Chapter 53

I felt him shift behind me, his chest rising and falling as he breathed. He wasn’t touching me, but he was close enough that I could feel the magnetic pull of him, the way his energy seemed to wrap around me, holding me in place.

Slowly, I turned my head just enough to catch a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye. He was standing there, completely at ease, his gaze fixed on me with kind of intensity that made my heart stutter. His dark hair fell over his brow, his eyes burning with a golden light that seemed to pierce through me. There was no shame, no embarrassment on his part. Only confidence. Only that deep, unshakable connection he seemed to embrace so fully.

I swallowed again; my throat dry. “ Kaden…” I whispered, unsure of what to say, unsure of how to make sense of what I was feeling.

He took a step closer, his body just inches from mine now, and I felt the warmth of his skin pressed against my back. His hand found my waist, gentle but firm, and I froze as his fingers splayed across my hip. My breath hitched, my heart thudding so loudly I thought it might burst out of my chest.

“ You don’t have to say anything,” he murmured, his lips brushing against the back of my neck, sending another wave of shivers down my spine. “ I just need you to understand that you don’t have to be alone anymore. You have me. I’m here for you, always.”

I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by his nearness, by the weight of his words. My pulse pounded in my ears, my body trembling from the intensity of the moment. Part of me wanted to pull away, to regain some sense of control, but another part of me—deeper, more instinctual—wanted to lean into him, to accept what he was offering.

Could I trust him? Could I truly believe that meant everything he was saying? The logical part of me screamed for caution, warned me not to get too close, not to let myself fall. But my heart… my heart whispered something different. It whispered that this was real. That Kaden wasn’t like anyone else. That he was mine, and I was his.

I inhaled sharply, trying to steady, myself, but Kaden’s presence was overwhelming. His hand on waist, his breath on my neck—it was all too much. I felt like I was drowning in him, in the heat of his body, in the intensity of his gaze.

Before I could think, before I could stop myself, I turned around to face him.

The movement was instinctual, and suddenly I was standing chest-to-chest with him, our bodies just inches apart. I looked up, my eyes meeting his, and the air between us crackled with tension. His gaze was intense, burning with emotion, and I felt myself getting lost in it.

For a moment, neither of us moved. We just stood there, staring at each other, the world around us fading into the background. I could feel his heart beating as rapidly as mine, the heat of his skin radiating into me.

Kaden’s hands slid up from my waist to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing gently across my skin. His touch was warm, soothing, and I felt my body relax despite the storm of emotions raging inside me.

“ Meara,” he whispered, his voice low and rough. “ You don’t have to be afraid. Not of me. Never of me.”

His words broke something inside me, and before I knew it, I was reaching up, grabbing him around the neck, pulling him closer. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then his expression softened, his lips parting as he gazed down at me.

I didn’t know what I was doing. All I knew was that I needed him, needed to feel the connection between us, needed to know that this was real.

And then, as if drawn by some invisible force, I tilted my head up, closing the distance between us.

Our lips met, and the world exploded.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative, but then something deeper took over. Kaden’s arms wrapped around me, pulling me flush against his body, and I melted into him. His lips moved against mine with a kind of desperation, a hunger that mirrored my own, and I kissed him back just as fiercely.

It felt like everything I had been holding back, everything I had been afraid to feel, came rushing, the uncertainty, the desire—it all spilled out in that kiss.

Kaden groaned softly, his grip on me tightened as he deepened the kiss, his tongue brushing against mine. The intensity of it stole my breath, made my knees weak, and clung to him, my fingers curling into his hair.
I wanted more—needed more.

But then, suddenly, Kaden stopped.

Panting, breathless, he pulled back, breaking the kiss. His forehead rested against mine, his chest heaving as if he was trying to regain control.

“ We need to stop, little one,” he whispered between ragged breaths.

Confused, I blinked up at him, trying to steady my own breathing. “ Did I do something wrong?”

Kaden chuckled, though it sounded strained, like he was barely holding himself together. His large hand cupped my face, his thumb gently brushing against my cheek. His golden eyes burned with an intensity that made my heart skip.

“ no, that’s just it,” he said softly, still catching his breath. “ You’re doing everything right.” His voice dropped, rough with emotion. “ But if we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to.”

I swallowed, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as his words sunk in. He stepped back slightly, though the space between us felt like a chasm. His hand lingered on my face, and I could still feel the tension in the air, like a thin little string ready to snap.

“ Your cent, your very presence,” he said, his voice thick with need. “ it consumes me, Meara. You don’t know how hard I have to fight every day to stay away from you.” He gazed into my eyes, his own dark with unspoken longing. “ The mate bond… it’s agonizing. Not being able to touch you, to taste your lips whenever I want…” His voice trailed off as he clenched his jaw, clearly struggling with his restraint. “ But when I couldn’t find you, when you were gone, that was worse. So much worse.”

His words hit me like a wave, and I found myself unable to look away from him. He was baring his soul to me, and I could feel the depth of his feelings in every word, every breath.

“ When I found you,” he continued, his voice quieter now, “ I promised myself I wouldn’t force the bond on you. Not again, like I did before.” His forehead pressed gently against mine, and I could feel the tension in him, the struggle he was fighting. “ I swore I’d let you decide if you wanted to accept it. To accept me.”

I blinked, trying to process everything he was saying, but his words came out in a rush, as if he had been holding them back for too long.

“ There was a time when I thought the Moon Goddess had made a mistake,” he admitted, his breath warm against my skin. “ That she had punished me by giving me a mate who didn’t feel the same longing I did.” His voice broke slightly, and the raw vulnerability in it made my chest tighten. “ I thought maybe I wasn’t worthy of you.”

“ Kaden…” I whispered, the weight of his words sinking into me.

He gazed into my eyes; his expression filled with an intensity that took my breath away. “ I swore that no matter what, I’d be whatever you needed me to be. A protecter, a friend… I didn’t care, as long as I could be in your life.”

My heart ached at the emotion in his voice. He had been carrying this weight, this fear, for so long. And all the while, I had been so wrapped up in my own confusion, my doubts, that I hadn’t realized the depth of his devotion.

“Kaden…” I said his name again, softer this time, my voice trembling. He lifted his head slightly, his hazel eyes searching—anything—that would tell him I understood.
And I did.

I stepped closer, closing the small distance between us, my hand resting on his chest. His heartbeat was wild beneath my palm, just as frantic as my own. I could feel the heat of him, the tension in his body as he struggled to control himself.

“ I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “ I didn’t know.”

His hand came up to cover mine, pressing it gently against his chest. “ It’s not your fault,” he murmured. “ You weren’t ready. And that’s okay.”

I looked up at him, my heart aching with a mixture of emotions—guilt, confusion, but also something else. Something deeper.

“ But I want to try,” I said softly. “ I want to understand this… us.”

Kaden’s eyes softened, and for the first time, the tension in his body seemed to ease. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “ I’ll wait as long as you need, little one. as long as it takes.”
Maybe it was time to stop running form it. From him, from the undeniable bond we shared.