Seraphine woke to warmth.
Not the cold, lonely warmth of blankets in her small room, but the solid, living heat of another body pressed against her back.
Her eyes flew open.
Kael's arm was draped over her waist, his hand splayed possessively across her stomach. His chest rose and fell against her spine in the steady rhythm of deep sleep.
She was in his bed.
In his arms.
And he was... sleeping.
Seraphine had never seen Kael sleep before. He always seemed too controlled, too alert, too much like a predator who never fully rested.
But now, with morning light filtering through the windows and his face buried in her hair, he looked almost... peaceful.
She didn't dare move.
Her heart hammered so loudly she was certain it would wake him.
What do I do? How did we end up like this? Did he did we.....
No. She was still wearing the nightgown. And Kael was fully dressed in his pants, his shirt discarded at some point.
He'd simply... held her.
All night.
As if he couldn't bear to let her go even in sleep.
Slowly, carefully, she tried to shift away
His arm tightened immediately, pulling her back against him.
"Don't," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
She froze. "You're awake."
"Mmm." His breath was warm against her neck. "Have been for a while."
"Then why didn't you"
"Because you were finally resting." His hand moved in slow circles on her stomach. "And I didn't want to disturb you."
Heat flooded her face. "Kael, I should"
"Stay exactly where you are."
It wasn't quite a command. But it wasn't a request either.
Seraphine's pulse quickened as she felt him shift closer, his lips brushing the curve of her shoulder.
"How do you feel?" he asked quietly.
"Sore. Confused. Terrified."
"Honest. Good."
His hand slid up slightly, stopping just below her ribs. Not inappropriate, but intimate in a way that made her breath catch.
"What I said last night wasn't just exhaustion talking," he continued, his voice low. "You belong here. In my chambers. In my bed."
"Kael"
"I know it's fast. I know it's overwhelming." His fingers traced patterns on her stomach through the thin fabric. "But after last night, after seeing you almost die, after watching you unleash power that could have destroyed us all but instead saved us"
He pulled her even closer, his nose buried in her hair.
"I'm done pretending this is just curiosity or obsession."
Her heart stuttered. "What is it then?"
Silence stretched between them.
Then Kael shifted, turning her gently onto her back so he could look down at her.
His silver eyes were intense, vulnerable in a way she'd never seen.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I've never felt anything like this. It's consuming. Maddening. Every instinct I have screams that you're minebthat I'd burn the world down before I let anyone take you."
His hand cupped her face.
"But it's more than possession. More than my wolf's obsession."
He leaned down until their faces were inches apart.
"When I saw that wolf lunging at you, when I thought for one moment I might lose you"
His jaw clenched.
"It felt like dying."
Seraphine's breath hitched. "Kael..."
"I don't do vulnerability," he continued roughly. "I don't do softness. I've built my entire reign on being ruthless, on never showing weakness."
His thumb traced her lower lip.
"And then you stumbled into my life and shattered every wall I've spent years building."
Her hands came up to rest on his chest, feeling his heartbeat strong, steady, rapid.
"I'm terrified of what I'm becoming," she whispered. "Of these powers. Of the prophecy. Of what it means."
"Then be terrified," Kael said. "But be terrified with me. Not alone."
He lowered his forehead to hers.
"Whatever you are, whatever you're becoming we face it together."
"The Council"
"Can rot."
"The other Alpha Kings"
"Will regret coming after what's mine."
"Kael, you can't just"
He kissed her.
Not the desperate, claiming kiss from before. This was slower, deeper, full of unspoken promises.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.
"I can," he said quietly. "And I will."
A sharp knock on the door shattered the moment.
Kael's expression immediately shifted back to the Ruthless King.
"What?" he barked.
Darius's voice came through the heavy wood. "My king, forgive the interruption. But the Council has requested an emergency session. Immediately."
Kael's jaw clenched. "Tell them"
"They've invoked the King's Right," Darius interrupted. "You have to attend."
The King's Right was even older than the Right of Inquiry a law that allowed the Council to summon the Alpha King himself under the most dire circumstances.
They couldn't refuse without breaking ancient pack law.
Kael growled low in his throat.
"Give me ten minutes."
"Yes, my king."
Footsteps retreated.
Kael looked down at Seraphine, frustration and protectiveness warring in his expression.
"You're coming with me," he said.
"To the Council session?"
"Everywhere." He stood, pulling her up with him. "From now on, you don't leave my side. Not after last night."
"But"
"No arguments." His hands framed her face. "Please. I need to know you're safe."
The please broke her.
"Okay," she whispered.
Relief flooded his expression. He kissed her forehead quickly.
"Get dressed. Wear something that shows strength, not submission."
He moved to his wardrobe, pulling out formal attire.
Seraphine stared at the massive closet. "I don't have anything like that"
Kael opened a different section she hadn't noticed.
Inside were dresses. Not servant clothes. Not even the simple outfits she'd been wearing.
These were regal. Beautiful. Clearly expensive.
"When did you"
"I had them made days ago," he said, not looking at her. "I was waiting for the right time to give them to you."
Seraphine's chest tightened.
He'd been planning this. Planning to make her his equal, his queen, long before last night.
She reached for a deep blue dress simple but elegant, with subtle silver embroidery that caught the light.
"Perfect," Kael said when he saw her choice. "That one."