Tess looked at the carnage around them—the splintered furniture, the blood, the bodies of the men who had orchestrated a decade of suffering.
We finally saved a life, and a kingdom.
TWENTY
KORRAN
Later that night, the estate felt strangely hollow despite their victory. Korran stood in his private chambers, freshly showered and dressed in simple dark jeans and a charcoal sweater, but his mind refused to settle. The adrenaline from the battle had faded, leaving behind a bone-deep exhaustion that sleep couldn’t touch.
His mother was safe now, resting in her chambers under Gabrielle’s watchful care. The kidnapping ordeal had shaken her more than she’d admit, though her composure remained intact even in the face of near-death.
She’s stronger than any bear shifter,he thought, guilt twisting in his chest.And I spent years believing she was the weakness in our clan.
The revelation of Malvek’s manipulation burned through him like acid. Every conversation, every council meeting, every moment of self-doubt about his hybrid nature—all orchestrated by a man who’d wanted to control the throne through him. The bastard had played on Korran’s deepest insecurities, weaponizing his mixed heritage against him.
You were so desperate to prove you belonged that you rejected half of who you are.
His bear rumbled restlessly, still processing the violence of their victory. Malvek and Varix were dead, their corruption finally exposed after a decade of lies. The clan would need time to heal from the betrayal, but at least the truth was out. No more poison masquerading as medicine. No more propaganda about human weakness.
Tess proved them all wrong. She saved everything.
The thought of his mate sent heat spiraling through him. She’d been fearless in that cabin, creating the distraction that allowed them to rescue his mother. Her quick thinking and courage had turned the tide, proving she already possessed every quality a queen needed.
But would she want to stay? The question gnawed at him as he moved toward his door. After everything she’d witnessed—the violence, the political corruption, the danger that seemed to follow his family—would she choose this complicated life over the safety of Earth?
I have to tell her everything. How I feel, what she means to me, why I need her to stay.
His hand was reaching for the door handle when a soft knock echoed through his chambers.
Tess.
He opened the door to find her standing in the hallway, and the sight nearly drove him to his knees. She’d changed into fitted black leggings that hugged her curves and a soft cream sweater that made her green eyes luminous. Her long brown hair fell in damp waves around her shoulders, and she looked every inch the beautiful, brilliant woman who’d claimed his heart.
“I was just about to come find you,” he said, his voice roughened.
She shifted nervously, her hands clasped in front of her. “Can I come in? I have something to tell you.”
Ice flooded his veins. The formal tone, the way she wouldn’t quite meet his eyes—she was leaving. After everything they’d shared, everything they’d fought for together, she was going back to Earth.
Of course she is. Why would she want this chaos?
“Come in,” he managed, stepping aside to let her pass.
She entered his sitting area but remained standing, her posture rigid with tension. The distance she maintained between them felt like a chasm, and his bear whined at the separation.
She’s going to reject us. Reject the bond.
“Before you say anything,” he said quickly, desperation making his voice sharp, “I need you to know something.”
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, but she nodded for him to continue.
“I was wrong.” The words came out in a rush, years of conditioning crumbling as truth finally broke free. “Wrong about humans being weak, wrong about the mate bond being harmful. I had evidence my entire life that none of it was true—my mother’s strength, my parents’ love story—but I let fear and manipulation blind me to what was right in front of me.”
He took a step closer, his hands clenching at his sides to keep from reaching for her.
“Tess, what you did today—the way you kept me focused, helped me save my mother, stood up to corruption and violence—it proves you’re already more of a queen than you realize. You’re brave and brilliant and stronger than any shifter I know.”
His voice dropped to a rough whisper. “If you’ll have me, I want to complete our mate bond. I want you to stay here with me, rule beside me, help me rebuild this kingdom on truth instead of lies.”
