"I still think your problem is that you overthink everything," Nessa said, balancing a spoonful of honey over her tea. "You can’t even enjoy a perfect beach day without spiralling after."
Erald snorted, flipping through a stack of scrolls on the low table between them. "Says the woman who cried over burning toast last week."
"That was an emotional day," Nessa shot back. "And I stand by my right to mourn the toast."
It had been two days since Erald’s ride with Adrien, two days since the almost-kiss turned into a full-on firestorm. And since then? She’d buried herself in strategy, scouting reports, and council rot.
She hadn’t let herself think too hard about Adrien. Or Kieran. Or Lucian. Not while the assassin was still missing.
"On a different and serious note," Nessa continued. "You haven’t brought up any of the guys since your last date. Not once."
"Because I have bigger things to worry about than which mate set my blood on fire the most," Erald muttered, tossing a report aside.
Before Nessa could respond, a knock ca at the door.
One of the hall guards leaned in. "Alpha, there’s soone asking to see you. Darren, Beta of the Blood Moon Pack."
Erald’s face went cold. "Rick’s Beta?"
"Yes, Alpha. He says Alpha Rick wants to see you."
Nessa imdiately stood. "Say no."
Erald exhaled through her nose but didn’t say anything at first. "Wait."
Nessa turned back to her, eyes narrowed. "You’re not actually going to et him, right?"
Erald lowered her mug. "I think I am."
"Are you insane?"
"Possibly." Erald stood and stretched. "But if I ignore him, it makes look like I’m hiding. And I don’t hide."
"You don’t need to prove anything to him. Especially not Rick."
Erald shook her head. "It’s not about him. It’s about . And power. I walk away now; it’ll be twisted into weakness. Trust , I know Rick that much."
"Still," Nessa snapped. "You don’t owe that man a single minute... not even a second."
"I know, Ness. But he’s probably not expecting to co, especially alone. Ti for a little surprise."
Erald reached for her boots, then turned to the guard whose head was bowed low. "Where?"
"Just outside the estate, near the northern grove."
"That’s close," Nessa muttered. "Too close."
"I’ll call if anything happens," Erald promised, grabbing her jacket and heading for the door. "Don’t worry."
Nessa didn’t argue further, but her jaw clenched like she wanted to. "Call ."
"I promise."
"No, I an it. I have a blade with his na on it."
Erald smirked faintly. "I know."
—
Rick waited exactly where the guard said he would, just outside the northern grove, beneath the crooked branches of an old pine. He was dressed well, of course. Leather coat, boots polished, a smug smirk stretched over his jaw like it belonged there.
Erald approached with her arms folded and her aura tightly reined in.
"Erald," he said, as if her na were still his to say.
She didn’t respond, just stared until he shifted uncomfortably.
"Thanks for coming," he said finally.
"You’re lucky I did."
Rick chuckled lowly. "Still trying to act strong, I see."
"Still wasting my ti, I see."
He stepped a little closer. "I just wanted to talk."
"I doubt that."
A flicker of sothing passed over his face. "You enjoying the attention, then?" he asked. "Multiple Alphas circling you like hounds?"
Erald’s brow arched. "That why you called out here? Jealousy? That’s pathetic even for you."
Rick’s smile faltered. "You don’t even see what you’ve beco, do you?"
"What I’ve beco?" Erald repeated in mock laughter. "You an strong? Free? Not yours?"
"You betrayed ," Rick snapped suddenly. "You ruined everything. We had a perfect life—"
"Our life was anything but perfect. It was a cage," Erald said coldly. "And I’m glad I broke the lock."
He stepped back like her words struck him. "You’ll pay for what you did to Alia."
Erald’s eyes narrowed. "That threat better not be as stupid as it sounds."
Rick didn’t reply.
She let the silence stretch, then turned on her heel. "We’re done here."
—
"You’re okay?" Nessa asked the second she stepped through the gates.
"He spewed his usual crap," Erald said, brushing past. "Tried to make it about Alia. About ownership. He’s not worth the breath."
"Idiot."
"Mm."
She didn’t elaborate, more than that, and Nessa didn’t push. They both understood the ga Rick was playing: trying to get under her skin, trying to assert dominance.
He was grasping at a power that was no longer his.
That night, the estate felt unusually quiet. The halls were silent, like it was the middle of the night and the world simply paused, holding its breath.
Erald couldn’t fall asleep. There was sothing strange in the air that night. She felt a tingling sensation at the back of her neck, as if sothing wasn’t right.
The hours ticked by. The moon had already crossed its highest point in the sky when Erald finally slid out of bed and stepped into her boots. The guards posted at her door were in the midst of a mid-shift change—one heading down the hall, the other not yet at his post.
Convenient.
She quietly stepped into the hallway, her instincts on high alert. Sothing felt off.
She caught a faint but sharp sll that reminded her of tal or sothing rotten.
Her wolf inside her reacted imdiately.
Erald followed the trail, her bare arms prickling with cold as she passed through the back corridor and into the garden.
Then she saw it.
A body.
Slumped near the eastern tree line, half in shadow. The sll of death was unmistakable in the air. Blood soaked the grass in thick, dark pools. The face, which was only lit by the moon, was twisted in pain.
She recognised him imdiately... the assassin.
Dead, ripped open from the gut, his limbs splayed unnaturally.
Erald stumbled back a step, her hand flying to her mouth.
He was already decomposing, with flies buzzing around his open wounds and pale skin. He hadn’t been dead for long... maybe a few hours. Just long enough to rot in the open.
She turned sharply, about to call for help, only to collide with sothing solid... muscle solid.
A chest.
She froze.
A man stood behind her. He was tall and had broad shoulders, wearing unusual dark clothes that seed to cling to him like shadows. She didn’t recognise him; definitely a stranger.
She stepped back instinctively. "Who the hell are—"
She didn’t get to finish her sentence as the figure moved fast. Too fast.
Before she could react, he grabbed the back of her neck, pulled her closer and crashed his lips on hers in a forceful, passionate kiss that felt like he was claiming her.
Erald shoved at him hard, fury exploding through her limbs.
He stumbled back a step, licking blood from the corner of his mouth where she’d bit him.
Her voice was sharp and full of anger. "How dare you—?"
His eyes sparkled like silver.
Then, he let out a deep growl and calmly uttered just one word: "Mate."
Erald felt a chill run through her entire body.
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