16. Rune #2
The grand foyer stretched before him as he descended the staircase, afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows and casting geometric patterns across the ancient stone floors. When he reached the front entrance and pulled open the heavy oak door, the sight that greeted him made his jaw clench.
Ben stood on his doorstep, one arm wrapped protectively around a petite blonde woman who could only be Jackie.
But Ben looked like he'd been thrown down a canyon wall—his left eye was swollen nearly shut beneath white medical tape, dark bruises bloomed across his cheekbones like storm clouds, and his split lip had been carefully stitched back together.
The woman beside him trembled with barely controlled terror, her wide blue eyes darting between Rune's imposing frame and the vast canyon landscape behind them as if she couldn't quite believe where she'd ended up.
"Jesus," Rune breathed, his voice roughened by the sight of Ben's injuries.
"Sorry to impose on you again. But Jackie was so terrified when she heard what happened that I convinced the doctors to discharge me early," Ben explained, his words slightly slurred from his swollen mouth. "We drove straight here—didn't want to waste any time."
Jackie pressed closer to Ben's side, her knuckles white where she gripped his jacket. She looked like she was one startling sound away from complete panic, her breathing shallow and rapid as she took in Rune's intimidating presence and the fortress-like mansion rising behind him.
"Come inside," Rune said, stepping back to allow them entry. "You're safe here."
The moment they crossed the threshold, Maple's voice echoed from the staircase. "Ben!"
She was already rushing down the steps despite her injuries, her bandaged wrist held carefully against her chest as she moved. When she reached the foyer, she threw her good arm around Ben in a fierce hug, her eyes bright with relief and guilt in equal measure.
"I'm so glad you made it here safely," she said, pulling back to examine his battered face with obvious distress.
Then she turned to Jackie, her expression crumpling with remorse. "I'm so sorry for pulling Ben into this mess. This is all my fault—if I hadn't been so reckless chasing that artifact, none of this would have happened."
Jackie's voice came out thin and strained, like she was fighting to maintain composure.
"Ben filled me in on everything during the drive here.
Dragons and claim markers and ancient magic...
" She shook her head, her blonde hair catching the light.
"I'm trying to wrap my mind around it all, but I'm honestly terrified.
This morning I thought the most dangerous thing in my life was Ben's tendency to follow you into restricted sites.
Now I find out there are actual dragon shifters hunting us? "
Rune stepped forward, his presence commanding but deliberately gentle—he could sense how close Jackie was to complete breakdown. "You're overwhelmed and scared, which is completely understandable. But you're under my protection now, both of you. No one will harm you here."
Jackie's eyes widened as she took in his full height and the authority that radiated from him. "You're him, aren't you? The Alpha Ben told me about."
"I am." Rune's voice carried centuries of absolute confidence. "And I give you my word that you're safe within these walls."
Ben swayed slightly on his feet, exhaustion and pain clearly taking their toll despite his determination to protect Jackie.
"Why don't you two rest for a while?" he suggested, his tone brooking no argument. "I'll see what I can prepare for us in the kitchen. My chef wasn't expecting guests today, but I can manage something suitable."
Maple turned to him, her green eyes bright with gratitude. "I'll help you," she said softly.
Ben and Jackie headed slowly up the stairs, while Rune followed Maple toward the kitchen.
Within minutes, they were in a space he rarely ever occupied.
The kitchen was a masterpiece of modern functionality merged seamlessly with ancient stone architecture—gleaming stainless-steel appliances set into walls that had stood for centuries and copper pots hanging from wrought iron hooks that his ancestors had forged by hand.
"Please sit," he commanded as Maple moved toward the massive center island. "You're still injured."
She started to protest, raising her bandaged wrist. "I can help—"
"Not with one functional hand, you can't." His voice carried gentle amusement despite the alpha authority. "Besides, watching you try to chop vegetables while favoring bruised ribs would probably give me a heart attack."
Maple settled onto one of the high stools with a rueful smile. "Fine, I'll supervise then. But I expect a full demonstration."
Rune found himself smiling despite everything as he moved through the motions of cooking—something he hadn't done in months, maybe years.
His chef handled all meal preparation, leaving Rune to eat in solitary efficiency at his dining table set for one.
But now, with Maple watching him with undisguised admiration and affection, the simple act of preparing food felt like a revelation.
He pulled ingredients from the massive refrigerator—fresh pasta, cream, herbs from his garden. His hands moved with surprising grace for their size, muscle memory taking over as he began crafting something worthy of sharing with his mate and the people she loved.
"I haven't done this in a while," he admitted, heating olive oil in a heavy pan. "But it's coming back to me."
The domesticity of the moment hit him unusually hard. For three centuries, he'd eaten alone, lived alone, and existed in complete isolation broken only by clan meetings and business obligations. He'd convinced himself that solitude was strength, that needing no one made him invulnerable.
But watching Maple's face light up as he explained his technique for the perfect cream sauce, feeling her presence like warmth against his skin even from across the kitchen island—this was what he'd been denying himself.
Not just companionship, but partnership.
Not just protection, but being protected in return by someone who would fight for him as fiercely as he fought for her.
The realization settled into his bones with startling clarity. He didn't want to lose this.
Ever.
When he finished plating the pasta with a flourish that made Maple laugh—a sound like silver bells that made his dragon roar with satisfaction—she slid down from her stool.
"I'll go get Jackie and Ben," she said, her good hand briefly touching his arm as she passed.
The simple contact sent heat racing through him, the mate bond humming with contentment at her casual affection.
As she disappeared through the doorway, Rune allowed himself a moment to envision this scene repeated countless times—cooking for his mate, sharing meals with people who mattered to both of them, building a life that included more than duty and isolation.
But even as warmth filled his chest, a darker thought intruded. Elias was still out there, still hunting. And until Rune eliminated that threat permanently, this domestic happiness was fleeting.