It grounded him and reminded him what all of this was for.
“You are well, my love?” he asked, his voice low and reserved, carrying the softness he used only for her.
Leena’s eyes met his, warm despite the weariness tugging at their corners.
“Just tired,” she murmured. “He’s been kicking all day. I think he’s as eager to meet you as you are to meet him.”
Sule chuckled, the deep sound settling into her bones. “Eager is good. He’ll need that fire when he’s born.”
His fingers continued tracing calm circles over her stomach, but beneath the tenderness, his mind churned with thoughts of Rhen, the female, and the blood bond threatening the delicate balance they had all fought to protect.
He exhaled sharply and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. His thumb lingered against her jaw, a grounding touch amid the storm building inside him.
“Leena…”
His voice changed, and she felt it immediately. Her smile faltered.
“What is it?” she asked, straightening with quiet instinct as her hand moved protectively over her belly.
Sule hesitated for only a moment before speaking with the weight of a male carrying an entire kingdom.
“Rhen turned a human tonight,” he said. “He brought her here broken and bleeding from a wreck. He believes she was cloaked with magic and that the entire thing was a setup. He brought the bait here.”
Leena’s eyes widened with shock before softening with something deeper.
She knew Rhen—not merely the blade or the storm, but the male beneath them both.
“Rhen wouldn’t have done it without reason,” she said, her voice even but filled with conviction. “You know him. He’s loyal to you, to the clan, and to me. If he gave her his blood, there is more to it.”
Sule’s jaw tightened. “He didn’t think, Leena. He acted on impulse. It was reckless and dangerous. We’ve worked too hard to keep this place safe for you and the baby, and now there is a stranger in our home, tied to a bond we cannot control. I can’t simply overlook that.”
Leena shook her head slowly, sadness flickering through her expression, but never weakness.
“I won’t believe he did it without reason,” she said quietly. “Rhen hides behind rage and violence, but he feels more than he allows anyone to see. If he turned her, something inside him must have shifted. Perhaps it is something he isn’t ready to face.”
Sule stared at her for a long moment before reluctantly looking away and dragging one hand through his hair.
He hated how often she was right.
“Still, he’s a fucking idiot,” Sule muttered, his voice low. “But you’re right. Rhen’s loyalty runs deeper than his damned pride.”
Leena’s lips curved into a soft smile as she threaded her fingers through his. Sule’s expression softened when he looked at her, and he squeezed her hand gently. Her heart held more compassion than he could ever express, extending even to those who made themselves difficult to love. In moments such as this, Sule was reminded of how fortunate he was.
“I’ll spend eternity trying to deserve you,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “But I’m damn glad you’re mine.”
Leena’s eyes shimmered as she leaned closer and pressed a tender kiss to his lips.
“We’re in this together, Sule. You, me, the baby…and Rhen. He’ll find his way.”
Sule nodded, although tension remained tightly coiled within his chest. Wrapping one arm around her, he drew her against him and spread his hand protectively over her belly.
“I trust him,” he said quietly, the words sharpened by caution. “But if anyone, Rhen included, puts you or our child at risk, I’ll end them.”
Leena smiled faintly and rested her head against his shoulder.
“I know. That’s why you’re king.”
Sule pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, anchoring them within the moment as the full weight of leadership, legacy, and blood settled over his shoulders once more. Rhen’s recklessness, the prophecy, and the fractures spreading beneath the clan’s surface all hung in the balance.
