Nyxion's POV A week. That’s how long it took to stand without feeling like my legs were made of stone. The poison had left my muscles stiff, my chest sore, but I’d be damned if I stayed in bed another day. I was Alpha, not some fragile old wolf waiting for the end. So yes, I pushed myself out of bed and started my duty before mutiny happened. The council room smelled of parchment, ink, and the faint musk of wolves who’d been in meetings too long. Varek stood near the far table, leaning over the map of Talon’s territory. Aeron was on his right, arms crossed, his jaw locked in that way that told me he was either uninterested in what was going on here, or just tired. Draven, of course, looked the same as always; unreadable yet slightly intrigued. “We’ve discussed this before. I don’t get why we’re still at it. We hit from the middle,” Varek said, tapping a spot on the map with his finger. “It’s their weakest point. The flanks are guarded, but the center—” “—is a chokehold,”
NAERIS I didn’t realize how fast I was walking until I nearly slammed into one of the castle guards turning the corner. “Sorry,” I murmured quickly, ducking my head and picking up my pace. My hands were trembling. My heart hadn’t settled since I left the room. Nyxion. He looked like death had brushed its lips against his mouth and only barely let him go. And yet… he still looked at me like he could burn me alive with just a glance. I needed air. I needed to get far away from whatever I felt brewing in that room. The silence had been unbearable. The way Aerila held him was like she was clinging to the last breath in her lungs. And the way he— I blinked hard. No. I wouldn’t think about the way his eyes had softened when he saw me. That wasn’t mine to hold onto. I shoved open the back doors leading out to the east garden. The moment I stepped out into the evening breeze, my lungs expanded. Flowers I couldn’t name drooped lazily in the dying light, their perfume soft and heady.
Nyxion's POV The room fell heavily silent after she left. Avery, Varek, and Aerila were still in the room, all staring at me with concerned eyes. “I’m alive. You guys can rest easy now,” I muttered. I felt a bit too uncomfortable with how they were paying all their attention to me. Aerila still had her hands wrapped around my head, cradling me like I was an egg about to crack. “We need to find out what this stupid poison is. I can’t lose you, Nyxion,” she whispered brokenly, running her slender fingers through my hair. For a second, I allowed myself to lean into it. For another, I wanted to forget about her. And for the third, I realized I couldn’t, and this was pointless. The hallucinations I had seen were strange, but not abnormal. What I didn’t understand was why they looked similar to Naeris. Or was it my wolf being annoyed that I refused to reach out to her? I couldn’t tell. But the second it seemed like I saw her in the room, I pushed myself to get up. She didn’t acc
Naeris's POV My heart roared loudly, pounding as I raced to Nyxion’s room. A million thoughts ran through my head at that moment. What made him fall? Last time I checked, he couldn’t even move. Had he regained his muscle movements already? “Nyxion!” I heard Aerila’s voice shoot into the hall. My heart thudded faster, and all I could think about was what the fuck actually happened. When I got to his room, the scene unnerved me. Nyxion lay face down on the floor, his body deathly still. Aerila was trying her best to push him upwards, but Nyxion was a gigantic Alpha. It wouldn’t be that easy. Soon, Draven and Varek rushed in, both with worried expressions. Avery trudged in last, her warm eyes filled with familiar concern. I felt frozen. “What do we do?” Draven asked, moving like a madman towards him. Varek casually stared at Nyxion, tilting his head as if he was trying to figure out something. “Hold on…” he muttered. He gestured for Aerila to move from his side, and mot
Naeris's POV When I looked at him again, I didn’t understand what I saw. “I… you’re not ready yet,” he whispered, his voice breaking like he wasn’t even sure of his own words. My brows furrowed, but I let it be. He kissed me on the forehead, whispering soft things about how his day would be packed, and that he just wanted to see me before he left. “Don’t get too battered or beaten,” I teased, the earlier weight in my chest completely gone. He nodded, humming softly. “You’ll take care of me either way, won’t you?” I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat. “I mean… what choice do I have?” He chuckled, that soft gravelly sound that always did strange things to my chest. He kissed me once more on the forehead and let me go, disappearing down the hall like nothing had just happened. I stood there a while longer, my heart caught somewhere between calm and confusion. Everything was shifting too quickly. The mate bond. Nyxion’s strange apology. The way I was already falling for Ae
Naeris's POV He flinched at my words, and the expression on his face made my chest tighten, but I ignored it. I focused on the rice, scooping a spoonful and gently bringing it to his lips. He ate silently, his eyes never leaving mine. It made my chest tighten, but I refused to let him see how much he affected me.“Naeris,” he called softly.I ignored him, reaching for a napkin to wipe his lips clean. “You should eat quickly. You have to take another vial of sage for your muscles.”He swallowed, his throat bobbing slightly. “Can’t you just look at me for once?”My hands froze mid-air, and I felt my heart pound against my ribs. Slowly, I lowered the napkin and met his gaze. His golden eyes bore into mine, filled with an emotion I found hard to understand.“What do you want from me, Nyxion?” I whispered. “Do you want me to pretend nothing ever happened? That you didn’t treat me like I was some piece of trash? That you didn’t blame me for things I had no part in?”He clenched his jaw, hi