Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy (ARIA) novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173

ARIA

Fuished

“Maybe this is good,” Nina finally said, her tone shifting to something more optimistic. “Exposure therapy and all that. Your wolf needs to accept Aria as your mate, as his mate. Maybe spending time with her in wolf form will help that process. Help him move past his attachment to Ivory and embrace the bond you’ve actually formed.”

“Maybe,” Kael agreed, though he didn’t sound entirely convinced.

I heard their footsteps returning, had just enough time to compose my expression into something that didn’t reveal I’d been listening. They entered the room, Nina’s face carefully neutral, Kael’s expression determinedly positive.

“So,” Nina said brightly, clearly changing the subject. “Hunting sounds great. You both definitely deserve the rest and break. Just be careful out there, stay within pack territory, and try to actually relax instead of spending the whole time thinking about security protocols.”

“We will,” Kael promised.

Nina headed for the door, pausing just before leaving to look back at us. “Enjoy yourselves. You’ve both earned some peace.” Then she was gone, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

I turned to Kael, trying to keep my voice casual despite the anxiety churning in my stomach. “What did Nina tell you? When you stepped outside?”

Kael’s expression became guarded. “It’s not important. Just security details about making sure guards know we’re taking time off. Nothing you need to worry about.”

It was a lie. Not a malicious one, maybe. But definitely a lie. He was hiding what Nina had said, which meant it was something he didn’t want me to know. Something he thought would worry or hurt me.

Which, of course, just made it worse. Because now I knew his wolf hadn’t accepted our bond. Knew that part of him still belonged to Ivory in ways he couldn’t control. Knew that taking me hunting in wolf form was some kind of test or exposure therapy to force his wolf to accept something it fundamentally didn’t want.

“Okay,” I said, not pushing. What would be the point? He clearly didn’t want to discuss it, and forcing the conversation would just create tension before we’d even started this break he’d planned.

But the knowledge sat heavy in my chest. Another thing to add to the growing list of ways I was second choice. Second best. The political necessity that Kael’s human side had chosen while his wolf pined for

someone else.

“Get dressed,” Kael said, moving toward the closet. “Something comfortable that you don’t mind leaving in the woods. We’ll shift once we’re in a good spot, hunt for a while, then shift back and have lunch by the stream in the eastern territory. I’ll pack some supplies.”

I nodded and moved to get ready, trying to push aside the anxiety and hurt. This was supposed to be a break. Time for us to actually connect as mates. I couldn’t let my insecurities and the overheard conversation ruin it before we’d even started.

14:35 Mon, Dec 29 M GR

Chapter 173

Finished

But as I dressed, as I watched Kael efficiently pack a small bag with supplies, as I prepared to spend the day with him in wolf form-I couldn’t stop thinking about what Nina had said.

His wolf saw Ivory as his. Had claimed her. Had mated with her.

And now I was going to shift into wolf form and find out if that wolf could ever accept me as a substitute.

The thought terrified me.

But I was going anyway. Because what choice did I have? Refuse and prove I was too weak, too insecure, too inadequate to even spend time with my own mate?

No. I’d go. I’d hunt with Kael. I’d pretend everything was fine.

And I’d try very hard not to think about the fact that the wolf I was about to run with had never actually accepted me as his.

That he’d been claimed by someone else long before I’d ever arrived.

And that maybe, no matter how hard we both tried, some bonds couldn’t be forced to form just because they were politically convenient.

Some bonds-real bonds, wolf bonds, instinctive bonds-belonged to other people.

And I was just learning to live with being the substitute.

The replacement for what Kael’s wolf really wanted.

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