Chapter 38
Kane
Loose gravel crunches beneath the tires of my SUV as I pull into a parking spot at Forest Glen preserve, shifting the gear and cutting the engine. The silence that follows feels oppressive. Loaded, like the stillness before a storm.
My gaze lifts, tracking the dark line of trees beyond the parking lot, shadows pressing thick beneath the canopy. The leaves flutter, waving as though they’re beckoning us in, like this place remembers us from the last time we were here.
I can practically feel the tension radiating off Violet from the passenger seat.
Her knee is bouncing, jaw set in that stubborn line she gets when she’s bracing for impact, and I don’t blame her.
Last full moon, this place was the staging ground for the quarterly spectacle of the Pairing.
Neither of us entered willingly, and both of us left forever changed.
I still vividly remember standing at Alpha’s side in the clearing as he rattled off the pairs he assigned to be mated. I was completely detached, controlled, and unaffected.
Or at least that’s what I told myself, until he called my name.
“Derek Kane.”
The sound of it raked like claws down my spine as the pack held their breath in anticipation, eagerly awaiting the announcement of who I’d be paired with. Alpha drew out the moment for maximum impact, milking it for all it was worth, then–
“Paired with Violet Slayter.”
Everything shifted when he called her name. I remember looking at her, seeing the way the color instantly drained from her face. The way her eyes went wide– not with awe or excitement, but with abject horror.
My jaw tightens at the memory, something raw and ugly twisting in my chest.
At the time, it felt like a cruel joke. She was too young, too beautiful– all fire and defiance, even standing there on the edge of having her freedom ripped away. And me? I was the one holding the blade.
I didn’t want a mate. Didn’t have space for one.
Didn’t need the complication, the liability…
and somehow, that wasn’t even the worst part of being forced into the Pairing.
The worst part was the way it felt as though I was stealing something from her.
A future she hadn’t chosen; a life she hadn’t agreed to.
My grip tightens on the steering wheel as the memories of that night pummel my brain. I force it to ease, dragging myself back to the present.
Because now…
Now, everything’s different. Violet’s right beside me, not because Alpha willed it, but because we chose it. The bond may have yanked us together on a biological level, but everything else– working through our animosity, finding common ground, falling in love– that was all us.
I turn my head, glancing over at Violet. She’s tense, eyes fixed on the entrance to the preserve like she’s gearing up for a fight she already survived once, her knee still bouncing anxiously. My brilliant, beautiful mate, ready to storm into battle.
Mine.
Not because Alpha said so. Not because of a syringe or a ceremony or a fucking audience, but because somewhere along the way, we stopped fighting it and chose each other.
I thought Violet Slayter would be my ruin. Turns out, she’s my redemption.
I reach over without thinking, settling my hand on her thigh. The bouncing stops instantly. Her head snaps toward me, bright blue eyes locking onto mine, and her expression softens, the tension in her body slackening as if I’ve just pulled her out of a mental spiral by touch alone.
“Are you ready?” I ask quietly, holding her gaze, “or do you need a minute?”
She drags in a slow breath, steeling herself. “I’m ready.”
I nod once, then reach for my seatbelt, unbuckling and pushing the door open.
The cool night air hits my face as I step out of the SUV, circling around to the front just as she does the same. We fall into step beside each other without thought, moving toward the preserve entrance like we’ve done this a hundred times before.
Technically, I suppose we have. Every full moon since our wolves manifested, we’ve shown up at our assigned preserves for the run. But never together.
I take her hand, and her fingers curl into the side of my palm automatically as she flicks me a side-eyed glance– warm at first, then rapidly cooling.
“Oh, right,” she mutters, voice edged with sarcasm. “Gotta put on a show.”
“This isn’t for them,” I murmur, giving her hand a squeeze.
A blush creeps onto her cheeks, lips curling at the corners. She quickly looks away to hide it, refocusing on the path ahead, but warmth blooms in my chest all the same.
That look on her never gets old.
The entrance to the preserve is already crowded with bodies, clusters of pack members gathered and watching as we approach. I can feel the shift in attention like a current, eyes tracking us with a mix of admiration, curiosity, and envy.
We’re a spectacle now; Alpha’s favorite Pairing success story.
It’s easier to lean into his narrative at this point than to fight it– especially since the alternative would require me pretending I don’t want her, and that’s not something I’m even remotely capable of anymore.
Violet’s not just my mate, she’s fucking everything.
I’m calmer walking into this than I’ve been in a long time.
More centered, like something in me has finally settled into place.
Violet’s still wild as ever, but that energy seems to have shifted lately into something more focused than self-destructive.
Together, we’re a force– and from the way the pack is looking at us, they feel it, too.
As we step up onto the curb, a familiar figure pushes through the crowd, Ella Slayter emerging to greet us with over-the-top enthusiasm.
“Commander Kane,” she says warmly, dipping her chin in deference before her attention shifts to her daughter. “Violet, I see you haven’t scared him off yet.”
Violet makes a small, unimpressed sound under her breath, but I just squeeze her hand tighter, pulling her in closer to my side.
“She couldn’t if she tried,” I reply easily, leaning down to press a kiss to her temple.
Ella makes a scoffing sound in her throat, eyes raking over Violet’s attire with obvious disapproval. “I see you’re still letting her dress herself,” she remarks, gaze flicking up to mine.
I hold her stare. “She looks perfect.”
“Well,” Ella huffs, posture stiffening, “maybe for a night out at some dive bar, but for a full moon run, standing in front of the pack as an officer’s mate? I’d expect a little more–”
“I love your daughter exactly as she is,” I cut in, forcing my voice to remain level despite my mounting agitation. “It’s a shame her own flesh and blood can’t do the same.”
