Change. Equality. Unity. Her hopes for a better future rang as clearly in my ears now as they had three years ago, and I was determined to lead my pack in a way she would have been proud of.

I pushed through the heavy doors and stepped inside the council hall. The sterile air within smothered my senses, and I caught sight of Elder Sam seated behind the long table, flanked by his daughter, Emily.

“Kyle,” Sam said, his surprise evident. “I didn’t realize you’d be sitting in on the council tonight.” Elder Sam was weathered by age and battle but still solid and hardy. Assigned to guide me through the pack’s affairs since my return, Sam had been a steady presence. While I appreciated his wisdom, a flare of irritation coursed through me. I wasn’t the kind of Alpha heir who deferred his duties to others.

I approached my seat and asked, “What case are we presiding over tonight?”

Sam leaned forward, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood. “We’ve had a number of thefts of herbs over the last few months. And tonight, the patrol caught this Blood Moon with pomenta on her person.”

My gaze snapped to the woman in question. I didn’t know much about herbalism, but I could consult our pack’s healer, Maria, if this Blood Moon wasn’t forthcoming.

One of the soldiers still gripped the woman’s upper arm as if she was a flight risk. As my eyes roved the woman’s figure, I was caught off guard by her beauty. Long, red hair framed her face, cascading over her shoulders like a wild flame in the night. But it was her striking blue eyes that ensnared me—deep and stormy, glimmering with a spirit that threatened to chase away every coherent thought from me.

She wasn’t just a thief; she was a warrior. Her muscular, lithe build spoke of strength, honed not just by labor but, judging by her stance, by fighting as well. The gray overalls she wore, typical of the Moon Blood laborers, hung loosely over her frame. Her fair skin, almost luminescent under the lights, only accentuated the glow of her hair.

Energy collected between us, swelling and building. The council buzzed around us, becoming white noise. Only the magnetic pull between me and this Blood Moon mattered. My heartbeat skyrocketed, rattling in my ribcage, the truth surging up from my wolf’s consciousness—a primal realization. Ours!

She’s our fated mate.

My chest felt like a shaken soda can, dangerously close to exploding. I forced myself to break eye contact, and the intensity that had pitched through me eased like a valve releasing pressure. The moment I looked away, my galloping heart steadied. I reminded myself that this woman belonged to those I loathed, and my heart hardened at the thought. How could I even consider being drawn to her?

As my gaze swung to Elder Sam, his expression twisted with satisfaction. A flicker of anxiety shot through me. How long had I been staring at the Blood Moon?

“It’s clear we’ve found who’s been stealing the herbs and no doubt selling our resources outside the pack,” Sam said, his voice even. Triumph glinted in his muddy brown eyes as he regarded her.

To me, it felt as if my world had been turned on its head, but I realized with a flood of relief that neither Sam nor Emily had realized anything was amiss. Their regard was still fixed on the Blood Moon.

But Sam took my not speaking as confirmation that I agreed with him. I shook away the haze that had come over me, confusion mixed with raw emotion, and determined to do my duty: uncover the truth about her theft.

But the woman got there first. “I wasn’t stealing for myself!” Her voice rang out, fierce and defiant, painting the air with a tension that pulled at my insides.

Her determination burned brightly through the fog that had seized me. Tearing my focus away from my racing thoughts, I dared to look at her, my expression solemn.

“I did it to save my friend,” the Blood Moon continued, her stare as serious as mine. The weight of her statement hung heavily in the air. “She’s severely injured.” Anger flushed over her fair skin, heating her cheeks as she added, “Blood Moon wolves aren’t given treatment for their wounds, and we’re forced to recover on our own, working through our pain.” Her voice shook.

I frowned, my gaze swinging to Elder Sam. This was the kind of thing I wished I was familiar with. I’d only recently returned to the pack since finishing my studies, but I found it hard to believe that the Blood Moons would be denied treatment if they were gravely ill. Confusion whirled through me. Such treatment was akin to some of the worst inequalities I’d learned about while reading history at university.

The Blood Moon continued, “But Mary’s not healing. Her wound is infected. She slipped into a fever tonight.”

Despite her defiance, the vulnerability in her voice echoed through me like a painful reminder of all I had lost. My gaze brushed over the dirt on her hands and the mud and moisture staining her knees. Imagining how she must have hunted for the herb out in the dark, all to help her friend, sent a flicker of admiration through me. I followed the direction of her gaze: the herb lying on the table before Elder Sam. What had she lost in the war between our packs?

Quashing the thought down, I fortified myself against the soft tug of sympathy. This story was likely a ploy, a calculated effort to gain my goodwill. But I knew it was one we could easily disprove.

My assistant, Mark, had been silently observing from the edge of the room. He was tall and lean, with dark hair that fell just below his brow, exuding a casual charm despite the moment’s tension. His intense brown eyes held an ever-watchful quality. I could always count on him to be assessing and pragmatic. Clad in a fitted black shirt and dark trousers, he seemed a shadow in the room, blending in effortlessly while keeping an eye on every detail. My father had assigned him to assist me after I returned to the pack and help me navigate the complexities of pack business I’d missed while away.

“Mark,” I instructed, “go to the Blood Moon quarters and check on the injured Blood Moon.” My voice was steady yet tempered with caution.

“It’s an excuse, Kyle,” Elder Sam interjected, anger tautening his features. “Leah got caught red-handed tonight, and now she’s trying to excuse it. Don’t be swayed, my boy.”

