I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 134

Chapter 134

ARIA

The gardens. Where he’d wanted to take me yesterday for our date. Where he probably would have talk through everything that had happened, tried to rebuild what had been broken betw

If I hadn’t been off doing something incredibly stupid instead.

“Thank you, Celine,” I said, standing. “I think I’ll go look for him.”

She nodded approvingly. “That’s good, Luna. Communication is important. Especially after… everything

I dressed quickly, choosing a simple day dress that was comfortable for walking. I left the note unread for? now-I wanted to hear Kael’s voice when we talked rather than reading his words on paper. Wanted to see his face, read his expressions, understand what he was really feeling beyond what he could write down.

The pack house was busy with mid-morning activity. Pack members going about their routines, children being supervised by their parents or minders, warriors rotating shifts. I noticed that people’s reactions to me had shifted again–no longer the apologetic guilt from immediately after my vindication, but something more like uncomfortable sympathy. As if they weren’t sure how to act around me now that the crisis had passed but the awkwardness remained.

I made my way toward Kael’s office first, thinking I’d check there before searching the grounds. But as I approached, I saw Nina emerging from the corridor that led to the administrative wing.

“Luna Aria,” she greeted me, looking surprised. “I didn’t expect to see you up and about yet. Celine mentioned you were sleeping in.”

“I was,” I admitted. “But I’m looking for Kael. Have you seen him?”

Nina’s expression became carefully neutral. “He’s taking a short break before the afternoon sessions. Said he needed some air and time to think. I believe he mentioned going to check on some of the medicinal plant beds near the eastern waterfall.”

The eastern waterfall. One of the most beautiful spots in Shadowmere territory-a small cascade that fed into a clear pool, surrounded by lush vegetation. It was also, I knew from pack gossip, one of Ivory’s favorite locations for finding certain aquatic plants that she used in her remedies.

Thank you,” I said, trying to ignore the uncomfortable twist in my stomach. “I’ll look for him there.”

Nina looked like she wanted to say something else, but ultimately just nodded. “Good luck, Luna.”

I wasn’t sure if she meant good luck finding him or good luck with whatever conversation we’d have. Probably both.

The walk to the eastern waterfall took about twenty minutes, following a well-worn path through the forest. The morning was beautiful-clear sky, warm sun, birds singing in the trees. The kind of day that should have lifted my spirits but instead just made me more aware of the darkness inside me. the poison Damon had planted that was slowly spreading.

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Chapter 134

Theard voices before I saw the waterfall. Two voices, actually. One was Kael’s, warm and amused. was Ivory’s, bright with laughter.

I should have announced my presence. Should have called out that I was approaching Should have something other than what I actually did, which was freeze behind a large tree and listen

“No, no, that’s not it either,” Ivory was saying, laughter threading through her words. “Kael, how are y terrible at identifying plants? I have memory loss and I’m still better at this than you

“In my defense,” Kael replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice, “most of my botan

from you. And apparently I didn’t retain as much as I should have.”

“Clearly not,” Ivory said, still laughing. “This is silverleaf. The plant I need is goldvine. They don’t even bo similar.”

“They’re both green,” Kael protested, mock-indignant. “That’s similar.”

“Everything here is green, you absolute disaster of an Alpha. That’s not helpful criteria”

Their banter was easy, comfortable, the kind that came from years of friendship and shared history. The kind I’d never managed to achieve with Kael despite being bonded to him.

I moved slightly, angling myself so I could see them without being seen. The waterfall created a beautiful backdrop, mist rising from where the water hit the pool. Ivory was kneeling near the water’s edge, examining plants that grew partially submerged. Kael stood beside her, holding what looked like several specimens he’d apparently gathered for her-all wrong, based on their conversation.

Ivory reached for something growing near a slippery rock, her hand extending toward a vine that trailed into the water. I saw it happening almost in slow motion-her foot sliding on the wet stone, her balance shifting, her body starting to tip toward the pool.

Kael’s reflexes were instant. He lunged forward, catching her before she could fall. His arms wrapped around her waist, steadying her against his chest. For a moment, they just stood there, frozen in the catch, his hands on her waist and her hands clutching his shoulders.

Then one of the water creatures-some kind of fish or aquatic lizard that lived in the pool-jumped out of the water in a spectacular leap. The sudden movement startled both of them. Kael jerked backward reflexively, but his foot caught on a root. They went down together, tumbling onto the soft grass near the pool’s edge.

When they finally stopped moving, Ivory was straddling Kael’s hips, her hands braced on his chest. Kael was flat on his back, his arms still loosely around her waist. And both of them were laughing-the kind of genuine, uncontrolled laughter that came from surprise and relief and the absurdity of the situation.

Tm sorry, Ivory gasped between laughs. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

Don’t apologize,” Kael said, and he was laughing too, his whole body shaking with it. “That was entirely my Fault. I’m the one who fell.”

Because I startled you by almost falling, Ivory protested, but she was grinning.

“Because that creature jumped out of nowhere,” Kael corrected. “Scared the hell out of me.”

They stayed like that for a moinent longer, both still laughing, neither seeming in any hry to move from

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