"So what now?" Nessa asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What are you going to do, Em?"
Erald pressed her hand flat against the closed book, her thumb brushing the edge of the cover like it might bleed another secret. "I don’t know." She exhaled. "But I’ll make a wild bet that whatever he plans to do... it won’t hurt . Not directly, at least."
"You’re basing that on the fact that he’s your mate?" Nessa asked with a raised brow.
Erald nodded. "Exactly. Mates protect. Even cursed, ancient ones."
Nessa gave her a long look. "You used to say the sa thing about Rick."
The room chilled.
Erald didn’t answer right away. Her mind flicked, unwillingly, back to the shadows of her past. Rick’s hands. His voice. The way he’d said I love you and then shattered her trust one cruelty at a ti.
Her jaw tensed. "This isn’t the sa."
"You sure?" Nessa’s tone was softer now. "Because obsession and fate don’t always play nice together."
"I’m not ready to think that far ahead," Erald muttered.
Nessa sighed. "I’m not trying to scare you, Em. I just... don’t want to see you shattered again."
"I’m not the girl who loved Rick," Erald said quietly. "And he’s not Rick. He’s sothing else entirely."
"Exactly."
Erald stood abruptly and handed the book to Nessa.
"What do you want to do with it?"
"Return it to the library. Put it back exactly where we found it. Don’t tell anyone. Not even your father."
Nessa took it reluctantly. "Fine. But I still think you should tell soone—"
"Not yet," Erald cut in. "Not until I have answers."
Nessa looked like she wanted to argue but nodded. "Be careful."
"I always am," Erald said with a dry smile. "Go."
Nessa clutched the book like it was a live grenade. "Got it. Tight lips. No questions."
Erald gave her a grateful look before Nessa slipped quietly out the door.
She had just started to catch her breath when there was a light knock on the door again.
Erald groaned. "Gods, what now?"
A maid’s voice floated in. "Alpha Erald, you have a visitor."
Of course.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out who it would be. Definitely one of her mates, but who?
She pulled on a black fitted coat over her clothes and stepped into the hallway, heels clicking softly against the polished floor as she made her way out of the estate and toward the orchards.
The second she stepped through the hedgerow arch, she spotted him.
Lucien.
He was leaning against the gnarled bark of a cherry blossom tree, arms crossed, his silver eyes trained on her like a predator who’d been waiting for hours.
"You’ve got a thing for dramatic lighting," Erald muttered, approaching him.
Lucien’s mouth quirked. "And you’ve got a thing for disappearing into danger."
Before she could respond, another presence joined them. She turned just as Kieran stepped into view, hands in his pockets, gaze quiet but piercing.
And then Adrien.
Of course.
He sauntered in like he’d been watching the whole ti, smirk already loaded. "Well, look at that. We all showed up. How romantic."
Erald let out a sharp breath. "Did you three plan this? What, corner in the orchards and stage an emotional ambush?"
Adrien grinned. "We call it a strategy eting."
Lucien tilted his head. "You’ve been distant."
"I’ve been alive. And busy. You know, with people trying to kill ."
Kieran stepped forward slightly. "We know. That’s part of why we’re here."
"Really?" She folded her arms. "Because it kind of feels like I’m about to be interrogated."
"We’re not here to pressure you," Kieran said evenly. "But... you’ve been with each of us. You’ve felt the bond."
Lucien added, "But you haven’t chosen."
Erald blinked. "Excuse ?"
Adrien stepped into her space. "Co on, Em. You know what this is. You’ve spent ti with us... each one of us. Kissed us."
"You two kissed her?" Kieran asked.
"Not now, ice ball," Adrien said, turning his attention to Erald.
Her chest tightened.
Lucien cut in, "We were hoping you’d have decided by now."
She blinked, stunned by their directness. "You’re seriously cornering right now?"
"You know what’s at stake," Lucien said softly. "It’s not just about us. A bond unbalanced can tear apart a pack. A kingdom. A soul."
Erald’s jaw clenched. "Do you think I don’t know that? Do you think I’m sitting around sipping tea and painting flowers while people are trying to kill ?"
Adrien held up a hand. "Easy—"
"No. Don’t tell to calm down," she snapped. "You don’t know what’s on my shoulders. What I’ve been forced to carry alone."
Kieran stepped back slightly, guilt flickering in his eyes.
Viola stirred. "Careful... they’re not the enemy."
Erald let out a shaky breath. "I’m not making any decision right now. I have bigger things to worry about."
Lucien sighed and opened his mouth, but sothing tugged at Erald’s attention, sothing cold and primal.
A pull.
She turned, scanning the trees beyond the orchard, eyes narrowing.
"Erald?" Lucien called, stepping toward her. "What is it?"
Far off, almost hidden between the trunks of two trees, she saw a flicker, a shadow, though it vanished just as quickly.
But she’d seen it.
Felt it.
She kept staring into the trees, her breath catching. Her heart thundered.
He’s watching.
Lucien’s voice grew more urgent. "Erald, talk to . What’s going on?"
She tore her eyes away and turned back to them. "What?"
"You spaced out."
She shook her head. "It’s nothing."
Kieran frowned. "Are you sure?"
"No," she said sharply. "But I don’t have ti for this. I can’t keep playing tug-of-war with the three of you. I will make my choice when I’m ready."
Adrien’s smirk was gone now. "And until then?"
"Until then, don’t be selfish."
They blinked.
"You’re all caught up in who gets picked, who gets what part of . anwhile, soone out there is plotting to destroy everything I’ve built. Everything my father died for. So no, I’m not choosing anyone until I’m ready."
The orchard fell into stunned silence.
"I’ll deal with my mates when I’ve handled my enemies," she finished.
And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, boots crunching against fallen blossoms.
She could feel their gazes burning into her back, but she didn’t look over her shoulder.
Viola stirred again. "They won’t wait forever."
"They don’t have a choice," Erald replied, her voice barely a whisper.
She passed through the hedgerow, out of the orchard, her mind spinning, because she knew the truth.
Soon... all of them would et him.
Her three mates and The Rogue King.
And when that happened? She wasn’t sure what would survive the fallout.
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