Chapter Five

I watched the expressions flicker across her face—shock melting into something almost like pleasure before snapping back to shock again. I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face. After seven years of waiting, of watching from a distance, of hoping she'd come back, she was finally here. Finally home.

My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless and demanding. Every instinct screamed at me to close the distance between us, to pull her into my arms and never let go, to mark her so thoroughly that no one would ever question who she belonged to.

But I wouldn't. Not in front of everyone. Not when she was still wearing another man's ring, still technically married to the bastard who'd put those bruises on her skin. I wasn't ready for those complications yet.

The Queen placed a gentle hand on Khione's shoulder. "I thought it would be good to have someone familiar watching over you. Someone you trust."

Khione gasped, still staring at me like I was a ghost made flesh. "I had no idea you'd still be here."

I took a deliberate step forward, keeping my movements controlled even though my wolf was practically clawing to get closer. "Of course I'm still here. My family are sworn to serve the royal family until death. Where else would I be?"

The light that broke across her face was the most beautiful thing I'd seen in seven years. She let out a delighted laugh—genuine, unguarded—and rushed toward me. Before I could brace myself, she threw her arms around my neck.

"I missed you so much."

I hugged her back, careful to keep my expression neutral even as everything inside me roared with satisfaction. She fit against me perfectly, like she always had, like my body had been designed specifically to hold hers. I could feel her heartbeat against my chest, quick and fluttering. Could smell the faint scent of hospital antiseptic clinging to her skin, and underneath it, her—rain and silver moonlight and something uniquely Khione that made my wolf go absolutely feral.

I'd missed her too. Terribly. Desperately. I'd counted every single day and night since she'd run away with that bastard, never letting go of the hope that she'd return home eventually. Return to me.

And here she was.

She pulled back, and I immediately mourned the loss of contact. Her hands lingered on my forearms as she looked me up and down, eyes widening.

"Look at you! You got so big. Like, seriously, look at these muscles." She squeezed my bicep, laughing. "What have they been feeding you? Small wolves?"

I smiled but said nothing, just kept staring at her. She'd changed too. She looked fuller than she had at sixteen, more woman than girl now, curves where there used to be sharp angles. More beautiful than I remembered, though I'd thought that impossible. Her hair was darker—dyed, I realized, to hide the silver—and there were shadows under her eyes that spoke of exhaustion and pain.

But it was her eyes that gutted me. The light that used to live there—the spark that had given me joy every single day of our childhood—was gone. Extinguished. And I knew exactly who was responsible.

That bastard had taken everything from her. Her throne, her family, her future. And worse, he'd taken the light from her eyes, that fearless brightness that used to make her seem invincible.

My mind flashed back twelve years to a summer afternoon when we were supposed to be studying territorial law but had snuck away to the lake instead. She'd been talking about some boy she'd seen at her mother's birthday party, describing him with this dreamy look in her eyes that made my chest feel like it was caving in.

I'd been so jealous. So fucking jealous that she could look at another boy like that when I'd been in love with her since we were children. The confession had burst out of me before I could stop it, desperate and clumsy.

"I love you, Khione. I've always loved you."

She'd looked up at me with those impossibly blue eyes, given me that beautiful smile that made my heart race, and patted my cheek like I was a puppy who'd done a cute trick.

"Don't be stupid, Emrys. We're best friends. You'll always be like a little brother to me."

A little brother. The words had felt like a knife between my ribs, but I'd been too shy, too young, too fucking cowardly to push back. I'd ducked my eyes away, felt my face burn with embarrassment, and mumbled something about joking.

"I knew you were joking." She'd laughed, then turned her gaze back to the lake. "I'm going to marry him, you know. That boy from the party. I'll find a way to approach him, make him notice me. We'll get married and have the greatest love story ever told."

Years later, she'd eloped with him. Her dream had come true.

And look where it had gotten her.

Khione slapped my arm playfully, pulling me back to the present. "Oh my god, look at you blushing! Little shy Emrys is still in there somewhere. Though you definitely don't look so shy anymore."

You have no fucking idea, I thought.

"How have you been?" I asked, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.

Her smile dimmed slightly. "Well, this is me. Broken ribs, concussion, nearly murdered by my own husband. Living the dream." She tried to laugh it off, but I heard the brittleness underneath. "I'm about two seconds away from asking you to put all those muscles to good use and deal with him for me."

"Just give me the word." The response came immediately, no hesitation. "I'll do it. Today, if you want."

She laughed like I was joking, like I hadn't meant every single word. "I'm kidding, Emrys. I can handle my own problems."

But I mentally added it to my list anyway. Deal with Kieran Thorne. And soon. Very, very soon.

The door burst open behind us.

"Khione?"