Chapter 268: His insomnia

Yuki raced through the garden, her clothes clamped between her wolf’s jaws as her paws pounded against the ground. She had never run so fast in her life. The trees and flower beds blurred past her, the morning breeze rushing through her white fur as she desperately tried to put as much distance as possible between herself and the manor.

Especially Killian’s bedroom.

She would never live this down if anyone discovered what had happened that morning. Never.

The white wolf darted past the garden gates and into the woods, weaving between the trees with a speed that shocked even Yuki. By the time she reached a secluded spot beneath the thick canopy, her heart was still racing, though she wasn’t entirely sure whether it was from the run or the memory of waking up tangled with Killian.

She shifted back into her human form and immediately bent to retrieve her clothes. She had barely straightened when a rustling sound came from behind her.

Yuki froze.

Another sound followed, closer this time. Her pulse jumped hard against her throat as she spun around, clutching her clothes against her naked body.

A jet-black figure suddenly burst through the leaves.

An enormous black wolf emerged from the undergrowth, its broad shoulders and powerful legs making it look terrifyingly imposing. The sheer size of the beast was enough to send Yuki stumbling backwards. Her legs gave way, and she landed on the forest floor with a startled gasp.

’Snow. What are you doing here?’

Kaden’s voice rang through her mind.

Before Yuki could recover from the shock, the enormous wolf shifted. Its black fur disappeared as its bones rearranged, and moments later, Kaden stood before her.

He was shirtless, wearing nothing but a pair of pyjama shorts. His long black hair, which he usually tied into a bun, fell freely over his shoulders. Apparently, he had decided to go for a morning run. Thanks to his Lycan ancestry, he didn’t have to worry about his clothes ripping whenever he shifted, unlike ordinary werewolves.

Unfortunately, Yuki had far more pressing concerns than his wardrobe. She was naked in the woods with Kaden Ravencourt. Of all the people who could have stumbled upon her, why did it have to be him?

"I was just coming back from a run," she blurted out, hoping her voice sounded more convincing than she felt.

Kaden stared at her for a moment before squatting in front of her. His loose hair spilt over one shoulder as he rested his forearms on his knees, studying her with those unnervingly sharp blue eyes.

"I was in the woods, Snow. You clearly came from the manor."

Yuki’s stomach tightened. The bastard had dismissed her excuse before she had even finished making it.

"Well, I..." She tightened her grip on her clothes, desperately searching for a better explanation.

Kaden reached out and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him when she tried to turn away.

"Don’t lie to me." His voice lowered, losing the casual edge it had carried moments earlier. "Why were you running from the manor in your wolf form, Yuki?"

She swallowed.

Kaden’s gaze remained fixed on her face until his nose twitched. He went still, drawing in another breath as though he had caught something unexpected. Then his eyes narrowed.

Oh, no.

Yuki knew that expression. She had seen it often enough to recognise when Kaden was putting pieces together in his head. His gaze shifted towards the manor, specifically the direction of Killian’s wing. Heat crawled up the back of her neck.

"You also smell like him, Snow," Kaden drawled, leaning closer.

His voice had grown hoarse, and the hand beneath her chin tightened slightly.

Yuki’s mind raced. There was no way she could tell him the truth. How was she supposed to explain that she had apparently sleepwalked into Killian’s bedroom, curled up against him and woken up with their tails tangled together? She would rather dig a hole and bury herself alive.

"I had a bad night," she began, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a stroll. I must have wandered into Killian’s wing by mistake."

Kaden’s expression remained unimpressed. "By mistake?"

"Yes." Yuki nodded quickly. "I saw him there, and we talked for a bit. He suggested I go for a run since I was already awake, so I did."

The words sounded thin even as she said them. She waited for Kaden to call her out on it, her fingers tightening around the clothes pressed against her chest.

He didn’t.

Instead, he stared at her for a long moment, his blue eyes moving over her face as though he were trying to decide whether she was telling the truth. His jaw tightened, and Yuki instinctively shrank beneath his scrutiny.

His gaze briefly travelled over her exposed shoulders, her throat, and the line of her collarbones, searching with a precision that made her skin prickle. He was checking for marks. Bite marks. Scratches. Anything that would suggest something more than a late-night conversation had taken place.

Whatever he was looking for, he seemed relieved not to find it. The tension in his jaw eased, although the suspicion in his eyes remained.

Finally, he stood.

"Get dressed and head to your room," he ordered.

Yuki blinked up at him. "That’s it?" she blurted

Kaden raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to ask more questions?"

"No!"

The answer escaped her before she could stop herself.

A faint smirk tugged at his mouth. "Then get dressed."

With that, he shifted back into his enormous black wolf form. He gave her one last look before turning and disappearing between the trees, his powerful legs carrying him away without another word.

Yuki remained on the ground, staring after him. Only when she could no longer hear his movements did she finally release the breath she had been holding. Her hands were still shaking as she pulled her clothes on and forced herself to move.

********

An hour later, the heavy grand doors of the formal dining room were pushed open. Killian stepped into the opulent hall, impeccably dressed in a tailored charcoal suit and a crisp white shirt, looking every bit the pristine Alpha Lord. He was the last person to arrive for breakfast.

His sharp blue gaze flickered briefly toward the far end of the long mahogany table, alighting on Yuki, who kept her eyes glued to her silver tea set, deliberately pretending he didn’t exist.

Killian smoothly pulled out his chair and took his seat at the head of the table.

Kaden, seated across from him in his military uniform, glanced up from his plate, his voice dripping with subtle provocation. "It’s rare for you to be late to breakfast, brother."

From the head of the family podium, Alexander chimed in, setting his linen napkin down. "Are you still having issues sleeping, Killian?"

Yuki’s hand froze mid-air, her teacup hovering an inch above its saucer. Her brows furrowed in genuine confusion. Sleeping issues?

Aevia reached across the table, gently placing her hand over Alexander’s, her violet eyes filled with maternal concern as she looked at her stepson. "What sleeping issues, Killian? Is something wrong?"

Killian adjusted his cuffs, his voice smooth and dismissive. "It’s nothing to worry about. Just a light workload."

"Nonsense," Alexander cut in firmly, shutting down his eldest son’s deflection. "You’ve been suffering from severe insomnia for weeks, barely getting a few hours of fitful sleep a night. Relying on heavy suppressants and neural medication just to shut your mind off isn’t normal, Killian. You need to stop overthinking every tactical variable in the pack."

Yuki sat in stunned silence, her emerald eyes subtly darting toward Killian. He looked perfectly composed. There were no dark circles under his eyes, no physical strain in his posture. In fact, he looked remarkably refreshed.