ra’s POV

    The

    game stretched on, the hours slipping by unnoticed, until the moon hung like a quieted, as stewards moved in to remind everyone that dinner had long passed them by.

    “Hey, what are you talking about over there? We need our pitcher!” Dorian’s shout cut through the air, distant yet demanding

    I snorted, shaking my head as I patted Dario on the shoulder. “You should get back in there

    Silve

    coin

    int

    the heart of the night sky. The sounds of the field finally

    “Wow, we really lost track of time, didn’t we?” Dorian walked off the field, wiping his sweat–drenched hair with a towel.

    Dario shot him a grin. “The soldiers had fun.”

    “Well, of course, they did,” Dorian replied,ughter in his tone. “They had the chance to beat their king. How often does that happen?”

    “It happens pretty much every time you y baseball,” Dario shot back with a teasing smirk.

    Dorian smacked his shoulder, a mock re on his face. “Don’t get cocky. I’ll rub that smug face of yours into home base next time.”

    Both of them burst intoughter, the sound warm and easy, like two friends who’d forgotten their titles for a moment.

    I leaned against the bench, waiting for them. When they reached me, Dorian didn’t hesitate to pull me into his arms. “Sorry, my love. The game went longer than I expected. You should’ve gone back to the castle on your own.”

    I didn’t pull away. For once, I didn’t mind. “No,” I said, my smile soft. “I wanted to wait.”

    “Are you hungry?” he asked, his voice filled with warmth.

    “I’m starving,” he continued, pulling away from me for a moment. “I’ll have the maids bring something to your room.”

    He turned to Dario. “Come have dinner with us.”

    Dario looked hesitant, ncing from me to him. “I think I’ll eat in the kitchen,” he muttered. “Don’t want to intrude.”

    I smiled, the gesture yful but genuine. “You’re not intruding. It’s just one dinner. The king and I will have plenty of alone time in the future.”

    Dorian’s face lit up at my words. He kissed my forehead softly and chuckled. “The queen is right.”

    We all made our way to my room, where dinner had already been set on the table. Soup, sd, roasted meat, all spread out before us.

    But as the scent of the meat hit me, my stomach turned. I couldn’t handle it–not again.

    I fought back the urge to gag, trying not to make a scene. Instead, I took my seat at the far end of the table, as far from that tter of meat as I could. Pretending everything was fine when my body was rebelling against the very smell in the air.

    Dorian and Dario dove into business talk, their voices low as they passed around the soup and bread. I just sat there, swirling my spoon in silence.

    Then Dario’s voice broke through the din, steady and serious. “For your mating ceremony, my king, we’ll have many guests. How should we handle security?”

    Dorian rubbed his chin, thinking. “Security is a major issue… Have we found out who poisoned Elder Randy yet?”

    “Not yet, my king,” Dario replied, bowing his head slightly.

    “Which means there’s still a criminal out there,” Dorian muttered. “We’ll have to have a meeting with the head of security tomorrow to make sure the castle is locked down tight for the ceremony. No more surprises.”

    b1/3 /b

    “I’ll arrange it right away.” Dario said, nodding.

    Dorian shot a quick nced at me. “With the werewolves so close to our border, we’ll need to take extra precautions.”

    My heart stopped for a second.

    How close?

    Were they already here, on these very mountains? Was Thorne right behind that veil of mist?

    I fought the sudden excitement bubbling up inside me. But I wouldn’t act too eager. Not yet. I had to stick to my n, not let him catch on.

    I cleared my throat. “Oh, and there’s something else.” My voice sounded calm, though my heart was hammering. “Earlier, when Belle and Wells came iby/i. they mentioned introducing me to the elders from House of Light.”

    Dorian nodded thoughtfully. “It’s a great idea. The House of Light is full of friendly people. You should definitely get to know them.”

    “That’s the n,” I said casually, though I could feel my pulse quicken. “Wells mentioned something about a hunting trip the House of Light is organizing. I’m invited to join.”

    Dorian’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. “A hunting trip?”

    I could feel the tension building. My mind raced. This is it, the moment of truth.

    “Wells didn’t specify where,” I added, shrugging nonchntly. “Maybe in the mountains?”

    I was trying to act cool about it, but my hands were slick with sweat. Please say yes… please don’t ruin everything.

    He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms, his eyes sharpening. “Is it really a good idea to leave the castle? Especially since we still haven’t found the person who poisoned Elder Randy?”

    I kept my voice even, masking the nerves that wanted to crawl up my throat. “How dangerous can it be? We’ll be traveling in arge group.”

    I nced at Dario, searching his face.

    “And Dario will be with me,” I added, the wordsing out like a prayer. “He’ll keep me safe, won’t you, Dario?”

    Dario nodded firmly, meeting Dorian’s gaze. “You can trust me, My King. I won’t let anything happen to your Queen.”

    Dorian raised an eyebrow. “It’s inot /iyou I don’t trust, brother,” he said with a chuckle. “But… I’ll think about it.”

    Dinner ended with a quiet tension hanging in the air. I excused myself to freshen up, needing space to collect my thoughts. When I came out of the bathroom, Dario had vanished. Dorian was on the bed, flipping through a book, lookingpletely at ease.”

    stiffened as I crossed the room. “Where did Dario go?”

    Dorian looked up, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I gave him the night off. I’ll be your guard tonight.”

    I froze, the sudden shift in atmosphere making me feel exposed.

    He chuckled. “Do you need me to carry you to bed?”

    bS /b

    I shot him a re, walking around the bed and climbing in from the opposite side. But before I could getfortable, his arms were around me, pulling

    me close.

    He buried his nose in my neck, inhaling deeply. “You smell amazing.”

    “It’s the shampoo,” I muttered.

    b07:39 /bbMon/b, 1 Sept

    “No,” he replied in a low, husky voice, “it’s not the shampoo… it’s you.”

    I shivered as his lips brushed against my neck. A wave of heat rushed through me. “What do you think you’re doing?” breathed.

    His gaze darkened as he leaned back, his eyes heavy with desire. “Trying to please my mate,” he murmured. “Trying to get her to agree to marry me

    I caught his chin, a smirk on my lips. “Acting horny won’t help you with that.”

    He narrowed his eyes, but there was something almost… disappointed in them.

    “You gave me a week to think about it,” I reminded him, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ve still got three days left.”

    “I remember,” he muttered. Then, his eyes shed with sudden understanding. “But…e on, ra.”

    He leaned down again, his breath hot on my ear. “Stop lying to yourself. You obviously want me.”

    I shoved his face away, putting a little more space between us. “I’ll let you know if I want you. But not right inow/ii,/i”

    His chest heaved, his gaze dark and stormy. He seemed to be holding himself back, barely.

    He spoke suddenly, his voice like a rasp. “The hunting…”

    I froze, my heart skipping a beat. “What about it?”

    He caught my earlobe with his teeth, the warm breath in my ear making me shiver. “I’ve got a

    feeling about it… something doesn’t sit right with me.”

    His lips grazed my skin. “So tell me this, my love… you’re not nning something behind my back, are you?”

    The words hung in the air, thick with tension, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I had made a mistake after all.

    *

    AB

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