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

Chapter 26

Kyle

The ache of Leah’s distance gnawed at me like a deepening hunger. Each day I spent lingering on the periphery of her world felt heavier than the last. The only thing that kept me going was the desperate hope that she’d seek me out when she was ready. I felt like a man who had lived in the sunshine, retreating into a world of shadow.

The few glimpses of her that I was lucky enough to catch showed me how much she poured her heart into nurturing Lina, her fierce resolve vibrant and magnetic. Everyone was overjoyed to see Lina out of her bedroom and back with the pack. But it was Leah’s joyful face that brought everyone to them, as much as little Lina’s flourishing health. But even Leah’s time spent with the pack dwindled when my health was strong enough again to be out of bed. Where she usually spent time in the kitchen and greenhouse, she increasingly shut herself away in her bedroom, clearly determined to cut herself off from me.

It became glaringly obvious that she no longer needed my protection, something that left me bereft. Following the ritual, I realized Leah was distancing herself again when she started sending Lyvia with Lina to spend time with me instead of bringing her herself. That she hadn’t completely cut contact between Lina and me made my heart swell with gratitude. But oh, how I missed her presence and company. During these special past few weeks, I’d discovered just how mentally strong Leah was and realized she didn’t need my protection. Instead, I needed her and our child.

I knew I had nothing to reproach Leah with, though. In the past, my care and love for Leah had repeatedly put her in danger. The way I’d kept her close to me because of my wolf’s need to protect her, only to reject her when we’d first kissed tortured me. Then, the way I’d lost control over the mating bond I’d been suppressing, slept with her, only to reject her again, nauseated me. I didn’t deserve her forgiveness, and yet, I yearned to prove that I’d protect, honor, and love her if she’d only give me another chance.

But I tried to be respectful of her need for distance and time. She’d made it clear she didn’t want me encroaching on her personal space, even when we’d still been spending so much of our time and energy in healing Lina together. My heart twisted as I thought of how Roman had been there first on the scene when Lina’s condition had worsened. The memory of him holding Leah in his arms that night had seemed like a deeper pain than the ritual had caused. That steadfastness that he held her with, the way his gaze had been fixed on Lina with almost as much concern as Leah and I had, made me doubt whether I had a chance. But I had to hope against hope. Maybe with more time and by being respectful, she’d come to me when she was ready.

Missing her and Lina, I wasn’t sleeping much. After a week of tossing and turning without a proper night’s sleep, I decided to seek Lyvia out. I desperately needed a sleeping potion. I’d recently ordered a whole bunch of palliks from the Shadow Moon Pack, which had just arrived in the last delivery. However, I had gifted it all to Leah and now regretted not holding any back for myself to help get some sleep. Still, I reminded myself that Leah said the herb brought good dreams, and given how I was feeling, I would likely end up dreaming about her anyway.

I found my way to the fourth floor, doing everything I could not to let my eyes snake down the hall to Leah’s door. As I knocked softly on Lyvia’s door, the witch soon opened it.

“Hey, Kyle,” she greeted me, her elegant black brows sweeping together as she took me in. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, fine, thanks,” I said, then quickly explained, “I hoped you might have something to help me sleep. I don’t feel like I’ve slept properly since the exhaustion after the ritual.”

Lyvia’s face softened sympathetically. “Sure, come in. I’ve got something that should do the trick. I’ve got tuttaa stones somewhere. Aha,” the witch said, pulling out some yellow crystals from a box. “They’re spelled with sleeping enchantments and should help you get some rest.”

I leaned by the door. Being here, where the ritual had taken place, reminded me of how much I missed Leah. Pain and pleasure seemed strangely tangled together as I remembered the excruciating pain racking my body, lighting me up as if a flame were tearing through each muscle, sinew, and bone, penetrating to my very marrow. But all of it was made alright as I knew Leah was shielded from that pain. My aura had wrapped around her and Lina both, and I could endure anything as long as they were both okay.

“Kyle?” Lyvia’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I blinked, realizing she was standing right in front of me, holding a small collection of yellow stones. “Sorry, Lyvia,” I said, shaking off my distraction.

She frowned, concern playing over her face. “Have you spoken to Leah lately?”

