KEISHA’S POV
Becca’s kitchen slt like garlic as I stood around in the corner quietly while two maids discussed at a volu that suggested they didn’t care I was there.
"ㅡshe brought so many bags." The first one was saying. "I counted fourteen cases. Fourteen whole cases."
"Where does she think she’s going?" The second one muttered. "It’s supposed to be temporary."
"Does it look temporary to you?" The first one huffed. "She asked this morning if the Alpha’s quarters had a connecting room."
I kept my eyes on the produce in front of .
"Mrs Velaris had to tell her twice that the guest accommodation was ready." The second one continued. "She kept saying she preferred to stay in the main building. Right next to him."
"Bold." The first one muttered.
"Shaless is what it is." The second one replied. "She walked through the main sitting room this afternoon touching everything like she already owned it. Picked up that blue vase on the mantle and turned it over in her hands and I thought— put that down, put that down—"
"Did she break it?" The first one asked.
"No but she looked at it like she was deciding whether it was worth keeping around, you know... If She liked it." The second replied. "Like she was already redecorating in her head."
"Fourteen cases." The first one said again, shaking her head. "Nobody brings fourteen cases for a temporary visit."
"That’s because it’s not temporary." The second one said flatly. "She’s staying. Anyone with eyes can see that."
I picked up two onions and a bunch of herbs and thanked Becca who had appeared from the back room and walked out before either maid noticed I had heard every single word.
But I had heard everything.
And I kept thinking about it as I walked back to my house.
Vanessa was moving in.
Properly moving in.
Which ant this wasn’t a preliminary eting anymore. This was a woman settling herself into a life that was being built for her and Callum was letting it happen because he had told the elders he would and Callum didn’t go back on his word once he had given it.
He was going to get mated to her.
I had known that since Nadia told . But knowing it and watching it take shape in real ti were two different things. And this was because Callum didn’t take his words back.
I turned the corner toward my house and stopped.
Riven was there.
He was standing on the main path with Mara beside him, her arm through his, her head tilted slightly toward him. She saw first and sothing moved through her face before she replaced it with a smile that had nothing behind it.
"Keisha." She said warmly. "What a coincidence."
"Mara." I nodded.
Riven had already straightened up. "Hey." His voice was low.
"Hi." I said and kept walking, increasing my pace.
"Wait." He touched Mara’s arm. "Give a minute."
Mara looked at him. "Riven—"
"Just a minute." His tone left no room. "I’ll catch up."
She smiled at but it was cold. "Of course." She squeezed his arm and released it and walked ahead down the path.
I watched her go and knew absolutely that she was not going far enough to stop listening.
Riven turned to . "You’ve been avoiding ."
"I’ve been working." I crossed my arms.
"Keisha—"
"Riven." I said. "What do you want?"
He looked at for a mont. Then he smiled slightly. "I was thinking about the orchard." He smiled. "Behind my family’s property. Do you rember? We used to go there in the evenings when everyone thought we were studying. You would sit on that third branch from the bottom and refuse to co down no matter how long I stood there asking—"
"Stop." I cut him off.
How many tis did we need to have this conversation before he got the hint.
He stopped.
"Why are you doing this?" I said. "Seriously. What is the actual point of this right now?"
"I miss you." He said simply.
I stared at him.
"I know how that sounds." He said quickly. "I know what you’re going to say and I know I don’t have the right to—"
"Then why say it?" I said. "You have a mate. You chose her. You stood in front of your entire pack and said her na and I was in that crowd and you knew I was there." I looked at him. "You didn’t miss that night."
"I did." He said. "I missed you that night more than any other night because I knew exactly what I was losing and I couldn’t—"
"Couldn’t what?" I said. "Couldn’t stop it? Couldn’t tell beforehand? Couldn’t pick up a phone and say— hey, I need you to know sothing is about to happen and I’m sorry?" I shifted the bag in my arm. "Three years of a relationship, Riven. Three years and not one conversation on what you were going to do. Not one warning."
He was quiet.
"And now you’re standing outside my house talking about orchards." I said. "While your mate is twenty ters up that path pretending she’s not listening."
He exhaled. "It wasn’t simple."
"It never is." I said. "It never is with you." I looked at him. "Was it only political? The mating?"
He paused. "Partly."
"Partly." I repeated. "And the other part?"
He said nothing.
"Right." I said. "The other part you also can’t tell . After three years and a public announcent and showing up at my place of work and my house multiple tis, you still can’t tell the other part." I shook my head. "Riven. Go back to Mara."
"Keisha—"
"She’s already worried enough about you without this." I said. "She pulled aside, did you know that? Had a maid summon for tea so she could tell to stay away from you." I looked at him. "She’s watching everything you do. And you’re standing here talking about a tree branch."
Sothing moved through his face. "She summoned you."
"She did." I said. "And I told her to put a leash on you herself if she was that concerned." I turned. "Go ho, Riven. Both of you. Go ho and focus on whatever you’re building together and let build what I’m building here." I paused. "We’re done. We’ve been done. Stop crying over spilled milk."
"Is that really all it is to you now?" He said quietly. "Spilled milk?"
I stopped walking and stood there for a second.
"Yes." I said.
Then, I walked back to my house and didn’t look back.
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