I gritted my jaw, irritation flaring. I didn’t appreciate his condescension. He might hold the title of Elder, but I was the Alpha heir. I could see that Mark had frozen at the edge of the room, his dark gaze on me, waiting for confirmation of my command.

Leah . I realized I hadn’t known the Blood Moon’s name until now. The sound of it echoed through my thoughts. But even as its soft sound distracted me, I observed her. She stood there, striking and fierce. Her tilted chin was defiant, and those stormy blue eyes were steadfast in their resolve to protect her friend. If she was lying, she was playing the part damn well.

Listening to my instincts, I repeated my instruction, looking steadily at Mark, “Go to Leah’s cabin and report back here on the condition of her friend.”

“Mary,” Leah interjected, her gaze swinging between me and Mark, disbelief dancing in her eyes.

In a moment, Mark dashed out the door, leaving me wrestling with conflicting emotions. Whatever the case, I needed to find out the truth for myself. As we waited for my assistant’s return, frosty silence blanketed Elder Sam, Emily, and me, making my teeth itch.

I broke it with another command, “Emily, would you go and tell Healer Maria that I’d like to see her?”

I felt the weight of my words echoing through Sam and Emily’s tense figures. But Emily could hardly refuse my order and soon strode out of the room.

We only had to wait five minutes for our pack’s healer to join us. Maria’s presence was like a welcome breeze. I’d always found her aura calming. She’d been a friend of my mother’s, and as her deep-set hazel eyes met mine, I felt reassured by her presence. Her hair was pulled back in a neat braid. Dressed in gray chinos and a white blouse, she looked as smart and neat as ever.

As I waited for Mark’s return, I asked the healer about the uses of the herb confiscated from Leah.

“It’s commonly used for treating infection and bringing down inflammation,” Maria answered easily.

With the herb’s uses corroborating Leah’s story, I wasn’t surprised when Mark returned a few moments later, and his wide face was serious. “Mary, the Blood Moon, is unconscious and burning up.”

I tried to ignore the tremor of Leah’s hands, but a surge of protectiveness fired through me. Only then did I realize that my gaze seemed to have a will of its own and had wandered to her.

I turned to our healer. “Maria, I’d like you to treat the Blood Moon,” I commanded. “And from now on, all injured Blood Moons are to receive treatment.” I addressed Maria primarily. Healing was her domain. Her eyebrows rose in surprise, but she nodded.

“Kyle!” Sam snapped, his eyes wide with disbelief. The sharp edge of his tone riled me. “You can’t be serious. We can’t set this kind of precedent.”

“Not treating the sick isn’t a cost-effective strategy for maintaining an efficient workforce,” I explained matter-of-factly, forcing restraint into my tone. I was determined to prove this wasn’t an emotionally motivated decision, but a rational one.

“Maria,” I instructed, “Mark will take you to the patient.” I felt the tension coiling around us, thick and palpable, with each passing second stretching out and making the council chamber feel crowded. As the healer and my assistant left, the council only seemed to feel more crowded even though only we three seated Moonlights, the two patrol soldiers, and Leah remained.

Irritation flared through me as I noticed that the Moonlight soldier still had his hand around Leah’s upper arm. The urge to snap at him to unhand her seared through me, but I smothered it.

“The Blood Moons will think they can do whatever they want after this,” Sam grumbled, his frustration radiating in waves.

Beside me, Emily narrowed her eyes, nodding her head. “This doesn’t clear her of wrongdoing. Leah still has to answer for stealing.” Her tone sliced through the tension, and my heart thumped hurriedly.

“You’re right,” Sam readily agreed, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes at Leah. “The council can’t let theft go unpunished. We have to oversee Igaluk’s justice.”

Anger rushed through me as I sat there, feeling torn between the past and the new feelings that burbled within me. The Blood Moons had been proved treacherous. Didn’t the hollow loss that beat through me as I thought of my mother prove that? But Leah had told the truth. My wolf rose up within me, urging me, in a primal and raw growl, “Protect Leah.”

I made a snap decision. “I will oversee Leah’s punishment. She will serve as my personal maid.”

Sam’s face flushed with indignation as he leaned forward, gripping the table. “This is madness, Kyle. She’s a potential threat, and now you want her to stay under your roof?”

My heart raced as I forced my palms flat on the table, curbing the anger at having my command questioned again. “If she’s a threat, it’s better that I keep an eye on her, isn’t it?” I countered, my voice steady but laced with rising tension.

Before either Elder Sam or Emily could protest again, I turned my gaze to the Moonlight soldiers. “Escort Leah back to her cabin.” I allowed my eyes to meet Leah’s. “You’re to pack your belongings, and the patrol will bring you to my house shortly.” I congratulated myself on my clipped and clear instructions.

Although, I could feel the heat rising within me beneath Leah’s stare. It was as if she were summoning something elemental from deep within me. Her eyes were storm clouds, while my blood was the sea, roiling and wanting nothing more than to rise up to meet her.

As the soldiers flanked her out of the room, I watched her retreating figure and felt my resolve settle more confidently. This was the right course of action. After all, here was a Blood Moon who had made me doubt that she had evil intent. What I’d said to Sam hadn’t been incorrect. I would be better positioned to root out Leah’s long-term schemes and designs if she were under my observation.

But as Leah disappeared and something within me started to prowl at her loss, I wondered whether it was suspicion or something else urging me to bring her closer.

“Yes, you don’t want to expose her so much as make her yours,” my wolf rumbled.

I clenched my jaw, burying the absurd taunt from my beast.