12. Keiro
TWELVE
KEIRO
Keiro had been pulling on his jacket, keys already in hand, when his phone buzzed against the granite countertop of his family estate's kitchen.
The sight of Poppy's name on the screen sent his pulse spiking with an intensity that should have embarrassed him.
Instead, he answered before the second ring.
"This is Keiro," he said with careful neutrality, fighting the urge to tell her he missed hearing her voice.
"I want to meet at our land," she said without preamble, her voice carrying that crisp authority that made his wolf sit up and take notice. "I think we should walk the space together and brainstorm on the actual property."
Our land.
The phrase hit him like a lightning bolt, flooding his chest with something dangerously close to recognition.
Through their deepened mate bond, he caught fragments of her emotions—determination blazing bright, anxiety threading between that, and beneath it all, a want so fierce it made his breath catch.
"That's a great idea," he managed. "I'll be there in forty-five minutes."
The moment the call ended, Keiro was moving with purpose that bordered on desperation.
He took the stairs to his childhood bedroom two at a time, muscle memory guiding him to the oak desk where he'd spent countless hours as a teenager sketching buildings that would never exist, designing spaces for a life he'd never get to live.
The leather-bound sketchbook sat buried beneath years of accumulated papers.
His fingers traced the worn cover with something approaching reverence—this tangible connection to the boy who'd dreamed of creating rather than controlling, who'd imagined buildings that served beauty instead of just function.
When he'd proposed sketching the designs for their land at dinner the other night, something long dormant had stirred to life.
Now, pencils clutched alongside the precious notebook, Keiro felt that awakening spread through his chest like wildfire.
For the first time in sixteen years, he was going to create something.
The drive to Hudson Valley passed in a blur of anticipation and nervous energy.
Through the mate bond, Poppy's emotions bled into his consciousness with increasing intensity—her determination to make their partnership succeed, concern about something he couldn't quite identify, and fear that tasted like vulnerability she refused to acknowledge.
But underneath the storm of complicated feelings, her desire for him burned steady and strong, a beacon that made his wolf howl with satisfaction.
She still wanted him, even after pushing him away yesterday.
The gravel road leading to their property soon crunched beneath his Bentley's tires as he rounded the final curve.
Poppy stood beside her modest SUV, her dark hair catching the morning sunlight, and the sight of her made his chest tighten with an emotion too complex to name.
She'd dressed practically in dark jeans and hiking boots, but somehow managed to look both capable and devastatingly beautiful.
But what made his wolf preen with possessive pleasure was the detail she probably thought he wouldn't notice—two coffee cups balanced on her SUV's hood, steam still rising from both.
She'd been thinking about him, anticipating his needs.
Keiro parked and emerged from his car with the sketchbook and pencils in hand, his predator's grace automatic even as his pulse hammered with mate bond intensity.
Poppy approached with measured steps, her expression carefully neutral, but he could feel her excitement bleeding through their connection despite her professional mask.
"Good morning," he said, accepting the coffee she offered, his hand lingering against hers. "Thank you for this. You must have read my mind."
More like she could read his emotions through their bond just as clearly as he read hers.
Heat flashed across her features before she schooled them back to business-appropriate distance.
"I figured we'd both need caffeine for this.
" Her voice carried that clipped professionalism that meant she was fighting their connection with every breath.
"I want to walk the entire space and really understand what we're working with. "
They started into the woodland, boots crunching against fallen leaves and forest debris.
Ancient oaks and maples created a cathedral of green overhead, dappling the ground with shifting patterns of light and shadow.
The air smelled of rich earth and growing things, a wild beauty that made Keiro understand why Poppy was so passionate about preservation.
"I really want to preserve most of this natural woodland area," she said, her professional mask slipping as genuine love for the land colored her voice. "I understand we need to build something that will generate revenue, but I don't want to destroy what makes this place special."
Keiro studied the landscape with an architect's eye, already seeing possibilities. "We could build an office complex. High-rises would maximize—"
"No." The word cracked like a whip, Poppy spinning to face him with blazing eyes. "That will not work. That would invite more complications and headaches than we could handle."
Her vehemence surprised him, but through their bond he felt the deeper truth—she wasn't just protecting the land, she was protecting something precious and irreplaceable. He adjusted his approach, recognizing the need for finesse.
"How about a hotel? Temporary lodging rather than permanent developments?"
Poppy's expression softened marginally, but skepticism remained etched in her features. "A hotel seems too rigid for this type of beautiful space."
"Then what about a retreat?" The words emerged as inspiration struck. "A place where people can come to relax and enjoy the natural beauty. Something that works with the landscape instead of against it."
Her eyes lit up like stars, a transformation so complete it stole his breath. This was Poppy unguarded, passionate about something beyond duty and responsibility. His wolf howled with joy at putting that expression on her face.
"Yes, that sounds perfect," she breathed, then caught herself and straightened. "And what if this retreat had spaces where people could work out and spar, but also areas for meetings or training sessions? Multi-functional facilities?"
"I like where this is going," Keiro said, already flipping open his sketchbook with hands that shook slightly with anticipation.
The moment his pencil touched paper, something fundamental shifted inside him.
Lines flowed with confidence he hadn't felt in years, his hand moving with the muscle memory of countless teenage hours spent designing imaginary buildings.
A main lodge took shape, then smaller cabins clustered around it, connected by paths that curved naturally through the existing trees.
This was what he'd been missing—creation for its own sake, building something beautiful instead of just profitable.
Poppy leaned closer to watch him work, her proximity sending his pulse racing.
Her scent wrapped around his body like an embrace, wildflowers and rain mixed with something uniquely her.
Through the mate bond, he felt her amazement and admiration, emotions that made his wolf preen with masculine satisfaction.
"Wow," she murmured, close enough that her breath warmed his cheek. "You really are good at this, aren't you?"
Her praise struck him to the core. When had anyone ever appreciated his creativity rather than just his competence?
His pencil moved faster, adding outdoor facilities for sparring and exercise, a pool that seemed to flow naturally from the landscape, and community spaces that honored the existing forest. He left vast areas untouched, marked only for hiking trails and exploration.
"That's an amazing rough sketch," Poppy said, stepping back with visible effort. He caught the flush across her cheeks, felt the spike of desire through their bond before she wrestled it under control. "We can add to it later."
They continued walking, following a deer path that wound deeper into the property.
Here, away from the road and civilization, Poppy's professional mask began to slip completely.
She moved with natural grace, pointing out interesting rock formations and wildlife signs, her love for this place evident in every gesture.
The path crested a hill, revealing a natural clearing where a waterfall cascaded over moss-covered stones into a crystal-clear pool.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy to illuminate the scene like something from a fairy tale, and Keiro felt his architect's soul respond to the perfect harmony of elements.
"What if," Poppy said suddenly, her voice carrying a note of wonder that made his chest tighten, "we made this a retreat where both wolf packs and lion prides could come and stay together?
A collaborative space to build natural alliances instead of maintaining the divisions that seem to define our world? "
Keiro stared at her, seeing not just the passionate Alpha who'd captivated him, but a visionary who could imagine a better future for all of them. While he'd created the structure of their dream, she'd just provided its soul—a purpose that transformed mere profit into something approaching sacred.
"That sounds absolutely perfect," he said, his voice rough with emotion he couldn't hide.
She was suggesting their world become a space for unity instead of division, wolves and lions learning to see each other as allies instead of threats.
Just like they were doing right now.
Through the mate bond, he felt the truth she was trying not to acknowledge—this wasn't just about business anymore. She was imagining a future where they could be together openly.