Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Kieran
Daciana is sprawled over me. Her frame is much smaller than mine, so she lies on top of me easily. We’re in her bed, tangled in sheets that smell like us, like what we’ve done. The fated mate bond burns brightly between us, a constant pulse of connection I couldn’t shut off even if I wanted to.
I can feel everything through the bond—the soft, sleepy contentment that makes her limbs heavy, the gentle pull of exhaustion, the way she melts into me like she was made to fit against my chest.
I run my fingers through her hair, watching the firelight dance across the ceiling.
I can’t bring myself to regret this. Even knowing what I know—that this bond might be a curse, that something is hunting us—I can’t regret her. Whatever curse there may be, I’ll shatter it. I’ll keep my woman with me. I’ll protect her.
“Where did you go this afternoon?”
The sleepy question makes me freeze. My hand stills in her hair.
“Kieran?” Daciana lifts her head, my name a question on her lips.
I don’t answer. Can’t answer.
She sits up, and then—gods be damned—she straddles my hips.
We’re both still naked. Every curve of her body presses against mine, warm and soft and impossible to ignore. Heat floods through me, the bond urging me to pull her down, to lose myself in her again.
I grit my teeth, fighting for control. This position is torture.
“No more secrets.” Her hands flatten on my chest, her gaze fierce. “What are you hiding?”
The feel of her on top of me, the weight of her, the heat…I have to clench my jaw to keep from flipping her over right now. But the look in her eyes won’t let me deflect.
“I went to the grave.” The words come out slowly. “I used forbidden magic to see the female alpha’s last moments.”
She stiffens. “Forbidden magic?” Her voice rises slightly, worry flooding through the bond. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine now,” I assure her, though the memory of coughing up all that blood is still fresh. “I wanted to find out what had happened. I needed to know.”
She searches my face, her hands moving to frame my jaw now. I can feel her concern, sharp and immediate.
“She didn’t suffer, Daciana.” I hold her gaze, letting her see the truth in my eyes. “Your friend died peacefully. She didn’t even know what was happening. The vision just…faded. Like she was falling asleep.”
She sucks in a shuddering breath, tears gathering in her eyes. “Good.” Her voice breaks. “Good.”
Relief washes through her—I feel it through the bond, profound and raw. She has been terrified that the wolf had suffered, that her guardian had been in agony.
“I saw something else,” I continue. “The person who killed her. I couldn’t see his face, but he has a scar on the inside of his wrist. An old burn mark—ugly, puckered. The kind that comes from a deep burn. It seemed like a scar left from ritual magic.”
She wipes at her eyes, and I see her mind already working through the implications. “I’ve never seen a mark like that on anyone.” She pauses. “But I’ll talk to Astra. Lucian, Seth, and Leon will know who has that mark.”
Leon.
I stiffen beneath her. Jealousy flares hot and vicious in my chest.
“Are you jealous?” There’s the faintest hint of amusement in her voice despite the tears still clinging to her lashes.
And then, I snap. I flip her over in one smooth motion, pinning her wrists to the bed on either side of her head. She gasps as I loom over her, my body caging hers.
“What if I am?” The words come out edged with possession, with the primal need to make sure she understands exactly whom she belongs to.
Her pulse jumps beneath my fingers, but her voice is steady. Certain. “I bear your mating mark.” Her eyes hold mine. “I’m yours. Nobody else’s.”
My wolf rumbles in approval. I lean down, pressing my lips to the curve of her neck. Right where the mating mark burns brightest. Then, I bite down.
She cries out—a wanton, pleasure-drunk sound that fills the room. Her back arches as she presses her body against mine. Through the bond, I feel her pleasure spike, sharp and electric, mixing with my own satisfaction.
“The night is young,” I murmur against her mouth, my hands already trailing down her body. “And I have a lot of catching up to do.”
The expression on her face—pleasure-stricken and surrendered and entirely mine—makes my chest expand. It’s as if a huge, gaping hole I didn’t know existed has suddenly been filled.
If only I can keep her like this, by my side, safe in my arms.
Forever.
The summons comes the next afternoon.
A sharp knock on the door rouses me from a light doze, Daciana still warm and soft against my shoulder. I feel her stir, mild curiosity bleeding through the bond.
“Daciana.” The voice is formal, clipped. “The King requests your presence in his study. You and Alpha Kieran.”
I open my mouth to respond, but Daciana’s hand clamps over it. She leans over me, her hair falling like a curtain around us.
“I’ll let Alpha Kieran know,” she calls out, her voice steady.
