Page 8 of Alpha's Runaway Mate

I tore my eyes away from Lyra, and without giving the healer a second glance, I stood up and walked out of the room. I knew where I was headed. This wasn’t like the day before, or several days before that, when I had ended up in the bar to try to forget about something that pierced me so deeply. This time, I needed answers. I didn’t believe that Lyra was telling the truth about Leo or that she had been with another man, and worse, that she had actually enjoyed it. So, I was going to confront the one person who might know the truth. Or at least have a more reasonable answer.

The faded neon sign buzzed faintly, flickering with the name of the place, Moonlit Grill though the “G” appeared to have faded off over the years, leavingMoonlit Rillglowing dimly against the dusk. I pushed open the glass door, and the bell above it jingled, announcing my presence. The familiar smell of the place hit me first: greasy bacon, fresh coffee, burgers, and fries.

The tiled floor was worn, evidence of all the foot traffic over the years. And the booths were the same red, cracked in places from years of use. The diner was the kind of place where everyone knew everyone, and secrets never stayed secret for long.

There were a few patrons scattered in the booths who acknowledged my presence with a curt nod. I did so in return, then focused my gaze on the counter, where I spotted her.

Isolde.

She looked up to see me when the doorbell jingled, and a smile spread across her lips. Signaling for me to take a seat, she disappeared through a door with a sign that read “for staff only” before I could even get near the counter. She returned with a flask, then pulled open a cabinet to get out a mug.

Still smiling, she spoke softly, “Dominic said you caught a wild boar without me today. Too bad. I would have loved to see your muscles flexing in action.” Isolde half-filled the mug, then lifted her eyes to me. “Do you want it full today?”

“No, Isolde.” My voice was low, barely managing to keep my frustration in check. “I didn’t come here to drink. Or eat.”

The smile on her face waned and slowly, she set the jug down. “Is something wrong, Kaine?”

“Lyra is back,” I said, cutting straight to the point. “And she has a kid.”

Her expression shifted from shock to something that resembled anger within the zero point five seconds now that she had learned of her best friend’s return to town. My gaze dropped to the counter to see her fingers tighten slightly, where they gripped the arm of the mug. Then she swallowed, her throat working for a moment before she spoke again, appearing surprised even though her expression didn’t seem anything like it. “A kid?”

“Did you know?”

“That Lyra was pregnant? Of course not.” She looked away from me toward the patrons in the corner and she let out a slow breath. “Why are you concerned about this?”

“Because the child might be mine.”

Her eyes snapped back to mine, and I saw something flicker in it for a moment. But just as quickly, it vanished. “It’s not yours, Kaine,” she said with absolute conviction. “Perhaps this might be the best time to mention that…” Isolde hesitated, then tore her gaze away from my eyes.

“That what?” I probed. “What are you not telling me?”

“It’s just that…you’ve got this idea in your head that she was perfect. But she wasn’t, Kaine.”

Confusion settled over me. “Can you stop dancing around in circles and spit it out?”

“Lyra was unfaithful to you before she even left.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.Unfaithful.

Isolde leaned forward, her voice low but harsh. “I saw her, Kaine. On the night she fled, she met up with him, she spent the night with him. And it wasn’t their first. I had seen them before. Multiple times. I don’t know who it was. All I know is that it wasn’t you.”

I staggered backward, the ground shifting beneath me. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it. But the conviction in Isolde’s voice chilled me. She was her best friend. They shared everything with each other, kept each other’s secrets. I shut my eyes tight, trying not to imagine the fact that Lyra had been seeing another man while we were…together.

And when I opened them again, bloodshot, anger simmering inside of me, I turned on my heel. Without another word, I pushed my way out of the diner, trying to fight the ideas reeling in my head as I made my way back home.

When I pushed open the door, I bumped into Lyra. She had a bag flung over her shoulders, a change of clothing, and was looking ready to run.Again.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Chapter Four — Lyra’s POV

I was getting ready to flee.Again.Well, flee may not be the appropriate word. I thought of it like this: Kaine had found me, almost at the brink of death, if I might add. Then he had saved me, and now that I was very much in good condition, I could leave. The term fleeing would actually make more sense if he took into account the things I shoved into the bag on my shoulder.

Since I’d lost my original bag during the fight with the Blackwood pack, I was left with no supplies to keep Leo and I going while I searched for another witch willing to cast a cloaking spell. I managed to gather some clothes, a flashlight, snacks, and blankets. But I barely managed to make it through the door before it flung open to reveal a very angry Kaine.

I stumbled back, nearly losing my footing. It wasn’t because he had bumped into me—though that would have been enough to throw me off my balance—but it was because of the look on his face. Less than an hour ago, he had sat at my side, eyes filled with compassion and pity. But now, all traces of that softness were gone.

Kaine’s expression was a storm, his anger barely contained beneath the surface. As he closed the distance between us, I instinctively backed away. His eyes drilled into me, piercing and accusing, making my pulse race in a way that had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the raw energy rolling off him.

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