12. Kozue
TWELVE
KOZUE
Kozue stood in the kitchen of Hale Lodge, his hands working mechanically through the familiar motions of measuring flour and sugar for his signature banana bread.
The kitchen had always been his sanctuary—second only to his personal suite—a place where the methodical precision of cooking could quiet the chaos in his mind.
But today, even the comforting routine of baking couldn't silence the storm of self-recrimination that had been building since yesterday morning.
The rich scent of chocolate and vanilla should have soothed him, but instead it reminded him of all the times he'd prepared his special recipes for Sloane over the past few days.
The way her eyes had lit up when she'd tasted his pancakes.
How she'd smiled while helping him prepare the communal spaghetti dinner.
The soft sound of contentment she'd made when he'd brought her that peace offering tray after their first night together.
Their first night together.
His wolf stirred restlessly at the memory, sending heat coursing through his body despite his current emotional turmoil.
Every detail remained crystal clear—the way Sloane had looked at him with such raw desire, the feel of her skin against his, the perfect way she'd fit in his arms afterward.
For one night, he'd allowed himself to claim what fate had destined for him.
For one night, he'd stopped sacrificing his own wants for everyone else's needs.
The mate bond that had solidified between them that night hummed constantly now, a living connection that carried echoes of Sloane's emotional state.
Fear. Uncertainty. Confusion. All of it crashed over him in waves, making it impossible to ignore how overwhelmed she was by everything he'd dumped on her yesterday.
But underneath those turbulent emotions, something else flickered through the bond—something that gave him hope even as guilt ate at his conscience.
Longing.
She was fighting it, but he felt her desire for him. For Ronan. For the safety and belonging that Hale Lodge represented. The triad bond might be confusing and unprecedented, but it wasn't unwanted.
If only Ronan would stop treating me like I'd betrayed him.
Kozue's jaw clenched as he folded chocolate chips into the banana bread batter with more force than necessary.
When he'd told Ronan about how he'd revealed the triad bond to Sloane, his Alpha had looked at him like he'd single-handedly destroyed their chances of ever earning her trust. The disappointment in Ronan's blue eyes had been worse than anger would have been.
They'd agreed to take things slowly, to let Sloane adjust to the supernatural world gradually. But when she'd asked for complete honesty, what was he supposed to do? Lie to his mate? Pretend the intense connection between them was just physical attraction?
She deserved the truth. She asked for it directly.
The sound of light footsteps on the kitchen's tile floor made him look up from the industrial-sized pot of hot chocolate he was stirring. Emerson bounced through the swinging doors with her characteristic energy. But her usual bright smile faltered when she took in his expression.
"You look unusually gloomy," she said, settling onto one of the bar stools at the center island. "That's not like you."
Kozue managed a weak smile. "Well, I think I messed up big time."
Emerson's green eyes sharpened with curiosity and concern. She'd known him since she was a teenager running around the lodge in pigtails, and she could read his moods better than almost anyone. "Does this have anything to do with why Ronan has been more broody than usual?"
"Yes," Kozue admitted, his voice rough. "Unfortunately, it does."
"And does it also have anything to do with why Sloane hasn't left her room?" Emerson leaned forward, her expression growing more serious. "She keeps specifically requesting me instead of you or Ronan when she needs anything."
Kozue's hands stilled on the wooden spoon he was using to stir the hot chocolate. The fact that Sloane was actively avoiding both him and Ronan felt like confirmation of his worst fears. She wasn't just processing the revelation about the triad mate bond—she was pulling away from them entirely.
He nodded grimly. "Yes. Unfortunately, it does."
Emerson studied his face with the perceptive intensity that made her such an excellent front desk manager. She could read people's needs before they even spoke them, and right now she was clearly seeing more than he was comfortable revealing.
"So how did you mess up?"
Kozue had never been able to lie to Emerson.
She was family in every way that mattered—the little sister he'd watched grow from a spirited teenager into the vibrant woman who'd become the heart of Hale Lodge's operations.
She'd been there through every major moment of his life, and she deserved honesty.
"Well, Emerson," he said, setting down the spoon and meeting her gaze directly. "I may have slept with Sloane. She's my fated mate."
