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

Chapter 18

Leah

Since my daughter fell ill, my nerves had been on a knife’s edge, see-sawing between despair and hope. We Blood Moons were hiding from Kyle and his pack, knowing that Kyle was the only one who could heal Lina of her Warring Wolves condition. My heart ached with the weight of that contradiction.

After Lyvia had made Lina as comfortable as she could be, I returned to our bedroom on the fourth floor. My gaze drifted out to the sprawling, frozen valley deep below and the frosted pines in the biting wind, a mirror of the cold dread and turmoil within me.

Roman entered my room, his brow furrowed and jaw tense. Concern radiated from him as he approached. Without a word, he settled beside me and watched Lina’s fitful slumber with me.

He’d already heard what Lina required from Lyvia and promised, “We’ll find a way to bring Kyle here to heal her, I swear.”

Despair twisted in my gut. “How, Roman? Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.”

A dark thought slithered through me. Perhaps Igaluk was punishing me for my weakness in being with Kyle. Maybe the moon goddess had only marked me for him, not as a binding fate, but as a test, a challenge meant to provoke my defiance. Wasn’t I meant to break this bond with the one who had oppressed my kind? As I wallowed over the past, resentment toward Kyle clung to me.

Roman’s bright blue eyes dragged up from Lina and settled on me. “Stop beating yourself up, Leah. You did what you had to do by leaving. If Reginald had discovered your pregnancy, Lina might not have survived.”

Even though I knew Roman was right, it was hard to forgive myself for causing Lina the pain she was now in. Each distressing frown or cry that came from her felt like it was me who had put it there. Dread coiled tightly in my chest like a serpent constricting my heart. My gaze seemed chained to her as if just by keeping close enough vigil, I could somehow fix this.

“Besides, Mark will get Kyle to us, I promise,” Roman reassured me.

My skin prickled with anticipation. Mark, who had helped lead the Moonlight patrol away the night I escaped, was indeed the ally I had suspected. I had seen Kyle wash his hands of me, leading me to conclude that Mark, his assistant, was the spy within the Moonlight Pack. Roman had confirmed that when I’d gotten here. But there’d been far more to Mark’s tie to our pack than I’d imagined.

Roman and I had always been close friends, best friends, which I suppose was where our fathers got the idea to enter into an engagement for us. Our fathers had loved the idea of our families becoming united. I’d been young and assumed that my feelings would change as I got older. But Roman had called it off when he’d told everyone he had fallen in love with someone else.

At the time, he hadn’t explained who it was. When I arrived here a year ago, I’d been astounded to learn that it had been Mark he’d fallen in love with. Back then, they’d hoped that with our packs forming an alliance, they’d soon be able to be open about their relationship.

It was another piece of our shared past that had reforged the relationship between Roman and me. My heart ached for my friend, who had lost his father, his homeland, and the love of his life the day he’d run from Reginald and the Moonlight Pack.

“We’ll find a way, I promise,” Roman said again, his voice low with emotion. I could feel his unwavering trust in Mark despite their four long years apart.

The clouded expression that so often settled on his face blanketed it, and I wanted to hug him, knowing he was missing Mark. But I held Lina, so I laid my head on his shoulder, “Thank you, Anuk , and thank Mark from us.”

Roman’s chin settled on my head as he breathed me in, drinking in my closeness.

“Mark’s most recent message said that Kyle has been causing waves with reforms for the female wolves in the Moonlight Pack. He thinks Reginald is itching to find a reason to send him away. If Mark sows the seed in Reginald’s mind to use Kyle to hunt down fugitive Blood Moons, we could get him here soon. Reginald has all sorts of rumors about where we are, none of which are accurate thanks to Lyvia’s enchantments, but Mark could give him our actual location.”

Anticipation beat through me, along with a glimmer of hope. My heart ached for what my friend had been forced to give up. I imagined all the messages besides those of purpose that had been the only thing that Roman and Mark could exchange with one another. Roman spent a lot of time online, and most of his communications with Mark were via email.

Mark’s messages had been invaluable in helping Roman and the pack evade Reginald these last few years. With his position as Kyle’s assistant and, before that, as treasurer of the Council, he’d always had access to the comings and goings of everything.

