Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy Chapter 6

ARIA

I had been in Shadowmere territory for four days, and I still hadn't seen Kael since that first night when he'd collapsed at my feet.

Nina assured me this was normal—that he spent most of his time in the deep forest now, where his wolf could run without the risk of hurting anyone. But I couldn't shake the memory of those desperate gold eyes, or the way my wolf had responded to his anguished howl with an answering cry of her own.

The pack had accepted me with a warmth I hadn't expected. Oh, they were curious—intensely so—but not in the cruel, judgmental way I'd grown accustomed to in the Blackwood pack. Here, curiosity came with shy smiles and welcoming gestures, with offers to help me settle in and invitations to join communal meals.

Though I'd noticed the children were the most curious of all.

They followed me everywhere, these brave little wolves with wide eyes and endless questions. They'd trail behind me as I walked through the settlement, giggling and whispering among themselves, then scattering like startled birds whenever I turned around to acknowledge them.

It was adorable, honestly. And so different from the cold isolation I'd known before.

Nina had been an absolute godsend through all of this. From the moment we'd arrived, she'd taken it upon herself to help me settle in, showing me around the pack lands with genuine enthusiasm.

"This is the healer's lodge," she'd said on that first day, gesturing to a cozy stone building near the river. "And over there is the communal kitchen—everyone contributes to meals, and trust me, you haven't lived until you've tried Marcus's venison stew."

"Different Marcus from the one who guided me here?" I'd asked.

"Very different. Our Marcus is the pack's head cook and about as threatening as a puppy." Nina had grinned. "The other Marcus is more of a lone wolf these days. No pun intended."

She'd shown me the training grounds where young wolves practiced their combat skills, the library housed in a converted cave system, and the sacred grove where the pack performed their moon ceremonies.

But it was my living quarters that had surprised me most.

"We've prepared Kael's personal chambers for you," Nina had said, leading me up a winding stone staircase into the mountainside. "He insisted before... well, before he lost the ability to communicate clearly. He wanted his future mate to have his space, his scent around her. He thought it might help with the bonding."

I'd stepped into the room and felt my breath catch.

It was massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the valley. Furs and thick blankets covered a bed large enough for a wolf in either form. But what caught my attention were the personal touches scattered throughout the space.

Maps covered one wall—detailed, hand-drawn maps of territories I didn't recognize, with notes scribbled in a bold, slashing script. A bookshelf held volumes on pack history, strategy, and surprisingly, poetry. A collection of carved wooden figures sat on the windowsill—wolves, bears, eagles, each one intricately detailed.

"He made those himself," Nina had said softly, noticing my interest. "Before the curse, he used to carve when he needed to think. Said it helped him clear his head."

I'd picked up one of the wolves, running my fingers over the smooth wood. The craftsmanship was exquisite, every detail perfect—from the individual strands of fur to the fierce intelligence in the carved eyes.

"He's definitely the adventurous type," I'd murmured, looking at the maps with their marked trails and circled territories. "Nothing like me."

"Don't sell yourself short," Nina had said firmly. "You traveled through dangerous territory to bond with a cursed Alpha you'd never met. That takes a special kind of courage. A special kind of adventure."

Maybe. Or maybe it just took a special kind of desperation to escape the ghost of a love that had never been real.

Over the next few days, Nina had helped me begin my Luna duties—something I'd never expected to do, certainly not so soon. But the pack needed leadership, and with Kael unable to fulfill his role, someone had to step up.

"You don't have to do this yet," Nina had assured me. "The bond ceremony isn't until the blood moon. You're not officially Luna until then."

But I'd wanted to help. Needed to, really. I'd spent years in the Blackwood pack feeling useless, feeling like a burden. Here, I could actually make a difference.

So I'd joined Nina on her rounds through the settlement, learning names and faces, checking in on pack members who needed assistance. The pack's elderly wolves needed help with winter preparations. A young family was struggling to care for their newborn pups while both parents worked. The healer's lodge needed someone to organize their herb stores.

I threw myself into it all, grateful for the distraction from thoughts of Damon and the life I'd left behind.

It was during one of these rounds, three days into my stay, that the children finally got brave enough to approach me directly.

I'd been inspecting the communal garden, making notes about which healing herbs we could plant come spring, when I felt small hands tugging at my clothes.

I turned to find myself surrounded by at least eight wolf pups, all staring up at me with enormous eyes full of excitement and curiosity.

"Are you our Luna now?" a little girl with dark braids asked, her voice high and eager.

"Well, not quite yet," I said, kneeling down to their level. "But I will be soon."

"Have you met our Alpha?" a boy with a gap-toothed grin wanted to know. "He's really big. And scary. But also nice. Well, he used to be nice. Before the curse made him all growly."

"I've met him," I confirmed, trying not to smile at their enthusiasm.

"Did you like him?" another girl asked. "He's the strongest Alpha in all the territories. That's what my mama says."

"He seems very strong," I agreed carefully.

"Are you going to have lots of babies?" the gap-toothed boy asked with a child's complete lack of filter. "We need more pups in the pack. Sarah's mama just had twins, but we want more."