Page 12 of Bite for Sore Eyes

"So, I did feel a bit uneasy when Lana was smiling at you and when the mate bond activated between you two," Rath admitted. "My bear felt like it was strange."

Torren appreciated his co-Alpha's honesty, especially since he'd experienced identical reactions. "I felt the same way. But now I realize this isn't a competition. We are sharing a mate, not trying to win her."

"This will be our toughest challenge yet," Rath acknowledged, "but I think if anyone can navigate a triad relationship, it's us."

Torren studied Rath's face, seeing determination replacing the earlier uncertainty. "Yes, I wouldn't even consider it with anyone else. But I think our brotherhood is so strong that if we allow ourselves to lean into the possibility of it all, this could make our relationship even stronger."

They stood before the fountains in contemplative silence, both grounding themselves in the magnitude of what lay ahead. The water's gentle cascade provided a soothing backdrop as Torren processed the conversation's implications. This would prove to be the toughest situation they'd ever faced together, but for the first time since Lana's arrival, he felt genuinely optimistic about their chances.

Rath finally broke the silence, his voice carrying a note of surprised gratitude. "I know we will make this work. You are already teaching me how to be a better mate."

Warmth spread through Torren's chest at the unexpected praise. "We will make this work, and we will both teach each other how to be the best mates for Lana."

Rath smiled—a genuine expression that transformed his usually serious features—and Torren felt his confidence in their triad mate bond solidify completely. They had a strategy, an understanding of how to navigate the challenges ahead, and most importantly, they had each other.

FIVE

LANA

Lana stood motionless in the center of the guest room as she absorbed the impossible luxury surrounding her. The space stretched before her like something from a dream—soaring ceilings carved with intricate designs, tapestries depicting ancient battles, and furniture that belonged in a museum rather than a bedroom.

"This cannot be real," she whispered to the empty air, her voice barely audible in the vast chamber.

She reached out and pinched her forearm hard enough to leave a mark, then waited for the illusion to shatter. Instead, the rich burgundy curtains continued their gentle sway in the breeze from the open balcony doors, and the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows painted everything in golden hues that seemed too vivid to be anything but authentic.

But the entire day felt like stepping through Alice's looking glass—first the impossible portal that had transported her across space in seconds, then walking through Varkesh Hollow beside Gerri who seemed more like some cosmic fairy godmother, and finally arriving at this castle that dominated the landscape like something from medieval fantasy.

And then there was Rath and Torren.

Her pulse quickened at the memory of their handshakes, the way electricity had coursed through her system when their skin met hers. Not the familiar, unwelcome tingling of her progressive neural synchronization disorder, but something entirely different. Something that made every nerve ending sing with recognition, as if her body had been waiting thirty-five years to meet these two strangers.

Mates, she thought, testing the word again in her mind. They're supposed to be my mates.

The concept should have terrified her. Two days ago, she'd been resigned to spending her final year alone, convinced that loving her meant signing up for inevitable heartbreak. Now she was standing in an alien castle, matched with not one but two bear shifters who looked at her like she was the answer to prayers they'd never spoken aloud.

Lana shook her head to clear her mind and forced herself into motion. The familiar routine of unpacking would ground her, give her something concrete to focus on while she processed the impossible. She crossed the room to where Rath had placed her suitcases near an ornate door and when she opened it, her breath caught. The walk-in closet beyond was larger than her entire studio apartment back in Maryland, with built-in drawers, hanging rods, and shelving that stretched toward a ceiling she couldn't even see in the shadows.

"Well, this is completely ridiculous," she muttered, dragging her first suitcase into the closet's depths.

The mundane task of sorting her clothes provided the anchor she desperately needed. Jeans folded neatly into drawers that smelled of cedar and lavender. Practical blouses hung on rods designed for gowns. Her hiking boots looked almost comical sitting on shelves clearly intended for delicate shoes. Everything she owned could fit in one corner of this space, leaving acres of emptiness that seemed to mock her simple wardrobe. She'd packed for adventure, not for living in a palace with two Alpha shifters who probably expected their mate to dress like royalty.

As she opened her second suitcase, movement in her peripheral vision made her glance up. A full-length mirror dominated one wall of the closet, and the woman staring back at her made her freeze mid-motion.

The reflection showed someone she barely recognized—cheeks flushed with excitement rather than fever, eyes bright with anticipation instead of resignation, and an energy in her posture that spoke of possibility rather than defeat. For two years, mirrors had shown her a woman slowly fading, growing smaller and more fragile with each failed treatment. But this woman looked alive.

Lana pressed her palm against the cool stone wall, steadying herself as the realization hit her with unexpected force. For the first time since her diagnosis, she wasn't thinking about symptoms or prognoses or the countdown clock ticking in her head. She was thinking about tomorrow, about exploration, about the two incredible men waiting somewhere in this castle.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," she whispered to her reflection, but her voice carried none of its usual caution. "Just enjoy the moment."

After finishing with her clothes, she wandered back into the main room, drawn to the massive windows that overlooked the castle's grounds. The view stole what remained of her breath—sprawling gardens stretched as far as she could see, filled with flowers in colors she'd never encountered and trees whose purple leaves shimmered in the light of Nova Aurora's twin suns. Movement near the garden's heart caught her attention, and she leaned closer to the glass. Two figures walked along a stone pathway, deep in conversation, their body language unmistakably familiar.

Rath and Torren.

Even from this distance, she could see the contrast between them—Rath's controlled precision in every step, his shoulders squared with the weight of constant responsibility, while Torren moved with a more relaxed grace, his gestures animated as they talked. But both men radiated the kind of confidence that came from years of partnership and the easy synchronization of two people who trusted each other completely.

"How is this supposed to work?" she asked the empty room, her analytical mind finally engaging with the logistics of her situation.

She'd barely managed one serious relationship in her adult life, and that had ended when she'd pushed Bryan away rather than burden him with her illness. The thought of navigating romance with two men simultaneously—two Alpha shifters who clearly commanded respect and probably had very strong opinions about everything—should have sent her running back through Gerri's portal. Instead, she found herself studying them with growing fascination.