Be the spotlight on the lonley stage

"I haven't said anything about it to her," he confessed. There had been a few opportunities for such a discussion, but Koda tended to forget important stuff when Kesuk was around, being all sexy in front of him. He was still very much in the honeymoon phase, and this being his first real relationship, he'd never learned how to have a proper discussion.

"I knew she liked adventure, but I thought she would settle down once she became my mate," he recalled. His sister had been a bit like Kesuk, rebellious and restless. Mateship and motherhood had forced her to rein in her wild spirit. She went on to become a devoted wife and mother, a pillar of the community. Their father had said he was proud that she had finally made something of herself.

Koda suddenly realized he did not want Kesuk to be anything like his sister. He'd always thought that Kaia had the good life: the devoted husband, the adorable kids, the high rank and all the privileges that came with it, the whole package. He'd wanted to give all this and more to his precious mate. But in retrospect, he could see that Kaia had been unhappy in her role, just forcing herself to go through the motions for the sake of appearances. He wanted Kesuk to have real happiness.

But what about him? Could he be happy with a mate that liked to wander so far from his side? Could he ever quiet the nagging thoughts that she could be in danger, or she could be hooking up with random dudes?

"I want her to be happy, I really do," he told Osprey. "But how is this gonna work out? I'm never gonna stop worrying about her when she's gone." Koda sighed and sank back, suddenly feeling defeated. It wasn't as if he could just wish away his feelings. He could mask them, but he could never stop feeling them deep down.