I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 39

**TITLE: I Left Before He Learned My Worth**

**Chapter 39**

**ARIA**

He flinched, a shadow of realization crossing his features. “I didn’t think of it that way. I truly am sorry, Aria. That was never my intention.”

I could see the sincerity in his eyes, a glimmer of genuine regret that spoke volumes. He understood he had caused me pain, even while he was trying to shield me from something far worse.

Yet, the sting of being sidelined remained. I couldn’t shake the image of Ivory catching him when he stumbled, her arms wrapping around him as she coolly informed me that I had five minutes to gather my things and leave.

“I’m glad it worked,” I replied, opting to suppress my feelings. “It’s good that you’re human again. Or at least, potentially human again, if Ivory’s right about needing to keep an eye on whether this change is permanent.”

“She usually is right about these things,” Kael affirmed, his voice imbued with unwavering trust. There was a deep-seated faith in his words, a certainty in Ivory’s capabilities that I couldn’t help but admire. “She’s been studying these herbs for years, traveling far and wide to find the exact combinations needed. When she said she thought she could break the curse, I had no doubt.”

Of course, he believed her. Ivory was everything I wasn’t—competent, knowledgeable, and deeply skilled in the healing arts. She was the one who had helped him, while I felt like a mere bystander in his journey.

“She seems very skilled,” I managed to say, forcing a smile even as my heart twisted with envy.

“She is,” Kael responded, pausing as if searching for the right words to convey the depth of his feelings. “She’s been one of my closest friends since childhood. When the curse first took hold, trapping me in wolf form and robbing me of the ability to communicate with most of the pack, Ivory was one of the few who didn’t abandon me. She learned to read my body language, spent countless hours at my side so I wouldn’t feel alone, and traveled extensively in search of herbs that might help. I owe her more than I can ever repay.”

His words were meant to reassure me, to clarify the bond they shared so I could understand. But all I could hear was the weight of his gratitude, how much he valued her, how crucial she was to him, and the immense debt he felt toward her.

How could I possibly compete with that? With years of unwavering loyalty, support, and an intimate understanding of him at his most vulnerable?

“I’m glad you had her,” I said, meaning it despite the jealousy curling like a serpent in my chest. “Everyone needs someone who won’t give up on them.”

Kael’s hand lingered on my cheek, and he gently tilted my face upward, forcing our gazes to lock. “I have you now too. You saved my life, Aria. You risked everything to gather those moonbeam plants when you barely knew me. That kind of devotion—it means everything.”

“I did what any future Luna would do,” I replied, feeling a flush of discomfort at his praise.

“No,” he insisted, his tone firm. “You did what someone who truly cares does. Don’t downplay that. Don’t diminish yourself.”

The moment hung between us, charged with an intimacy that felt electric, even amid the exhaustion radiating from him. I found myself wondering if he would lean in to kiss me. Would being human again finally embolden him to close the distance between us, to claim my lips as an Alpha traditionally claimed his mate before the formal bonding?

But before that possibility could materialize, a sharp knock echoed through the door.

“Time’s up,” Ivory’s voice rang out, cutting through the moment like a knife. “Kael needs to rest, and I need to check his vitals.”

Of course, the five-minute limit, as dictated by Ivory.

Kael sighed, his hand slipping away from my face. “She’s right. I can barely keep my eyes open. I should rest before—before tonight.”

The implication was unmistakable: this wasn’t for me. This was Ivory’s accomplishment, her gift to Kael, meticulously timed to coincide with the ceremony but not genuinely intended to benefit me.

“Very lucky,” I said evenly, forcing a polite smile. “Thank you for your efforts on his behalf. The pack is fortunate to have such a dedicated healer.”

Ivory’s smile turned sharp, almost predatory. “The pack is fortunate to have me, period. Something I hope you’ll remember when you’re officially Luna. Healers like me, with rare knowledge and skills—we’re valuable resources. Worth keeping happy and properly appreciated.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied, my voice steady despite the simmering tension.

We stood there for a moment longer, two omegas sizing each other up in the narrow corridor while the Alpha we both cared for lay exhausted just beyond the door.

Then Ivory nodded curtly and swept past me into Kael’s den, closing the door firmly behind her.

And I was left standing in the corridor, thirteen hours away from a bonding ceremony that had just become infinitely more complicated, with a woman who clearly viewed me as a rival establishing herself as indispensable to the Alpha I was meant to mate with.

*Tomorrow,* I reminded myself, the mantra I had been clinging to. *Tonight. Just get through the ceremony, accept the bond, and become Luna officially. Then everything else can be sorted out.*

I just needed to survive until then.

And I hoped that when Kael marked me tonight—assuming he remained human long enough to do so—the bond would be strong enough to withstand all the complications threatening to unravel us before we even had a chance to begin.