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AlaricI haven't left Sage’s side in the thirty-six hours since Cassius's violation triggered her crisis. The doctors' insistence that he stay close by has left a gnawing rage brewing under my skin, like an itch I can’t find a way to scratch. I watch my beautiful, perfect mate as she sleeps, relieved to find her peaceful despite the trauma she’s suffered. My hand rests protectively over hers where it cradles our child, the subtle movements beneath her skin confirming our baby's resilience despite the circumstances threatening them both.A raised voice from the connected chamber draws my attention – not loud enough to disturb Sage's much-needed rest, but carrying clear tension that suggests an opportunity I can’t ignore. I position myself near the connecting door left partially open, shamelessly eavesdropping."—completely unacceptable," Daphne's cultured voice carries unmistakable fury beneath her controlled volume. "You assured me this arrangement was temporary and wouldn't affect ou
Alaric"I heard voices, arguing." Sage murmurs, eyes finally opening to confirm my presence. And even in the midst of the chaos around us, the sparkling amethyst pools take my breath away. "Cassius and Daphne," I confirm quietly, my position shielding her from the connecting doorway where their conflict continues with decreased volume but undiminished intensity. "Disagreement about current arrangements."Understanding dawns in her expression – the implications of their conflict registering the same conclusion I already came to. For the first time in days, I see hope flare in her eyes, a wicked smirk pulling at her lips despite everything she;s been through. And I’d do anything to keep that look on her face.The medical chamber door opens, interrupting our silent communication as an older doctor enters to assess my mate. His professional detachment carries something almost like sympathy as he notes our silent communication, awareness of our situation evident beneath his clinical exteri
SageThe old doctor's hands move efficiently as he completes his final assessment, eyes darting toward the surveillance camera before leaning closer to check my pulse. His fingers press a small scrap of paper into my palm."Your vitals are strong enough for transfer," he announces loudly. "Your new accommodations are being prepared as we speak."I slip the paper beneath my blanket while Alaric positions himself between us and the camera. Shared anticipation pulses between us– the first real chance since our capture."When exactly will security protocols be suspended?" Alaric breathes, the question audible only to us."0800 to 0835," the doctor murmurs, adjusting my IV with practiced movements. "Standard procedure to allow the necessary medical equipment to be moved without damaging the security system’s radio frequencies.."Thirty-five minutes. A narrow window that might be our only opportunity. I can practically feel Alaric’s mind working, calculating timing, variables, potential obst
Sage"Now," Alaric says the moment Daphne’s footsteps fade beyond hearing range.His movement to the doorway carries predatory silence born of centuries of hunting heritage. The corridor outside remains momentarily clear, guard rotations creating a brief opportunity we take full advantage of."Three minutes until the doctor reaches the communication point with Garrett and our men, if he isn’t stopped," Alaric whispers, helping me from bed with careful movements balancing speed against my still-recovering strength and my ungainly belly. "Seven minutes until the guards return."The understanding of the critical timing required crackles like electricity between us – so many moving parts, narrow windows within windows, our success depending on precise execution without room for error. My legs wobble slightly as I stand, my body still recovering from the bond rejection crisis that nearly killed me days earlier and my power still muted by the steady diet of drugs Cassius has kept me on."I c
SageWe reach the connecting doorway just as Daphne's composure shatters completely, her elegant hand sweeping equipment from a nearby table with surprising strength. "You promised me partnership in creating a new order, not a position of convenience while you pursue your sick personal obsession with breeding your former mate!"Alaric moves with lethal silence, shifting into the perfect strike position without detection. His hands find Daphne's neck almost without looking, twisting with minimal effort until her head goes slack.The sickening crack echoes through the room with dreadful finality. Her body crumples with a graceful elegance belying her violent end, her life extinguished between one heartbeat and next without any warning. She likely died before her impending death even registered, not the agony she deserved.Cassius's usual flat affect quickly betrays his shock– eyes widening, pulse visibly pounding at his throat, his gaze flitting between us as he struggles to understand
Alaric Her scream tears through the night, pulling me from light sleep to instant alertness. Beside me, Sage thrashes against invisible restraints, her hands frantically grasping at her now-flat stomach."My baby!" Terror fills her voice, eyes open but seeing something from nightmares rather than our darkened bedroom. "He's taken him! Cassius has taken our pup!""Sage," I speak firmly but gently, careful not to touch her until recognition returns. We've learned this lesson over the three weeks since our son's birth. She’ll lash out, unseeing, unless I bring her back to me first. "You're home. You're safe. Cassius is dead."Her wild gaze finds mine, confusion and fear gradually yielding to dawning awareness. The connection between us pulses with her panic, then relief as reality reasserts itself."The baby?" Her voice breaks on the question, hands still protectively covering her abdomen."Right here." I gesture to the cradle beside our bed where our son sleeps peacefully, somehow undis
