Chapter 39

Kayla

My stomach growled loudly, echoing in the quiet of the night. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table—it was almost midnight. No wonder I was starving; I had missed dinner entirely after falling asleep earlier.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I changed quickly out of my rumpled jeans and sweater and threw on a pair of sweatpants, a hoodie, and the thickest socks I could find. I threw my hair up into a messy bun and quietly slipped out of the bedroom. Glancing in the mirror, I looked like a round little cupcake, but it wasn’t like anyone was awake to see me.

The house was eerily silent as I made my way downstairs. Moonlight filtered through the tall windows, casting elongated shadows across the polished hardwood floors. It seemed that everyone but me was already asleep; even Nicholas’s study was dark and quiet, no light emanating from beneath the door.

I pushed open the kitchen door and was greeted by more silence. Flicking on a dim light, I headed to the refrigerator, rummaging through its contents. Settling on making a quick omelet, I gathered eggs, cheese, and some leftover vegetables.

As I whisked the eggs, my mind wandered back to the past couple of days. I wondered if Grace was asleep right now, or sitting up feeling scared and lonely. Tomorrow, I would prepare a meal for her, I decided. And maybe bring her a few of those books I had purchased.

“Midnight snack, Kayla?”

I jumped at the sound of the voice, nearly dropping the bowl. Turning, I saw Nora leaning casually against the doorway, her arms crossed and a smug smile playing on her lips. She was dressed impeccably, as always, in a silk robe that accentuated her slim figure.

“Nora,” I said flatly, catching my breath. “You startled me.”

She sauntered into the kitchen, her dainty slippers clicking softly against the tile floor. “Didn’t mean to. Though I must admit, I’m surprised to see you eating this late. It’s not very... disciplined.”

I resumed whisking. “I missed dinner. Figured I’d grab something now, since I’m hungry. Want some?”

“I’m good.” She raised an eyebrow, eyeing the ingredients that were laid out on the counter. “You know, intermittent fasting can do wonders for the body. Keeps you lean and sharp.”

“Good for you,” I replied curtly as I poured the eggs into a heated pan.

She watched me with a critical gaze. “Eating at night isn’t the best habit, Kayla. It tends to... stick.”

“I think I can handle it.”

Nora tilted her head, her gaze drifting over me. “Just offering some friendly advice. After all, Nicholas has always preferred women with model bodies. Thin, elegant... not so…” She flicked her eyes across my rounded hips. “...Robust.”

I stiffened, gripping the spatula tightly. Turning to face her, I ground out, “Are you implying that you have one of those bodies? The ‘model’ type?”

She smirked, a glint in her eye. “Well, I certainly fit the description more than some,” she cooed, gesturing to my sweatpants.

I glanced down at myself. Sure, I was curvier than Nora, but years of training had given me a strong, muscular build. I had never considered myself fat. And even if I were, who was she to comment?

“Confidence is admirable, Nora. Arrogance, not so much,” I retorted.

Her smile faltered for a moment before she recovered. “Just trying to help. I wouldn’t want you to feel... inadequate around here.”

I laughed softly and turned back to my omelet. “Trust me, I don’t.”

She took a step closer. “You know, Nicholas and I have history. He appreciates a woman who takes care of herself.”

Her words made me stiffen, no matter how much I tried not to let them get to me. History. Once again, my mind wandered back to last night, when I had seen Nora standing in Nicholas’s study. I clenched my jaw and managed, “Is there a point to this conversation?”

She shrugged gracefully. “Just making conversation. Though perhaps you should consider hitting the gym more often. Or at all.”

Before I could respond, a deep voice interrupted.

“Nora, that’s enough.”

We both turned to see Nicholas standing in the doorway, his expression hard. His gaze locked onto Nora, a warning clear in his eyes. He was dressed in his jeans and jacket, the scent of the cool night air emanating off of his body. He must have been outside, not sleeping.

“Nicholas,” Nora purred, attempting a disarming smile. “We were just chatting.”

He stepped forward. “I heard enough. Go to bed.”

She bristled slightly. “I was only offering some advice.”

“Insulting my Luna isn’t advice,” he said coldly. “And if I find you commenting on her physical capabilities again, I’ll put you two in the sparring ring together—and I’ll bet on Kayla.”

Nora scoffed and crossed her arms. “She has no wolf. I could kick her ass in a heartbeat.”

I set my plate down with deliberate calm. “Wanna bet?”

She glanced at me, a mixture of surprise and disdain on her face. “You can’t be serious.”

“Try me.”

Nicholas watched the exchange with a hint of amusement. “First thing in the morning, then.”

Nora narrowed her eyes, clearly caught off guard. “Fine,” she snapped. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Looking forward to it,” I replied evenly.

She hesitated for a moment before spinning on her heel and stalking out of the kitchen, her robe fluttering behind her. The echo of her footsteps faded down the hall, followed by the sound of a slamming door.

Silence settled between Nicholas and me. I picked up my plate, suddenly not as hungry as before.

“You shouldn’t give in so easily to the whims of another woman,” he said quietly, folding his arms across his chest. “A proper Luna wouldn’t readily agree to sparring with a woman who she knows she’ll beat in a matter of moments.”

I shot him a glance through my brow. “Yeah, well, maybe I’m not a ‘proper Luna’. And besides, you’re the one who brought up the idea of a spar.”

Nicholas snorted softly and strode past me. “Fair enough,” he said. I watched as he filled a glass with water, then proceeded to chug all of it in one go.

“Out running or something?” I asked around a mouthful of omelet.

He shrugged and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Couldn’t sleep. Went for a run in my wolf form.”

At that, I felt a faint flush creep up my neck. I still didn’t know what Nicholas looked like in his wolf form, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know. Maybe it would make it even more difficult to deny him the next time he tried to convince me to become his fuck buddy, what with this mating mark and all.

And maybe it would just make me feel even worse for being a Luna with no wolf of her own.

“So,” I said, clearing my throat, “you’re okay with this? A fight?”

“I condone it,” he replied smoothly. “Consider it a sanctioned sparring match.” He pushed off the counter, stepping a bit closer. “But are you sure you’re up for it?”

“I can handle myself.”

“I don’t doubt that,” he murmured.

For a moment, we stood there, nothing more than a few inches between us. His gaze searched mine, then flicked down to my neck, the only part of me that was exposed beneath my baggy attire. Tiny fires seemed to shimmer to life behind his amber eyes, the lingering remnants of his wolf form.

I suddenly felt more self-conscious than I wanted to be.

Breaking the eye contact, I cleared my throat. “Well, I should get some rest.”

He nodded slowly. “Probably a good idea.”

I picked up my plate again and made my way to the door. Inwardly, I thought about how satisfying it would be to put Nora in her place. But even more than that… a tiny part of me wanted to show Nicholas exactly what I was capable of. That I could still be a good Luna, even without a wolf of my own. And maybe I wanted to prove that to myself, too.

Not that I’d ever admit that to him, or even to myself fully.

“See you in the morning, then,” I called over my shoulder before making my way up to my room.