Chapter 148

Following my honest conversation with Raymond in the library, the divorce proceedings moved faster than I'd expected. Filing those papers? I'd held my breath for weeks—finally I could exhale properly.

I signed my name with a heart that felt both heavy and resolved, officially ending a marriage that never really got started in the first place. Everyone's expectations, the pressure to make an arranged relationship work, the guilt over letting down well-meaning pack members—all of it just melted away from my shoulders.

The Alpha King moved quickly on our request. His swift action showed he understood both the unusual circumstances and Raymond's public support for my decision. Raymond's official statement to the pack was gracious and mature: "Luna Aurora deserves the freedom to choose her own happiness, and I respect her courage in pursuing it."

You could see Raymond's heartbreak if you knew him well, but his dignity throughout the whole process earned him respect from pack members who might've questioned our split otherwise. He handled our separation with the kind of leadership that proved he'd find genuine love someday—with someone who could love him back freely.

Kane's invitation showed up just three days after I finalized the divorce. The Moon Goddess herself might've orchestrated that timing. The letter was carefully written, respectful yet hopeful, asking if I'd visit to see the progress he'd made.

Kane, I would like to see what you've accomplished. I'll arrive next Friday if that's convenient. Aurora

I kept my response short but friendly enough to convey my honest excitement. For weeks my heart had been weighed down, but now? Pure possibility replaced all that crushing duty.

Friday came fast—too fast. I threw clothes into my bag while my stomach did backflips. The drive from Blood Moon's gentle hills to Kane's sharp mountain peaks felt like traveling between two different worlds.

When my car reached Kane's pack house, his changed appearance stopped me cold. The man walking toward me looked healthier. Confident. Actually happy.

"Aurora." Kane pulled open my car door, and there was that smile I remembered—bright as ever, though I caught the nervous edge underneath. "Thank you for coming."

"You look..." I paused, taking in all the positive changes radiating from his very core. "Wonderful."

His eyes sparkled clear and bright. He stood straighter now. No more stiff shoulders or that defensive edge that I had grown used to seeing. Kane looked like a man who'd finally learned to trust himself.

"You look incredible," Kane said, his eyes taking me in. "Freedom's a good look on you. Eve better than I thought it would be."

I almost laughed at how carefully he'd put that. "It’s been quite the journey getting here," I admitted carefully, not wanting to dump the whole Raymond disaster on our reunion.

Kane's face suggested he caught the deeper meaning, but he didn't pry. Today belonged to his achievements. Painful conversations could wait.

"Want to see what I've been up to?" He waved toward his territory, pride written all over his face.

"Absolutely."

Kane led me through his domain personally. The improvements everywhere blew me away. Buildings that looked abandoned during my last visit now gleamed with fresh paint and careful maintenance. Training grounds buzzed with pack members practicing—their enthusiasm infectious.

"People work harder when they know their Alpha gives a damn about their progress," Kane explained, pride evident in every word.

During our tour, his people approached us with genuine smiles and real affection for their Alpha. A young mother thanked Kane for the upgraded childcare that let her work without worrying about her kids. An elderly craftsman raved about the new workshop spaces that brought traditional arts back to life.

"He actually listens now," one pack member told me with clear satisfaction. "We bring him problems and he fixes them instead of saying he'll 'look into it later.'"

That comment warmed my heart. I remembered Kane's old habit of promising action but never following through when duties piled up. Watching the genuine connection between him and his people filled me with pride I probably didn't deserve—but couldn't help feeling.

At the medical center, Dr. Hawkins practically beamed when he saw us. "Alpha Kane! Perfect timing. Thanks again for those equipment upgrades. We handle surgeries now that used to mean shipping people out."

"Pack health comes first," Kane replied simply. I noticed how the medical staff approached him with real warmth instead of just doing their jobs.

During lunch at a pack-run café, I watched Kane engage with his people—patient, wise, present.

When the older pack members talked to him, their respect was genuine. You can't fake that kind of reverence—and you sure can't force it.

"Kane, what you've accomplished here..." I paused as we walked through the busy marketplace. "It's extraordinary." My voice caught on emotions I hadn't expected, but honesty demanded them.

Kane's answer came humble and thoughtful. "Leadership means service, not power. My people needed someone who'd put their welfare before his own comfort.

Kane opened up about his transformation honestly, detailing the daily grind of becoming worthy to lead others.

"I faced my fears head-on instead of numbing them," he said simply. "Stopped running from responsibility and embraced it. Most important lesson? Avoiding hard emotions just gives them more power over you."

"What clicked this time?" How had he broken free from habits that once seemed impossible to change? I really wanted to understand.

Kane met my gaze head-on. His usual guards were down, leaving only raw truth between us.

"Losing you broke me. Really broke me. I was so terrified of letting down everyone I cared about that I made sure it happened anyway—by running off and shutting everyone out."

We stayed up talking until way past midnight, jumping from serious Alpha business to dumb jokes that had us both cracking up. Kane wasn't just different on the surface. You could see it in how he handled his people, how he made choices.

"Aurora, I want to court you the right way this time," Kane said, his voice going quiet. "You deserve better than being treated like a sure thing or dismissed because someone thinks you're too much trouble."

My heart started racing. Kane wasn't done though.

"You deserve someone who values every moment with you. Someone who loves your strength and your mind instead of being scared of them. Someone who helps you grow instead of trying to hold you back."

Heat spread through my chest like morning sun cutting through fog. This was the Kane I'd always known was buried under all that fear—present, confident, offering real partnership instead of just demanding loyalty.

"I think I'd really like that," I whispered, unable to keep the smile off my face.

Kane's grin could've powered the whole mountain. "Let me show you how a man should treat someone when he knows how damn lucky he is to have her attention."

Kane walked me to the guest room he'd set up, and I felt like I was floating. The future was still uncertain, but it hummed with possibility.

Kane had faced down his demons and become the leader his pack needed. Now he wanted to prove he could be the partner I'd been hoping for all along.

This was more than I'd ever dared to dream.