For Meya

Chapter 5

Jayden's POV

The sky had turned a rich violet by the time I wandered back to the training grounds. I wasn't here for the workout. I just needed to breathe. The pack house had been too loud lately—too many thoughts, too much tension. Especially since that night.

I still saw her when I closed my eyes—Meya—moving through the forest like a shadow, her scent so faint but lingering in the air. I hadn't meant to follow Arthur. I wasn't even trying to. But something inside me had pulled me that night, and when I saw her… I knew. I felt it. She wasn't just some quiet Omega.

She was ours.

"Still brooding?" came Arthur's voice behind me, teasing but gentle.

I didn't turn. "You always know where to find me, huh?"

He dropped down on the log next to me, a bit out of breath. "We're twins. Your brooding frequency pings me from a mile away."

I huffed out a laugh. "That so?"

He nudged me with his shoulder. "You've been off since that night in the woods. Want to talk about it?"

I looked at him, already knowing he wasn't just making conversation. His gaze was serious, shadowed. "You first," I said.

Arthur exhaled, long and slow. "It's Meya. I can't get her out of my head."

I stiffened slightly, but didn't interrupt.

"She's hurting, Jay. Worse than I thought. Rowan…" he shook his head, jaw tight. "I saw it with my own eyes today. He grabbed her like she was property. Not his sister—his possession. And she didn't even flinch. Like she's used to it."

That made my gut twist. I'd noticed it too—how small she made herself in the presence of others. Like she didn't want to be seen.

"I confronted him," Arthur continued, "and he warned me to stay away. Said I was starting a war I couldn't finish."

"That sounds like him," I muttered bitterly. "He's always been territorial. But this? That's not protection. That's control."

Arthur looked over at me. "She's his older sister, Jay. And he treats her like a child. No respect. No freedom. He sends her to deliver messages to rogue alphas for punishment. She could've been killed out there."

That stopped me. "Wait—what?"

Arthur nodded grimly. "That night I found her walking home? She was coming back from a rogue's territory. Rowan sent her alone, to punish her for sneaking into the summit."

"That's insane." I stood, pacing now, trying to absorb the weight of it. "That's not just cruel—it's reckless."

Arthur's voice lowered, deeper. "And you felt the bond too, didn't you? That night."

I paused. My silence was enough of an

answer.

Arthur stood now, walking toward me. "This isn't just in my head, Jay. It's real. And if both of us feel it, then the Moon Goddess didn't make a mistake. She gave us another mate."

I sat down heavily on the bench, rubbing my hands over my face. "Arthur… Sarah's pregnant. She's carrying our pup. How are we supposed to do this?"

Arthur didn't answer right away. He just stood there, arms crossed over his chest, eyes far away. Finally, he said, "I don't know. I don't have that answer. But I know I can't keep watching Meya suffer under Rowan's grip. She's fading. And if we don't step in soon, we might lose her for good."

I looked up at him. "And what do you want to do? Just go to her pack, march in and take her?"

His jaw clenched, but his voice was steady. "No. Not yet. First, we talk to the Council of Elders. Let them know the truth. That Rowan is abusing his power. That a mate bond has been revealed. If they give us permission… then we go. We go to DarkBloodMoon and bring her home."

Home.

I wasn't even sure what that word meant anymore. With Sarah, things had been solid. Predictable. Loving, yes. But safe. And now here came this delicate, sad-eyed woman who stirred something in me I hadn't felt in years—a pull that felt ancient and wild.

"But Sarah…" I murmured again. "She's not just going to understand. This will break her."

Arthur's eyes softened. "I know. And it kills me too. But maybe… maybe there's a reason the bond came now. Maybe there's a purpose we don't understand yet. And maybe, just maybe, Sarah will feel it too."

I stayed quiet, the war inside me still raging. One bond I'd nurtured for years. Another I barely understood but couldn't ignore.

Arthur sat beside me again, not speaking for a long time. Just breathing with me. That was the thing about us—we didn't always need words. We were born together, fought together, shared the same breath since we were pups. He didn't rush me. He waited.

Finally, I spoke. "Okay."

Arthur glanced at me, brows raised.

"We go to the Council. We tell them everything. About Meya. About Rowan. And if they approve… we go to her. Together."

Arthur's face broke into a rare, relieved smile. "Yeah?"

I nodded, the decision settling in my bones. "Yeah. We bring her home."

He reached over, pulling me into a quick, rough hug before pulling away like it hadn't just happened. "Thanks, brother."

"We're in this together," I said.

We sat there until the moon was high, our bond as brothers grounding us for the war we were about to begin. Not with claws or blood—but with truth.

For Meya.

For our future. No matter what. I had to protect her. She was mine. The mate bond is real and I knew it