His Moonsilver Mate (Abby and Kade) novel Chapter 11

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Chapter 11

Abby

We broke apart.

For one frozen second, nobody spoke. Kade’s hand had fallen from my waist, but I could still feel where it had been.

Sloane stood in the doorway.

Her gaze moved from Kade to me. Then to my fingers, still twisted in the front of his shirt.

I let go.

Her expression went completely still.

Kade took a step toward her. “Sloane-”

“No.”

The word was quiet. That somehow made it worse.

Shame rushed through me.

Less than an hour ago, Kade had introduced Sloane as Moonhaven’s future Luna.

And I had kissed him anyway.

I stepped back. “Kade.”

He turned toward me.

“You don’t get to do this.”

His expression tightened. “Abby-”

“You don’t get to announce her as your future Luna and then follow me into an empty room. You don’t get both of us.”

“I don’t want both.”

I looked at Sloane. “Then why is she still waiting for you?”

Kade had no answer.

That was enough.

I pushed past Sloane and left.

“Abby!”

1:04 pm

I kept going.

Liam was already coming toward me when I reached the entrance hall. One look at my face stopped him.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Abby.”

“I want to go home.”

His gaze moved past me. Kade had followed. Sloane stood farther down the corridor.

Liam’s face hardened. He stepped between us.

“We’re leaving.”

“Liam-” Kade started.

“Not tonight.”

For once, Kade listened.

Cassandra appeared near the dining room.

“I’m sorry,” I said before she could ask anything. “I’m tired.”

Liam picked up my coat.

“I’ll explain.”

I didn’t ask what he planned to tell her.

I just let him take me home.

***

We were halfway home before Liam spoke.

“Did he hurt you?”

I looked down. “Not the way you mean.”

His jaw tightened.

He waited.

Then I said, “He kissed me.”

Liam went very still.

1:04 pm

kissed him back.”

He said nothing.

“I know it was wrong.”

“Abby-”

“He chose her.”

“I know.”

–

“And I still did it.” My eyes burhed. “I feel horrible.”

Liam exhaled slowly. “You are not the one who publicly chose one woman and then followed another into a private room.”

“That doesn’t make what I did right.”

“No.” His voice softened. “But it makes it complicated.”

I looked away. “I don’t want complicated.”

“I know.” He reached for my hand and squeezed it. “Come home. Sleep. You don’t have to solve anything

tonight.”

I nodded.

That was all I could manage.

***

The next morning, I woke with the memory of Kade’s mouth still po vivid.

Diana stirred.

He still wants us.

I closed my eyes.

Wanting us was never the problem.

A knock sounded.

Liam opened the door slightly. “You’re awake.”

“Unfortunately.”

He stepped inside. “You don’t have to go to the clinic today.”

A

1:04 pm

“I want to.”

“You barely slept.”

“I need something normal.

He studied me, then nodded. “All right.”

At the door, he paused. “I’ll be in council most of the morning with Kade and Tiernan. The lower chamber blocks

most mind-links.”

“I see.”

He hesitated. “Answer if I manage to reach you.”

“I promised I would.”

That seemed to satisfy him.

He left.

I forced myself out of bed.

My body had recovered from the rejection.

My pride had not.

The clinic was busy enough that I almost managed not to think about the night before.

Almost.

Daphne had me sorting medication when the doors opened.

I looked up.

Sloane walked in.

She looked composed. That was somehow worse than anger.

“Morning,” she smiled politely. “I need to speak with Abby. Privately.”

Daphne glanced at me.

“It’s fine,” I said.

“I’ll be in examination two,” she said, then walked away.

Sloane waited until the door closed. “We need to talk.”

“I assumed so.”

“This won’t take long.”

I set the bottle in my hand on the shelf.

“I’m sorry for kissing him,” I said. “I shouldn’t haye.”

“No. You shouldn’t have.”

I swallowed. “But Kade followed me. Kade kissed me. Whatever happens. between the two of you, you need to talk

to him about it too.”

Her expression hardened. “You kissed him back.”

“Yes.”

“At least you admit it.”

“I’m not going to lie about what happened.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then Sloane said, “Are you going to stay away from him?”

My chest tightened. “I moved out of my own house because I needed space. I stayed away from him. Last night he

followed me.”

“And you kissed him.” Her mouth pressed into a thin line,

“And I’m sorry. That’s all I can give you.”

I turned back toward the shelves.

Behind me, Sloane was silent. Then she said, “You’re going to regret this.”

I looked over my shoulder.

Her expression was unreadable.

Before I could answer, she walked out.

Diana stirred uneasily.

I do not like her.

Neither do I right now.

But Sloane had every reason to hate me this morning.

That didn’t mean anything more than that.

1:04 pm

Jwent back to work.

An hour later, one of the younger pack runners appeared at the clinic.

“Daphne?”

She stepped out of an examination room. “What is it?”

“Western patrol post needs another trauma kit. Ryan’s men used theirs last night and they’ve got someone

coming in with a leg injury.”

Daphne frowned. “They should have restocked this morning.”

The boy shrugged. “They said they need it now.”

“I’ll take it,” I said.”

Daphne looked at me.

“It’s just the western post,” I added. “I know the way.”

Her gaze dropped to the shelves. She was already behind.

“All right. Take the sealed kit from storage. Give it directly to Ryan or one of his patrol captains.”

“I will.”

“And stay on the main path.”

Liam’s warning echoed through my head.

They’re searching.

Daphne must have seen something in my face.

“The western post is manned,” she said. “You’ll have patrols around you almost the entire way.”

That made me feel slightly ridiculous.

“I know.”

Five minutes later, I left with the medical kit over my shoulder. The walk should have taken fifteen minutes. The morning was cold and bright, sunlight breaking through the branches in narrow strips.

I stayed on the marked path. For the first few minutes, I could hear movement deeper in the forest. Patrols, probably. Then even that disappeared.

Diana lifted her head.

V

1:04 pm

Abby