He’d secretly read the letters between Kyle’s father and the elders and garnered information about when and where Reginald would take action. That was how Roman and the free Blood Moons had evaded the Moonlight Pack these four years. Reginald had made it easier by preferring letters to digital communication or phone calls.

My thoughts fell back to Kyle. Roman and I hadn’t really talked about Kyle much in recent months. I didn’t want to dwell on what had happened between us. But now, with the insight Roman had mentioned about his making waves with the reforms for the female wolves in his pack, I couldn’t help being curious.

Not wanting to admit it, though, I cloaked it in bitterness. “I suppose Kyle has withdrawn his reforms for Blood Moons now?” I thought of how he hadn’t put up any fight against his father’s orders to starve me in the cell block. He’d been all too easily ensnared by his father’s machinations. I didn’t suppose his reforms would stand up long against Reginald.

“Actually, Mark’s messages are that Kyle’s managed to give more help to the Blood Moons. Their quarters have been overhauled with electricity and heating, and the sanitation has improved.”

My heart raced as a fleeting glow of surprise and wariness coursed through me. But Kyle had always been an enigma—capable of benevolence and profound cruelty. A shiver ran through me as I thought of the man who had caused me so much harm. I didn’t want to see him again, and yet, for Lina, I had to.

Roman wrapped his arm around me, drawing both me and Lina into him. “Despite what Mark says, I don’t trust Kyle, and however we get him here, I’ll ensure he can’t betray us, Nuka . And I’ll protect you from the bond you don’t want in any way I can.”

With this assurance, Roman started to set things in motion. Days turned into restless nights, in which both Lina and I found little rest. As the shadows of night kissed the edges of our home one evening, Lyvia poked her head around my bedroom door. For a moment, I assumed she’d come to administer a dose of her calming magic, which had eased some of Lina’s fevered dreams.

But the witch said, “Roman’s got him.”

The impact of her words was like a punch to the gut. Adrenaline charged through me, and my heart thumped against my ribcage. I stood up, shifting Lina in my arms, but even that movement didn’t cause her to stir. Worry gnawed at me as I longed for the days when she woke at the slightest of noises or movements.

“Where is he?” I asked, my voice strained.

“The pack’s gathering in the cavern below,” Lyvia said.

With my heart beating against my chest like a battering ram, we rushed down the many stairs of our home, all the way to the subterranean cavern. The atmosphere buzzed with energy, and the Blood Moons shared glances of intrigue. Roman stood tall and broad-chested in the heart of the firelit chamber, gesturing me to him with an intensity that made my heart race.

As I approached, I found what all the other Blood Moons were looking at Kyle. He stood blindfolded, his hands restrained behind him, and utterly naked. But far from making him seem vulnerable, each of his muscles was tense with strength and power. Heat flooded my cheeks, and a rush of breath caught in my throat before I could organize my swirling thoughts.

Turmoil whirled through me. Despite wanting to sever our mate bond, my wolf still longed for him. I felt her eagerness at the first sight of Kyle. The blood roared in my ears as soon as his green eyes were unveiled. His vision adjusted to the light, and his gaze settled on Roman. Then, my whole body felt as if it lit up, prickling with awareness as his gaze found me.

Surprise and excitement glimmered in his stare. “Leah?” His voice was thick, like a man who’d stumbled on an oasis after days in a desert. But then, tension fluttered over his face as he opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, gritting his jaw.

What was he thinking?

Did he have regrets about us, about how he’d treated me? The aching hope clashed with the bitter memories of the final moments we’d spent with each other in the Moonlight Council Chamber.

“I’ve been searching for you ever since you left,” Kyle continued, his voice low and serious, each word a weighty stone cast through the silence that sent ripples through my body. “The night you left, I uncovered the truth about our packs. I know my father’s responsible for my mother’s assassination and the deaths of both of your fathers.” His gaze flicked between me and Roman, seriousness settling over his chiseled features. “I know that all of you Blood Moons,” he declared, noting the murmurs that swept through our gathering, “are blameless.”

“I want to ally with you,” Kyle continued, urgency lacing his voice, “so that we can end my father’s tyranny and restore your lands to your pack.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding with mixed emotions. This was what Mark had assured Roman. Kyle sought to reclaim his honor and help us. Yet, as I studied him, the memories of our entanglement loomed large, and how easily he’d cast me aside stirred my doubt.

“Will you swear loyalty to us in blood?” Roman’s challenge sliced through the tension, mistrust coating his voice.

To my astonishment, Kyle nodded without hesitation, a fire igniting in his eyes. A blood oath wasn’t a matter to be entered into lightly. Betraying one invited the moon goddess’s punishment and brought the pack’s scorn and exile. I’d only ever seen one used at a marriage ceremony to seal the love of two shifters’ vows.

Lyvia stepped forward, the hum of ancient magic radiating from her as she unbound Kyle’s hands.

He offered his hand to the witch. She made a ceremonial, precise cut on his palm, and bright crimson droplets beaded along his palm. Then, she turned to Roman, taking another ceremonial dagger and slicing his palm.

The witch’s melodic voice resonated within the cavern, wrapping around us. “Do you, Kyle, swear your allegiance to the Blood Moon Pack?”

“I swear it,” Kyle declared as he grasped Roman’s palm and shook. The air thrummed with the sacred covenant that the fusion of their blood formed.

Tremors ricocheted through the ground beneath our feet, responding to the blood oath as it dripped from their joined hands, binding Kyle to his oath.

A turbulent mix of hope and dread pitched through me.

Roman broke the weighty silence after the oath, “We allowed you here for our own reason, Kyle. I know you know my wife, Leah.”

The moment those words left Roman’s lips, I felt the air crackle with tension. Kyle’s gaze darted to me, his emerald stare betraying surprise and pain. Then, his expression hardened, emphasizing the chiseled features that had once ignited both warmth and resentment within me.

My heart pounded as I watched him absorb that fact. The corners of his mouth edged downward, a flicker of remorse shadowing his features. Perhaps he was grappling with the consequences of his past decisions and the way he had treated me. “I—” Kyle began, his voice thickening. Then, he simply said, “Yes, I know Leah.”

Roman’s gaze remained steady on Kyle, focused and fierce. “But it is our child who suffers from a strange illness that we have brought you here for.”

The impact of those words seemed to resonate through Kyle even more than Roman’s last. His shoulders tightened, jaw clenching as he processed that not only was I married, but I had a child with another man— our child. Roman’s words resounded in my ears, and I was almost certain from the way Kyle tensed that a similar shockwave was ricocheting through him.

The weight of Kyle’s expression shifted, morphing from surprise to solemnity. His gaze went to the child in my arms, his eyes burning with the intensity I remembered so well.

“Lina requires the essence of one of the pack who has robbed us of our land.” Roman continued. “Lyvia foresaw that it is your presence and essence that we need.” His gaze traveled to the witch still standing near Kyle. “It is the absence of our pack lands that is robbing our daughter’s wolf of her strength.”

“If there’s anything I have that can help, it’s yours,” Kyle vowed, his gaze fixed on me.

My heart hammered my chest with each one of Roman’s words as he carefully obscured the truth. I’d known my friend would find a way to protect me from Kyle. That was why he’d claimed I was his wife and Lina, his child. But Roman had also cleverly camouflaged our need for Kyle in treating Lina.

“The blood oath you made secures your place here. You will stay and heal Lina,” Roman declared, his voice firm and unwavering. “Through this, you can atone for your past misdeeds. But, if you wish to make your case for our assistance, you must first prove you are a wolf worth helping. Will you fight me to prove your strength?” he challenged.

My breath hitched as the reality of his words sank in. As an Alpha, Roman needed to assert his dominance over a newcomer. A wolf fight was standard protocol in our packs. But beneath that necessity lay a more personal motivation. Roman was driven by his fierce protective instincts and was determined to teach Kyle a lesson for the pain he’d caused me.

In a moment, Lyvia had removed the wards preventing outsiders from shifting, and Kyle’s impressive gray wolf stood before us. Roman’s equally large red wolf soon shimmered in the torchlight.

If Kyle was to gain our pack’s help, he had to prove himself worthy in a fight against our Alpha. As I glanced at my best friend and the leader of the Blood Moon Pack, his red fur gleamed like a bonfire in the darkness, each muscle tensed and ready.

