Chapter Five: Within My Reach 

Thiago’s POV

As much as I wanted to blame Amara, I knew she wasn’t responsible. Oren made it clear that she did nothing to interfere with the rejection. Yet I kept looking at her, searching for a reason to believe otherwise.

What bothered me more was how badly she wanted to be free of me. She stood in front of me and said every word. I agreed to the rejection because I thought I wanted it too. So why did hearing her say it feel like something I should be angry about?

I had a fiancée standing in this room. A woman I intended to marry. I should have felt relieved that Amara wanted the same separation I did. Instead, I kept remembering how she looked directly at me while asking the Goddess to release her.

She rejected me. When my turn came, I couldn't even finish the words.

Why couldn’t I do it?

“Because she’s ours, and because you also don't want to let her go.” Nero replied.

I shut him out before he could say anything else. He wanted her from the moment he recognised her, and he made no effort to hide how pleased he was that the rejection failed.

Oren covered the moonstone. The silver light disappeared beneath the cloth, but the strange resistance remained in my throat.

Celeste watched me, waiting. Amara kept her eyes on the bowl.

I turned to the priest. “Explain it.”

“It seemed like you were not ready for this rejection, Alpha.” He put away the covered stone. “But I need to study it before either of you attempt another rite.”

“How long?” Celeste asked.

“I don’t know yet.”

I disliked those words. This morning, everyone seemed determined to make me hear them.

Oren asked Idris for somewhere private to make his record and left. Amara watched me from beside her mother, waiting for, probably another accusation. I wanted to cross the room and take that look off her face. I also wanted answers she clearly did not intend to give me.

“You will come to Valcrest.”

Her expression hardened at once. “You could try asking.”

Idris moved beside her. “Explain why she cannot remain here.”

“Someone in this house managed to drug both of us,” I said. “Until we find out who, Amara isn’t safe here. The exits also need to be watched so whoever did this cannot escape.”

“Our officers will find them,” Idris said.

“They’ll work with mine.”

Amara folded her arms. “And while they investigate, you get to keep an eye on me.”

“Yes.”

“At least you admit to that.”

I held her gaze. The girl could turn a single word into an argument. Worse, some part of me kept waiting to hear what she would say next.

“What happens if she refuses?” Sabine asked.

I faced Idris. “Then give me a safer place. Someone reached her under your own roof.”

His jaw tightened, but he stayed beside his daughter. “If she goes, she has her own room, her phone and her family whenever she needs us. No one questions her without me knowing about it.”

“Agreed.”

“And if another Alpha demands that you hand her over?”

I felt Nero rise before I answered. “They will speak to me first.”

“That is not the promise I am asking for, Thiago.”

I looked at Amara. She watched me without the defiance she used to hide behind. For once, there was only a young woman waiting to hear whether the man who held her future intended to keep her alive.

“I will not surrender her for execution,” I said. “While she is under my protection, no one harms her.”

Idris held my gaze. “Your word?”

“You have it.”

I knew what other Alphas would say about that promise. But I gave it anyway.

Sabine turned to her daughter. “What do you want?”

Amara looked at her. “If I stay, people will accuse you of sheltering me.”

“Let us worry about that,” Idris said.

“I do worry about it.” She looked up at him. “You have a whole pack to protect.”

Her voice changed when she spoke to her parents. The anger remained, but she stopped using it to keep them at a distance. I found myself listening more closely.

“I’ll go,” she said eventually. Then she turned to me. “But don’t mistake it for obedience.”

“I’m unlikely to make that mistake.”

Her lips parted. She seemed to consider several replies before settling on one.

“And keep your distance.”

Celeste made a sharp sound. “Do you know who you are speaking to?”

Amara faced her. “Yes. My mate.”

Nero pressed forward so suddenly that I felt my fangs against my lower lip.

Amara seemed to hear what she said at the same moment I did. Colour rose in her cheeks, but she refused to take it back.

“He can answer for himself,” she added.

“Let her finish,” I told Celeste. I kept my eyes on Amara. “Your room is yours. The guards will be there for your protection. But make sure to report wherever you’re going.”

She rolled her eyes. “As if you can command me into doing it.”

“Then spare us both the argument and let the guards do their job.”

Sabine took her hand. “Come and pack.”

Amara left with her mother. Nero followed the sound of her steps until I could no longer separate them from the movement elsewhere in the house.

Idris stayed behind.

“Her history is private,” he said. “Any questions about where I found her come to me. No circulation of adoption records.”

I watched him. “Do you expect someone to ask?”

“I expect people to become interested in things they ignored when she was simply my daughter.”

It was a reasonable answer. The way he held his hands behind his back made me think it cost him something to keep it reasonable.

“Nothing leaves my inquiry without my knowledge,” I said.

“And without telling Amara. She has enough people deciding what she should know.”

He left before I could ask whom else he meant.

Celeste waited until we were alone. Her green eyes shone, but she did not let the tears fall.

“Where does this leave us?”

“We’re pausing the wedding arrangements.”

She went very still. “You asked me to marry you.”

“And I remember that.”

“Then look at me when you say it.”

I turned away from the door Amara used and faced her. Celeste saw the movement. Her mouth trembled before she pressed her lips together.

“You’re bringing her home, and I’m supposed to wait?”

“I won’t marry you while this stands between us.”

“That didn’t stop you from promising.”

I had no answer that would make this fair to her. Yesterday, I knew what I intended to do. This morning, I kept listening to another woman’s footsteps.

“My parents are expecting me to call,” she said.

“Speak to them. The details of Amara’s identity remain private.”

She nodded without looking at me and left for the terrace.

Dario met me in the passage. “Soren wants another hour before she travels. It gives us time to replace the men who stayed awake all night.”

“Do it. Leave two investigators with Idris.”

“Ivara is checking the visitor list. Kellan will meet us at the Valcrest boundary.”

I looked towards the stairs Amara used. Dario followed my gaze but waited until I faced him again.

“Keep that thought to yourself,” I said.

“I haven’t said anything.”

“Good. Keep it that way.”

“I was going to ask whether you ate.”

I gave him a look. He handed me a wrapped sandwich.

“Sabine’s instructions,” he added. “Apparently, neither Alpha becomes more sensible on an empty stomach.”

I took it. “Get the cars ready.”

By the time Soren cleared Amara to travel, the courtyard was busy with departing guests. Our escort stood among the other drivers, making the departure look ordinary. Idris wanted as few questions as possible before he finished interviewing his household.

Amara emerged with one small case and a bag heavy enough to pull at her shoulder. Sabine took the bag from her and gave it to Dario.

“Books,” Amara explained when he glanced down.

“I gathered.”

“You make it sound like I packed stones.”

“I have carried both.”

She nearly smiled at him. I spent the morning arguing with her, and Dario managed that by carrying a bag. Nero was no help at all; he wanted me to go and take it from him.

Idris drew her into his arms. He held her longer than she expected, and her hands settled against his back.

“Make sure to call us,” he told her. “Whatever happens.”

“I will.”

“And you let us help.”

She nodded against his chest before stepping away. Sabine kissed her cheek, smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear and made her promise to eat again when they arrived.

Celeste stood beside my car, putting her phone in her bag. Amara glanced at her and walked towards the second vehicle.

Nero moved immediately.

“No.”

“She has an escort.”

“No. She comes with us.”

Dario opened the rear door. Amara thanked him, and I pictured the space between the two cars on the road, the blind bend where one vehicle might disappear before the other followed.

I could arrange protection around her. I could not make myself comfortable with leaving her out of sight.

“Dario.”

He looked up.

“She’s riding with me.”