Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
JADE
The icy water cascaded over them both, shocking Jade's system back into focus as Raikar's strong arms anchored her against his solid chest. The frantic rhythm of her heart began to slow as she matched her breathing to his steady inhale and exhale.
The cold spray bit through her panic like a slap, grounding her in the present moment rather than the overwhelming cascade of revelations that had sent her spiraling.
Breathe. Just breathe.
But as her nervous system recalibrated, a new awareness crept in—she was shivering violently now, her torn shirt and leggings from the panther attack clinging to her skin like icicles.
The fabric felt heavy and restrictive, and through the partial bond, she felt Raikar's immediate concern spike as he registered her trembling.
Without hesitation, he reached behind her to shut off the spray and stepped them both out of the shower stall. Water dripped steadily from their soaked forms onto the marble floor as he set her gently on her feet, his hands steady and sure.
"Arms up," he commanded softly.
She lifted her arms without protest, too exhausted to fight him on this.
His movements were clinical yet reverent as he peeled the destroyed shirt over her head, then unhooked her bra with practiced efficiency.
When he knelt to help her step out of her leggings and panties, there was nothing sexual in his touch—only the focused attention of a mate ensuring her comfort and safety.
This is different from before. Earlier, his hands worshipped every inch of me. Now he's just... taking care of me.
The realization sent an unexpected warmth through her chest.
He wrapped a massive, plush towel around her, tucking it securely before stepping back to deal with his own soaked uniform.
The sight of him methodically removing his formal General's attire—the polished black boots, the black dress pants, the black ceremonial jacket with its gleaming insignia and medals, the crisp black shirt—made her stomach clench with guilt.
"You ruined your uniform," Jade said, her voice still shaky.
Raikar paused in pulling off his boxers to look at her, his blue eyes fierce with conviction. "I don't care. I can get another uniform. Your well-being is more important than any piece of clothing."
The weight of his statement settled over her like a warm blanket.
Ben had never prioritized her needs over his convenience, let alone over something as significant as his professional appearance.
But here was Raikar, a General who commanded respect from an entire clan, standing in his bathroom in nothing but boxers, completely unconcerned about sacrificing his formal attire to help her through a crisis.
He stripped off his boxers and wrapped a towel around his lean waist before moving to her side again. "Come on. Let's get you warm."
His hand found the small of her back, guiding her out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. The space felt different now than when she'd discovered his poetry collection—more intimate, more significant. This wasn't just exploring his private sanctuary anymore.
"Climb into bed," he said, pulling back the dark sheets.
Jade hesitated at the edge of the four-poster bed. Earlier, she'd sat on top of the covers, maintaining some distance even while invading his privacy. But this felt monumental—actually getting into Raikar's bed, accepting his care, letting him hold her.
Once I'm in there with him, everything changes.
But her body made the choice for her, exhaustion and the lingering effects of the panic attack overriding her mental resistance.
She slipped between the sheets, the cotton soft against her skin.
The mattress dipped as Raikar joined her.
Without asking permission, he pulled her against his side, his warm skin chasing away the last of her chills as his arms encircled her.
Heat flooded her system instantly—not just from his body temperature, but from the desire that sparked to life where their skin touched. Through their partial mate bond, Jade felt his own desire flare in response, a feedback loop of want that made her breath catch.
But he made no move to act on it. Instead, he simply held her, one hand stroking her damp hair while the other traced gentle circles on her bare shoulder.
He could take advantage of this moment. I'm vulnerable, overwhelmed, partially bonded to him. But he's just... comforting me.
They lay in silence for long minutes, and Jade found herself relaxing into his embrace in ways she'd never allowed herself with anyone.
The steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her ear, the rise and fall of his chest, the scent of his skin—it all combined to create a cocoon of safety she hadn't experienced since childhood.
I could stay like this forever. Just us, no trials, no councils, no complications. Just this warmth and this feeling of being... chosen.
The thought should have terrified her. She'd spent her entire life avoiding exactly this kind of emotional dependence. But lying here in Raikar's arms, she couldn't seem to summon her usual fear about being vulnerable.
Maybe it's not the mate bond making me feel this way. Maybe it's just... him.
She thought about everything he'd done since she'd arrived—protecting her from the rogue panther, tending her wound, publicly claiming her despite the political risk, apologizing repeatedly for his mistakes, and now caring for her through her breakdown without asking for anything in return.
Ben never fought for me like this. Hell, no one ever has.
Through their connection, she felt the complex tangle of Raikar's emotions—his protective instincts prowling just beneath the surface, his guilt over the deception and accidental marking, his desire for her that he was ruthlessly suppressing in favor of her needs.
But underneath it all, steady and unshakeable, was something that made her throat tight with emotion.
Love. Pure, devoted, unwavering love that would cross any distance, face any trial, sacrifice any comfort for her well-being.
He really would do anything for me, wouldn't he? Risk his title, his legacy, everything his family built—just so I'd stay by his side.
The words she wanted to say hovered on her lips—that she'd do the Trial of Shadow with him, that she wanted to rebuild the trust between them, that maybe she was ready to stop running from connection for once in her life.
But the warmth of his embrace, the security of his scent surrounding her, and the bone-deep exhaustion from the day's revelations pulled her toward sleep instead.
Her eyelids grew heavy as his hand continued its gentle stroking through her hair, and for the first time in three years—since the night her adoptive mother had died and left her truly alone in the world—Jade felt completely, utterly safe.
Tomorrow I'll tell him. Tomorrow I'll be brave enough to choose this.
