My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 84: His Return

Violet

I dried myself roughly and pulled on one of the new dresses Astrid had left, a simple loose dress in a beautiful shade of blue The fabric was finer than anything I had worn before, smooth and cool against my skin.

It fell to my ankles, the hem dragging slightly across the polished floor, but the fit was otherwise perfect. Almost too perfect.

I caught sight of myself in the mirror and paused.

My reflection stared back at me, cheeks still flushed, eyes too bright. And looking like someone who had just woken from an indecent dream about the man whose bed was one door away.

I looked away quickly, my stomach churning with an anxiety and something else I refused to acknowledge.

It was just a dream...

I eyed what I had on. The fabric draped beautifully, following the lines of my body in a way that felt... revealing, even though nothing inappropriate was showing. It clung gently to my curves, drawing attention to my chest and clinging to my waist just enough to emphasize my figure.

I shifted uncomfortably, tugging at the fabric.

Then my gaze drifted to the vanity, and the small bowl sitting exactly where Astrid had left it.

The contraceptive.

I stared at it for a long moment, that stupid dream replaying in fragments behind my eyes. I snatched up the vial and shoved it into one of the empty vanity compartments, slamming the small drawer shut with more force than necessary.

There. Out of sight.

I turned back to the mirror, attempting to adjust the dress one more time, pulling and tugging until it looked slightly less... intentional. But no matter what I did, the fine fabric kept settling back into place, draping in ways that felt designed to flatter.

My eyes drifted to the bag I had brought with me. The clothes inside were simple, practical, and comfortable. But when I pulled one out, I hesitated.

These had belonged to Astrid too. Suddenly, the thought of putting them on felt strange. Wrong somehow.

I set the clothes back in the bag and quickly moved to the bed where Astrid had laid out the other dresses, determined to find something less... this.

The others looked too complex to even wear until I came across a light faint slip dress which I wore underneath the blue fabric. The draping gown no longer clung to my body as much.

However... the slip dress had a deep cut that made the fabric cling to my cleavage from time to time. I tugged at the neckline to loosen it lightly and it seemed to work.

I sat at the edge, feeling a bit tired.

Training had run late into the night yesterday. For some reason, I had decided to keep practicing even have having returned to my room. And then there was the early departure this morning, and also the long drake ride.

I sighed, lightly caressing the bedding. I laid my back flat on it and the moment my weight settled, I understood why it looked so perfect.

The bed was surprisingly firm, but with a softness underneath that cradled my body in a way that made me want to sink deeper. I don’t think I had ever laid down on a surface this comfortable. I pulled myself fully onto the bed and my head sunk into the soft pillows.

Despite my best intentions to stay alert, my eyes drifted closed. And as sleep pulled me under, I hoped I would not have a dream like that again.

[ - ]

Voices filtered through, distant at first, and then suddenly grew clearer.

"—arrangements are finalized. The registration is nearly completed too."

"And the delegations?"

"All accounted for. Though Alpha Kellan’s representative is asking for a private audience later."

"He always does. I’ll get back to him later."

Kael.

My eyes snapped open, every trace of sleep vanishing as awareness flooded back.

He was here.

I could sense him now. It seemed he was in the guest hall, just beyond the corridor, speaking with two others from the sound of it. I didn’t know either of them.

I sat up slowly, my heart already beginning to race.

"—and Ila will handle that personally," Kael was saying, his voice carrying a note of finality. "You’re dismissed. I’ll send for you when I need you again."

"Yes, Supreme Alpha."

Footsteps. The sound of the doors opening and closing.

Then silence.

My pulse hammered in my ears as I stared at the door to my room, waiting.

The silence stretched for a few seconds until I suddenly sensed him right behind the doors. A slow knock followed after.

I shifted, trying to get off the bed. "You can come in..."

Kael stepped inside, and whatever composure I’d been trying to gather shattered immediately. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

He looked... exhausted. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and there was a tightness around his mouth that spoke of stress and too little rest. His hair was slightly dishevelled, as if he’d been running his hands through it repeatedly, and his jaw was shadowed with stubble.

But his eyes still had the same piercing look that nearly made me forget how to breathe.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then his expression shifted into something harder. Annoyed.

"I told Ila to end your training," he said, his voice low. "And then you still—" He cut himself off with a frustrated sound, one hand rising to drag through his hair. "Do you have any idea how—"

"I’m sorry," I said quickly, panic rising. Had Ila gotten in trouble? I had asked her if Kael would admonish her and she told me he hadn’t done anything. She had seemed fine too. "Please, she didn’t do anything wrong—"

"That is not the issue," he interrupted, his tone clipped.

I was confused. "I don’t understand."

His eyes fixed on mine again, and I watched as something in his expression cracked. The annoyance and hardness of his features faltered, giving way to a faint vulnerability that made me go still.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" His voice was quieter now.