The morning air was crisp and refreshing, carrying the fresh scent of pine and a hint of impending rain. As they moved deeper into the forest, the canopy thickened overhead. Despite the breathtaking natural beauty that surrounded her, Emory’s thoughts were scattered, caught up in the blur of recent events.

In the quiet, following their strained conversation, Kane had grown increasingly silent, his steps deliberately brisk as they drew closer to the fractured chasm. From a few steps behind, Emory watched him, noticing the tension in his shoulders and the occasional clenching of his fists.

Noticing her own stride, Emory realized she could keep up with Kane’s pace far more easily than before. Her newfound strength as a hunter wolf allowed her to move swiftly, almost effortlessly. Yet, she deliberately slowed down, giving Kane some space to process his emotions. It was clear he was still upset about the revelation of her destined mate. She released the grip on her jacket, stretching her arms with a yawn, her mind drifting to Trey. He must be frantic with worry, cursing himself for letting her venture into Davelriden forest alone. She hoped he understood now that his presence could have put him at grave risk, especially with Seraphine lurking somewhere in the shadows. Something decisive needed to be done about Seraphine—mere warnings to stay away wouldn’t work.

Suddenly, Kane stopped and turned to face her. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice steady but carrying a seriousness that made her heart skip a beat.

A knot formed in Emory’s stomach, tightening with anticipation of his next words. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for the conversation. “What is it?” she asked.

Kane glanced over her shoulder at the regiment trailing behind them. With a subtle, commanding gesture, he signalled for them to continue on without stopping. They obediently moved past, leaving Kane and Emory in a temporary bubble of privacy. He towered over her, almost intimidating. Emory tilted her head slightly to maintain eye contact, but her gaze inadvertently drifted down to his broad chest, accentuated by the jacket that seemed too snug to contain him.

She found herself captivated by his unique appearance: his silver hair, those eyes that only glowed gold for her, and his imposing physique. It took all her willpower not to reach out and trace her fingers along his defined muscles and the intricate glyphs that marked his body. She wanted to know everything about him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to shake off these distracting thoughts.

“My eyes are up here,” he said, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile.

Embarrassed, she quickly met his gaze again, feeling a flush of heat rising to her cheeks. She managed a small, apologetic smile, then straightened up.

“Don’t act like this wasn’t your intention with that outfit,” she teased.

He grinned, unabashedly unrepentant and she thought he was stunning. “Well, you know what they say,” he replied with a mischievous wink, “clothes make the man.” Her smile widened in response. “Though I suspect you might prefer me without any at all.”

“Oh, is that so?” she replied, arching an eyebrow in mock surprise. “Well, I must admit, that would certainly make things more interesting.”

“I can’t argue with that,” he said, his voice dropping to a husky tone, heavy with desire. “But it’s not the clothes. It’s the way you look at me, the way you challenge me—it’s intoxicating. And I want more.”

He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her skin as he gently cradled her face in his hands. She met his heart stopping gaze, her breath catching in her throat. His lips grazed her neck, igniting a trail of shivers down her spine and a sensational warmth between her legs. As much as she wanted to get lost in Kane, to have him all over her, she knew this wasn’t the heart of the conversation he wanted to have.

“You said we needed to talk,” she whispered, interrupting his devious plans.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Yes, we do. But that can wait a moment longer.”

Emory playfully swatted his arm. “Behave yourself,” she chided, her laughter ringing softly around them. “Come on, I’m really curious about what you have to say.”

“It wasn’t going to be much of a discussion, really,” he shrugged dismissively. “I am not losing my mate to a Wulric. It’s not just unheard of—it’s downright unsafe. With Sera lurking about, the Lycan King’s protection simply isn’t enough; he’s too susceptible to her manipulations. You’re far safer with me, as destiny intended.”

She exhaled deeply. He was right; Seraphine had ensnared Rahl and the entire royal court in her devious web. As she realized Rahl hadn’t even come looking for her after his general and sentinels returned suddenly. Had Seraphine gone back to the king’s tower?

“If I don’t marry him, there will be no peace across the Empire,” she reminded Kane.

Kane reached out, his fingers intertwining with hers, offering a gentle squeeze of support. “You’re probably misinterpreting the prophecy. Remember, life isn’t always predetermined. If we were to” unite, do you believe the Lycans would still stand a chance against us?”

“That’s an interesting point,” she replied, slipping her hands from his. “But you’re overlooking the stance of your Crimson Wing, and now with Seraphine and her Shadow Sec stirring up trouble, aligning with Rahl might actually be the simplest path.”

“Simple?” Kane scoffed in disbelief. “Eilir, if you were meant for something simpler, you wouldn’t be a dragon king’s mate.” He caressed her hair, his smile warm and affectionate. “Your will matches mine; that’s why we belong together. Should I need to present you with the Wulric’s head as proof of my commitment, I would not hesitate.”

“The problem isn’t him, so there’s no need for such” gory solutions,” she said softly. “But why did you call me that? What does Eilir mean?”

The fierceness in his face faded, giving way to a softer look. “Eilir means “the one who brings spring,” for you have brought new life and warmth into my world,” he explained. His smile spread to his eyes, lighting them up with profound affection. “I cannot stand by and watch you sacrifice what we could have for mere duty.”

“Eilir,” she whispered, the name rolling off her tongue, a smile tugging at her lips as she savoured its uniqueness and the beautiful meaning he attached to it.

Also, he’d brought a lot of colour and passion to her once-monochrome life. Goddess, she thought, stunned by his silver hair and his effortless elegance. Biting her lip, she allowed her eyes to appreciate him once more, her heart fluttering at the thought of eventually unwrapping her delectable hunk of a mate.

With a tender touch, he brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. “Promise me one thing, Eilir. Whatever happens, do not reject me.”

Her eyes darted between his, a cheeky grin on her lips. “You noticed that, huh?” she asked, recalling how she intentionally avoided using those exact words when they parted earlier. He nodded.

“I don’t think I can promise that,” she admitted.

Her gaze dropped to the forest floor, tracing the intricate patterns of fallen leaves and twigs. When she looked up to meet his gaze again, she felt a heaviness in her chest.

“You are not giving us a chance, and it is becoming incredibly difficult not to take it personally,” Kane said quietly. He kissed her forehead—lingering a bit—before walking away.

Seeing Kane leave sent a sharp throb through her heart, even stronger than when she left his lair. She winced, massaging her chest to relieve the pain. That pain wasn’t something she wanted to suffer through again. “I didn’t think I would see you again after we said our goodbyes; at least not for a while. Or that seeing you again would make me so happy. Choosing you means there’s no turning back,” she whispered to the wind, hoping somehow her words would reach him.

Resting her hands on her hips, Emory looked up as the sun filtered through the thick canopy of trees, casting a mosaic of light and shadow around her. “Every time I think about you, or see you, I want nothing else. I’ve longed for you deeply since I shifted, and the thought of losing you to some ancient prophecy I care nothing for’” Her voice trailed off, and she swallowed against a lump.

Kane stopped in his tracks, turning back to look at her. The stern lines of his face softened as he met her gaze. He stepped back toward her. “Why not choose us then?”

“That’s because it won’t be easy with you either. Being with you will be harder than accepting my fate with Rahl. Your elders will never agree to this union. The Seraphine sector will fight it. This will only bring more chaos,” Emory explained.

He took another step forward, closing the distance between them. “Then let it be chaos. Yes, it will be hard. But the best things often are. As long as it’s our chaos. As long as we face it together, nothing else should matter.”

He gently cupped her face in his hands, the warmth of his touch soothing her nerves. As she gazed up into his eyes, his calm washed over her. “But think of what we could accomplish together,” he whispered softly.

Sweet Aworyn, his touch, his eyes—it was overpowering and stirring. “And what if we fail?” she asked.

Slowly, a smile spread across Kane’s face. “Then we fail together,” he said simply. “But we do it fighting for us, for a chance at happiness that’s chosen, not imposed. Isn’t that worth the risk?”

“It is,” she said, her voice trembling a little.

Just as he was about to respond, a sudden commotion caught his attention. He paused mid-sentence and glanced to the side just as the sound of engines reached her ears. Emory shook her head, annoyed at herself for being so absorbed in Kane’s presence that she hadn’t noticed sooner. She should have heard them coming from miles away. A fleet of black SUVs was now circling them, kicking up clouds of dust.

“Wolves,” Kane said before she could say anything.

“Hunter wolves,” she corrected with a small smile as the vehicles stopped.

“I suppose that is your brother,” he observed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the vehicles as if he could see everyone inside.

She looked him over suspiciously, noticing how his posture had straightened, and his left arm tucked elegantly behind his back.

“Emory!” Trey called out as he jumped from one of the six vehicles. His momentum stalled abruptly when he spotted Kane standing beside her. Those sharp, calculating green eyes locked on Kane as if he recognised him.

The clearing fell silent except for the leaves rustling around them. Emory stood a little bit ahead of her mate. Kane stood with a regal air, his posture relaxed but commanding, his expression neutral but his eyes—a deep, ancient fire burning within—watched Trey closely.

Emory knew all too well her brother’s protective nature, and with Kane’s regiment now circling back with an unholy speed, the potential for conflict was high. She needed to defuse the situation quickly.

“Trey,” greeted her brother as she walked to him. The hunters rallied behind Trey, forming a tight line behind him. She squeezed Trey in a brief, tight hug as she whispered, “You shouldn’t be here. Eleado” is Lycan territory.”

“I didn’t have a choice, Red. There was no trace of you for days. What’s going on?” His eyes darted back and forth between her and Kane with uneasy curiosity. Lowering his voice, he whispered, “That is not the Lycan King.”

She knew that the wolves were aware of the dragons circling the Empire; Seraphine had mentioned Rahl addressing the Empire about it. It was just a matter of introducing a dragon as her mate to a brother who brought her back to mate with the Lycan King. It’d mess up Trey’s plans.

“Alpha, incoming,” one of the hunters announced. Emory turned just in time to see Kane’s regiment swiftly rallying to his side. She inhaled deeply, her gaze shifting between the two most important men in her life.

“Those aren’t Lycans,” Trey pointed out, his attention still fixed on Kane.

“I know, Trey. There’s a lot I need to tell you, but right now, we need to keep calm. Everyone’s on edge, and we don’t need any more conflict,” she reassured him gently. “Come over here; I need to discuss something with you.”

Just then, one of the female hunters called out. “Lady Chav’re, I have a change of clothes here if you want,” she offered, holding up a green backpack. The offer snapped Emory back to the awareness of her own appearance—barely covered by the oversized coat.

“What happened to you?” Trey growled as he turned to Kane with a sharp look of accusation.

Grabbing her brother’s face, Emory gently but firmly turned his attention back to her. “I woke as a hunter and lost my clothes. K’” she paused, her eyes flickering to Kane and the elder dragons standing stoically beside him. “Lord Odreil didn’t do anything to me, okay?”

“Who is Lord Odreil?” Trey asked.

Emory sighed. “How about I change out of this?” she suggested, wanting a moment to collect her thoughts for the explanations that would follow. “He is an ally, Trey. They all are. Please, play nice,” she requested, her eyes pleading for understanding.

With a reluctant nod, Trey accepted her request.

Turning toward the hunter who held out the clothes, Emory gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you, I’d really appreciate that,” she said and followed the hunter to a more secluded spot behind the heavy foliage, leaving Trey to process the situation.

As she walked away, Emory was very aware of the confusion and uncertainty she was leaving in her wake. But she had to get out of the sentinel jacket. Once she was properly dressed, she would have to introduce Kane and her brother. It was going to be a long conversation.