Ella’s mouth drops open on a gasp, something wounded flashing across her face. I should probably feel bad for how that landed, but I don’t. Because Violet deserves more than conditional love. She deserves the fucking world.
The low hum of an engine draws the crowd’s attention toward the parking lot, gravel crunching as a sleek black car pulls up to the curb.
Perfect timing.
“Excuse me,” I say, not waiting for a response as I guide Violet away from her mother, my hand settling at the small of her back.
We make it to the curb right as the rear door opens, Alpha Gage emerging from the car like he’s stepping onto a stage. He lives for these full moon runs– the posturing, the flex of his control. The captive audience, ready to eat up whatever he’s serving.
He gives me a nod of acknowledgement, then steps past, me and the other high-ranking enforcers falling into formation behind him as he greets the pack.
Violet remains at my side, the two of us presenting as a united front while Alpha takes command of the crowd with a few brief opening remarks.
Then he starts down the path into the woods, everyone scrambling to follow.
Chatter rises around us as we tread the path, the pack’s excitement building with every step. Violet and I exchange a few glances, but we don’t say a word as we follow the flow of foot traffic. The sooner we get through this, the sooner we can let our wolves out, forget the bullshit, and just run.
When we reach the clearing, Alpha takes his place in the center, and I claim my usual position on his right with Violet beside me. The other enforcers line up at our backs and the pack fans out around us, anticipation building as Gage launches into his usual pre-run address.
I mostly tune it out. I’ve heard this speech too many times, about the energizing power of the full moon and the importance of running beneath it together to promote pack bonding.
Instead, I focus on the warmth of Violet’s body beside mine, my hand resting loosely on her hip, her citrus and peony scent grounding me in a way nothing else can.
But of course, Gage promptly steers the conversation in our direction, never one to miss out on a PR opportunity.
“As we all know,” he says smoothly, gesturing toward me and Violet, “our last Pairing was a tremendous success. Just look at Commander Kane and his new mate.”
He pauses dramatically, giving me a loaded look as Violet goes rigid beside me.
I know what he wants. We both do. And the path of least resistance is to play along.
I turn toward her, bringing my hands up to frame her face, forcing her to focus on me rather than our rabid audience. “One little kiss?” I murmur under my breath, gazing into her eyes intently.
We discussed this beforehand. Prepared for it. But the choice is still hers, and I’ll accept whichever one she makes, consequences be damned.
She clenches her jaw, defiance blazing bright in those baby blues, even as she leans into me. “Fine,” she grits out, lifting her chin.
Her eyes slide closed, lips brushing mine, and I yank her in even closer and kiss her hard.
It’s meant to be a performance, but the second her lips part under mine, it stops being about anyone else.
Violet melts into me, arms winding around my neck, head tilting to deepen the kiss.
The pack erupts into whistles and applause, but it all fades to static.
All I register is the heat of her body, the glide of her tongue, the taste of her lips.
We’re both breathless when we break apart, Violet’s cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. I sweep my thumbs over her cheekbones, holding onto the moment as Alpha launches right back into his speech, evidently satisfied with our public display of affection.
“We’re still accepting applications for the next Pairing, so any eligible females–”
It all just fades into background noise. My eyes stay locked on Violet’s, our hearts racing in tandem, our wolves peeking at one another through our irises.
Time ceases to exist.
“Let’s run!” Alpha calls, and the world around us crashes back in.
I blink as sound, scent, and movement return in a rush, finding Gage already stripping out of his suit to a chorus of cheers from the pack.
He shifts quickly, his massive wolf bursting free from his skin.
His howl tears through the clearing, and the energy ripples outward, clothes hitting the ground as the rest of the pack rushes to join him.
The air shimmers, bones crack and realign, howls rise.
“Ready to run, Commander?” Violet asks, a teasing lilt to her tone as she peels her tank top off over her head.
“Oh, I’m ready,” I growl, dragging my own shirt off.
My pants barely hit the ground before my wolf shoves his way forward, the shift rolling through my body in a familiar wave. The world fractures and reforms– sound sharpening, scent exploding, instinct taking command– and the second he’s free, he goes straight to her.
Violet’s wolf is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. Sleek black fur, bright blue eyes rimmed with silver. We collide in a rush of movement and heat, circling tight, brushing and nipping, perfectly in sync. The bond hums bright and alive between us, stronger and steadier than ever.
We break into the trees with the pack, shadows and moonlight blurring together as the forest opens around us.
The start of the run is always chaotic, the world a blur of scent, sound, and motion all sharpened to a razor’s edge under the full moon’s pull.
But even in the frenzy, I feel Violet through the bond– the pulse of her excitement and joy, the way her wolf wants to play and tease and be chased.
I let her lead at first, nipping at her heels, then catch up and shoulder her gently off-course just to remind her who’s in charge. She snaps back immediately, teeth flashing, ducking low and weaving through the brush with quick, agile turns.
There’s nothing else in the world like this feeling. The wild freedom, the way we move together, the knowledge that even with a hundred other wolves in the woods, there’s only one whose heartbeat matches mine.
We break from the pack after a while, veering into a secluded clearing painted silver by the moonlight.
Violet circles back to me, tongue lolling, tail flicking.
I collapse onto the grass, and she’s on me instantly, pinning me with her front paws as she licks my muzzle, then burrowing her nose into my fur.
Mine.
The urge hits hard. My wolf hasn’t forgotten; hasn’t let it go. He still wants to mark her– not the clean, clinical version of bonding we were forced into, but the real one. Teeth and primal instinct, a final, irrefutable claim.
And tonight, under the full moon with the bond burning bright and her pressed against me, it’s taking everything I have to hold him back.