Chapter 70: Stop lying to yourself
Yuki was momentarily dumbfounded. He knew. But she was not going to admit it. She clenched her fist tightly at her side, then slowly released it before turning to face Kieran with a carefully calm gaze.
"What are you trying to say?" she asked, acting confused. "I went out for a run. What does that have to do with playing tricks?"
Kieran accidentally hit the wrong key on the piano. The discordant note echoed sharply through the hall before he stopped playing entirely. The entire floor fell into heavy silence. The veins on the back of his hand bulged as he clenched it into a fist. Then he glanced at her, slowly freeing his hand as he regained control over his emotions.
His gaze settled on her, and for a short moment he was completely flabbergasted. The pale moonlight streamed through the tall windows, bathing her in a soft, ethereal glow. Her golden hair shimmered like strands of liquid starlight, framing a face that looked almost otherworldly. Her jade-green eyes sparkled with defiance, long lashes fluttering softly with every blink. Her full lips were slightly parted, flushed with lingering emotion from the forest, and her skin seemed to glow under the silver light. She looked entrancing, dangerously beautiful, like a goddess who had stepped out of the moonlight itself.
His heart skipped a painful beat. He bit the inside of his cheek hard to snap himself out of it. Her beauty was lethal. He could not deny it, no matter how much he tried.
"Why were you in the forest?" he asked instead, his voice low and controlled.
She scoffed. "I did not know I had to report my every move to you. Who are we that I have to do that?" she pushed back. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"As the alpha heir, I have every reason to question your movements," he explained smoothly, "especially since you are currently under suspicion. Who knows? You might be secretly meeting your accomplice under the guise of innocent runs."
Something dark ticked inside her. He was bringing up the witchcraft allegations again. Yuki did not want to listen to this anymore. She turned around to leave, but before her foot could even touch the first step of the grand stairs, sparks erupted across her skin. His hand closed firmly around her wrist, and she was suddenly slammed against his hard chest.
Her heartbeat picked up instantly, sounding frantic in her ears. "Do not walk away from me when I am speaking to you," he hissed. His eyes flashed with a dangerous golden hue, and a genuine wave of spite and rebellion surged through her. He was acting exactly like Kaden at that moment.
She gave him a mocking smile and defiantly tilted her chin up toward him. "You clearly find my presence repulsive. I was simply sparing you the stress of it," she mocked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
His jaw clenched. She was infuriating, yet beneath the sharp tension between them simmered something else entirely.
"How graceful of you," Kieran mocked back. "But I was talking to you."
"I heard you. I am not deaf," she sneered. "I simply decided it was not worth my reply."
"Is it not worth your reply?" Kieran chuckled, finding her words both infuriating and strangely amusing. She was really pushing it.
"Yes," Yuki said firmly. "Is it not as you said, Kieran? You can lie to yourself and pretend that I used witchcraft on you, but we both clearly know you felt the sparks before the festival." She remembered the electric pull she had felt that day at Obsidian Hall.
Now she realised it had never been simple. The signs had always been there. Even her earlier crush might not have been a coincidence.
"You can keep lying to yourself to deny the truth," she added.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared into her fiery green eyes. For a moment, he looked genuinely lost. He remembered all the small moments. The unease he felt when she was in danger. The kiss that had made him lose control. The way he had subconsciously avoided intimacy with others.
It was plainly laid out in front of him. The bond could not be genuine. Could it? He did not want to accept it, because accepting it meant conceding defeat. It was not that he hated Yuki as a person. It was what she represented. The Moon Goddess had to be fucking kidding when she paired him with someone related to Aevia.
His jaw clenched tightly. "Who knows?" he said slowly. "Maybe the spell is strong enough to fake it. The truth will not be decided until after the trial."
"Till then," she hissed. She yanked her wrist free from his grip with surprising strength. She turned sharply and stormed up the stairs without looking back.
Kieran’s gaze remained locked on her retreating figure. His chest felt heavy, weighed down by emotions he refused to name.
She stormed away, rushing through the long corridor toward her room. She just wanted to get as far away from Kieran as possible. Her heart still hammered wildly in her chest. Turning sharply at a corner, she accidentally bumped into someone and stumbled backwards.
A strong hand shot out instantly, catching her wrist and steadying her. Sparks erupted violently across her skin. Both of them jolted away from each other as if burned. Her eyes fell on Killian. He was dressed in dark gym clothes, sweat trickling down his forehead and dampening the fabric of his shirt. She sensed the sudden conflict flashing in his sapphire eyes. He must have helped her purely out of instinct.
The awkwardness stretched between them. Yuki clenched her fist tightly at her side. It was like a curse. They were everywhere. "Give me a fucking break," she hissed under her breath. She walked past him quickly before he could say anything.
Killian stood frozen in place, looking completely lost as he watched her retreating figure.
Yuki slammed the door of her room shut behind her and fell flat onto the bed. She was losing her mind. A deep groan of agony escaped her lips as she buried her face into the pillow. Xavier’s words kept ringing in her head like an annoying echo. Like hell she liked them. Even her old crush on Kieran felt dead and buried now.
*********
The large dining room doors swung open the next morning, and Yuki stepped inside with a very sour expression. She hated these so-called family meals. She did not want to face those jerks, but she could not ignore Alexander’s direct summons.
Her gaze fell on the elaborate breakfast spread covering the long table. Fresh fruits glistened under the morning light, warm bread and pastries released a comforting aroma, and the rich scent of coffee and herbs filled the air. Everyone was already seated. She quickly fixed her expression into a polite smile.
"Good morning," she chimed, her voice light and steady.
Aevia gave her a warm, encouraging smile. "Good morning, Yuki."
"Good morning," Alexander acknowledged with a nod, his tone neutral but firm.
The jerks, of course, kept their silence. Not that it mattered to her anymore.
Yuki took her seat beside Aevia. Her sister gladly poured her a glass of chilled orange juice. "I hope you slept well," Aevia said softly, her voice full of quiet concern.
Yuki accepted the cold glass, her fingers wrapping around it. She tilted it to her lips and took a slow sip. The sweet, tangy taste helped ground her slightly. Alexander’s gaze drifted from Yuki to his sons. He could sense the heavy tension crackling between them. It was tiring, honestly.
Alexander clapped his hands together once, drawing everyone’s attention sharply to him.
"Since we are all here, I will go ahead with the announcement," he said. Everyone glanced at him with curious expressions.
Alexander continued, his voice steady and authoritative. "The trial date has been chosen. The pack elders have agreed."
