Chapter 67: Can I have her?
The air around the table grew thicker. The shift was obvious. Eloise sensed it immediately, and her grip on her cutlery tightened until her knuckles turned pale. She hated the fact that they had reacted to Yuki at all. It was all because of that cursed mate bond. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.
She tried to meet Kaden’s gaze across the table to give him a silent warning. Although Kaden appeared calm on the outside, his gaze remained keenly locked on Xavier, clearly affected by the open provocation.
Kaden’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. His fingers paused for a split second on the stem of his wine glass before he set it down with deliberate care. A low, dangerous glint appeared in his sapphire eyes as he leaned back slightly in his chair. "Why do you need my opinion, Xavier?" Kaden asked, half amused, but his tone was edged with cold warning.
Xavier smiled and shrugged casually. Despite the clear differences in their status and age, their familiarity was obvious. "You are a good friend of mine. I do not want us getting into any trouble in the future because of who I date. I would hate for us to be at odds, Kaden," he chimed.
Kaden let out a soft, humourless chuckle, though his shoulders remained tense. "Why would Yuki put us at odds?" Kaden drawled, speaking casually as if he was not bothered that another werewolf was openly declaring interest in dating his mate. "I already have someone in my heart."
Xavier smiled knowingly. "I hope you do not go against your words," he drawled. His gaze flickered to Kieran, who said nothing. Kieran simply stared at Xavier with unnerving calm, his expression unreadable, while stirring his soup with deliberate slowness. "After all, Yuki is of age now. She is pretty and her pheromones have fully matured. A lot of unmated wolves will be drawn to her," Xavier added.
A short snort followed. Killian took a slow sip of his wine before his gaze drifted toward Xavier. "As a potential future Gamma, you do not have your priorities right, Xavier," he said casually. Xavier’s fingers twitched visibly at the remark.
Eloise’s smile widened with clear satisfaction, happy that the triplets appeared unaffected on the surface. She placed a delicate hand on Killian’s arm and leaned into him possessively. "How sweet of you to worry about her, Xavier. She really has a talent for drawing attention," she said sarcastically, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
Alexander cleared his throat. The sound cut through the rising tension like a blade. "Enough," he said firmly, though his tone remained diplomatic. "This is a celebration dinner. Let us focus on the success of the festival and leave personal matters aside for now."
Xavier inclined his head respectfully toward the alpha, but the small, defiant smile never left his face. Inside, a quiet fire burned brighter. He had seen the triplets’ reactions clearly. The subtle flare of possessiveness. The crack in their carefully built facade. Whether they wanted Yuki or not was up for question.
The rest of the dinner continued with forced pleasantries, but the undercurrent of tension refused to fade. Forks scraped against plates, wine glasses clinked, laughter rang out at appropriate moments, and conversations flowed around safe topics. Yet the atmosphere remained charged, as if everyone present could feel the storm gathering beneath the surface.
The full moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the bright driveway as the officials began departing from the Obsidian Hall. Xavier followed his family out, remaining quiet the entire time and ignoring his father’s conversation with another official.
They stepped out of the grand entrance. The cold night air welcomed them, carrying the crisp scent of pine and distant rain. Xavier’s gaze subconsciously flickered toward the Beta’s car. A sleek black Bentley was parked nearby. Eloise stood in front of it, wrapped securely in Kaden’s arms as he smiled gently down at her. The other brothers surrounded them protectively.
She was acting spoiled, rubbing her head against Kaden’s chest as she whined softly. "I am scared," she pouted, then glanced up at them with wide, vulnerable eyes.
Killian chuckled and playfully pulled her cheek. "You have no reason to be scared, silly," he teased, puffing her cheeks out. She shyly bowed her head, looking up at them through her lashes.
"What if Yuki passes the trial? What will..." Kaden did not let her finish. He placed a finger on her lips and shushed her gently.
"Stop worrying about the impossible. It doesn’t matter what dirty tricks she uses. It is pretty obvious who our hearts belong to," he assured her with a firm yet soothing tone. A natural smile curled up her lips as she relaxed against him.
A heavy hand fell on Xavier’s shoulder, drawing his attention away from the scene. "We are leaving," his father informed him. Xavier’s eyes flickered toward their waiting ride. He sighed softly and glanced at the clear, moonlit sky before looking back at his dad.
"Go ahead. I will make my way back later," he replied. His father froze for a moment, looking pretty hesitant.
In the end, the older man sighed and patted his shoulder. "Do not do anything stupid," he stated firmly before heading toward their car.
*******
Deep in the night, Kieran found himself alone in his study. His mind refused to settle, and a restless feeling lingered heavily within him. He kept thinking back to what Xavier had said at dinner.
Yuki’s pheromones were fully mature now, and someone with her face and delicate features was likely to have strong, alluring pheromones. The thought of her being around so many unmated werewolves at Dravenhall got under his skin more than he would ever admit.
He tried to wave it off. It was not that he cared. He was just concerned. After all, she was going to be a Ravencourt soon. If she became known as promiscuous, it would affect the family name. Kieran convinced himself of this reasoning as he sat there.
That was why, even after retreating to his personal lab, he could barely concentrate on his plants. Instead, he kept scrolling through the pictures on his phone. It was a raid Kaden’s special unit had conducted from an off-campus party.
The same party where several images of Yuki and Xavier had emerged. The way Xavier had held her hand protectively and the clear lust visible in the onlookers’ gazes bothered him deeply. Why was she at that party in the first place?
Was she already an item with Xavier? Then why had she come after them during the festival?
A smirk curled at the corner of his lips. He picked up the phone from his desk and walked out of the lab, strolling down the quiet hallway. Moonlight filtered carefully into the hallway, and his footsteps echoed softly through the empty halls.
His mind came to one clear conclusion. She was never interested in just one man. She had several targets. After all, the one she had confessed to first was Maverick. Kieran roamed aimlessly around the alpha residence until he arrived at the back entrance.
The night air smelled fresh, carrying the faint traces of rain. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath as the wind whipped through his hair. Then a distinctive scent crossed his nose, carried gently by the breeze.
It was so fleeting, but he would recognise it anywhere. It was not a fact he was proud of, but he knew it instantly. His gaze darkened as his eyes locked on the forest behind the building.
She was not in sight, but he was certain Yuki was in the woods. What was she thinking, going in there this late? He gritted his teeth and turned around to head back inside the residence.
A sharp jolt of panic shot straight into his chest. His head snapped back toward the forest. He understood the feeling. Yuki was in pain. But he should not care. His fist clenched so hard that blood trickled down his palm.
He should turn around, but he could not. Not just because of their bond. Kieran was never the type to turn away from someone in need.
"Fuck..." he breathed out. Then, without a second thought, he shifted into his wolf and raced toward the forest.
He never expected what awaited him there.
