Chapter 29
Adea
The silence of the penthouse floor weighed heavy on me as the dark silk sheets kissed my skin.
I ignored the urge to jump to my feet, choosing to remain in bed.
But the stillness was a trap that made my skin crawl with the guilt of being idle.
It felt wrong. For years, my mornings had been dictated by the chime of my alarm, Gabe’s knuckles rapping on my door, the clatter of pots in the kitchen, and the dread of a cleaning schedule I somehow managed to finish.
The predictable routine of my old life had once felt like iron chains. Now, in their absence, I realized they’d been the only thing keeping me grounded. Without the checklist, I was drifting at sea.
So much had happened. My life had been turned upside down and reset in the blink of an eye between the Festival and now. My body ached, my bruises pounded, and my throat was scratchy.
If I didn’t do something, I’d tear my hair out.
I slipped out of the bed. The room was empty, and I padded toward the closet.
I pulled out one of Ethan’s white button-ups, the material soft and crisp, and slipped it over my head; it cascaded down my body as I headed to the kitchen.
I needed to move—to justify the space I occupied.
The cold braced my bare feet as I walked down the hall.
Once in a familiar setting, I rummaged through the drawers, cataloging the contents.
I put the kettle on the stove, grabbed a heavy matte black mug, and dropped in a spoonful of honey.
Next, I found a cloth and lathered it. The marble was pristine, but I scrubbed anyway, my knuckles turning white as I tried to work my issues out of the stone.
By the time I was done wiping the surface of the cabinets, the elevator dinged.
“I didn’t see it going that way,” a voice rumbled near the entryway. Odis. Even from the kitchen, I could hear the rasp of exhaustion in his tone.
“How did you expect it to play out? That he’d challenge me and risk his Kingdom?” Ethan drawled.
“He’s his only son, his heir. He stripped his own blood of his rank.
Not only did he leave him bleeding, but he left him a rogue.
Jaxon either has a plan to bring him back or he’s that afraid.
” The voices stopped and I knew I was caught.
When I risked a glance over my shoulder, they rounded the corner, walking through the kitchen.
Odis looked like he hadn’t slept a wink.
His clothes were crisp, but the deep shadows under his eyes and the tension in his jaw betrayed his anger.
My gaze flew to Ethan as he removed the mask.
His eyes reminded me of my forest, my safe place, and a shiver ran down my spine.
I took in his sharp jaw and plush lips. This man was mine.
A smirk pulled at his mouth, his eyes darkening, knowing.
“Luna.” Odis’s chin dipped, his eyes darting to the floor.
“What are you doing?” Ethan’s voice was soft, but carried that unquestionable power that made the other kingdoms quake.
“The counters… I saw a spot,” I murmured, my voice hushed. “It’s better now.”
Ethan stepped closer. His hand reached out and he gently caught my wrist.
“Sabine handles—”
“I thought you were getting rid of her?” I asked, remembering the name from brunch yesterday. “That’s what you told Olivia.”
Odis coughed, but Ethan ignored him.
“You’re right. Her replacement will be chosen soon. Why not rest out on the terrace?”
The word replacement sat in my chest like a stone.
Not gone. Not handled. Replaced—as if the role Sabine occupied was structural, not personal.
As if the woman herself was simply the wrong hire.
I didn’t press it. She was one of many things in Ethan’s life that had existed before me and continued to exist around me.
“I don’t want to sit,” I countered, finally looking up. My eyes met his. His jaw was set, and his green eyes were dark with a command that didn’t invite a debate. But I wasn’t going to sit around, waiting for him every day. “I need something to do, Ethan. I’ve never had nothing to do.”
“Then today is a day for firsts,” he said.
I balled my hands into fists. “I’ve brought kingdoms to their knees.
My people—our people are safe and you are free to relax for now.
I came to check on you and you’re laboring in the kitchen.
You’re going to go sit on the couch, put your feet up, and let your body rest. You’ve been through a lot. ”
I opened my mouth to protest, but his grip tightened. “After you’re better, we can discuss your duties or what you’d like to do with your time. But for now, I need you to rest. Understand?”
Would he be this insistent if I had a wolf?
Is this because I wasn’t healing quickly enough?
He offered me his palm, and I sighed. I looked at Odis, who nodded once. Despite his obvious need for sleep, he looked like a man who would follow Ethan’s orders until he passed out. I looked back at my mate.
“Yes, Ethan. I understand,” I whispered. My tongue was a lead weight. I handed him the cloth, loathing how my compliance came so naturally.
I turned from him, walking toward the living room. The shirt material swayed against my thighs. The view of the towers outside was beautiful and the sky stretched on forever, but as I sat on the sectional and stared at the desert, I realized the truth.
The bars were made of onyx now. If I didn’t want my new home to feel like a prison, I needed to heal and figure out what my life would look like from now on.
Everything that had happened played on repeat. The whistle of the whip cutting through the air and the wet thwacks as it met skin made goosebumps race across my skin. The guilt of watching my best friend take the lashes ate me alive.
