Chapter 58

Chapter 58
Isolde

Rising to my feet, I delivered a concise summary of the treatment protocols and early responses. "The first five patients are showing marked improvement, with silver traces reducing by approximately sixty percent after initial treatment. I expect full recovery within three to five days, provided we prevent further exposure."

"And the water sources?" Dorian inquired, his professional tone barely masking his concern.

"All contaminated streams have been identified and cordoned off," Aiden answered before I could. "Dr. Beck's sampling was... remarkably thorough."

I caught the hint of grudging respect in his voice and nodded acknowledgment.

Luke tapped his glass thoughtfully. "This incident highlights a vulnerability we cannot ignore. I propose a joint investigation into the source of this contamination. Our territories share watershed systems—if Stone waters are compromised, Hawke lands may soon follow."

The proposal hung in the air, heavy with implications. A joint operation would require cooperation between packs with a history of mistrust.

Dorian's eyes narrowed slightly. "I agree the threat warrants collaboration. I'll assign Justin to coordinate with your security team, Aiden, if you're amenable."

Aiden gave a single, sharp nod. "Acceptable."

The rest of dinner passed in a blur of diplomatic exchanges and carefully navigated conversation. When the meal concluded, Luke announced that Dorian and his team would be staying overnight, as the hour was too late for safe return travel.

As guests dispersed, I slipped away to my assigned room, needing a moment to process everything. I had barely closed the door when a knock sounded—three firm taps I recognized immediately.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to find Dorian standing there, his composure finally showing cracks of fatigue and emotion.

"May I come in?" he asked quietly.

I stepped aside, allowing him entry. The moment the door closed behind him, the carefully maintained distance between us collapsed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?" I demanded, my voice low but intense.

His eyes darkened with emotion, the amber flecks catching the dim light. "I feared for your safety the moment I learned you were here. Stone territory isn't Hawke land—the protections I've built around you don't extend this far."

"I don't need constant protection, Dorian," I countered, though his concern touched something deep within me. "I'm a doctor first, your wife second. I can't be kept in a glass case."

"It's not about keeping you confined." His voice dropped lower, more intense. "It's about knowing I might not be there if something happened to you. Do you have any idea what it felt like to return, exhausted and injured, only to discover you'd vanished to another pack's territory?"

I stepped back, creating space between us. "I left a letter explaining everything."

"Which I never received," he said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I thought—" He broke off, jaw clenching.

"You thought what?"

"That you'd left me." The raw vulnerability in his admission stunned me. "That Charlotte's manipulations or my mistakes with Ella had finally driven you away. Or worse, that someone had taken you."

I softened slightly. "I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye, Dorian."

"Wouldn't you?" His eyes searched mine. "You've been pulling away for weeks. I feel you slipping through my fingers, Isolde, and I don't know how to stop it."

The honesty in his words pierced through my defenses. "I needed this," I said quietly. "I needed to prove—to myself most of all—that I'm more than just 'Alpha Hawke's human wife.' That I have value beyond our contract. That I can stand on my own."

"You've never been just my wife," he said fiercely. "From the moment I met you in that emergency room, I knew you were extraordinary."

"Then why does it feel like my only identity now is through you?" My voice cracked slightly. "At the research facility, I'm 'Alpha Lady.' To your pack, I'm your human accessory. Even my medical authority comes from being your mate."

"And here?" he challenged, gesturing to the room around us. "In Stone territory?"

I paused, considering. "Here... I'm just Dr. Beck. My work speaks for itself. When I saved Mia, when I identified the silver compound, no one cared whose wife I was."

Dorian's expression shifted, a flicker of pride blending with his concern. "You're remarkable, Isolde. That's why I—" He broke off, his gaze falling to my lips, his restraint unraveling like frayed threads. The scent of his arousal washed over me, earthy and wild, threaded with that faint metallic edge of his wolfish essence that always set my senses spinning.

Before I could speak, he bridged the gap, his hands cupping my face as he claimed my mouth with a hunger that shattered like a breaking dam. His kiss was insistent, urgent, as if those ten days apart had left him ravenous.

I kissed him back with intensity, my body giving in even as my mind reminded me of the three rules I’d laid down after our last fight: no touching, no kissing, and no sex until we were honest with each other.

Rules, I thought in a haze, but oh, how I've ached for this.

"Isolde," he whispered against my lips, his voice rough with yearning, "please. It's been an eternity. I can't— I need you." His hands glided down my back, drawing me against him until there was no space left.