I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 99

**Chapter 99**

**ARIA**

**36**

**+10 Free Coins**

“I understand,” Kael said, his voice gravelly, as if the weight of his thoughts had settled heavily on his chest. “I know she is. And I genuinely want her to be happy. I truly want that for her. But—”

He hesitated, his brow furrowing as he wrestled with emotions that seemed to choke him.

“But it’s difficult to watch,” I interjected, my heart aching for him.

“Exactly.” He turned his gaze toward me, and for a fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of the vulnerability he often buried beneath layers of stoicism. “Does that make me a terrible person? That a part of me still feels possessive of her, even though I know I have no right to? That seeing her with Jason makes me want to—” He abruptly stopped, the words hanging in the air like a storm cloud ready to burst.

“It makes you human,” I replied softly, trying to soothe the turmoil within him. “Or perhaps a wolf, I suppose. It makes you someone who cared deeply about another person and is now struggling to witness them forge a new connection with someone else.”

“You should despise me for it,” Kael confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. “For feeling this way about her when I’m bonded to you.”

“Maybe,” I conceded, my tone light but sincere. “But I don’t. Because I understand that feelings can be complicated. Love isn’t always neat and tidy, nor is it confined to just one person at a time. You chose me, Kael. You’re building a life with me. And whatever feelings you have for Ivory, whatever tangled emotions arise when you see her with Jason—they don’t change the choice you made.”

He drew me closer, our foreheads touching, and through our bond, I felt an overwhelming wave of gratitude, love, and a profound relief that I wasn’t punishing him for feelings he couldn’t fully control.

“I don’t deserve you,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

“Probably not,” I replied with a teasing lilt, “but you’re stuck with me anyway.”

We lingered in that intimate moment, simply breathing in sync, allowing the complex emotions to settle into something more manageable. Around us, the sounds of our pack members buzzed with excitement, their discussions about Ivory’s remarkable demonstration filling the air with an infectious energy.

A breakthrough that could alter everything. A healer on the brink of legend. A pack learning to navigate the intricate dynamics of new relationships.

And in the midst of it all, Kael and I were two souls striving to create something tangible while the shadows of the past loomed ever closer.

It wasn’t perfect. But perhaps perfection wasn’t the aim. Maybe the true goal was simply… this. Being present. Being honest. Being willing to confront the difficult parts instead of pretending they didn’t exist.

“Come on,” I finally said, breaking the silence as I took a step back. “We should mingle. Let the pack see that their Alpha and Luna stand behind what Ivory has accomplished.”

Kael nodded, his posture shifting as he squared his shoulders and slipped back into his public persona. Together, we navigated through the throng of pack members, accepting congratulations as if we had played a significant role in Ivory’s success, answering questions about the next steps and implementation timelines with practiced ease.

The evening air was refreshingly cool against my skin as I slipped out of our chambers, leaving Kael to tackle the administrative tasks that had accumulated during the day’s excitement. I craved solitude. I needed to walk, to think, to process the whirlwind of emotions that had enveloped me.

More than that, I needed to understand my pack. I wanted to see their true feelings when they thought no one significant was watching.

So I walked. Through the corridors of the pack house, past the common areas, and out onto the grounds where the last light of sunset bathed everything in hues of gold and amber.

My first destination was the training grounds.

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