I heaved a sigh. “She doesn’t want to see me. I’m trying to give her space,” I said.

Her frown deepened. “I don’t want to go behind Leah’s back. Her friendship means the world to me, and I care deeply about Lina,” she explained, her voice laced with earnestness.

I nodded, understanding her loyalty. The bond between Lyvia and Leah had been evident as soon as I’d arrived, cemented by all the care and magic she had poured into Lina’s treatment. But I frowned, wondering why she would bring up their relationship. Tension coiled in my gut as I waited for her to go on.

“During the ritual,” she continued, “I saw how much you care about both Lina and Leah. The way you used your aura to shield them both from the pain of that process. It was powerful. I know you love Leah, Kyle. But I don’t think it’s space you need to give her. It’s honesty.”

“I haven’t been dishonest with her,” I protested, a flicker of defensiveness creeping into my voice. “I’ve told her how much I want to be with her. Besides, didn’t you just say that my actions at the ritual showed how much I love her?”

“To me, it was clear,” she replied, her voice softening. “But—” She hesitated, taking a breath that weighed heavy with unspoken concern. “She’s planning to sever your mate bond. She’s been considering the ritual ever since escaping your pack. With her health affected by imprisonment, the pregnancy, and then Lina’s illness, she’s only now able to do it. If there’s anything you haven’t said to her, I urge you to do so soon—before it’s too late.”

A vice-like grip tightened around my heart. My lungs felt as if they’d had concrete poured into them. My pulse spiked. My wolf snarled and clawed at my insides in protest.

No. No.

Every repressed emotion I had buried over the past weeks surged to the surface like a tidal wave. This revelation from Lyvia crashed over me. Leah was planning to sever our bond. But it wasn’t gone yet. It wasn’t too late.

I wrenched open Lyvia’s door, thoughts of rest entirely shattered. My eyes traveled down the hallway, landing on Leah’s door. My steps quickened, purposeful and steady, fueled by urgency. Standing outside her and Lina’s room, my chest felt too full, a mix of yearning and dread roiling through me. It had been two days since I’d laid eyes on Leah. I knew I was unprepared for the sight of my mate. But no time would ever be enough. I knocked softly on her door.

Leah’s stormy blue eyes filled with surprise as she opened the door, but her face soon turned guarded. I felt the gravity of the moment squeeze my chest. There was so much unsaid between us. But today wasn’t about toppling Leah’s defenses. It was about dismantling mine. In that moment, every wall that I’d hidden behind—my justice to Igaluk, my duty to my pack, my role as liberator of the Blood Moon Pack—fell away. There was just me.

“Leah,” I breathed, the tremor in my voice betraying the urgency swallowing me whole. “I need to speak to you about us.”

The words tumbled from my lips, raw and resonating with an intensity as I spoke from my heart.

Astonishment painted her face, but her eyes filled with sorrow, pulling at the corners of her lips. “Kyle—”

“Please, let me finish.” I cut her off, a plea lacing my tone. “Leah, I love you. You’re strong, smart, and resilient, and I know you don’t need me. You’ve fought through so much, and I admire you for that. But I need you—you and Lina. If severing our bond is what you truly wish, then you should do it. Above all else, your happiness is my greatest concern. But if there’s even a chance that you could try to forgive me for how I’ve hurt you in the past, I can show you just how committed I am to being the mate you deserve.”

Her eyes held mine, shimmering as understanding flickered in their depths. For a moment, silence wrapped around us. It felt as though the world held its breath as I braced for a verdict that might cast into perpetual shadow.

Then, like sunlight breaking through the clouds, Leah’s lips tipped into a tentative smile. “Perhaps there’s a chance.”

Dazed, I could only stare, disbelief swallowing me.

“You can come in,” she whispered, her smile softening further as she opened the door wider. “But be quiet; Lina’s sleeping.”

My heart thundered as she let me back into the space she had created—a sanctuary forged through resilience and love for both her daughter and herself. As I took her in, my gaze caught on the robe draping her form, the delicate sprigs of lavender clashing strikingly with her red locks, and once again, her effortless beauty dazzled me.

But then, I froze, caught off guard to find Roman sitting casually at the window seat. The reality of what I had just declared to his wife washed over me, and I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat.

But no matter the challenge, those magical words that Leah had just uttered rang in my ears again: “Perhaps there’s a chance.” Complications with Roman be damned. I was willing to fight for this second chance. If Leah would give our bond a chance, I wouldn’t relent. It didn’t have to be now. It could be moons or years from now, but I was here for it.

Shock reverberated through me when Roman merely stood, his bright eyes focused solely on Leah as if I were no consequence. “Guess I’ll make myself scarce,” he said, tone casual, as he left the room.

My baffled expression must have been clear because Leah’s lips twitched into a soft smile. She took my hand, leading me over to the cozy window seat, where we sat down together.

“What just happened?” I asked, still reeling. “I thought Roman would at least hit me, if not tear me to pieces for telling his wife I loved her.”

Leach giggled, a soft, melodious sound that made my heart flutter. “Umm, Roman and I being together is rather out-of-date information.”

My heart raced with astonishment and hope. “What do you mean?”

“We were engaged as teenagers when I was fifteen,” Leah explained, her tone taking on a more serious note. “But Roman called it off back then when he fell in love with someone else. Since then, we’ve been siblings in spirit, something that has made the last few weeks a real strain for my anuk .”

When Leah called the Blood Moon Alpha, brother, warmth blossomed in my chest. Her blue gaze now swam with a lovely openness. “Ever since I returned, Roman’s been super protective of me. He thought the best way to shield me from a mate bond I didn’t want was to pose as my partner.”

Comprehension settled over me, every piece of the past slotting into place. I looked down at her fingers intertwined with mine, marveling at the sight and feel of her hand intertwined with mine, marveling at the warmth and softness of her touch. But along with relief, a deep sense of shame pooled within me. “I’m so sorry you felt you needed protecting from our bond. If I had nourished it properly, then you wouldn’t have had to rope your family into protecting you. But I’m so glad you’ve had Roman. You deserve unconditional love. If you’ll let me, I promise to love you, support you, and be here for you, always, Ilak .”

My gaze was reverent as I made my vow. The goddess’s word for mate tasted sweet on my lips.

Leah’s eyes swam with tears, and I tenderly wiped them away, my heart clenching as she allowed her vulnerability to surface again. She hadn’t cried during Lina’s treatments. She was always so strong, so resilient. Yet now she was granting me another gift—her trust—a priceless treasure I didn’t deserve but that I swore I’d spend the rest of my life earning.

Overwhelmed by emotion, it felt like a river that had broken its banks, my words tumbling out as I wanted to tell her everything. “I want to spend all day long hearing about the herbs you love; I want to bask in your smiles and laughter like they’re the sun; I want to weave more perfect moments together, just as we have in this room, building a future for you, me, and Lina.”

The depth of love in her eyes was the most beautiful thing in the world. She released my hand, gently cupping my face and down to her until our mouths met. Her lips kissed me as tenderly as they had here weeks ago. But this kiss wasn’t driven by the primal need of our wolves, nor was it mixed with our daughter’s need. This was the pure, sweet longing of two mates reconnecting.

I inhaled her intoxicating wildflower scent, feeling my wolf stir beneath my skin, urging me to pull her closer, to lose myself in her. But I held back, needing to show her I could give her the tenderness she deserved. I wanted to devour her mouth, and my hands wanted to roam over her curves, but I forced myself to slow down, savoring every sweet brush of her lips against mine.

As we parted for breath, her voice, muddled with desire, demanded in a sultry whisper, “Kiss me harder, Kyle.” Gladly, I did just that, sucking on her tongue as our kisses quickly grew more heated. She nibbled my lip, and soon, we were devouring one another as if we’d never get enough. As she moaned into my mouth, one of my hands fell through her silken tresses, and along with the passion, tenderness stirred.

“I love plaiting your hair,” I whispered against the column of her neck, tracing kisses down it as I wound my fingers through her hair. Unable to resist, I tugged on the silky locks, the wolf in me wanting to have her lovely neck open to me. That exposed flash of skin was a sign of trust that excited my beast.

