The Alpha King And His Chosen Luna novel Chapter 316

1 Never Chose to Leave You

(Isla)

+25 Points

The kiss lasted until I remembered we were still outside. I pulled back and looked around, hoping nobody had been close enough to notice. Caius didn’t seem concerned at all. That only made me more aware of how easily I’d forgotten where we were.

“Inside,” I said. I took his hand before he could kiss me again. “Before you make me embarrass myself in front of the entire pack.” I started walking.

“I haven’t made you do anything.” Caius followed beside me. “This has been entirely your idea so far.” He sounded far too pleased about that.

I gave him a look and kept walking. Vaela was no help because she agreed with him. She wanted Caius close, and apparently she didn’t care who saw it. I was beginning to think pregnancy had taken away

whatever sense she had.

Once we reached our quarters, I expected the feeling to settle. It didn’t. Caius’s scent filled the space around me, and Vaela immediately became more interested. I understood why Lyrienne had laughed earlier.

Caius came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back against him before I could think about it. His lips touched my neck, and I closed my eyes. Every touch seemed to affect me more than usual.

‘Mate, Vaela said again. She was becoming predictable/‘Ours.‘ Her approval filled our bond.

“Vaela likes this far too much,” I said. I turned in Caius’s arms. “She hasn’t stopped talking about you since yesterday.” I wasn’t going to admit she wasn’t alone/

“Vorak isn’t complaining.” Caius brushed his thumb over my cheek. “He’s been watching her all day.” He smiled when my eyes narrowed.

I kissed him before he could say anything else. This time there was nobody around to interrupt us. Caius held me closer, and I forgot about the letters, the Keeper records and everything else waiting for us. For a little while, I only wanted my mate.

Later, I rested against Caius while he ran his fingers through my hair. Vaela had finally stopped demanding his attention. I wondered whether Seraya had driven Darius this crazy when Lyrienne was pregnant with me. Knowing my father, he’d probably enjoyed every second of it.

“Are you tired?” Caius asked. His hand stopped in my hair. “You did a lot today.” He was already back to

worrying.

“A little.” I looked up at him. “But I’m fine.” I knew what his next question would be.

He accepted my answer without calling Sera. That was progress. I settled against him again and thought about the letters we’d read earlier. Darius had felt closer while I read his words.

“I keep thinking about Dad.” I traced one of the lines on Caius’s hand. “He wrote those letters believing he’d be there when I grew up.” I wished he’d gotten the chance.

<I Never Chose To Leave You

+25 Points

Caius looked down at me. “He wanted you to know him even if he wasn’t.” His fingers returned to my hair. “That’s why he kept writing.” He understood what the letters meant to me.

I knew he was right. Darius couldn’t have known what would happen when he wrote the earliest ones. Later, when everything began going wrong, the letters must have meant something different to him. Maybe that was why there were so many.

The next morning, I woke hungry again. Vaela immediately reminded me that breakfast existed. Caius was already awake beside me, though he hadn’t moved. He seemed determined not to wake me.

“I’m awake,” I said. I opened my eyes and found him watching me. “And before you ask, I’m hungry.” That earned the reaction I expected.

“Good.” Caius sat up. “That saves me from asking.” He reached for his clothes.

After breakfast, Lyrienne joined me in our quarters again. Caius had gone to meet with Pryor and Zeron, giving us time alone. Darius’s chest remained where we’d left it. I opened it and began looking through the letters.

Lyrienne sat beside me and helped arrange them by date. Most were addressed directly to me. A few had nothing written on the outside except the date. One caught Lyrienne’s attention before I could pick it up.

“I remember this date,” she said. She took the letter but didn’t open it. “This was when Darius started becoming afraid.” Her expression changed.

I looked at the date again. The letter had been written not long before everything surrounding my disappearance began. Darius had already been investigating Varen and the Keeper families by then. Whatever was inside might be different from the letters we’d read yesterday.

“Do you want to open it?” I asked. I didn’t reach for it,/”You can.” I wanted her to decide.

“No.” Lyrienne placed it in my hand. “He wrote these for you.” She sat closer.

I unfolded the paper carefully. The first lines were still written by the father I’d begun to know through the other letters. Darius told me I’d learned to pull myself up using anything within reach. He also complained that I’d discovered how to throw food.

Lyrienne laughed when I read that part aloud. I smiled too, but my attention moved farther down the page. The tone of the letter changed halfway through. Darius began writing about something he wanted me to understand when I was older.

He wrote that there were people who feared what they couldn’t control. Some of those people had begun asking questions about Celestial children. Darius didn’t name Varen, but I already knew enough to understand who he meant. He promised he would do everything possible to keep me safe.

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