"Don't worry about it, Kara. I think I was just... being ridiculous. Maybe that day, I smelled him; I must have overanalyzed it."
Kara looked at me with brows drawn with worry.
"Ridiculous? Lysa, no. You had every reason to think…the mate bond, that was exactly how it should be. Alpha Kade, for sure, has felt it, too. And if he didn't want it, he should have rejected you; shouldn't have given you those looks every time he came here for treatment."
I shook my head, choking from the lump in my throat and the pain in my chest.
"Looks aren't enough, Kara. I guess I had read too much into things that were never there. I was the only one holding on to something that never existed. The Moon Goddess would never make the mistake of being the only one to feel the mate bond. I'm sure I had made a mistake."
Kara's face softened, knowing that I had a point. She pitied me but had that fire in her eyes, telling me not to give up.
"Mia had just returned, Lysa. Sure, she was the former Beta's daughter, but that doesn't really mean that Alpha Kade hadn't felt that mate bond."
"Maybe... but that doesn't change anything. If Alpha Kade had wanted me, he would have made it known. And Mia, being the war advisor, would always be by his side. And I'm... well, just a healer."
Just then, the faint sound of voices approached and passed the hall outside the clinic. When I turned, it was Alpha Kade and Mia holding hands as they walked. Kade looked at Mia as if he were in full admiration. While Mia was laughing at what Alpha Kade whispered to her.
Kara grabbed my hand in a tight grip before whispering, "Lysa, you don’t have to stay here. Let’s go..."
"No. I'm fine, Kara. Really. I'll just go on with my duties," I replied."
But as the day went on, the wound inside deepened. There was never a moment that I didn't see the two sharing glances together and whispering like lovers. They made me jealous when I didn't have the right.
That evening, Alpha Kade called for a special pack dinner, which I knew was not because of my birthday. As we took our seats, Alpha Kade stood at the head of the table, holding the same bouquet of pink roses. My heart pounded when he raised his glass, looking at Mia.