Niks approached Anastasia’s bed slowly, his posture that with tension, hes golden eyes

an be studied her.

Saphira feh the shift in him before he even spoke–the guarded edge in his stance, the way his fingers feed slightly, as if preparing himself for thing

“How do you know my name?” Niks basked/b, his voice lowb, /bmeasured, hut carrying an unmistakable sharpness.

Saphira inhaled slowly, her stomach tightening. No one outside the pack or the Elders should know his name–especially after everything that had already happened. This was dangerous. This was wrong. And it was only natural that bNiks /bwould be an edge.

Anastasia stined, shifting slightly, her movements slow and cautious

Asher was beside her in an instant, supporting her as she adjusted herself in the bed.

Once she was settled, she bgave /bNiks a small, tited smile.

“Because my dear.” she started, voler quiet but steady, “I was there when you were born… When you were named.”

The words hit the room like a weight dropped into bstill /bwater.

bNiks /bexpression shifted, confusion flickering across his features, pulling his brown together. “L.. how?”

new up

friends.”

p bwith /byour father,” Anastasia continued her bvoice /bsofter now,ced with something

14 farmiliar. “And when he met your mother, we became best

Silence settled thick between them.

Asher was staring in shockb, /beyes wide, lips parted slightly as if trying to process it

Even Saphira felt frozen, her breath uneven, her dragon stirring with unease.

Niks hadn’t moved.

He stood stiffly, barely binking, like his mind was racing too fast to form a response

Then, slowly–hesitantly–he started, “Do you…” but the words faltered before he could finish.

Anastasia’s expression dimmed.

“No,” she said, her voice

d, her voice dipping with sorrow, already understanding what he was trying to ask,

Saphina’s chest tightened, watching the way Anastasia’s shoulders curled slightly inward, how the emotion broke through her exhaustion.

“I have been searching for them ever since they disappeared,” bshe /bwhispered, her gaze distant, like the was coving teething only she had loved through. “I found no leads. I’m so sorry.”

A tear bslipped /bdown her cheek, catching on theer bof /bher lip before she wiped it away absently.

Niks exhaled slowly, the sound heavy.

“We have an bidea/bb,/bb” /bbhe /badmitted, voice steadier than before, though there was something restrained beneath it–something held bback/b. “But I don’t want bu cause you any bstress /bright nowe

Anastasia bnodded /bweath, her fingers gripping Asher’s hand for silent reassurance.

“bYou /bneed to heal” Nis continued, squeezing her shoulder gently, offering something quiet–something meant to ground her, bif /bonly fat now. “They

we can talk”

WAFTER 5/

He turned, stepping bback/b, moving as though preparing on leave–but hesitated.

Puting at the door, he nced over his shoulder.

“Tim d you’re safe.”

His sake carried more weight than the words alone.

“Wee home”

Anastasia let out a slow breath, her los pressing

pinto something faird–something unreadable.

Niks turned toward Saphic then, his gater but stillced with thought.

“Let’s give them sonte space,” he murmured, tilling his head slightly toward the door. “We cane back after we eat

He ached for the contamer she had brought inb, /blifting it off the side table.

“This in cold now,”

Baghira nodded, falling into step beside him without hesitation

As they left. Niks passed only briefly to speak to one of the doctors, ensuring Zafira would be watched closely until they returned.

Then–together–they walked back to the house.

Saphira and bNiks /bmed toward the farthest table in the half–ergty dining room, each carrying ba /bte of bfood/bb, /btheir movements slow–gued, but

As they entered, a few pack member exchanged brief words, small talk about border status band /bany signs of trouble

Luckily everything seemed quiet.

Still, Saphira felt the weight of it all pressing against Siks, the temien roing through him even though nothing had been said yet.

Deer they settled into their seats, the silence between them stiched, settling bthick /bin the air.

bSaphira /bstudied. Niks for a moment–his shoulders tense, his jaw set, the shadows beneath his eyes deeper than before. He looked like he bwas /bcarrying everything alone.

She let the silence linger for a beat longer before finally breaking it.

“Are you okay?”

Niks exhaled slowly, rubbing his thumb absently against the bside /bof his te before answering.

“Yes,” he murmured. Then–after a pause=“It’s just ba /blot. And now I have to break the news of my parents” death to her,”

Saphira felt something sharp twist inside her chest at that.

“It seems ever since the whole ordeal with The Matchmaker… everything has been against us.”

His voice was quieter now, edged with something defeated.

Saphira inhaled slowly, watching him, truly shing him in a way she hadn’t before.

bNiks /bArax–the most dangerous, se creature alive–looked deleted

2/14

But she wasn’t about to let him sit in that feeling.

She reached out, cing her lund finely in his arm, waiting until his pure lifted to meet hers.

“That’s because we don’t understand everything set,” she said, her mire steady, certain. “When we desi

Nike stared at her for abg mement

Then–aly, subtly his lips conved into the smellest hist of ba /bsmile,

“I really like your confidence,” he mimated.

Saphira umiked, squeezing his arm briefly before palling her hand back.

“Because you are Niks Amas. My mate. The most powerful and feared creature to exist.”

Niks let out a low rkle, shaking his head slightly.

“I bdon’t /bfeel powerful,” he admitted. “I was able to be taken so easily. Twice”

Saphira narrowed her eyes slightly, her fingers tightening around the edge of her te.

“That that was because you were ochrambered,” she pointed out. “You can only do so much alone… especially against Elders.”

bShe /bsoftened, midging his foot lightly beneath the table,

“But you’re not alone anymore.”

bNiks /bheld her gaze for another long boat–then exhaled, something in his posture losing just slightly.

They bfinished /beating in silence, but Saphira wasn’t lost in thought the way the bnormally /bbwas/b..

She felt… grounded.

Until-

Something bclicked /bin her mindb. /b

Something she bhad /boverlooked.

Without hesitation, she tumed her entire body toward Niks, Her expression sharpening, he spipe straightening with deliberate purpose.

Niks blinked, confused by the sudden shift..

“Now seriously,” she said firmly, her tone carrying weight Niks wasn’t expecting “you ever wander off bwithout /banymunication to try and relve this yourself again…

She leaned in slightly, beyes /blocked unto his.

“I will never forgive you”

bNiks /bblinked again, bhis /bexpression flickering between shock and mild amusement–but mostly shock.

?Understood,” he finally replied, his voice edged with realization.

Saphira bfelt /bthe weight lift off her shoulders instantly–the frustration, the unspoken anger she hadn’t even schroedelgel anil nome

She hadn’t realized how much it had aflosed her

How bmuch /bit had

Intlle her, waiting to be spoken.

Now she had said

And Nis heard

That was enough

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