Chapter 2: Unlikely Pairing

There was a noticeable tension in the space.

Aria remained still, staring across the dimly lit hallway at Kael. His deep, earthy, and somewhat untamed aroma lingered in the air between them, encircling her like an unseen bond. Inside her head, her wolf was pacing restlessly, trying desperately to bridge the distance between them. But Aria used all of her effort to resist the attraction.

How could he be her mate?

The haughty, conceited alpha of the Bloodmoon Clan is Kael. The biggest adversary of her clan. The one in charge of the innumerable nights of insomnia and the never-ending conflicts her people had to face. Nevertheless, she felt the undeniable pull of the mate link coursing through her like fire, urging her to acknowledge him.

Kael's crimson-sealed eyes darted to hers. He had sensed it too, she knew, from the tight set of his jaw to the barely controlled tremor in his body. Just as her wolf was screaming out to him, so was his.

He appeared to be as surprised as she was.

"Aria," he hissed, his deep voice trembling slightly but yet brimming with contempt. "Of all the wolves in this world..."

Her heart thumping in her chest, she straightened up. "Trust me, I'm as disgusted as you are."

They found themselves in the middle of a packed negotiating meeting between the Clans of Bloodmoon and Midnight. Though there was a lot going on in the room, Aria and Kael felt as though everything had disappeared and they were the only two in it; everything else was quiet.

First Responses

Even though a strong desire was developing between them, the animosity seemed unavoidable. Years of animosity and arguments separated them. Aria's every instinct told her to ignore him and turn away, but the connection was too powerful to fully ignore.

Kael stepped slowly and deliberately in her direction. His aura had a raw strength that overpowered her, striking her like a tidal wave. Aria refused to back down, even though she was having trouble breathing.

She snarled, her voice low and almost tremulous, "Stay away from me." "Whatever this link is, I don't care. Nothing will change as a result.

Kael's mouth curled into a grin, but his eyes revealed a secret: a mixture of annoyance and perplexity. "As if I would ever desire a person like you."

However, the fire in his stare contradicted him even as he spoke. His wolf was reaching out to hers, needy, wanting.

Aria scowled as she resisted the overpowering want to approach him, to reach out and touch him, to give in to the animalistic urge that was tugging at her emotions. The connection between them pulsed in the atmosphere like a live entity, pleading for recognition.

But none of them was going to back down that simply.

The Linking

The two of them kept finding themselves in each other's sphere as the night went on. Despite Aria's best efforts to stay away from him, they continued to cross paths, and each time they did, their relationship grew more powerful.

They found themselves alone on the balcony at one point, the crisp night air caressing their skin. Independent of the internal conflict among them, the stars glowed brightly overhead. The party's far-off conversations faded into the darkness, but Aria's attention was only on Kael, who was standing far too near for comfort.

"Don't you feel it too?" At last, he inquired, his tone less haughty and less smug.

Though it felt pointless, Aria crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to put some sort of barrier between them. How come? The nausea from being in your presence?

Kael laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh. It was tense and acrimonious, as if he was struggling with the same inner conflict she was. "We are not able to pretend it isn't present."

She felt the shock of his words' reality. They were unable to act otherwise. Mate relationships were not to be disregarded. It was a natural force that defied reason and clan rivalry. It was unadulterated, indisputable, and horrifying.

Aria wasn't prepared to give in, though. She was unable to. "Just because we have a relationship doesn't mean I'll ever trust you."

"Belief?" With a sneer, Kael leaned against the railing, his eyes blinking unintelligibly. "I don't look for approval. I mean, I really don't expect you to like me. However, the relationship is unaffected by our desires.

For a few period, they stood silently as the impact of his words spread between them. Aria's heart hurt, divided between the indisputable truth about their relationship and her long-standing animosity for him and his kin. Her intellect cried out in protest, but her wolf still wanted to go to him.

Exchanged Secrets

Aria found herself speaking, her voice quieter now, for reasons she wasn't quite sure of. "Are you ever bored with it?"

Kael wrinkled his brow. "What are you tired of?"

"The altercation. the never-ending conflicts. The carnage. She came to a stop and looked out the balcony at the moonlit woodland. "I wonder sometimes if any of it is worth it."

His response took a while to get through, and when it did, it was rather quiet. "Daily."

Aria glanced at him and was surprised by his openness. It wasn't a mockery of her. She noticed something greater for the first time—something more profound within him, underneath the hard, haughty surface.

"You think I like this?" he said in a gruff voice. "Heading a clan engaged in perpetual conflict? seeing the demise of my people? I made no requests for any of it.

Surprised by his vulnerability, Aria stared. The last thing she anticipated from the vicious alpha Kael was this. She felt uneasy as she caught a fleeting sight of the man hidden beneath the mask.

In a very whispery voice, he said, "I was never meant to be alpha." But I was left with no options when my father passed away. I had to take the lead for my family.

Aria's heart tightened at what he said. She was aware of that load, the weight of leadership. She was aware of the firsthand continuous pressure to stand strong and defend her people at all costs.

They weren't enemies for the first time. Duty-bound, they were but two wolves joined by an uncontrollable outside force.

With a gentler voice now, Aria said, "I didn't ask for this either." "But how are we going to get out of it?

"No," Kael shot back, his eyes meeting hers. "We are unable to."

And at that instant, their relationship was stronger than ever, in spite of everything, even their shared past.

They remained adversaries. However, something had changed.