“Yes.” The admission burns. “I tried to dismiss him. Tried to push him away. Tried to focus on the investigation. I’ve reminded myself over and over that he can’t stay here.”
I laugh, but there’s no humor in it.
“None of it worked. The bond strengthened anyway.” I stare at a point on the far wall, unable to look at Xander. “At first, it was just my wolf that obsessed over him, growling whenever anyone got too close, whining at the slightest hint of his pain. But then I started sensing his heartbeat, beating in perfect rhythm with my own. And when his voice appeared in my head, when we discovered we could mind-link without the pack-bond...” I exhale. “I couldn’t deny it anymore. Mahal confirmed what I already knew. And I’ve been trying to figure out what to do ever since.”
A long beat passes before Xander asks, “Do you love him?”
The question feels more intrusive than it should, coming from my Alpha. He’s the man I once envisioned spending eternity beside. The one who chose someone else. But those old wounds pale against the truth that matters more: He’s been my friend and packmate since before any of us understood what that truly meant.
I meet his eyes and answer, “Yes.” No hesitation. No hedging. “But that doesn’t matter.” My anxieties spill out before I can stop them. “The ancient laws forbid human-Lycan pairings. The Alpha King already dislikes Ethan’s presence here. If this comes to light, the punishment could be death for both of us.”
I push off the wall and begin pacing the narrow hallway.
“And even if we could somehow avoid the Alpha King’s disapproval, what about the pack? Some already see me as weak for allowing him to participate in training, for making the others adjust to his fragilities. They will question my judgment, my loyalty. Taking a human as my mate would shatter my credibility. Others might rebel against allowing a human to remain in Kortan at all. It would destabilize everything we’ve worked to build.”
“And Ethan—” I pause, swallowing hard. “Heishuman, Xander. He’ll always be vulnerable. Holden could’ve killed any of us. Imagine what he, or anyone like him, could have done to Ethan. This world is no place for him. Every day he stays, he’s in danger, and every moment I spend with him, I’m painting a target on his back.”
I turn to face him, my hands gripping my elbows.
“That’s why I haven’t told anyone. I’m searching for a solution that doesn’t exist. Trying to prevent the disasterthat would inevitably follow. Trying not to force you into an impossible political position where you’d have to choose between your Commander and your King.” I release a deep exhale. “Once the truth is revealed, there’s no taking it back. No pretending it isn’t real.”
Xander allows me to unravel, regarding me with patience. When I finally fall silent, he speaks, each word chosen with care.
“You used to have this spark in you.” Xander grips the back of his neck, his eyes dropping to the floor. “I saw it fade after. . .everything that happened. But I knew it wasn’t my place to help you find it again. Not when I was the one who snuffed it out.”
His gaze returns to me.
“But you’ve changed since Ethan arrived. First, it was just your wolf, like you said —becoming protective, then possessive.” A faint smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Now, it’s not just your spark you’ve regained. It’s like Ethan struck a match to dry kindling and started a whole damn forest fire. I’ve never seen you more alive.”
I press my nails into my palms, trying to keep my expression neutral.
“The thing is, Idoknow what it’s like to discover your fated mate and have no idea what the future holds. To love someone that isn’t from this world.” A shadow crosses Xander’s face. “I live with those consequences every day. The whispers. The doubts. The constant need to prove that she belongs. It dulls over time, but it never fully disappears.” His brows furrow as his voice drops lower. “I know the disruption it caused to our pack. The wound it caused to you. I won’t insult you by apologizing again — we’ve moved past that. Still, I see what you’re going through, Rhiannon.”
I brace myself for the “but”. The lecture. The reminder of duty. The order to end things before I destroy everything we’ve built. Or else.
My wolf hunches, preparing for whatever blow our Alpha is about to deliver.
“But you’re denying yourself the happiness that circumstance once denied you. You have a right to happiness.”
I stare at him, his words knocking the air from my lungs.
“You mind-linked with a human. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t witnessed it myself.” His silver-blue eyes hold mine. “What exists between you two transcends everything we know. Don’t you think that’s worth fighting for?”
The question hangs in the air, simple and devastating. It cuts straight to the heart of everything I’ve been avoiding letting myself feel.
I think of Ethan’s easy humor. His genius. His stubborn voice, at home in my mind. If anyone’s going to fight for him, it’s me. He’s—
Mine. My wolf stirs, pressing against my ribs with an answer that needs no words.
I look at Xander and nod.
“Then fight for him.” Xander’s voice blends command with compassion.
I shake my head. “I just don’t understand how. The laws—”
“If Ethan wants to stay in Clarion,” Xander cuts in, “I’ll petition the Alpha King myself. I’ll request safe harbor, with permanent residence at Kortan under my protection.”
“You’d do that?”