AlaricWe find Iris in the nursery, humming softly to our son who has awakened and studies his aunt with solemn curiosity that seems impossible in one so young. His awareness has unnerved more than one pack member who expects newborn behavior from the infant who watches everything with an unsettling focus."There's my little prince," Sage says, her voice transforming as she takes him from Iris. All traces of her nightmare fade as she cradles our son, her entire being softening with a love that flows freely between all three of us.Alexander. Named for strength, for leadership, for the new era his birth represents. His tiny hand wraps around Sage's finger with surprising force, his violet eyes - exactly matching his mother's unusual color - fixing on her face with that uncanny focus."He's hungry," Sage says, settling in the rocking chair beside the window. As she adjusts her nightgown, Iris quietly excuses herself, leaving our small family in peaceful privacy.I watch them together, th
Six months laterMoonlight streams through the ancient windows of our private chambers, painting silver patterns across Sage's bare skin as she dresses for the ceremony. I pause in adjusting my formal attire, momentarily captivated by the sight of her. Six months of motherhood and recovery have transformed her – not back to who she was before, but into someone new, stronger, with a quiet confidence that takes my breath away."You're staring," she says without turning, a smile in her voice as she reaches for the ceremonial dress laid across our bed."Admiring," I correct, moving behind her to help with the intricate fastenings. "My queen. My mate. The mother of my son."My fingers linger against her skin, tracing the silver mark on her neck that now pulses with a connection deeper than anything we shared before Alexander's birth. The horrors we endured somehow strengthened rather than weakened what binds us together.Sage turns in my arms, her hands smoothing the front of my formal jack
Lyra The morning light is a soft intrusion, warm on my eyelids and tangled limbs. I wake in the circle of his arms, the night before replaying in vivid, lingering bursts. My body is a symphony of aches and satisfaction, reminders of just how thoroughly bonded we have become.I shift slightly, feeling the press of his skin against mine, and my breath catches at the heady intimacy of it. He murmurs something in his sleep and pulls me closer, as if even unconscious he can't bear for there to be any distance between us. The memory of our first night together blooms in my mind, a kaleidoscope of sensation and emotion.I remember the way he groaned my name as I collapsed against him, spent and breathless, the echo of our shared release reverberating through the bond."Does it hurt?" he asked.It had, but not in the way he meant. The stretch of him inside me was so overwhelming, so intense, but exquisitely good, and the moment I adjusted, it was as if my body couldn't get enough."More," I
Alexander I close the distance between us in one stride, my mouth finding hers with newfound urgency. Her response is immediate and enthusiastic, her body arching into mine as her arms wind around my neck. I tug gently at her loosened tunic, breaking the kiss only long enough to ask, "May I?"She nods, and I slip the garment from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. My breath catches at the sight of her—strong and lithe from years of healing work, skin pale gold in the afternoon light, the curve of her waist flaring into hips still covered by her leggings. The binding around her chest is utilitarian rather than decorative, but somehow all the more appealing for its practicality."You're beautiful," I tell her, because it's true and because the flush that spreads across her cheeks at the compliment is worth any momentary awkwardness."You're still wearing too many clothes," she points out, fingers already working at the fastenings of my shirt.I laugh, the sound rusty with dis
Alexander I stand in the doorway of Lyra's chambers, all my carefully prepared words evaporating at the sight of her. She looks exhausted but resolute, chin lifted slightly in that way I've come to recognize means she's bracing for an argument. The bond between us pulses with conflicting emotions—relief at our proximity battling with the lingering tension from our courtyard confrontation."Can I come in?" I ask, my voice softer than I intended.She nods, stepping back to allow me entry. I close the door behind me, grateful for the privacy after our too-public disagreement earlier."I owe you an apology," I begin, pride giving way to more important priorities. "My reaction to your return was..." I search for the right word."Possessive? Accusatory? Completely unfair?" she supplies, though the slight curve of her lips takes some sting from the words."All of the above," I admit with a rueful smile. "I was worried sick, Lyra. The bond separation, the power surges, the reports of Vega's a
