LOGINChapter 111DARIUS I couldn't stay away from Sebastian. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much distance I put between us, my body betrayed me.Kain was the worst of it. My wolf constantly pushed at me, demanding I go to Sebastian. Demanding I claim him properly. The pressure was relentless, making me irritable and short-tempered with everyone around me."Just mark him already," Kain would snarl in my mind. "End this torture. He's ours!""Not yet," I'd respond for the hundredth time. "It's too soon. The pack isn't ready.""The pack is fine! You're the one who isn't ready! You're the coward!"The arguments went in circles, exhausting me. But what was worse than Kain's constant nagging was the bond itself.The unmarked mate bond had become unbearable. Every time I was near Sebastian—which was often, given he was stationed outside my chambers—it would surge to life. Pulses of energy and emotion flooding through me, making it impossible to think clearly.I could feel his sadnes
Chapter 111SEBASTIAN That night, I lay in my small quarters trying to sleep. But rest wouldn't come.Instead, I felt it. The bond pulling at me, sending sensations that weren't my own flooding through my consciousness.Fear. Grief. Pain.Darius was having nightmares again.I could feel his chest tightening, his breath quickening. I could sense the panic and sorrow washing over him in waves. This had been happening for days now—every night, the nightmares came. And every night, I felt them through our bond.He was grieving Adrian. That much was clear. Despite everything that had happened, despite Adrian being a traitor and a vessel for his father's evil plans, Darius had still cared for him in some way. And now he was processing that loss the only way he knew how by bottling it up during the day and letting it consume him at night.I wanted to help. I wanted to go to him, to comfort him, to let him know he didn't have to face this alone. But how could I? Darius had made it clear
Chapter 110SEBASTIAN Days passed. Then a week. Then two.The pack was healing. I could see it everywhere I looked. Warriors who'd been injured in the battle were recovering, their wounds closing, their strength returning. Families who'd been separated were reunited, learning to be whole again. The rescued captives were adjusting to being home, the fear slowly fading from their eyes.Everyone was healing.Everyone except Darius and me.I'd been reassigned back to my guard duties, stationed outside Darius's chambers like before. But Pete wasn't with me anymore. He'd been transferred to oversee the borders with the other guards. The nightwalker threat was gone, so there was no need for him to stay close to protect me.I missed having him nearby. Missed the easy friendship, the way we could talk about anything. Now I spent my shifts alone, standing in silent corridors, trying not to think about the person on the other side of the door.Trying not to think about how close Darius wa
Chapter 109DARIUS I woke to pounding on my door. Heavy, insistent knocking that pulled me from sleep far too quickly. My body protested the movement as I tried to sit up, muscles aching and wounds pulling.The door opened before I could call out, and a figure slipped inside. Sebastian. He crossed the room quickly and came to stand at the end of my bed, looking down at me with concern clear on his face.Then he poked my stomach.I grunted at the unexpected contact, still half-asleep and confused.Sebastian smiled, the expression lighting up his whole face. "Good morning, Alpha."I didn't answer. Couldn't answer. Just sighed and rolled over, pulling the blanket up over my head like that would make the morning disappear."Are you alright?" Sebastian's voice was closer now, worried. "The ceremony is about to begin. Torren sent me to wake you. He tried reaching you through the mind link but it wasn't going through."Right. The ceremony. The celebration we'd planned. I'd completely forg
Chapter 108DARIUS I stood there alone in my office, Torren's words echoing in my head. Then I sighed deeply and slumped into my chair, suddenly exhausted despite having just woken up a few hours ago.Torren was right. Everything was complicated. The mate bond between Sebastian and me was undeniable now, but I had no idea what to do about it. How to approach it. How to handle the fact that I'd spent months suppressing it, keeping Sebastian at arm's length, treating our relationship as nothing more than a physical arrangement.Could I even fix that now? Did Sebastian want me to try?The uncertainty gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside. There was work to do. Time to think about personal matters later.I spent the rest of the day dealing with the aftermath of the battle. Writing letters to the families of fallen warriors. Coordinating with other packs to return their rescued captives. Organizing the ceremony for tomorrow. The tasks were endless and exhausting.By the time evening ar
Chapter 107DARIUS I was sorting through papers on my desk when the door creaked open slowly. Someone poked their head through the gap, hesitant and careful."Can I come in?" Sebastian's voice was quiet, uncertain.A smile tugged at my lips despite the soreness in my body. "Come in."The door opened wider and Sebastian stepped inside. The sight of him made me wrinkle my nose immediately. He was still covered in blood and ash from the battlefield, his clothes stiff with dried gore, his hair matted and filthy."You should have washed yourself up and changed before coming here," I pointed out, though there was no real criticism in my tone.Sebastian sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I was worried about you. I needed to check on you first before doing anything else."Something warm bloomed in my chest at his words. He'd been worried. He'd come here first, before seeing to his own needs, just to make sure I was alright.I set down the papers I'd been organizing and walked towards him, ar







