My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 166: Warm Sendoff

Violet

Two more days passed before we left.

Two days of carefully avoiding prolonged conversations, of Mira’s knowing looks and gentle suggestions that we ’talk things through’ despite the excuse Rowan had given her. It was strange how she pried and talked a lot, but knew when to not touch on an issue at the same time.

It was somewhat eerie even.

We all stood outside, bags packed, and the morning sun casting long shadows across the carefully tended wood land.

Mira and Bae had come out to see us off.

Rowan looked a lot different without his coat. He had packed it away in the large satchel bag Mira had given him, and now he wore only the loose shirt and trousers she’d found for him. The fabric hung on him in a way that somehow made him look bigger than before. His broad shoulders filled out the simple clothing a lot more, and the movement of muscle was slightly visible beneath the already thick material when he shifted his weight.

I looked away, uncomfortable with how much I had noticed.

’No, it shouldn’t even be my problem. It’s literally out there for everyone to see.’

Even Bae glanced at him sometimes, confused.

"Thank you," I said to Mira, forcing my attention back to the older woman’s kind face. "For everything. We are sorry to have intruded—"

"Oh, hush." Mira waved a hand dismissively. "You don’t owe me anything, dear. I am only glad to have had lovely visitors like you both. I am just glad I could help."

Her eyes moved between us again with that same gentle knowing look.

Rowan stepped forward then, and before I could process what he was doing, he took Mira’s hands in his.

He bent slightly, pressing a kiss to the back of each one with a courtly grace that seemed to come naturally to him.

"Thank you." He smiled, looking between both her and Bae. "I am very grateful for your kindness, for welcoming us into your home and for taking good care of her when I couldn’t."

Mira’s face flushed slightly, as if she pleased and flustered at the same time.

"Oh, you charmer." Her smile was wide. "You take care of each other, please. And I hope you find your friends in good health."

I smiled faintly, touched. "Thank you."

Bae nodded at us. "Safe travels, both of you."

Rowan inclined his head respectfully, and I copied the gesture.

Then we turned and started walking. We glanced back a few times to find Mira still waving at us while Bae stared. Each time we looked back, Rowan would without fail wave back, and it made me feel a bit left out.

The last time I turned, this time to wave, they had already turned back towards the house.

I silently sulked and dropped my hand only to hear a small chuckle.

I glanced at Rowan with a small frown to find him facing forward, his lips pursed inward and pressed tight.

Ignoring him, I kept my eyes forward, my hands gripping the straps of the bag Mira had also given me. It was nicer than the one I had been carrying before. While it wasn’t entirely as sturdy, it was far more comfortable to carry, and it had these small pockets both inside and outside that could close.

The silence stretched between us as we made our way down the path that led away from Mira’s house and toward the borders marking the pack.

After a while, the words finally forced their way out.

"Thank you."

Rowan’s head turned slightly toward me, and when I glanced at him, his eyes brightened.

He was happy.

"It’s alright," he said quietly. "I—I was really worried, but I am glad we were able to find help quickly."

"I appreciate it," was all I said in response.

’Was that enough...?’

I didn’t know how else to show my appreciation.

The silence continued before he broke it again, sounding apologetic.

"There hadn’t been any fruit anywhere I looked. I wanted to find something for you, but there was nothing, so I just tried to get to the nearest place as fast as I could."

I nearly stopped, his words catching me off guard.

He had tried looking for something for me to eat first after I had collapsed?

"I didn’t know. Thank you," I whispered, a bit embarrassed and ashamed.

This was my fault.

"Did you..." I hesitated, trying to change the conversation. "All that food. Do you really eat that much?"

Rowan’s face flushed slightly, and he looked away.

"Not all the time," he said quickly.

I stared at him, slightly surprised that anyone could consume that amount of food in one sitting. Even if he had been starved for days...

"That’s... a lot," I said weakly.

He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. "I hadn’t eaten in a while. And I needed to... recover."

His voice trailed off, and I felt guilt twist in my stomach again.

Because of me.

He had pushed himself to that point because of me.

I stopped and turned to look up at him. Rowan also stopped. He looked surprised.

"Why are we stopping?"

"Nothing, I..." I lowered my head and rubbed the back of my hands. "I just wanted to apologise. You didn’t get to stop and eat because of me and—"

He laughed nervously, and I looked up, surprised by the reaction. His smile was gentle and he lowered his gaze.

"It is fine, and it is my fault in a way. I have caused you a lot of discomfort, and with what I did, it was only right you would react that way. You were distraught, I understand."

My chest tightened. He wasn’t entirely wrong, but still...

"What if you had died?" My eyes widened and I slapped my hands to my mouth. "I did not mean—"

Rowan shook his head, the smile still on his face. "I won’t. I know my limits, and that won’t necessarily be enough to kill me."

"Oh..."

We stood in that awkward silence for a moment before continuing to walk.

We were heading toward the capital now. The place where I planned to lose him and find a way across the sea before he could track me.

But the plan felt a lot weaker now.

And I was less certain.

Could I really do this?