Lyra The palace looks different this time—less intimidating, more like a potential sanctuary than a gilded prison. Maybe it's because I'm not arriving as a captive or a curiosity, but as someone making a conscious choice to return. Or maybe I'm just too exhausted to be intimidated anymore."You okay?" Kieran asks, pulling his horse alongside mine as we approach the eastern gate."Just tired," I assure him, though that's only part of the truth. The bond with Alexander strengthens with every hoofbeat closer to the palace, the familiar silver warmth spreading through my chest after days of uncomfortable stretching.The guards at the gate snap to attention when they recognize me, their expressions a mixture of relief and curiosity. They wave us through with minimal questions, though I notice how their eyes linger on Kieran and the other healers with suspicion.Some things haven't changed, then.The eastern courtyard bustles with activity—servants carrying supplies, guards changing shifts,
Alexander "Your Highness, the eastern patrol has returned."I look up from the maps spread across my desk to see Captain Merrick standing at attention in the doorway. The grim set of his mouth tells me he's not bringing good news."Report," I command, straightening to my full height."We've confirmed the presence of at least eight individuals matching Northern territory descriptions moving through the eastern forests." He points to the area on my map where Lyra's healing community had relocated. "They're using search patterns consistent with tracking specific targets, not random patrols."My stomach knots. "How close to the healer settlement?""Too close," he admits. "Less than five miles from their last known location."A surge of power—part Alpha, part healing—runs through me at the news, making the maps glow faintly beneath my hands. I've been fighting these manifestations all day, each one stronger than the last as the bond between Lyra and me stretches with our separation."Shit,
Lyra "What existed between us was real," I acknowledge quietly. "Friendship, respect, potential for more. I never denied that.""And now?" His question carries no accusation, only sincere desire to understand where my boundaries are now."Now complexity exists where once things seemed so simple between us, so easy." I reply, honesty demanded by years of trust between us. "The bond with Alexander doesn't erase what came before, but it changes the context irrevocably."He reaches out slowly, giving me time to withdraw if I choose, and gently brushes a strand of hair from my face. The casual intimacy of the gesture—one he's performed countless times before—suddenly carries a different weight, awareness crackling between us like the static before a storm."If fate hadn't intervened," he murmurs, "if you'd never met him...""We can't know that path because we're not walking it," I interrupt gently, though I don't pull away from his touch. "Speculating about what might have been only makes
LyraThe familiar scents of wild herbs and wood smoke welcome me as we crest the final ridge overlooking our community's temporary settlement. After the palace's overwhelming grandeur, the simple cluster of hide tents and wooden shelters feels like drawing a deep breath after being underwater too long. My shoulders relax instinctively, the tight knot of tension court life created beginning to loosen."You look happier already," Kieran observes, pulling his horse alongside mine. His green eyes study me with the perception that comes from years of friendship. "The palace weighs on you.""It's... different," I acknowledge, remaining deliberately neutral despite the relief coursing through me. "Complex in ways I never imagined.""And the prince?" he asks carefully. "Is he worth the complexity?"The question carries layers beneath its simplicity. Through our temporarily stabilized bond, I feel Alexander's presence like a silver thread stretched thin but unbroken between us. Even discussing
Alexander Throughout the day, power surges continue with increasing frequency and intensity. During an afternoon security briefing, my Alpha energy flares so strongly that decorative weapons mounted on the walls rattle in their holdings. Later, while reviewing border reports, healing power manifests as visible glow surrounding my hands, making parchment maps luminescent where I touch them.By evening, controlling these manifestations requires constant focus, draining energy needed for royal duties that cannot be postponed despite my discomfort. The council reconvenes to discuss increased activity along the eastern border—reports of strangers matching Northern territory descriptions moving through regions where healing communities traditionally hide."Vega's agents, most likely," Dominic assesses, pointing to locations marked on the tactical map. "Their movement patterns suggest searching rather than random patrol.""Searching for what?" Lord Harrison questions."Not what—who," I corre
Alexander The council chamber feels like a trap this morning—a gilded cage of obligation, duty, and politics that keeps me from what I truly want to be doing. My attention drifts repeatedly toward the window, toward the eastern gate where I know Lyra will soon depart with Kieran. Every instinct rebels against letting her leave the palace, letting her travel with another man who clearly harbors feelings for her."Your Highness?" Lord Harrison's voice cuts through my distraction. "Your thoughts on the Northern territories' proposal?"I refocus on the documents before me, forcing composure over agitation. "Their offer of partial reparations is insufficient," I state, scanning the diplomatic language that disguises the Northern delegation's attempt to minimize consequences for their actions. "They participated in an unprovoked attack on our throne. I won’t accept anything less than full accountability."The council members exchange glances, some approving, others concerned."The Northern