I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 25

**I Left Before He Learned My Worth**

**Chapter 25**

**KAEL**

As I settled onto the cold floor near Nina’s desk, I felt a sense of urgency coursing through me. *”I’ve been contemplating our situation,”* I began, my voice low but steady. *”The curse… I can’t help but wonder if there are still avenues we haven’t explored. Is there any ritual, any form of magic, anything at all that could expedite breaking it?”*

Nina’s expression shifted, her eyes narrowing slightly with caution. *”You know we’ve already tried nearly everything we could think of. The Moon Priestess was clear: this curse will only lift when you bond with your true mate. We’re merely two days away from that ceremony.”*

*“But what if the ceremony alone isn’t sufficient?”* I pressed, my frustration bubbling to the surface. *“What if I need to be human first? I need to court Aria properly, to show her what being with me could truly be like. She’s falling for a giant wolf, Nina. How is that fair to her?”*

Nina regarded me with a measured gaze, her voice dropping to a whisper. *“Is this really about Aria, or is it about Alpha Cross?”*

I remained silent, the truth hanging heavy in the air. I couldn’t admit that yes, this was about Damon. About the undeniable fact that he could hold Aria close if she allowed him to, that he could speak to her in a voice that was his own, offering her a relationship that I couldn’t provide in my current form.

Nina let out a long sigh, her brow furrowing in thought. *“There might be one option left. It’s risky, and there’s no guarantee it would work. But… the moonbeam plants have been pushing back against the curse, right? Weakening it?”*

*“Yes, significantly,”* I replied, hope kindling in my chest. *“I’ve felt more lucid, more in control than I have in three years.”*

“What if we increased the dosage?” Nina proposed, her eyes brightening with the spark of an idea. *“What if we really flooded your system with the essence of the moonbeam? It might be enough to shatter the curse entirely or at least force a partial shift. Just getting your human voice back would be a monumental step.”*

Hope surged within me, immediate and desperate. *“Would that actually work? Can we do it before the ceremony?”*

Nina’s tone turned serious, caution lacing her words. *“I warned you it was risky. The moonbeam plants are powerful magical catalysts. Too much could lead to unpredictable reactions. Yes, you might shift back to human, but you could also exacerbate the curse or trigger other magical side effects we can’t foresee.”*

*“I’m willing to take that risk.”*

*“For Aria?”* Nina’s eyes searched mine, penetrating and knowing. *“Or to compete with Alpha Cross?”*

The truth was a tangled mess within me. Both. Neither. I couldn’t sort through my emotions anymore. All I knew was that the thought of losing Aria because I wasn’t enough, because I couldn’t be what she needed, was unbearable.

*“I felt everything through our bond during that confrontation,”* I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. *“The way she still loves him, still dreams about the life they could have had together. How can I compete with that when I can’t even hold her hand? When every touch is fur instead of skin? When she can’t see my face or hear my voice except through this magical connection?”*

Nina was silent for a long moment, contemplating my words. When she finally spoke, her voice was gentle yet firm. *“Aria touched you. After the nightwalker attack, when you were on the brink of death, she held you. She stroked your fur, stayed by your side while the healers worked their magic. I felt her emotions then, Kael. Through the pack bonds, I sensed the waves of concern radiating off her. That wasn’t obligation. That was genuine care.”*

*“Care isn’t love,”* I countered, my heart heavy with doubt.

*“No,”* Nina conceded. *“But it’s a start. You’re right that she still has feelings for Alpha Cross—anyone would be blind not to see that. But she also has feelings for you. I’ve watched the two of you this past week. The way she seeks you out through the mindlink when she’s uncertain, the way she lights up when you make her laugh, the way she defended you at the border, standing by your side against the Alpha who shattered her heart.”*

*“She defended Shadowmere,”* I corrected, my voice edged with frustration. *“Her commitment to the pack, not to me.”*

*“Are you really that blind?”* Nina shook her head, exasperation evident in her tone. *“Kael, she risked her life harvesting those moonbeam plants to save you. She could have fled when the nightwalkers attacked, but she stayed and fought. She remembered the plants existed when you were dying, even though she was injured and terrified. That’s not just pack loyalty. That’s…”*

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