I wait until the footsteps fade before pulling her hand away from my mouth. “Why didn’t you let me answer?”
She looks sheepish. “It was automatic. I didn’t think ‘my mate is in my bed.’ I thought ‘a man is in my bed.’”
Pleasure floods through me, hot and possessive. I slide my hand around her nape and pull her down for a deep, slow kiss that has her melting into me, her body going soft and pliant.
“Every time you forget I’m your mate,” I murmur against her lips, “this is how I’ll remind you.”
She splutters, pulling back. “It was just a one-off thing.”
I laugh, the sound rumbling through my chest.
She pushes away from me. “Come on.”
We bathe before heading to the study—the smell of sex and mating clings to us both, and while I don’t particularly care who knows what we’ve been doing, Daciana insists. I watch her scrub herself clean, fighting the urge to pull her back to bed.
The mating mark gleams on her neck even more when wet, a brand that makes the primal part of me settle with satisfaction.
We dress and then walk together to go see Lucian.
Guards nod respectfully as we pass. Nothing seems amiss.
But when we enter the study, I take in the scene immediately.
Lucian stands behind his desk, his expression grave.
Astra is near the window, her face tight with barely contained anger.
Seth leans against the wall, arms crossed.
Leon stands rigidly near the door, his jaw set.
The air in the room feels charged. My instincts sharpen.
I keep my voice level. “What’s this about?”
Lucian’s jaw tightens. “Last night, there was an attack on one of the candidates vying to be your mate.”
I go very still. “What does that have to do with us?”
Lucian meets my gaze, and I see regret there. Real, genuine regret. “The woman and her mother claim it was Daciana.”
Daciana stiffens beside me. Fury blazes through the bond so intensely, it nearly buckles my knees. Seth’s expression darkens. Astra’s hands clench into fists. Leon’s face is carved from stone.
“I never attacked anybody,” Daciana hisses.
“Where were you last night?” Lucian asks, though his tone suggests he’s going through the motions more than anything else.
She looks at me.
“She was with me,” I reply to the King.
Lucian shakes his head. “That’s not good enough. She’s your chosen liaison. Of course you’d defend her.”
Heat floods my chest—possessive, protective, violent. “I marked Daciana last night.” I let the words hang in the air, watching understanding dawn on their faces. “Anyone who lives on that hallway can verify that we never left her chambers.”
Astra makes a sound—half gasp, half squeal—and claps her hands over her mouth. Her eyes are huge, excitement breaking through her anger for just a moment.
Leon’s face goes carefully blank, but I catch the flash of pain before he locks it down. “I saw Daciana last night around eight.” His voice is steady, measured. “The attack was at midnight. If it can be proven she was in her quarters at that time, the claims are baseless.”
“Who made the accusation?” Daciana’s voice is tight as she restrains her anger.
Lucian’s expression hardens. “Lady Celeste.”
Daciana goes rigid. Through the bond, I feel her rage spike—hot and immediate and utterly justified.
“Lady Celeste and her companions attacked Daciana yesterday afternoon.” My voice betrays my anger, each word sharp. “They used wolfsbane on her. I can attest to that.”
“What?” Astra’s voice cracks.
Seth straightens from the wall. Leon’s fist tightens at his side. Lucian’s eyes narrow dangerously.
“It seems this was not the first time they’ve attacked Daciana,” I add.
“Kieran—” Daciana’s warning growl rumbles through the bond, but I ignore it.
Astra crosses the room in three strides. She grabs Daciana’s shoulders, her face revealing both fury and hurt. “Is this true?”
Daciana doesn’t answer immediately. I feel her wrestling with the truth, with loyalty, with the instinct to protect even when she is the one who has been hurt.
“Is it true?” Astra’s voice breaks this time.
“Yes.” The admission comes out quietly, after a long pause. “A couple of times.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Lucian’s voice is dangerous now, his royal authority bleeding through.
Daciana lifts her chin. “When they first came after me, I was just an ordinary warrior. After I became the Queen’s guard, they backed off.
” She looks at Astra, and I feel the ache in her chest. “I didn’t want to cause trouble for you.
I was trying to protect you the sole way I could.
I knew the only reason they attacked me was because of my relationship with you. ”
“Who was involved?” Astra’s hands are now shaking as they grip Daciana’s shoulders.
“Always Celeste and her companions.”
Leon sighs audibly. “Celeste’s family is one of the oldest in the Kingdom. She can’t be accused lightly.” He pauses, his jaw working. “And she’s one of the top candidates to be Kieran’s mate.”
Daciana frowns. “Kieran has a mate now.”