My heart hammered in my chest as anticipation fired through me. The Blood Moons, Lyvia, and I retreated from the center of the cavern, congregating by the stone staircase to watch from a safe distance. The onlookers around me held their breath.

Roman prowled forward, his massive red wolf casting a long shadow. I could see the glint of resolve in his ferocious blue stare. He was fully prepared to defend what was his . Kyle’s powerful gray wolf stood poised and fierce, too, fur rippling like liquid silver, mirroring the determination in his emerald eyes. The raw energy between them crackled, a palpable force that echoed off the stone walls.

With a low growl, Roman lunged first, his speed a blur as he aimed to connect with Kyle’s flank. Kyle sprang, his wolf muscles coiling and releasing like a spring. He twisted around Roman, a calculated move showcasing his intelligence.

My wolf stirred restlessly within me, watching, waiting, torn between feeling betrayed and yearning for this man, this wolf, who could save my daughter.

The two fierce beasts circled one another, each sizing the other up. Roman’s red fur shone brighter as he lunged again, this time aiming for Kyle’s neck. Kyle anticipated the move, zigzagging backward just in time, using the cavern’s rocky terrain to his advantage.

Kyle darted closer to Roman’s side, causing the red wolf to spin, glistening fangs snapping inches away from Kyle’s snout. The sound sent a tremor of fear through me. The crowd gasped, too, the tension in the chamber stifling. What if Kyle failed? What if he was wounded and couldn’t save my daughter?

Then, Kyle surged forward, launching himself against Roman with a primal roar that echoed against the cavern walls. They collided—fur and flesh, power and purpose—two Alphas of ancient packs vying for dominance. Roman’s slightly larger frame threatened to overwhelm Kyle, but Kyle pushed back with raw determination, his muscles clenching as he grappled with the red wolf.

Gritting my teeth, I clung to Lina’s little bundle, desperate to will Kyle strength. I could feel the connection in my chest, my wolf clawing at the chains of bitterness suppressing her. It wasn’t just that I wanted him to win; deep down, my wolf ached with a fierce protectiveness over him. The instinct surged within me, not merely to save Lina but to shield our fated mate from harm, to ensure he emerged unscathed. The weight of that desire thrummed through me, intensifying with every heartbeat as I fought to keep our bond strong against the looming danger. In that instant, something shifted. Kyle, growing impatient, executed a fleeting roll beneath Roman’s powerful body, muscles rippling as he leaped with an agility I’d never witnessed.

With a surge of momentum, Kyle unleashed a powerful strike at Roman’s underbelly, a desperate gamble that landed perfectly. Roman let out a low growl, surprise flickering in his blue eyes. Time slowed. Roman charged into Kyle’s flank. Dust and stones erupted around them, scattering into the air like chaff in the wind.

Panting heavily, their eyes locked, both wolves seemed to sense the weight of what was at stake. Kyle was fighting for redemption, and Roman was protecting what was his. In a heart-stopping instant, they surged forward in a final, explosive clash. Jaws snapped, and claws raked as they twisted and turned. With a final burst of effort, Kyle thrust forward, head bent low, powering through Roman’s defenses just as the red wolf was beginning to recapture his hold. It was a swift, decisive bite on Roman’s shoulder, a powerful move asserting dominance, yet it was given as a show of strength and trust. Kyle’s deep bite into the red wolf’s flesh declared that his strength was worth allying with for our pack and was strong enough to save my daughter.

Roman halted, the powerful weight of his frame adjusting, the glow of surprise reflected in the depths of his azure eyes. An unspoken understanding passed between the two wolves. As the dust settled, both Kyle and Roman stood their ground, panting. My heart surged at the sight. With a final growl that resonated with both pain and pride, Roman stepped back with his head dipped in an acknowledgment of Kyle’s strength.

The tension in my chest slackened, relief flooding me. Kyle’s gray wolf stood tall, determination gleaming in his eyes as he met my gaze, a silent vow to give whatever he could to my daughter.

Shifting into his human form, Roman said, “Welcome, Kyle, to the Blood Moon Pack.”

Kyle’s muscled human figure filled the heart of the chamber once more, too.

With my heart thundering, relief surged through me. Lina was going to receive the help she needed. And my best friend had done exactly what he’d promised, shielding me from the bond with Kyle I refused to acknowledge.