Reborn Luna (Hope and Keith) novel Chapter 51

29 He’s shielding me-1

29.He’s shielding me-1

Hope

25 Points

I stand in front of Keith’s door, heart pounding so loud I’m certain it echoes down the hallway. For a full minute, I just stare at the wood grain, biting the inside of my cheek, trying to convince myself to raise my hand and knock. It’s been a day since I’ve seen him-twenty-four hours of silence, of cold distance, of regretting every word I never said.

I ball my hand into a fist and knock twice before I can talk myself out of it.

Nothing.

I shift from foot to foot. Maybe he’s not here. Maybe this is a mistake. Maybe he doesn’t want to see me. Hell, why would he?

After how much I denied our bond I’d be surprised if he never wanted to see me again.

Just as I’m about to turn and leave, the door creaks open.

Keith stands there, one hand on the knob, eyes guarded. He doesn’t say anything at first. He looks… tired. Not physically, but worn out. Like he’s been wrestling something inside his chest for too long.

His nostrils flare when he focuses on me.

“Hey,” I manage, my voice quieter than I’d planned. “Can we talk?”

He leans against the doorframe slightly, not opening the door further. “Hope… I’m not sure that’s a good idea right now.”

My stomach twists. “I know you’re upset,” I say quickly. “But I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.”

His jaw clenches, his hand lighting around the door frame, but his voice stays calm. “It’s not that. It’s just… the state I’m in right now, being in the same room-alone-with you… I don’t know if that’s

smart.”

My heart squeezes in my chest and fills with something familiar and warm.

He’s shielding me.

Always protecting, always trying to do the right thing, even if it hurts.

That’s so like him.

I almost forgot.

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29 He’s shielding me-1

It’s that fact that gives me the courage to push.

“I can take care of myself,” I say, lifting my chin. “And I want this to be private. Please, Keith.”

+25 Porras

His gaze searches mine, trying to read what I’m not saying. After a long pause, he exhales/slowly and steps aside.

“Okay,” he murmurs. “Come in.”

The room is dim, blinds drawn. The air was thick with his smokey cedar and rain scent. It dances, along my nerves, waking up parts I thought were dormant. I step inside carefully, like the walls themselves might shatter if I move too fast.

He closes the door behind us and stands with his back to it, arms crossed. “So?”

I take a breath. “I’m not here to fight,” I begin. “And I’m not here to confuse you more than I already have. I just… I need to say this.”

He watches me, unreadable. “Go on.”

I swallow hard. “I’m not going to deny our bond anymore.”

That stuns him. I see it in the flicker of his eyes, the way his shoulders stiffen slightly. “You’ve denied it since the moment I confronted you, possibly longer,” he says carefully. “Telling me that it wasn’t real. So what’s changed?”

I take a few steps toward him, each one lighter than I expect. “I’m tired of being scared,” I admit.

I know I’ll have to tell him the rest later but for now I focus on the important parts.”The way you make me feel, the way everything inside me pulls toward you, it’s terrifying.”

He uncrosses his arms but doesn’t move closer. “Are you scared of me?”

“Yes I say honestly, ” stepping forward to shorten the distance between us. “I’m afraid of the power you’ll have over me if I give in.”

He stares at me for a long time, like he’s trying to decide whether this is real. Whether the words I’m saying are genuine or just another way to mess with his head.

“I’m not expecting you to just forget everything,” I say softly. “And I’m not asking you to drop everything and jump into something you don’t want. just I want to stop pretending this isn’t happening. I want to try. Slowly. I want to get to know you, not just as my mate, but as… you.”

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