Chapter 296 Misunderstanding

Dawn broke across the sky, its pale golden light filtering through the tall trees surrounding the Ravencourt residence. The day of the engagement had finally arrived, and the mansion was already considerably busier than it had been yesterday. Servants hurried through the corridors moving to and fro, making the final preparations for the evening’s ceremony despite the fact it was being held in another location.

Yuki descended the corridor towards the grand staircase, still a little sleepy despite the commotion around her. Breakfast was her first destination, and she hoped to eat quickly before the day’s endless preparations began.

Unfortunately, the moment she reached the end of the corridor, she spotted Kieran approaching from the opposite direction. Her footsteps slowed instinctively.

For a brief second, she considered turning around and finding another route, but that would have been ridiculous. She had done nothing wrong. Well, technically, she hadn’t done anything wrong with him, at least.

Her fingers curled into a fist beside her thigh as the memory of the previous night flashed through her mind. She couldn’t believe she let Kaden play her emotions. That insufferable, arrogant jerk.

Heat crept up her neck, and she quickly averted her gaze, suddenly fascinated by the intricate patterns on the carpet. She could still remember how everything had unfolded by the riverbank, and the mere thought was enough to make her want to bury herself beneath her bedcovers for the next three business days.

But that wasn’t even the worst part.

She had been covered in that jerk’s release when she ran into Kieran in the woods. She had showered the moment she got back, scrubbed until her skin was raw, and changed into clean clothes, but the memory of that collision still sat heavy in her chest. There was no guarantee he hadn’t caught something last night.

Her stomach twisted.

’ Please tell me he didn’t recognise Kaden’s scent on me.’ She cried internally.

Across the corridor, Kieran had already noticed her. His expression remained composed, his usual calm demeanour firmly in place, but his thoughts were anything but peaceful.

He had recognised Yuki the moment she came into view, the familiar vanilla and rosewood scentnothing like the heavy, unmistakable scent of her arousal that had hit him in the woods last night and left him standing there like a fool with his own body betraying him.

That memory alone was enough to put him in a foul mood. Kieran could only think of one person Xavier.

He had spent the better part of the morning trying to convince himself that whatever had happened between Yuki and someone else was none of his business. She was engaged. It was hardly surprising if things had progressed. Still, the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Things have certainly progressed quickly, he thought irritably.

His wolf stirred. ’ What if it wasn’t Xavier?’ it asked..Kieran’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’Who else would it be?’ He hissed and his wolf retorted immediately....

’You tell me. You didn’t even bother tracking the second scent.’

Kieran’s expression hardened.

He had been so distracted by the scent of her arousal clinging to her last night that he hadn’t caught the second scent. A part of him didn’t want to acknowledge it.

His wolf responded with a quiet, unimpressed snort.

Neither of them noticed how close they had come until they reached the top of the grand staircase. They stopped a few feet apart, the silence between them growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Kieran was the first to speak. "Good morning, Miyuki." His voice was controlled, but he had used her full name rather than the familiar nickname he often resorted to. The distinction was subtle, yet Yuki immediately noticed it.

She lifted her eyes towards him.

He didn’t look angry, exactly. If anything, he appeared perfectly normal, his dark hair neatly arranged and his expression as unreadable as ever. Yet there was something about his demeanour that suggested he wasn’t in the best of moods.

Yuki swallowed. "Good morning, Kieran."

An awkward silence followed.

For some inexplicable reason, she felt as though she had been caught cheating on someone. It was absurd. Completely absurd. Kieran wasn’t her boyfriend, and she certainly didn’t owe him an explanation about what she did with her time.

So why was her heart beating like she had something to hide?

She forced herself to meet his gaze and offered him a smile. "Isn’t it such a lovely day?" she chirped, putting a little too much enthusiasm into her voice. "I can’t wait for tonight!"

Kieran stared at her.

The smile on her face was bright, but something about it felt forced. He could see the faint tension around her mouth, the way her fingers curled against her palm, and the almost desperate eagerness with which she spoke about the engagement ceremony.

A lump formed in his throat. "Is that so?" he asked quietly.

Yuki nodded, though the movement was a little too quick. "Of course!"

She was going to make it through this conversation with her dignity intact. She would smile, act normal, and go downstairs to eat breakfast like a perfectly respectable young woman.

Kieran watched her for another moment before she huffed under her breath and started down the staircase. She had barely taken a few steps when his voice followed her.

"Miyuki." he called.

She stopped. "Yes?" she answered hesitantly.

Kieran’s gaze remained fixed on her face. His expression gave nothing away, but his wolf had gone unnervingly quiet. "How was your night?"

It was a simple question.

An ordinary question.

A question that shouldn’t have been difficult to answer.

Yet Yuki felt as though someone had just pulled the floor from beneath her feet.

Her mind went completely blank before several images from the previous night came rushing back at once. Her face warmed, and she tightened her grip on the banister to stop herself from fidgeting.

Why would he ask me that? Does he know something?

She quickly pasted on her brightest smile. "It was splendid!" she beamed.

The words came out so cheerfully that even she found them suspicious.

Without waiting for Kieran to respond, she hurried down the remaining steps and disappeared towards the dining room.

Kieran remained at the top of the staircase, watching the spot where she had vanished.

His expression darkened.

Splendid, indeed. It definitely was for she and who made her moan through it.

His wolf, naturally, had an opinion. ’Perhaps you should have asked her who she spent it with.’

Kieran clicked his tongue internally and continued towards the dining room.

He had no intention of entertaining that thought beside he had no right to ask who an adult was fucking.

Yuki pushed open the dining room doors, expecting to find the usual gathering of family members and servants preparing breakfast.

Instead, she came to an abrupt halt..Xavier was seated at the table.

The moment he noticed her, his face brightened with a welcoming smile. He was dressed impeccably, looking entirely too comfortable in the Alpha residence for someone who wasn’t technically a member of the family yet.

Yuki blinked at him.

Then she blinked again. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Xavier arched a brow, looking thoroughly amused by her reaction.

"Good morning to you too, sweetheart." He rested an elbow on the table, his smile widening. "Is it a crime for a man to have breakfast with his fiancée?"

A soft giggle escaped Aevia. "Oh, Xavier, you really know how to make a girl feel special," she remarked, lifting her teacup to hide her amusement.

Yuki felt her cheeks burn. "That’s not what I meant!" she protested, turning towards her sister. "I was just surprised to see him here so early."

"Then you should have asked him that instead of looking as though you’ve caught a burglar in the dining room," Aevia teased, her eyes sparkling.

Yuki shot her a betrayed look. Alexander cleared his throat from the head of the table, though the faint amusement in his eyes betrayed him. "Yuki, take your seat. Xavier was kind enough to join us for breakfast."

Still flustered, Yuki made her way towards the table and settled into the chair beside Xavier.

He leaned slightly towards her, lowering his voice so that only she could hear. "I was finalising a few details for tonight with your father," he explained. "I thought I’d stay for breakfast before heading out."

Yuki glanced at him suspiciously. "You came all the way here just for that?" she blurted.

"And to see you, obviously." Xavier gave her a charming smile before straightening in his seat. "Surely, I’m allowed to miss my own fiancée."

Yuki opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Across the table, Aevia pressed a hand against her chest, looking positively delighted.

"That is so considerate of you, Xavier. It’s wonderful to see a young man take his responsibilities seriously."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xavier inclined his head politely. "I want everything to be perfect for Yuki. This is an important day for both of us, and I don’t want her to have to worry about anything."