Luna. Chapter 63

(Lyra's POV)

I stared at Kael sitting across from me in the hospital cafeteria. His admission hung between us like a bridge I wasn't sure I wanted to cross.

"So you poisoned yourself," I said slowly. "For four years."

"Not exactly poisoned. More like... marked. Infected. The Ashwalkers needed to believe I was truly one of them."

"What kind of marking?"

Kael touched the scar on his face. "This was just the beginning. There are others."

I wanted to ask where, but I wasn't ready for that level of intimacy. Not yet.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked instead.

"Because you would have tried to stop me."

"Damn right I would have."

"And then your father would be dead."

The words hit me like ice water. He was right. If I'd known what Kael was planning, I would have fought him on it. I would have demanded we find another way. And Victor would have died while we argued about alternatives.

"I hate that you're right," I said quietly.

"I hate that I had to choose."

We sat in silence for a moment. Around us, the hospital hummed with quiet activity. Normal people dealing with normal problems. Not werewolf politics and poison and impossible choices.

"I forgive you," I said finally.

Kael's head snapped up. "What?"

"I forgive you for rejecting me. For lying to me. For making me think you didn't love me." I took a breath. "But forgiveness doesn't mean I'm ready to try again."

"I understand."

"Do you? Because you're looking at me like you think this is the part where we fall into each other's arms and everything goes back to normal."

"Nothing about us has ever been normal."

"True." I managed a small smile. "But Kael, what you did to save Victor... it was brave and stupid and completely you. And I'm grateful. But I'm also terrified."

"Of me?"

"Of trusting someone who thinks the best way to protect me is to destroy himself."

Kael flinched like I'd slapped him. "That's not—"

"Isn't it? You nearly killed yourself to save my father. You let me hate you for four years rather than trust me with the truth. You're sitting here now barely holding yourself together, and you're still trying to convince me you made the right choices."

"I did make the right choice."

"You made a choice. Whether it was right or not remains to be seen."

He was quiet for a long time, staring down at his untouched coffee. When he looked up, his eyes were tired in a way that had nothing to do with sleep.

"What would it take?" he asked quietly.

"What would what take?"

"For you to trust me again."

I thought about that. Really thought about it.

"Time," I said finally. "And better communication. And proof that you won't sacrifice yourself the next time something threatens our family."

"Our family?"

"Asher is your son. That makes us family, even if we're not together."

"Right. Of course."

I could see disappointment flicker across his face, and part of me wanted to reassure him. To say that maybe someday we could be more than co-parents. But I wasn't ready for that hope yet.

"Lyra?" A voice interrupted from behind me.

I turned to find Magnus standing in the cafeteria doorway, and my stomach dropped to my feet.