Chapter 215 Chapter 214
(In a far hidden corner in the Shifters' Realm)
Dorian stood in the darkest section of the cave, his gaze darting around at the men that had gathered before him under the veil of night. The air was tense as he cleared his throat to speak.
"We all heard the king's announcement," he began slowly, watching the hooded figures before him. "He has now found a woman he can make his queen and even without our approval, would go ahead with mating her anyway."
A low murmur rose in the cave; the voices echoed but it soon died out. "Unfortunately, that would put our plans in disarray, so we cannot let it happen."
His voice grew louder. "Human or not, this woman poses a threat and we need to get rid of her. Do we have any suggestions?"
Someone in the crowd spoke up. "An assassin should handle it, quietly."
"Wouldn’t that rouse suspicion?" another asked.
"Only if it’s sloppy," the first replied. "We send more than one. One will get close enough to end her before anyone notices."
A low hum of agreement spread. Dorian’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Then it’s settled. A clean job — silent and swift. With her gone, the king will be too distracted to see what’s coming."
He stepped back into the shadows, his eyes glinting like twin shards of ice.
"All in favor, say aye."
"Aye!" the crowd chorused.
Dorian smirked. "Good. Then let’s make history."
.
.
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Xenon returned to his chambers at the dead of night. He had been busy thinking up strategies and actions to ensure Rayena was safe during her pregnancy, and now he was exhausted. His other halves had also been pacing restlessly within him, desperate to be with their woman, and he’d begun to develop a headache.
Though the chamber was blanketed in darkness, his vision was as clear as day. He instantly spotted Rayena moving restlessly on the bed, her breaths faster than usual. Pulling himself away from the wall, he quietly made his way to the bed. Getting rid of his ceremonial robes until he was clad in only a thin tunic, he slipped into bed, and Rayena instantly turned to him, her eyes fluttering open.
“Xenon... you’re back,” she croaked, sounding exhausted. Scooting closer to him, she placed her head on his chest, and Xenon sighed as her scent wrapped around his nose, calming him.
“What took you so long?” she whined, disgruntled.
“Had to put some things in place,” he groaned, caressing her hair. “How do you feel?” he asked, tilting her face so she was looking at him.
“Not good...” she moaned. “The chamber is too hot,” she muttered, making sounds of discomfort.
A corner of Xenon’s lips twitched but didn’t quite form a smile. The room wasn’t hot at all, but she was already panting for breath, and he could see the sweat beading on her forehead.
A shifter’s pregnancy is a delicate position to be in, Ladrian’s voice resounded in his head. And she’s human too... he could only imagine how hard this would be for her.
“Come here,” he murmured, pulling her fully against him. He lowered his temperature instinctively, and she sighed in relief.
“Better now?”
“Mm-hmm,” she breathed. “You’re so cool now. You used to be warm.”
He huffed a quiet laugh. “One of the advantages of being a hybrid, I can change my body temperature at will.”
Her small gasp made him glance down. She was smiling faintly, her lashes fluttering. “That’s wonderful,” she whispered, snuggling deeper into his arms.
“You’ll be fine,” he said into the dark. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know,” she murmured sleepily. “I trust you.”
The words struck deep. Trust, something he wasn’t sure he deserved. His heart clenched as the weight of her faith pressed against old, buried fears.
Minutes later, her body grew slack against him, and soon her soft snores filled the room. Xenon listened to the sound, letting it wash over him. He closed his eyes and, from the deepest crevices of his heart, managed to mumble a soft prayer.
“Please, gods, give me strength to protect this woman—this precious gift—and the unborn child nestled within her. I don’t want to make the same mistakes my father did. Please...”
He swallowed tightly, adjusted his hold on Rayena, and tried to sleep as well.