The sound of her gentle words grates on my nerves. My claws twitch, wanting to dig into something. Into his skull.She’s being too sweet.
I can’t understand it. After everything we just heard, how can she continue to show him this kindness? Every time I lookat Gregor, all I see is filth. His hunched body, quivering at her feet. And yet, Noël spares him again. The way she looks at him, the concern in her eyes—it twists the beast inside me. I want to protect her. I want to protect Ávera. I want her to look atme.
Noël finishes giving her orders. The way he looks at her, even now, broken and quaking, it disgusts me. There’s something in his eyes.Does he see her the way I do?
He’s looking at her neck, her hair, her eyes. He’s looking at what’s mine. But I hold my tongue. If I push too hard, I’ll only make things worse. Noël’s decisions carry weight, but so do mine. We need to work together if we’re going to survive our next steps.
As Noël turns away, I step forward, my eyes locking onto the vólkins nearby. They stand tall, waiting for direction. Their paws flex, claws half-extended, mirroring my own unease.
“Chain him,” I command. The vólkins snap to attention. “I want him guarded at all times. He’s not to move without supervision. No one shows him mercy. Understood?”
They nod, baring their fangs as they exchange glances.Good. They understand.
“If he tries anything—anything at all—you report it to me. We’re not taking chances.”
One of the younger vólkins, his fur bristling, speaks. “Shall we begin the chains now, Theron?” I glance back at Gregor, who’s still kneeling on the ground. His hands shake where they dig into the dirt. He doesn’t look like a threat. Not in this state. But I know better. Weakness is a disguise predators wear when they want you to drop your guard.
“Do it,” I say. “Don’t let him out of your sight.”
The vólkins move quickly. One grabs him by the arm and drags him to his feet. Gregor stumbles, nearly falling again, but my warrior jerks him up, his claws digging into Gregor’sarm, just enough to remind him of his place. The other vólkin crouches down and secures his ankles with ropes of energy.
Gregor doesn’t struggle. His head hangs low, his body limp as they lead him away.
They will bring him to the cages. We’ve never used them before, but right now, it’s the best option for him.
We have at least a hundred empty houses, grown for future mates to bond in Ávera. Some of them will need a fresh start, as some vólkins prefer to live in the forest.
I watch them go. If Noël wants him to stay, fine, but it’ll be on my terms. He’ll be watched. And if he so much as looks at us wrong, I’ll deal with him myself.
There is one more conversation I need to have, one that won’t be easy. My mate stands a few steps away, her back to me, staring into the forest. Her shoulders are tense.
“We need to talk,” I say, my voice softer than I feel. But she is my mate, and even if I’m angry with her, I shouldn’t let myself unleash it. She turns slowly, and when her eyes meet mine, I see the unease there.
“You’re angry,” she says.
“Of course I’m angry,” I snap, unable to hold back the growl in my throat. “You’re letting him stay here, and you let him live. Again. You’re still showing him mercy.”
Noël’s brow furrows, but she doesn’t break eye contact. “I know what I’m doing, Theron.”
“Do you? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re putting everyone in danger. He shouldn’t be here, Noël. He might look weak, but these people who tortured him—they’ll come looking for him. For us. You’re risking everything, and for what? We’ve never faced threats from outside the forest. Ávera is all we know.”
What if they’re already here? Watching us? We know nothing about them. It’s a threat I can’t fight yet, and I hate that. Gregor’s presence here is opening us up to danger.
“My instincts are telling me... something,” she says. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like I need to keep him alive. He’s human, like me. And he’s never done anything wrong.”
“Your instincts?” My claws flex in frustration. “We’re talking about the safety of Ávera. What if you’re wrong?”
Noël’s eyes flash with a spark of anger. “And what if I’m right? What if Gregor has information that could help us? He mentioned the Shadow Guild. We’ve never heard of them before, and we need to find out more.”
I exhale slowly. I hate this, feeling powerless against an unknown threat. As much as I want to dismiss it, I can’t ignore the possibility that Gregor might have valuable information.
In his state, he surely didn’t share everything he knew.
“I get it, Noël. I do. But you have to understand... you’re not only risking yourself. You’re risking allourpeople. Our land.” The words come out harsher than I intend, but I can’t take them back. If Gregor’s presence led the Shadow Guild’s eyes to us, we’d be fighting a war on unknown ground. Ávera’s centuries of peace might shatter in a single night.
Noël’s shoulders sag. “I’m not trying to push you away, but I have to follow my instincts. I can’t ignore what I feel.”
“And I can’t ignore my duty to protect you. To protect Ávera.” My voice softens. “We have to find a balance, Noël. I can’t keep standing by while you make decisions that could risk everything we’ve built.”
