Chapter 170

Rhea

The confession seemed to break something in both of them. Jax's hands tightened on my waist while Kael's kiss turned almost punishing in its intensity. I was lost in the sensation, in the overwhelming rightness of being held between them, when suddenly I felt my body begin to shake.

Kael pulled back immediately, his tactical mind cutting through the haze of desire as he studied my face with sharp concern. I saw the moment he noticed the faint shadows under my eyes, felt him probe gently through the bond to assess my physical state. His expression darkened. "What time did you wake up this morning?"

I bit my lip, suddenly aware of how exhausted I actually was. "Four AM. I wanted to catch the earliest flight..."

"Fuck." Jax's hands gentled immediately on my waist, his earlier intensity replaced by guilt. "I'm an idiot. I should have realized—"

"You need to rest," Kael said firmly, already scooping me up in his arms. "No arguments."

"But I'm fine, really, I just—" I tried to protest, but he was already carrying me toward the bedroom, Jax trailing behind us with an expression of chagrin.

"You're exhausted," Kael stated flatly, laying me down on his bed with careful precision. "When was the last time you actually slept through the night?"

I didn't answer, which was answer enough. He began unbuttoning my jacket while Jax poured me a glass of water from the bedside carafe. "Drink," Jax ordered gently, pressing the glass into my hands.

I obeyed, and by the time I'd drained it, my eyelids were already drooping. "But you two wanted to—"

"We have all the time in the world," Kael interrupted, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Right now, what you need is sleep."

He stretched out on one side of me while Jax claimed the other, both of them fully clothed and maintaining a respectful distance. But their presence wrapped around me like a warm blanket, the bond humming with contentment and protective affection.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, already half-asleep. "I wanted to—"

"Shh," Jax whispered, pressing a kiss to my temple. "Just rest, princess. We'll be right here."

Kael's fingers threaded through mine, squeezing gently. "Always," he promised. "We're not going anywhere."

I let my eyes close, safe and warm between my two mates, and for the first time in weeks I felt truly at peace. The bond pulsed with their steady presence, lulling me into the deepest sleep I'd had since leaving for Winterbourne.

---

I woke to afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows and the sound of low voices. For a moment I just lay there, savoring the warmth and safety of Kael's bed, the lingering sense of both my mates nearby even though they'd clearly gotten up while I slept.

When I finally emerged from the bedroom, I found them in the kitchen, Kael cooking something that smelled amazing while Jax set the table. They both looked up as I appeared, and identical smiles crossed their faces.

"There she is," Jax said warmly. "Feel better?"

"Much," I admitted, stretching. "What time is it?"

"Nearly three," Kael replied, plating what looked like a gourmet lunch. "You slept for almost six hours. Your body clearly needed it."

We ate together, the conversation light and comfortable, though I could feel a certain restlessness building beneath the surface. Both of them wanted to know about my time at home, about the formal dinner and my family's reaction to our bond. I told them about the initial shock, about the conservative faction's resistance, about my father's unwavering support and my mother's quiet approval.

"Your brother threatened to duel anyone who questioned Jax's worthiness," I mentioned with a small smile.

Jax nearly choked on his water. "He what?"

"Alex has come around," I assured him. "He trusts you now. Both of you."

After lunch, I insisted on going to the training grounds—I'd been cooped up for too long, and my wolf was restless. We walked across campus together, and I reveled in the simple pleasure of being able to move freely in the spring air, to not have to hide or pretend or maintain a facade.

At the training grounds, we found Finn and several others taking a break between drills. Finn's face lit up when he saw me. "Ray! You're back!"

"Just got in this morning," I confirmed, accepting his enthusiastic fist bump.

We settled onto the benches, and the conversation naturally turned to campus gossip. That's when Finn mentioned it almost casually, between sips of his sports drink.

"Oh, did you guys hear? Professor Thorne tried to get his job back. The administration turned him down flat."

My water bottle froze halfway to my lips. Through the bond, I felt both Kael and Jax go alert.

"Apparently he's been hanging around campus anyway," Finn continued, oblivious to my sudden tension. "Security spotted him lurking near the student housing a few times. One of the guards said he was staring at the dormitories with this really intense look, like..." Finn shuddered. "Like a wolf watching prey."

The plastic of my water bottle crumpled in my suddenly tight grip. Immediately, Jax's hand found mine under the edge of the bench, his thumb stroking reassuringly across my knuckles while Kael shifted almost imperceptibly closer, his shoulder pressing against mine in silent support.

"Don't worry about it," Jax said firmly, though his eyes had gone hard. "He's not stupid enough to actually try anything."

"If I see him anywhere near the dormitories, I'll have a conversation with him," Kael added, his voice dropping to something cold and dangerous. "A very direct one."

I nodded, trying to shake off the unease that had settled over me like a chill. It was probably nothing. Thorne was bitter about losing his position, that was all. He wouldn't actually—

Movement caught my eye at the edge of the tree line. I turned my head sharply, but there was nothing there. Just shadows between the trees, perfectly innocent. Except...

"What is it?" Kael had noticed my sudden alertness, his gaze following mine as he scanned the forest edge with tactical precision.

"I thought I saw..." I trailed off, feeling foolish. "Probably nothing."

But Jax was already on his feet, his wolf rising close to the surface as his eyes swept the perimeter. "I'll check it out."

"We'll both check it out," Kael corrected, his tone brooking no argument. He turned to me. "Stay here with Finn."

They moved toward the tree line together, and I watched with my heart in my throat as they disappeared into the shadows. Finn shifted uncomfortably beside me, clearly picking up on the sudden tension.

"Everything okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure I believed it. "Just being paranoid, probably."

They returned a few minutes later, Kael's expression grim. He crouched down to examine something on the ground, and when he straightened, his jaw was tight.

"Fresh footprints," he said quietly. "Someone was watching us. Recently."

The unease that had been building in my chest crystallized into something sharper. Through the bond, I felt both my mates' protective instincts surge, their wolves rising to the surface with a growl.

"Let's head back," Jax suggested, his hand finding the small of my back. "It's getting late anyway."

As we walked back toward the dormitories, I couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on my back. The afternoon that had started with such joy and relief had taken on a darker edge, a sense of something lurking just out of sight.

He's planning something, my wolf whispered uneasily. The broken one. He hasn't given up.

I pushed the thought away, focusing instead on the steady presence of my mates on either side of me, on the strength of the bond that connected us. Whatever Thorne was planning—if he was planning anything at all—we would face it together.

But as we reached the safety of the dormitories and I said my temporary goodbyes to Jax and Kael, I couldn't entirely suppress the shiver that ran down my spine. Spring had returned to Zenith, bringing warmth and new life.

But somewhere in the shadows, something cold and patient was waiting.

And the storm, I feared, was only just beginning to gather.