On the horizon, a line of black cars snaked across the valley floor, disappearing into the mirage. People were leaving. Half Moon would be leaving too. I hadn’t even noticed Odis slip out of the room; the air was suddenly empty.
Shane was powerless now. He wouldn’t be able to get to me anymore, but his last words to me rang with a different promise. Now, he had nothing to lose.
“I’m taking you out for brunch,” Ethan murmured, his breath warm against my ear. I jumped, then sighed as his arms wrapped around my shoulders.
“You don’t have work?” I asked, still looking outside.
“It’ll still be there when I come back,” he said, his grip tightening possessively. “Right now, my mate needs me.”
His words touched me, and being able to adventure into town was alluring. I didn’t argue.
“I’ll get dressed,” I murmured. His arms fell away as I stood.
***
The drive into town was the first peace I’d had since the festival.
“You built this?” I asked, watching the vibrant storefronts blur past.
“I did. When I took over, it was a wasteland. I wanted a place where the outside world couldn’t get in,” Ethan murmured, one hand on the wheel, the other clasped with mine.
As we slowed into the parking lot, he pulled my hand to his lips.
“I’d hoped if I ever found you, I could give you a safe place to call home. ”
He turned off the car and we got out. Ethan held the door open for me, the chime of a bell lost in the sudden hum of conversation and the scent of baking dough.
As I stepped into Turkish Coffee House, my gaze was pulled to the left—a stark white stone wall dotted with arched alcoves.
Each one held a small treasure: weathered vases, abstract art, and a classic radio that looked like it belonged to another time.
It was a rustic place with the aroma of roasted coffee and sharp, fresh spices. A woman at the counter offered a warm greeting, but we didn’t stop. With his hand resting possessively on my lower back, Ethan guided me deeper into the cafe, past the bright space and into the shadows of the far back.
We took our places at a table already marked Reserved. A wooden wall, intricate with hand-carved designs, pressed against my spine as I sank against the plush velvet beneath me.
Then, the feast began.
Everything arrived at once. There were bowls of lentil soup, plates of Turkish Dumplings, and Meat Gozlema paired with a deep red dip.
My eyes settled on the Sucuk Pide—flatbread dressed up as something finer than pizza.
Between the Menemen and the fresh salads of deep purples and bright yellows, the table was a mosaic of color.
And, of course, the coffee. The dark, rich steam rose between us, the most important part of the morning.
“Everything looks delicious,” I murmured, but as my eyes darted across the table, I saw him strain against something unseen, his eyes closing as he shut out whatever it was. He took a deep breath, his chest rising, and opened his eyes on the exhale. Gold bled away to green.
“Can I see Gabe today?” I asked, the question slipping out easily as I reached for a slice of the Sucuk Pide—the cheese pull making my mouth water. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. I took a bite and moaned. Ethan’s eyes were locked on my mouth before flickering to my eyes.
“No.” It was a soft answer, but there was no room for question. I chewed and swallowed, dipping the rest of the cheesy goodness into the lentil soup.
“I just want to make sure he’s—”
“I saw Olivia this morning for a report,” he interrupted. There was no anger in his eyes, just a calm finality. “She has requested that no one come by today. After the trial, they have things to work through. Let them have the day. You can try and see him tomorrow.”
I looked down at the spread, grabbed my fork, stabbed a Turkish dumpling, and felt that old, restless itch in my hands. There goes the one thing I thought I could do today. I bit into the meaty goodness and grabbed two more, inhaling it.
“Then what can I do?” I whispered, the words cracking.
Ethan reached across the table, his hand warm as it covered mine. “Resting.”
“I don’t know how to do nothing,” I countered. “I could prep, clean, move things.”
Ethan leaned in, his shadow easily stretching across the food until it swallowed my plate.
“You won’t be doing any of these.” The edge in his voice left no room for question.
“You will not serve. You will sit, and you will be served.” He moved back, stabbing another dumpling and lifting it to my mouth.
My lips parted, and I bit the offering off his fork.
It was a silent surrender to his care, and the heat in his eyes told me he knew it.
Part of me chafed at his control, the absolute authority that came with being an Alpha.
But beneath the frustration, a deeper, starved part of me just wanted to let go.
The intensity of his alpha instincts—this raw, protective need to provide for his mate—blurred the lines of my own frustration. I shouldn’t be fighting him; I should be enjoying this meal and getting to know my life partner.
“If you need me to help you relax, I will.” His voice was full of promise, his gaze darkening.
I chewed the food as I recalled the terrace. My thighs clenched as a ghost of pleasure licked at my core.
“I wouldn’t mind… the distraction,” I said, blushing.
He flashed me a brilliant white smile and I froze. My breath stalled as I took in Ethan’s first full smile. His eyes crinkled, his shoulders dropped. He looked like a different man. “Then let’s eat so I can have my dessert.”