Leah moved and suddenly straddled me, her robe slipping open slightly to reveal the perfect swell of her breasts, the soft fabric barely concealing her nipples, which peeked through the thin vest underneath.

“Make love to me, Ilak ,” she murmured, her heavy-lidded eyes glazed with pure desire. “Quietly,” she reminded me, her eyes darting toward Lina, sleeping in the bassinet by the bed.

My gaze feasted on her body, a combination of reverence and hunger. I indulged for a moment, letting my hands roam her bare legs, and then I untied the sash at her waist, enjoying the way her robe pooled around her. With a swift motion, I peeled off the vest, cupping one of her beautiful breasts, feeling the familiar softness beneath my fingers. They felt a little fuller, too, a testament to her motherhood.

Leah rocked back and forth on me, finding friction against my hardness through my jeans, and it was all I could do to stop myself from taking her right then and there. In an instant, I lifted her into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist as her warmth enveloped me.

With tenderness, I brought her over to the bed, laying her down. My gaze raked over her perfect body, mesmerized once more that she was mine. I kissed my way up the inside of her legs, loving the little moans and gasps she gave me. I teased the back of her knees, caressing and licking her sensitive skin. “Kyle, please,” she moaned, her husky tone sending a shiver down my spine, igniting that primal need within me to take more.

My fingertips grazed up her thigh, and I groaned, feeling the lace trim of her underwear. “Can I touch you, Ilak ?” I asked, my voice both earnest and low with longing.

Her answer came as she guided my hand under the hem of her underwear, and I groaned deeply with satisfaction as I slid my fingers through her warmth, burying two digits inside her. The feeling of her wetness and heat sent a jolt of desire right down to my dick. It pulsed with urgency against my jeans.

Letting her set the pace, I watched her as she rode my fingers, feeling each delicious tremor ripple through her. Her hand fell away, going heavy with pleasure. I took over, plunging deeper still and crooking my fingers so that I touched every sensitive nerve, triumph swelling in my chest as I coaxed soft cries from her.

She swallowed down her cry, fighting to keep the noise to a minimum. I felt her inner walls tremble around my fingers, the warmth of her clenching tighter around me as she arched off the bed. Leah was already greedily reaching for me, and I knew she wanted to rid me of my clothes. But I wasn’t ready yet; I needed to savor her and explore every exquisite inch of her.

With a gentle tug, I slid off her underwear, trailing kisses down her inner thighs until I reached the sweet, glistening core of her. With a hunger borne of a deep primal need, I plunged my tongue into her, making her whimper. Her body responded instinctively, writhing as she rode my mouth. As her beautiful body shook around me once more, a hum of approval rang through me, the taste of her coming on my tongue sating something deep within me.

The next moment, Leah grasped my hand, pulling me up beside her. Her stormy eyes gleamed with determination as she took off my clothes, effortlessly laying me bare before her. “I need you in me, Ilak ,” she all but growled, her voice thick with need and urgency.

My heart raced at the raw lust in her tone. I surrendered to her, mesmerized by the thrilling depths of her eyes.

In a moment, I was sprawled out beneath her, and she aligned herself perfectly, sliding onto my cock, taking each inch of me. I groaned in bliss as her warmth and slickness enveloped me, stretching to accommodate me completely. Grabbing handfuls of her soft ass, I hummed lowly in appreciation. “Leah, by the goddess, you feel so damn perfect.”

I moved her up and down my shaft as she allowed me to set the pace this time. I gasped as she rolled her hips. Each thrust felt electric, sending ecstasy roiling through my body. Her glorious tits bounced as she rocked, and I captured one with my fingers, ducking up to suck the other, making her smother another cry. She arched her back more, exposing her throat to me, her beautiful bare body arcing like a crescent moon.

Leah rocked back and forth, riding me slow and deep, and I bit my lip, struggling against the urge to let go and surrender to the overwhelming sensation. I wanted her to make her see stars once again before I found my release, to know that I’d brought her over that heavenly precipice once more. My fingers found her clit, and each moan confirmed I was drawing closer to her climax. Then, in that glorious moment, as Leah trembled and gasped around me, I surrendered to the sensation, our cries intertwining in a breathless climax.