124

124
Emma 

Ace’s gaze wanders from studying my face to the ceiling and ends up scanning the room while he must be thinking what lie he could dish out to me next. 

“I’m so over this,” I breathe out, lowering my head as sadness clasps around my heart. 

My brain is too busy wanting to tell him how he can save his breath that I only notice the alluring scent enveloping me when I’m already swept off my feet. 

“Gotcha.” Kai flashes me a large smile which illuminates his entire face, making my heart flip out of its painful grasp. “I thought that the hallway was smelling too good to be true.” 

His chuckle vibrates through me as he holds me tight after having me lifted up in his arms. “Did you miss me?” 

My hands bury into his shirt, and as soon as he has taken in my expression, his happy face falls. “Did something happen?” 

He lets me down, grabbing my chin gently to inspect my face as soon as he has set me back down on my feet. “Was I too rough? Did I hurt you?” 

“No, no… not at all. It’s all good,” I push out, avoiding his gaze when I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m just tired… I think I need to lie down.” 

His hand glides onto the side of my head, and he caresses my cheek with his thumb before his head snaps towards Ace. “I thought we had planned to relieve her anxiety, not make her sad. What happened?” 

“Nothing,” I lie, lifting my hands to hold his forearm. “Let’s not talk about this here.” 

“I don’t know,” Kai leans in, his eyes waiting for a mini expression of mine that would betray me. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell me now?” 

The sparks intensify, my skin burning up under his touch while his irises morph, the red color gaining prevalence. 

I wet my lips with my tongue, a lulling sensation taking over me like a haze, fogging my mind. I wait for his demon to mindlink to me, as it should be strong enough to disrupt this cast spell. 

But he remains silent. 

Tears threaten to blur my sight, and I risk blurting everything out just as the air shifts, ripping me out of my trance. Ace takes a step forward, stopping next to me as if he wanted to cut the connection between his brother and me. “She just misunderstood something.” 

“I didn’t misunderstand anything,” I protest, contrasting his deep and still stupidly calm voice. “I just happened to learn something that makes you untrustworthy.” 

Even though my words were directed at Ace, I keep my gaze set on Kai because of the irrational thought that he is the only thing that is keeping me from falling into a deep, black abyss. 

I had always been the last one to change sides, always ready to justify Ace’s actions because I wanted to believe until the very end how he was just a victim of his fate. So, it is totally understandable as Kai moves his gaze from me, looking at his brother wide-eyed. “Oh, my Goddess. What the fuck did you do?” 

“Like I said.” Ace puts up his hands, showing his palms. “She didn’t give me time to explain. I—” 

Before he can finish the sentence, Kai has already stormed forward to grab his collar. “Are you blaming my Luna?” 

“No,” Ace sighs, lowering his head. “Of course not.” 

“Then she is lying to me!” Kai pushes further, enraged as he tightens his grip on Ace’s uniform. 

“No… I—” 

A deep rumble rips through the air, but it ends abruptly when Alpha Cayden appears practically out of nowhere. 

Has he been here the entire time? 

He separates the two effortlessly, pushing against Kai’s shoulder to make him back off. “Don’t make a scene here. We can’t afford to show them any weak spots they could take advantage of. Get yourselves together.” He turns to Ace, growling. “Both of you.”  

Kai looks like he is ready to decapitate someone, but he complies. He pulls me to his side, dragging me with him while Alpha Cayden grabs Ace by his nape to get him to start walking. 

“If you keep me from returning to my wife just another day, you will learn the hard way why your father only challenged me for my Alpha position once.” 

Ace never turns around while he walks along his father, and I scoot closer to Kai’s side. 

I only inspect the guards following us shortly before looking up to Kai. 

"Excited to meet the Alpha King?" he asks loudly, obviously putting on a play.

Pressing my lips together, I think of a thousand things that I would like to tell him. 

Ask him if he is alright…

Ask him if he is hurt…

Tell him that I’m happy to see him… 

“It’s all alright,” he whispers, smiling at me. “I’ll get you out of here as fast as I can, and you will finally be able to rest, my love. But please bear with me, okay?” 

I nod, gulping when he sighs, relieved. “Sure. I will.” 

“Good, I would hate to leave you alone right now,” he murmurs, and I hate how his face morphs, showing me an emotion I have never seen on him. 

I mirror his hopeful expression that he had on earlier, wanting to make his heart feel lighter. "It's all alright," I repeat his words confidently, putting my hand on his chest, causing his lip to twitch. 

I trust him and force myself to focus on how we will be back home in no time. 

But if dreams were horses…