Sleep claimed her before she could voice the decision, but even in unconsciousness, she remained curled against Raikar's solid warmth, their partial bond humming contentedly between them like a promise of what they could build together.
Sunlight spilled through the tall windows, painting golden streaks across the rumpled sheets where Jade lay cocooned in warmth.
For a disorienting moment, she couldn't remember where she was.
Then the events of yesterday crashed back—the rogue panther, the earth-shattering sex, the accidental marking, the revelations about fated mates and orchestrated meetings.
All of that happened in one day. How is that even possible?
She stretched languidly, her muscles protesting from yesterday's training and the emotional rollercoaster that followed.
The space beside her was empty, but the sheets still held traces of Raikar's body heat and that intoxicating scent that caused her pulse to spike.
She felt his absence like a physical ache in her chest—not overwhelming but persistent.
He's probably giving me space to process everything.
Yesterday had been physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting in ways she'd never experienced.
Learning to fight a panther, then actually being attacked by one.
Having the most intense sexual encounter of her life, only to discover she'd been accidentally marked.
Finding out everything about her arrival here had been orchestrated, that she was some fated mate in a supernatural bond she'd never known existed, and even if she had known, never would have believed in anyway.
Except the mate bond is undeniably real.
She glanced down at her left hip, where two distinct claw marks marred her skin—Raikar's partial mate mark, proof that everything he'd told her wasn't some elaborate delusion.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway made her pulse spike. When Raikar appeared in the doorway carrying a tray laden with food, her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly.
"Perfect timing," he said, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusement as he approached the bed.
Even in simple cargo pants and a fitted black shirt, he radiated that commanding presence that made her hyperaware of every inch of her skin.
"I figured you were probably starving since you barely ate yesterday. "
Right. I don't think I've eaten since breakfast yesterday.
She'd been so caught up in training, fighting for her life, and having her world turned upside down that she'd completely forgotten basic human needs.
He set the tray across her lap with careful precision, and her eyes widened at the spread before her.
Fresh fruit that looked nothing like Earth varieties, their colors more vibrant and their scents more complex.
Some kind of grain that resembled quinoa but had a golden sheen.
Eggs that were definitely not from chickens, their shells a pale blue and their yolks a rich orange.
Bread that smelled like heaven and butter that looked like it had been churned that morning.
"This looks incredible," she breathed, already reaching for the strange fruit. The first bite exploded across her taste buds—sweet like mango but with an underlying tartness that made her mouth water for more.
Raikar settled on the bed beside her, close enough that she felt his body heat. His blue eyes tracked her every movement as she dove into the meal with single-minded focus, and she caught the slight upturn of his lips.
He's enjoying watching me eat.
The thought made her chest tighten unexpectedly. Ben had always criticized her appetite. But Raikar watched her demolish his carefully prepared breakfast with what looked suspiciously like pride.
"Better?" he asked when she finally slowed down enough to breathe.
"Much." She wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin, suddenly aware of how ravenous she'd appeared. "Thank you. This is... really thoughtful."
Something flickered in his expression—surprise, maybe, like he wasn't used to being thanked for acts of care.
How many people in his life have actually appreciated him as a person rather than just a title?
"I was going to tell you last night," she said, setting down her fork and meeting his gaze directly. "Before I accidentally fell asleep on you. I want to do the Trial of Shadow."
She felt his immediate spike of relief through their bond, quickly followed by a wave of concern so intense it made her stomach clench.
"Are you sure?" His voice was carefully controlled, but she could see the tension in the set of his shoulders. "I need to be completely honest with you about what we're facing."
Here it comes. The part where he tries to protect me.
"It's potentially lethal, Jade." His blue eyes bored into hers with a piercing intensity. "My great-grandparents were the only ones to ever successfully complete it, and that was partially because they'd completed their bond before entering the trial. We haven't."
She raised an eyebrow. "So we're going in at a disadvantage. I've faced worse odds."
"Have you faced a week alone in the deep jungle?" His voice sharpened with alpha authority. "Finding your own shelter, your own food, your own water while dealing with elements that want to kill you? Wild panthers, venomous snakes, insects that can drop a grown shifter?"
Every rational part of her brain was screaming that she should back down, should tell him this was insane and demand passage back to Earth. The smart play would be to cut her losses and return to her safe, predictable life in Wyoming.
But a deeper part of her—the part that had always craved challenge, that had driven her to join the military and push herself in martial arts, that had been slowly suffocating in her small-town existence—practically purred with anticipation.
"I want to do it," she said firmly.
His relief, worry, and fierce determination crashed through their bond in waves, and she saw all three emotions flicker across his face in rapid succession.
"Alright then." He stood up slowly. "You need to finish eating because we'll be training all day. Combat techniques, survival mechanisms, everything we might encounter out there."
"I'm ready for it." She reached for another piece of that incredible bread. "I can handle anything you throw at me today. And I've got my own survival skills to show you—military training, mountain living. I'm not exactly helpless."
Something blazed in his eyes at her words—hunger, admiration, and something deeper. It made her skin flush with heat.
"Oh, by the way," he said, pausing in the doorway. "Brenn stopped by earlier with your belongings. Finish up here, get dressed, and meet me at my private training grounds behind the estate."
He left without another word, and Jade felt a strange exhilaration replace all the fear and doubt from yesterday. The Trial of Shadow was dangerous—potentially deadly. She might not survive it.
But the thought of pushing myself to the absolute limits with him... It's the challenge of a lifetime.
Maybe everything in her life had been preparing her for this moment. The years of martial arts training, the military discipline, the mountain survival skills, even the heartbreak and loss that had taught her to rely on herself.
This is what I've been building toward.