I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 62

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

**Chapter 62**

**ARIA**

She turned her back to me, her focus shifting entirely to the mortar and pestle she had been using. With deliberate movements, she resumed her grinding, the rhythmic sound echoing in the silence that had enveloped us. It was clear that our conversation had reached its conclusion, and I could feel the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily in the air.

As I stepped out of the room, my thoughts spiraled in a chaotic dance, consumed by everything Ivory had articulated and, more painfully, what she had deliberately chosen not to say. Her avoidance of Kael baffled me, unless—

Unless she harbored feelings for him.

The realization struck me with the force of a physical blow, leaving me momentarily breathless. Of course, she did. They had been inseparable since childhood, a bond forged through years of shared laughter and trials. She had devoted countless hours to his well-being, tirelessly searching for a remedy for his curse, standing steadfastly by his side when the world had turned its back on him. She had traversed vast territories, gathering rare herbs in a desperate bid to alleviate his suffering. Her own aspirations had been set aside, all for him.

What I was witnessing was not merely friendship; it was something far deeper. It was unwavering devotion. It was love.

And then I had appeared, agreeing to bond with him, inadvertently taking the place she likely believed should have been hers.

It was no wonder she resented me. No wonder she could barely bear to be in the same space as Kael—seeing him with me, marked by our bond, when she had been the one who had stood by him through thick and thin.

A wave of guilt washed over me, tinged with complexity. I hadn’t known. I hadn’t understood. Even if I had, what could I have done differently? Kael had chosen me. The bond was sealed. There was no way to reverse it, even if I had wished to.

Yet, grasping the depth of Ivory’s pain made it increasingly difficult to dismiss her hostility as mere territorial behavior or professional jealousy. She was in anguish, and every time she cast her gaze in my direction, I was a living reminder of what she had lost—or what she had never had the chance to claim.

With a heavy heart, I ascended to the chambers I now shared with Kael, each step weighed down by the burden of revelations I hadn’t sought. The bath that Margo had prepared awaited me, steam curling up from the surface of the water, and I sank into it with a profound sense of gratitude.

The warmth enveloped me, soothing the physical tension in my muscles, but it did nothing to untangle the emotional knots that had taken root in my heart. How was I supposed to carve out a life here, to fulfill my role as Luna, when so many in the pack viewed me with disdain? When the very woman who had been closest to Kael couldn’t stand to be near him because of me? When every effort I made to contribute or learn was met with polite dismissals and barely concealed resentment?

I was still immersed in the comforting water when I heard the door to our chambers creak open, followed by the familiar sound of Kael’s footsteps.

“Aria?” he called out, his voice warm and inviting.

“In here,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

He stepped into the doorway of the bathing room, already loosening the formal attire that had likely grown uncomfortable after a long day of dealing with pack affairs. The moment his eyes fell upon me, his expression brightened, and warmth flooded through our bond, wrapping around me like a comforting embrace.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify