Chapter 16 Kaidan
SIXTEEN
KAIDAN
After several hours of poring through dusty archive boxes in his office, Kaidan's shoulders ached from hunching over documents, but the satisfaction of building a solid case against Magnus made the discomfort worthwhile.
Papers covered every surface of his massive oak desk—territorial maps, weather charts, equipment failure incidents—all painting a damning picture of systematic sabotage spanning five years.
He glanced at Tessa, who sat curled in the leather chair across from him, her dark hair falling like a curtain as she studied a particularly damaging maintenance log.
The way her sharp green eyes analyzed each piece of evidence with scientific precision made his chest swell with pride. His mate was beautiful and intelligent.
"We should call it a night," he said, reluctant to end their productive collaboration but noticing the way she rubbed her temples. "Would you like to have dinner in my private chambers? We could eat by the fireplace and just relax after all this investigative work."
The invitation slipped out before he could second-guess himself. He fully expected her to politely decline and retreat to her guest suite, maintaining the careful distance she'd been trying to establish since their explosive night together.
"I'd love to spend more time with you," she said instead, surprising him completely.
Heat rushed through his veins at her acceptance. Having Tessa in his private chambers again—not unconscious from smoke inhalation this time but willingly choosing his company—felt like a victory more significant than any territorial dispute he'd ever won.
"Perfect." He stood, unable to keep the satisfaction from his voice as he pressed the intercom to summon his staff. "Bring dinner for two to my chambers. The full service."
The trek through the palace corridors felt charged with anticipation. Every step brought them closer to the intimacy of his private domain, where the formality of kingship could fall away and he could simply be Kaidan—the man who'd found his other half in the most unlikely circumstances.
His chambers welcomed them with flickering firelight and the rich scent of burning pine.
The massive stone fireplace dominated one wall, its carved mantelpiece depicting generations of polar bear shifters in their animal forms. Kaidan guided Tessa to the leather sofa positioned to take advantage of the fire's warmth, noting how she settled into the cushions with obvious relief.
Within minutes, his staff arrived with silver-domed trays that filled the air with savory aromas.
The servers—members of his clan who'd worked in the palace for decades—couldn't quite hide their curious glances at the intimate dinner arrangement.
When one lingered a moment too long, clearly prepared to make some comment about propriety, Kaidan fixed him with a stare that could freeze Arctic wind.
The man immediately busied himself with arranging the meal and departed without a word.
"Impressive," Tessa murmured once they were alone. "Do all your subjects respond to the death glare, or just the smart ones?"
"Most learn quickly that questioning their king's choices leads to uncomfortable conversations." He settled beside her on the sofa, close enough to catch her floral scent but careful not to crowd her. "Though I suspect you'd argue with me regardless of any glares I might attempt."
"Probably." She lifted the dome from her plate, revealing perfectly grilled salmon with roasted vegetables. "Someone has to keep that ego of yours in check."
The casual teasing sent warmth through their bond, and Kaidan found himself relaxing in a way he rarely allowed. Here, with Tessa beside him and no clan obligations demanding his attention, he could almost forget the weight of leadership that pressed constantly on his shoulders.
"Tell me about your parents," Tessa said as they began eating. "Elora mentioned your father was king before you, but I don't know much about your family history beyond the territorial disputes."
Kaidan set down his fork, memories surfacing with the familiar ache of old grief.
"We lived in a small cabin until I was five.
Simple life—my father worked as a hunter and tracker, my mother tended our home and the community's children when needed.
Then the feud with Magnus's family escalated beyond normal clan rivalries. "
He stared into the dancing flames, remembering fragments of shouting voices and his parents' hushed, worried conversations after they thought he'd fallen asleep.
"Magnus was ten at the time, old enough to understand what was happening when his father challenged mine for leadership after the king at the time had died unexpectedly with no living heir.
The battle was brutal—not just physical, but political.
When my father won, everything changed overnight.
Suddenly we were living in this palace, and I went from being just another clan kid to the future king. "
"That must have been overwhelming," Tessa said softly. "Going from a normal childhood to royal expectations."
"My mother helped me adjust. She was... remarkable.
Strong, compassionate, never let the palace formality change who she was.
" The familiar tightness gripped his chest. "She died when I was twelve.
Pneumonia swept through the territory that winter, and even with our enhanced healing, she couldn't fight it off. "
Tessa's hand found his, her fingers intertwining with his larger ones. The simple touch sent comfort through their bond that no words could have provided.
"And your father?"
"Stomach cancer, seven years ago. It moved fast—maybe three months from diagnosis to death.
At least he didn't suffer long." Kaidan's voice roughened despite his efforts to stay composed.
"I became king at twenty-eight, barely prepared for the responsibility.
Sometimes I wonder if he would have handled Magnus differently, and found a way to avoid this current mess. "
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." Tessa's green eyes held genuine sympathy. "Losing parents when you're young changes everything."
Something in her tone made him study her face more carefully. "What about your family?"
"My parents died in a motorcycle accident when I was ten.
Some driver ran a red light and..." She shrugged, but he could see the old pain in the set of her shoulders.
"My grandmother raised me after that. She was fierce—probably where I got my stubborn streak from.
She passed away two years ago from old age. "
"So we're both orphans now," Kaidan said quietly, understanding settling between them like a missing puzzle piece clicking into place.
