Chapter 137: Arranged marriage
Eloise pushed the questions on her mind aside. It wasn’t possible for them to go soft on Yuki. They hated her. With that thought in mind, she forced a smile onto her face and slid the office door open.
"Kieran," she called brightly. Her gaze settled on the man seated at the desk. Kieran paused for a moment before lifting his head. The moment he saw her, something unreadable crossed his face. Eloise missed it.
Eloise smiled wider. "There you are." She beamed, and before he could respond, she crossed the room and threw her arms around him.
Kieran’s body stiffened. Her scent, a rich fragrance, wrapped around him. Black orchids, amber and warm vanilla layered over white musk. It was unmistakably Eloise. Normally, he found the bold perfume strangely comforting. Tonight, the sweetness lingered too heavily in the air, pressing against the headache already building behind his eyes.
Kieran pushed the thought aside. It was his exhaustion messing with his head. That was why it was giving him a headache. Eloise pressed her cheek against his chest, acting spoilt as she always had.
"I’ve been worried about you," she complained softly, her tone carrying a playful pout. "You have been hiding in this laboratory for weeks."
Kieran’s arms remained at his sides for a moment before he finally placed one hand lightly against her back. "I’ve been busy," he replied evenly.
"Busy enough to ignore everyone?" she pouted, sitting on his thighs. Her cheeks were puffed out, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at Kieran with a disappointed look.
Kieran chuckled and pulled her cheeks, trying to placate her. "I haven’t ignored anyone," he said in a light tone.
Eloise pulled back and looked up at him. "Really?" she challenged, her voice edged with playful disbelief. "Because your brothers were worried. I was worried."
Kieran’s expression remained impassive. "You shouldn’t have been. There was just a lot to do. Besides, everyone has been occupied," he replied.
Eloise frowned. "Why wouldn’t I worry about you?" she asked, her voice softening. "You’ve barely been sleeping. You’ve been working constantly. You look exhausted."
Kieran’s brows pulled together, wondering how she knew, but in the end, he shrugged off her concern. "I’m fine." The answer came too quickly.
Eloise studied him, trying to find something off about him. Her gut told her something was wrong, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. In the end, she decided to drop it. Maybe she was imagining things.
She smiled again, her eyes carrying warmth. "You always say that," she said helplessly.
Kieran didn’t answer. Eloise leaned closer, her arms sliding around his neck as she tilted her face towards his. Her voice turned soft. "So tell me..." she chuckled playfully. "Did you miss me?"
His hand on her waist stiffened before he gave a reply he had said so many times it felt like second nature.
"I did."
It was a simple movement. Her gaze was locked on his lips. She leaned in closer. Kieran noticed the movement. Something twisted in his gut, and before her lips could reach his, he turned his head.
Her kiss landed against his cheek instead. Eloise froze. The rejection was subtle. So subtle that someone who didn’t know Kieran well might not have noticed.
But Eloise did. Her smile faltered for half a second. Kieran pulled away.
"I’ve been working for weeks," he explained calmly, as though that was the only reason for his avoidance. "I’m exhausted."
Eloise stared at him. He looked genuinely exhausted, but it wasn’t an excuse. She bit her lip. She had been denying it earlier, but she had noticed. Ever since Kieran returned from Xyrus University, although he was still gentle, he wasn’t as affectionate as before.
Kieran might not be as bold as his brothers when it came to taking the initiative, but he had always loved it when she did. Now, he seemed determined to avoid it.
An awkward silence filled the office. She just stared at him until Kieran, unable to stand the awkwardness, broke it first. His gaze dropped towards the flask she was carrying.
"Did you bring soup?" he asked, trying to change the topic.
Eloise blinked. The sudden change in subject caught her off guard. She glanced down at the flask before forcing another smile.
"Yeah," she replied brightly. "I made it for you."
Kieran nodded, although he knew she wasn’t the one who had made it. He never called her out on it.
"That’s nice." He reached for the flask.
Eloise’s fingers tightened around it for the briefest moment before she finally handed it over. Kieran accepted it without noticing the hesitation.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
Eloise watched him. Her smile remained in place, but her eyes had changed. Somewhere beneath Kieran’s calm expression, she could sense something had shifted.
It was completely dark by the time they stepped out of the hospital. Eloise had her hand hooked through Kieran’s arm as they walked towards his Aston Martin.
"We can leave with my driver. You don’t have to drive if you are exhausted," she suggested.
Kieran stopped in front of his Aston Martin.
"I can drive. Stop worrying so much. It will give you early wrinkles," he teased, smoothing out her furrowed brows.
"Fine then," Eloise sighed before slipping into the passenger seat. Kieran moved over to the driver’s seat and got in. He started the car without a word.
During the drive, Eloise chatted almost nonstop while Kieran responded with the occasional quiet hum or a single word. The city lights drifted across the windscreen as evening traffic crawled through Ravencourt, their car moving in a slow procession beneath rows of glowing streetlamps.
A dull ache suddenly pulsed deep inside Kieran’s chest.
His fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the steering wheel. For the briefest moment, the edges of his vision blurred before sharpening again.
He ignored it. Eloise, who had been gazing absentmindedly out of the passenger window, suddenly straightened.
"Oh." She turned towards him with a small smile. "I almost forgot."
Kieran kept his eyes on the road. "Hm?" he prompted distractedly.
"I heard something interesting after the last pack meeting," she said conversationally.
"What was it?" Kieran asked evenly.
"Apparently, Alpha Alexander is considering arranging a marriage alliance."
That earned her a brief sideways glance.
Kieran almost smiled before returning his attention to the traffic ahead.
"That’s impossible," he said with quiet certainty.
"Why?" Eloise asked curiously.
"There isn’t anyone suitable," Kieran replied matter-of-factly. "Who exactly would he send?"
Silence settled inside the car. Eloise watched him for a few seconds before speaking again.
"Yuki."
The single name seemed to echo through the confined space.
Kieran’s hands tightened around the steering wheel. Eloise continued in the same casual tone, as though she hadn’t noticed the subtle change in his posture.
"I heard he intends to formally adopt her into the Ravencourt family," she explained. "Then he’ll find her a suitable chosen mate."
The words struck Kieran with unexpected force. His pupils contracted. A violent cough ripped through his throat.
Blood surged into his mouth before splattering across the back of his hand.
His grip faltered.
The steering wheel jerked sharply beneath his fingers, and the Aston Martin swerved across the dividing line.
At that exact moment, a pair of blinding headlights burst around the bend, racing straight towards them.
A deafening horn screamed through the night.