June's POV

“What?” Damian blurted out so loudly. His voice snapped through the quiet like someone had dropped glass.

I blinked, still processing what Kael had just said. Mate. He said I was his mate. Out loud. In front of people. And not just people—his Beta and Delta. Two men who clearly hadn’t seen this coming.

Kael didn’t so much as flinch at Damian’s outburst. He turned his head slightly toward me and said, “Let’s get going.” he sounded like he didn't care. Just like that. Like he hadn’t just upended the entire room. I opened my mouth to say something, anything—but I didn’t get the chance.

Beth’s hand shot out and grabbed mine tightly. “June,” she whispered, her voice shaking, “you’re mated to the Lycan King?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I—” I turned to her, but I couldn’t even form the words. “I didn’t know how to… It’s complicated, Beth.”

“Complicated?” Her eyes were wide, her skin pale. “That’s the Kael Alistair .You’ve been holding this in all this time?! Is this why you ran away from home?”

My cheeks turned red at her questions but I didn’t have time to explain. Because then Aster stepped forward.

“No, no,” he said quickly, waving a hand. “Everyone’s getting it wrong. I wasn’t talking about June.”

Beth and I froze.

Kael narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about, Aster?” he was being such a talkative now.

Aster’s eyes slid to Beth and stayed there. His smile softened, turned from teasing to something else entirely, something focused and unfamiliar.

“I meant her,” he said, nodding slowly, deliberately. “The lovely girl over there.”

Beth’s hand went stiff in mine. He looked directly at her, tilted his head like he was taking in every inch of her presence, and then said—so softly it made my skin prickle—“Mate.”

I swear my stomach dropped through the pavement.

“What the hell?” Damian barked. “Aster, what do you mean mate?!”

Aster didn’t look away from Beth. His gaze didn’t flicker even once.

“I mean,” he said calmly, “that she’s mine.” Beth let out a small, choked sound. She looked at me with something between panic and awe. “June… what is happening right now?”

I could barely speak. “I… I don’t know.” I replied just as confused.

Damian rubbed his temples. “I’m losing my damn mind,” he muttered, and without another word, turned and walked away. Aster didn’t even glance at him. He stepped forward, just a few feet now from Beth, and took her hand gently. He didn’t rush. He didn’t even ask. Just bowed slightly and brought her hand to his lips like this was the nineteenth century and not a private tarmac in the middle of nowhere. Beth looked like she might pass out.

“My name,” he said in a low voice, “is Aster. Beta of the Silver Veil Pack.”

She blinked. “I—I’m Elizabeth,” she stammered. “But everyone calls me Beth. I’m June’s best friend.”

He smiled again, and I swear the whole atmosphere around him changed, like the sun had found a way to shine just for him.

“A beautiful name,” he said, his voice almost reverent. “It suits you.” Beth’s entire face turned a deep crimson.

Kael, still standing beside the sleek black car at the edge of the landing strip, called out again, voice flat but with an edge of impatience. “June. I’m waiting.” he called out. I turned toward him numbly.

Beth looked at me, panicked. “What do I do?! What do I even say to that?!” she bit her lower lip.

I shook my head helplessly. “I… I don’t know. You want to come with me or—?”

Before I could finish, Aster stepped in. “I’ll take her to the pack house personally,” he said with a gentle smile, like it was already settled. “She’ll be safe with me.” Beth’s mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again.

“I—I guess that’s fine?” she said, more question than answer.

Aster reached for her bag, slinging it effortlessly over his shoulder. “You don’t have to decide anything now. Just… ride with me. Get to know me. That’s all.”

Beth gave me a wide-eyed look that said, What is even going on anymore? I didn’t have answers. I could barely breathe. I gave her a tight smile, squeezed her hand once, and then turned to Kael. He was standing beside a black SUV now, one hand on the door, watching me with that cool, unreadable expression. I nodded wordlessly and walked toward him. He opened the passenger door without a word, and I slipped inside. The moment the door shut, it was just the two of us again.

Kael climbed in beside me, started the engine, and pulled away from the runway. For a while, neither of us spoke. I stared out the window as the forest passed by in green-and-gray blurs.

Finally, I spoke out, “You didn’t tell me you’d announce it like that.” I said what had been on my mind since we stepped off the plane.

“I didn’t plan to,” he replied, eyes on the road. “But I wasn’t going to lie. Not to them.”

I swallowed, nerves crawling up my spine. “You really… meant it? What you said back there?” I asked with a swallow.

He glanced at me. “Do you think I would say that if I didn’t?” he said with his perfect eye brow raised. I didn’t know how to answer that.