"Seems that way." Tessa managed a small smile. "Though I'm sure your royal orphan experience is probably more comfortable than my small-town version."
Kaidan's bear stirred with protective instincts as he realized what her admission meant.
For two years, she'd been completely alone—no family, no support system beyond her friends.
The thought of his strong, beautiful mate facing the world without anyone to care for her made his chest ache with fierce protectiveness.
She has me now, he thought. If she chooses to stay, she'll never be alone again.
But he couldn't pressure her with those thoughts. Instead, he had to keep showing her how much she meant to him, how well they fit together, and how much better both their lives could be as a partnership.
"What about your career?" he asked, wanting to understand every piece of her life.
Tessa's expression darkened, anger flashing in her green eyes. "I got let go from my senior research position at Washington University a few weeks ago. Apparently, another male scientist was 'more adept for the job' than I was."
"That's ridiculous," Kaidan growled, his own anger rising at the injustice. "You're brilliant—anyone spending five minutes with you can see that."
"The head scientist didn't think so. Made up some bullshit excuse because he couldn't handle having a woman on his team who was smarter than him and called him out on errors he wanted to ignore before publication." She forcefully stabbed her vegetables. "Typical male ego protecting itself."
"That man sounds like a terrible scientist," Kaidan said, meaning every word.
The thought of anyone diminishing Tessa's capabilities made his protective instincts spike dangerously.
"Though, his loss worked out in my favor.
If you'd still been working there, you never would have been at that gala trying to find a new position. "
"True." Tessa's anger faded into something more thoughtful. "I never would have bumped into Gerri Wilder."
"About Gerri..." Kaidan hesitated, knowing this revelation might complicate things but needing honesty between them. "She's a paranormal matchmaker. That's her actual business—the Paranormal Dating Agency. She matches shifters with their fated mates and has a one hundred percent success rate."
Tessa nearly choked on her wine. "What?"
"I know how it sounds—"
"So Gerri set me up with you on purpose?" Tessa's voice rose with indignation. "Not really to help with Eli's research?"
"I don't think it's quite that way," Kaidan said carefully, recognizing the dangerous territory they'd entered.
"Gerri operates in mysterious ways, but never harmfully or selfishly.
She always tries to help others, and it just so happens that in the process, shifters find their fated mates in the women she introduces them to. "
"That's... weird."
"Weird, but effective. Every shifter I know who's had Gerri involved in their life ended up completely happy with their mate. She has some kind of sixth sense about these things that can't be explained."
Tessa stared into the fire, processing this information. "I noticed 'Paranormal Dating Agency' on her business card but assumed it was a side gig or something."
"Nope. That's her calling." Kaidan watched her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction. "Are you angry that she might have orchestrated this?"
"I should be," Tessa said slowly. "But if she has a perfect success rate, she must be doing something right. And honestly?" She turned to meet his gaze. "I can't be too upset because I ended up being right here with you."
The admission that she couldn't be upset about ending up with him struck Kaidan like lightning through his chest. The vulnerability in her green eyes and the honest acceptance of their impossible situation, made his bear surge with possessive satisfaction.
She wanted this—wanted him—despite every logical reason to run.
Unable to restrain himself another second, Kaidan leaned forward and captured her lips with his.
The kiss ignited instantly, desperate and hungry, as if they'd been starving for each other despite sharing a bed just last night.
Her soft moan vibrated against his mouth, and he deepened the connection, one hand threading through her silky dark hair while the other pulled her closer against his chest.
She tasted like wine and promises, like everything he'd been searching for without knowing it.
The mate bond thrummed between them, electric and demanding, urging him to claim her again.
His control wavered dangerously as her tongue met his, bold and seeking, and he had to fight every instinct screaming at him to strip her bare and remind her exactly who she belonged to.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Kaidan rested his forehead against hers. The firelight danced across her flushed face, making her look like some ethereal creature conjured from his deepest fantasies.
"Come to bed with me," he said, the words somewhere between command and plea. "Just to sleep. I want to hold you tonight."
"I'd like that," she whispered, and the simple acceptance nearly undid him completely.
They moved to his bedroom in charged silence, the massive space dominated by his king-sized bed with its carved headboard depicting polar bears. Kaidan's hands shook slightly as he helped her out of her clothes, revealing the smooth skin beneath.
God, she was perfection.
When they were both naked and in his bed, he pulled her against his chest, skin to skin, and nearly groaned at the sensation.
Every nerve ending came alive where they touched, the mate bond singing with rightness.
Her soft breasts pressed against his muscled chest, her legs tangling with his longer ones, and he had to grit his teeth to maintain his promise of just sleeping.
"This is torture," he admitted, his voice a low rumble against her ear.
"Good torture or bad torture?" Tessa asked, and he could hear the smile in her voice.
"The kind that might kill me, but I'd die happy." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in her sweet floral scent. "You fit perfectly here."
She nestled closer, her hand splaying across his chest directly over his heart. "I never thought I'd want this. But with you, it feels..."
"Right," he finished when she trailed off.
"Yeah. So right."
As they settled into the warmth of his bed, Kaidan's mind wandered. Images of Tessa wearing a crown, standing beside him as he addressed the clans, ruling Frosthaven with the perfect balance of compassion and strength. His queen. His partner in every sense of the word.
Soon, he promised himself as sleep finally claimed him. Soon she'll realize this is where she belongs.