All Chapters of Bound to The Enemy of My Mate : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The dining room in the North Palace looked expensive but stiff - like one of those places where you're afraid to touch anything. The fancy chandeliers made everything glow gold, shining off the polished floors and the long table set for six. At the head sat the King in his dark blue robes, face blank as always. Next to him, the Queen gave Elira a smile that didn't reach her eyes.Kael was stuck between Princess Ilyana and Elira. The princess kept leaning toward him, laughing too loud about the wine while giving him looks that lasted just a second too long. Elira kept her head down, but she could feel the Queen watching her. Every "please pass the salt" and "lovely weather we're having" sounded fake.This wasn't just dinner. It was a show. And everyone had their part to play.The King spoke first, his voice filling the quiet room."Commander Kael, Lady Rennar - congratulations on your marriage. Thank you for coming tonight."Kael bowed his head slightly. "We wouldn't dream of refusing

Kael burst into the palace archives right after leaving the princess's rooms. He had one goal - find proof of his father's execution.The guard on duty knew him right away - the kingdom's top commander wasn't someone you forgot. But even commanders weren't allowed in the archives at night. The guard moved to stop him."Commander, you can't—"Kael didn't wait.Blinded by anger from what Ilyana had told him, he hit the guard - one quick, hard strike. The man dropped to the floor, out cold before he landed.Kael stepped right over him.The truth was here. Somewhere.And he'd turn this place upside down to find it.He searched every shelf, every corner - desperate for proof. The archive was huge, full of old scrolls and documents. It could take days to go through everything. But Kael didn't stop. Anger kept him moving, his hands working through piles without pause.Then - he found it.Tucked between two old books, the paper stood out. Ilyana had told the truth. His father's death was writ

Meanwhile, Into the Deep CaveThane's hand warmed the nape of her neck as they stood breathlessly close, lips almost touching. Elira could feel his eyes tracing her mouth, hear the nervous gulp he tried to hide. His scent - citrus and fresh-cut pine - wrapped around her just as her lavender perfume filled his lungs, each intoxicating the other.They hovered there, caught in that charged space between desire and restraint. Elira kept her gaze down, afraid to meet his eyes - afraid of the raw hunger she knew she'd find there.Their wolves called silently to each other, drawing them closer. Elira's claws bit deeper into her own palm, the sharp pain anchoring her. At the last second, she turned her face away - just enough for him to understand.Thane caressed her cheek. Then, he cupped both sides of her jaw, lifted her face to meet his gaze, and smiled—softly—before pulling back.There was an urge within him, a deep instinct to go further. But he chose to retreat, because he knew the cons

Kael walked in a rush, his hand scraping the stain of lipstick from his ear wildly. He hated it all - hated how Ilyana's words got on his nerves so easily because he knew she was right. No matter how long he had watched Elira from the sidelines, she would never look in his direction. It hurt because it was true. He hated the way Elira had to appear at the exact moment of his vulnerability, hated the way she looked at him like he was a lost child desperate for help. Hated that every opinion she had about him mattered deeply to him.He wanted to disappear. He was sure that he could just disappear. Until he heard the king's attendant speak to Elira, who was left behind. "His Majesty calls for you, my lady." Those words automatically stopped him in his tracks.The king - a man he had previously seen as an uncle - now left a bitter taste in his mouth after discovering he was partly responsible for his father's death. And now the king sought his wife. What could the king possibly want from

The ride to Rennar's mansion was only filled with the rattle of the carriage wheels and Kael's soft breathing. Elira, on the other hand, was staring through the window. So when they reached the mansion and the carriage stopped, she knew they had to get down. But she stayed still because Kael was deeply asleep.The door was opened by the servant after announcing their arrival. All of them were surprised to see their lord sleeping soundly on the lady's shoulder. "Apologies, my lady. Should we wake the commander now?" asked the head servant politely.Elira took a glance at Kael's sleeping face, then lifted her hand. "No, close the door. Just wait quietly," she ordered the servant.He bowed, then carefully closed the carriage door, leaving the pair alone.Almost thirty minutes passed after they reached the mansion when Kael's eyelids fluttered. The lavender scent from Elira was the first thing that welcomed him as he came back to his senses. He could feel her warm shoulder under his che