Emerson's eyes brightened immediately, her face breaking into a delighted grin. "Well, I don't see anything wrong with that. It's about time you found your mate. And from what I've seen, she's absolutely perfect for you."
The enthusiasm in her voice made Kozue's chest tighten with a mixture of gratitude and frustration. If only it were that simple.
"Sloane is also Ronan's fated mate."
Emerson's eyebrows shot up, but rather than looking shocked or concerned, she looked fascinated.
"Oh! A rare triad mate bond?" She leaned back on her stool.
"That sounds complicated, but it totally makes sense for you and Ronan.
You two are basically brothers and share everything else—why not a mate? "
Kozue let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, it should make perfect sense.
But in reality, it's much trickier." He moved to check on the banana bread in the commercial oven, needing the distraction of movement.
"Especially when your fated mate just learned yesterday that wolf shifters exist, and that she's the destined mate of both the Alpha and Beta.
And I complicated everything by dumping all of that on her in one conversation. "
When he turned back around, Emerson had somehow acquired a piece of the cooling banana bread from an earlier batch and was eating it with obvious enjoyment.
"And now Ronan thinks I overstepped," Kozue continued, the words pouring out now that he'd started. "I was just trying to be completely honest. Sloane asked for complete honesty, so I gave it to her."
"Well, Kozue," she said between bites, "you did the right thing. Maybe your timing could've been better, but I have a feeling the triad bond will pull you all back together."
Before Kozue could respond, the kitchen's swinging doors opened again.
Ronan stepped through, his imposing frame filling the doorway as his eyes immediately found Kozue's.
For a moment, hope flared in Kozue's chest—maybe Ronan was ready to talk, to work through whatever tension had been building between them.
But Ronan's gaze shifted away almost immediately, focusing on Emerson instead.
"Emerson," Ronan said, his deep voice carrying that controlled Alpha tone. "Could you help me in the lobby with something?"
The dismissal was clear, and it hit Kozue like a slap. Ronan turned and left without another word, not even acknowledging Kozue's presence beyond that brief, loaded glance.
Kozue shot Emerson a defeated look. "I'm not so sure the triad bond can pull a stubborn wolf like Ronan out of his protective shell."
Emerson giggled as she slid off the bar stool. "I think you'll be surprised," she said with that knowing smile that suggested she saw possibilities he couldn't yet imagine.
Alone in the kitchen again, Kozue stared at the empty doorway and felt the familiar weight of self-doubt settle over his shoulders.
Maybe I should have just stepped aside from the beginning, he thought, returning to his preparations with mechanical precision. Let Ronan claim her without complicating things.
But even as that thought formed, his wolf snarled in rejection. Sloane was theirs—both of theirs. The triad mate bond wasn't a mistake or a cruel joke. It was fate's design, even if none of them knew how to navigate it yet.
Hours later, the sun had disappeared behind the towering pines, leaving the sky painted in deep purples and indigos that made the stars seem impossibly bright.
Kozue stood at the edge of the stone fire pit behind Hale Lodge, arranging split oak logs in the precise formation that would create the perfect bonfire.
The familiar ritual of building the fire had always calmed him.
Tonight, though, even the meditative process of fire-building couldn't quiet his restless energy. His wolf paced, agitated by the emotional distance that had opened between him and the two people who mattered most in his world.
The fire soon roared to life with satisfying intensity, casting dancing shadows across the carefully arranged seating area they'd created for these weekly community gatherings.
Comfortable camping chairs formed loose circles around the fire pit, with rustic wooden tables positioned strategically to hold the evening's treats.
The entire space had been designed to encourage conversation and connection—something the pack valued above almost everything else.
If only connection were as simple as arranging furniture, Kozue thought grimly as he walked toward the refreshment table he'd set up earlier.
The rich aroma of his famous hot chocolate drifted from the large thermal dispensers, mixing with the sweet scent of his banana bread and the smoky fragrance of the fire.
Everything was perfectly prepared for another successful lodge event, but his usual satisfaction in creating these moments of community felt hollow when the people he cared about most were avoiding each other.