Chapter Three
Morning light spilled through the tall windows of the suite, pale and unforgiving, illuminating a space that felt far too small for the four males trapped inside it.
Dominik and Rian paced like caged predators, their strides sharp and restless, boots scuffing against the polished floor as if the constant movement might burn off the knot of dread sitting heavy in their chests.
The air was thick, charged with anxiety, regret, and something dangerously close to fear.
Joshua sat hunched on the couch, elbows braced on his knees, hands buried in his hair as though he could physically hold himself together if he just gripped hard enough. He hadn’t moved in a long while. Had barely breathed, it seemed.
The door slid open, and Cameron stepped inside carrying bags from the cafeteria, the scent of food immediately filling the room.
He paused when he took in the scene, the pacing, the tension, the raw edges of them all, and for a moment, he simply stood there, shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of it.
He set the food down on the counter, untouched. “She has her morning class in two hours, do we even know what we’re going to say to her?” he asked quietly.
Rian scrubbed a hand over his face, dragging it down until his fingers curled into his beard. “I think… I think just being honest with her will go a long way.” His voice was rough. Tired. “Honestly, it was a fuck up. She was right. We were cowards for not telling her.”
Dominik stopped pacing, jaw tightening. “The Queen told us to wait until she finished the program,” he said, though there was no conviction in it. Not anymore.
“To hell with that,” Joshua snapped, his head finally lifting. His eyes were bloodshot, wild with emotion. “That’s an excuse. We all agreed it would overwhelm her, yeah....but that doesn’t mean it was right. We should’ve told her when the bond kicked in. She had a right to know.”
A heavy silence followed.
“Yeah…” Cameron murmured, staring at the food like it might accuse him too.
“Fuck,” Dominik growled suddenly. He spun and slammed his fist into the wall, the sound sharp and violent.
The impact echoed through the suite. “This was a terrible plan, do you have any idea what kind of torture it was, sitting next to her in that fucking mate-bond class?” His chest heaved.
“Listening to them go on and on about violations. About how breaking trust weakens the bond. About how you never, never, make decisions without your mate. I fucking ignored it all, and she knows it.”
He hit the wall again, harder this time, knuckles already splitting. “Fuck.”
Rian swallowed thickly. “That’s exactly what she’s feeling. Like we broke her trust.” His voice cracked. “Because we fucking did.” He stopped pacing, turning to face them, eyes shining with something close to despair.
“Gods… I can’t imagine spending weeks with my friends just for them to turn around and say they knew they were my mates all along.” His throat bobbed. “Do you… do you think she’ll ever accept us?”
The question struck deep.
“She will,” Cameron said quickly, though his voice wavered. “She has to.” He dragged a hand through his hair, starting to pace now himself. “Gods, I fucking hope so…”
Rian’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “We’ll talk to her when she comes back. After she’s had time to calm down. Maybe then she’ll hear us out.” He exhaled shakily. “If not… I’ll fucking grovel for the rest of my life.” His voice dropped, raw and bare. “I can’t live without her.”
No one argued.
The suite fell silent again, the kind of silence that pressed in on the ears, filled with regret and longing and the terrifying realization that the one thing they wanted most in the world might be slipping beyond their reach. And all they could do now… was wait.
The sharp, sudden trill of a phone ringing, cut through the air like a blade.
Dominik froze mid-step. His hand went instinctively to his pocket, his movements slow, almost reverent, as though he already knew who it would be. When he pulled the phone free and saw the name on the screen, his throat tightened visibly and he swallowed.
The others noticed immediately. Joshua straightened on the couch, dread flashing across his face. Rian stopped pacing, shoulders squaring as if bracing for impact. Cameron’s breath hitched, his hands curling against the counter.
Dominik looked at them once, just once, before answering.
“My Queen.”
The title alone sent a ripple through the room. Every one of them drew in a sharp breath, chests tightening.
There was a pause on the line. Then,
“Put me on speaker, Dom.”
He didn’t hesitate. One tap, and Katarina’s voice filled the suite, calm and composed, yet carrying a weight that made the air feel heavier.
“I’m assuming you’re all there.”
“Yes,” came the answers almost in unison, some rougher than others.
“Good.” A beat. “Good morning, by the way, though I’m not sure what I have to say will make it feel like one.”
Their stomachs dropped.
“So,” Kat continued evenly, “after some deliberation, I am removing you from Anabelle’s protection detail. Effective immediately.”
The words landed like a physical blow and the silence crashed down around them.
“You are to return to the estate for the next two weeks. For now, I’ll be assigning you to assist the Council with smaller tasks, logistics, recon, support work. A little help here and there.”
No one spoke. Dominik’s jaw clenched so hard it ached. Rian’s eyes widened, panic flaring before he could mask it. Cameron’s shoulders sagged slightly, like the breath had been knocked from him. Joshua stared at the floor, hands tightening into fists, knuckles whitening.
Then Kat’s tone softened, just enough to hurt.
“I understand this is coming as a shock to you. But after speaking with Anabelle, I believe it’s only right that she continues her training without any more distractions.
Once this term is finished, we can discuss re-instating you.
” A beat then. “That is... if she agrees with that.”
Joshua couldn’t help it. His voice broke through the silence.
“Is she—”
“She’s okay,” Kat said firmly, cutting him off before the fear could fully take shape. “You need to believe that. She just needs time to wrap her head around the fact that she has mates. That the world she woke up to yesterday is not the same one she’s living in today.”
Rian swallowed hard. “Is she… very angry with us?”
There was a soft laugh on the other end of the line, not mocking, not cruel.
Gentle. Understanding. “No. Not as much as she was,” Kat said.
“I think on some level she understands why you didn’t tell her.
But... the emotions are still there. Hurt doesn’t vanish just because logic exists.
” Her voice warmed. “She just needs to sort through it. Give her time, boys. She’ll come around. ”
Still, none of them released the breath they were holding.
Then Kat’s voice sharpened again, all business. “Now. I need you to move. Get to the car. You have one hour to be here.”
The call ended. The silence that followed was different, heavier, final.
Rian was the first to speak. “Two weeks,” he said quietly. “We can survive two weeks.”
Joshua let out a slow, shaky breath. “I hate this...I’m barely going to have enough time with her as it is,” he muttered. “But… if this is what she needs…”
“It is,” Cameron said softly. “Even if it tears us apart.”
Dominik finally turned away from the wall, flexing his injured hand like he hadn’t even noticed the pain. “Then we do this right,” he said, voice steady despite the storm in his eyes. “No mistakes. No complaints. We give her space. And when she’s ready,” he added, fierce now, “we’re there.”
No one argued.
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