Chapter 10 Kane #2
He shakes his head with a thin smile. “Not a myth, just exceedingly rare these days. I’ve never had the opportunity to study the biology firsthand, but from what I gather, the difference between a chosen and fated bond is like the difference between a placebo and an opiate.
Chosen mate bonds take time to fully root after they’re sealed, while fated mate bonds are so powerful that they lock in immediately. ”
I want to tell him to fuck off, but a tiny, poisoned seed of doubt starts to sprout in my chest. The way my wolf reacts to Violet… he’s never reacted that way to anyone. Even before the damn Pairing that sealed our fate.
Something in my expression must give me away, because Dr. Aspen suddenly leans in closer, eyes bright with interest. “I’d like to run a genome map on both you and your mate.
There may be biological markers for this sort of thing, something identifiable that could be studied.
I could confirm the theory within a week. ”
My wolf rises up with a feral snarl of protectiveness.
“Absolutely not,” I snap, the words dropping like a stone between us. “Leave her out of this.”
He regards me cautiously, his disappointment clearly visible before he wipes it away and schools his expression again.
“Understood. If you change your mind, I’d be happy to re-open the discussion.
And in the meantime, you’re not doing yourself any favors by ignoring the possibility.
Perhaps if you spent some time together, maybe let your wolves run… ”
“Just fix it,” I growl. “Whatever’s wrong with me, I want it gone.”
He stands, moving to a small refrigerator on the opposite side of the room.
“I’m going to give you a high-dose vitamin supplement,” he says as he removes a couple of glass vials and pulls syringes from a drawer.
“And a short course steroid. It should help with your symptoms, but it’s a bandage, not a cure. ”
“Do it,” I reply gruffly.
He nods, drawing up the first shot and approaching me with caution. I don’t even feel the poke. He moves quickly and efficiently, administering both injections and tossing the used syringes in the bin.
“You need to get some rest, Commander,” he says, leveling his gaze on me. “Take some time off, if you can. I’ll call when the results of your panel come back, but in the meantime, consider what I said about your mate. And if the situation grows dire, there’s always wolfsbane.”
I suppress a shudder at that suggestion, pushing up to my feet and starting for the door. “Thanks, doc,” I toss over my shoulder as I pull it open and step into the hall, my phone buzzing in my pocket.
I slip it out as I stride toward the lobby, finding a push notification from the pack comms channel flashing on my screen. I quickly open it, expecting a briefing or an alert, but it’s just a message from Alpha containing a link.
As soon as I click it, I wish I hadn’t. I slam to a stop as a headline flashes across my screen: Commander Kane Paired With Striking Young Mate!
The text that follows is a ridiculous puff piece about the ‘unforgettable’ ceremony that ended in ‘love, laughter, and happily ever after’.
If my head wasn’t pounding before, it sure as fuck is now.
Alpha’s PR team has outdone themselves with this one, framing the whole thing as some kind of fairytale.
Scattered throughout the article are pictures from our photoshoot– me in that fucking suit, Violet in that dress that tested every ounce of my restraint.
I pause on one of them, clocking the tightness in my jaw, the way I’m staring at Violet like she’s the last scrap of meat in a starving world.
She’s smirking back at me, raven hair loose around her face, blue eyes bright.
Well, shit. Either they photoshopped the hell out of this, or the chemistry between us is that real. We look like we’re seconds away from tearing off each other’s clothes.
Or tearing out each other’s throats.
I click the screen off, shoving my phone back into my pocket and continuing down the hall as my wolf scrapes against my insides.
Whatever this is, I won’t let it win. I’ll either kill it dead or burn out trying.
My inner beast continues pacing restlessly in my chest as I hit the lobby and summon the elevator, hoping like hell that whatever Dr. Aspen gave me will start working soon.
My phone buzzes again as it arrives, and I slip it out of my pocket as I step inside, leaning back against the cool mirrored wall to read the notification on the screen.
It’s a text message. And not just any message– it’s the first one I’ve ever received from this number, though it’s been saved in my phone since the morning after the Pairing.
Violet.
I was able to find her number easily enough through the pack’s database, and I left mine for her on a scrap of paper the last time I was at the apartment, just in case she ever needed to contact me for anything.
My thumb moves to open the message before my brain can even catch up. It’s a screenshot of the press release, followed by a text.
Three words. All caps.
Violet
WHAT THE FUCK?!