“Did he demand money? Jewelry?”
I shook my head. “That’s what made it so strange. He didn’t want anything except to hurt me. It felt like…” I paused, trying to find the right words. “Like he was following orders.”
Something dangerous flickered in Caelan’s blue eyes. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
I’ll find whoever sent him. His voice carried the promise of violence. “They won’t get a second chance to hurt you.”
He reached for my hand. Our fingers intertwined.
“Sabi, you don’t have to face these dangers alone anymore.
The simple words hit harder than they should have. I stared at our joined hands, throat tight with unexpected emotion.
‘You can depend on me,” he continued softly.
Looking at his fingers wrapped around mine, I felt something break inside my chest. The words came out like a whisper.
‘I don’t know how to do that anymore. These past few years, I’ve gotten so used to handling everything by myself.”
Caelan shifted closer on the couch. “Let me protect you. Let me take care of you, okay?”
His other hand cupped my cheek, thumb brushing away a tear I hadn’t realized had fallen.
“You don’t have to carry every burden alone.”
The gentle understanding in his voice shattered what was left of my composure. Tears spilled over before I could stop them.
“Today I had this huge fight with Dad… The story poured out in broken fragments.
With each detail, Caelan’s expression grew colder. His arm slipped around my shoulders, pulling me against his chest. I felt the controlled tension in his muscles.
“It doesn’t matter now.” I pressed my face against his shoulder. “I left. I can’t go back after what was said.”
Caelan’s hand moved to stroke my hair with infinite gentleness. “You’re not alone anymore, Sabi. Whatever happens, I’m here.”
The comfort of his arms around me felt too good to be real. I wanted to sink into this feeling, to let someone else be strong for once.
But doubt crept in like poison.
“Everyone says they love me.” My voice came out muffled against his shirt. “Dad said it while he was already planning his life with Victoria. Darrell said it while he was fantasizing about his ex.”
I pulled back to meet his eyes. “How do I know you won’t choose someone else when it matters?”
Caelan’s hand moved to frame my face. “Sabi, you have me. I won’t betray you. I won’t deceive you.”
The sincerity in his voice made my chest ache. But Scarlett’s words echoed in my mind.
Blair believes she’s his intended bride. In her mind, you stole her entire future.
What if something happened between Blair and me? What if I had to compete with years of shared history, of Blair taking care of him when I wasn’t there?
Would he choose the woman who’d been by his side through everything? Or the one who’d run away for three years?
The questions twisted in my stomach, but I couldn’t voice them.
Instead, I just sat quietly in his arms, unable to return his promise.
Caelan must have sensed my emotional shift. His eyebrows pulled together with concern.
“What’s wrong? Did I say something?”
I shook my head, forcing a weak smile. I just… I need time to process everything that’s happened today.”
He didn’t push for more explanation. “Take all the time you need. I can wait.”
We sat in comfortable silence for several minutes. Then Caelan straightened, his expression growing more serious.
‘Sabi, tonight’s attack made me realize something. I need to establish a mind link with you.”
I blinked at him. “A mind link?”
‘I’ll use my blood to create a spiritual connection between us.” His fingers traced patterns on my palm as he explained. “No matter where you are, in danger, I’ll know immediately.”
“You can do that without formally marking me?”
‘As Lycan King, yes. Right now you don’t belong to my pack, so we can’t communicate through mind-link.. His grip on my hand tightened slightly.
A memory surfaced suddenly. “Wait, but that night in the forest… when I was…” Heat crept up my neck. “How did you find me then?” if you’re
Caelan’s expression grew thoughtful. “That was different. When you went into heat, the emotions and scent were so intense I could feel them across the city. But it only works one way – I can sense extreme emotional states from you, like fear or…” He paused delicately. “Other intense feelings. But it’s unstable and you can’t reach me. That’s why I need to establish a proper mind link. Then we can actually communicate.”
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
Carlan stood and moved to the small kitchen. After a moment of rummaging through drawers, he returned with a small knife.
Chapit
“Give me your hand.”
I extended my left hand, palm up. Caelan pressed the blade’s tip against my index finger. The sharp sting made me wince as blood welled up.
Then he pressed the knife to his own finger. Dark blood flowed from the cut.
‘Now press our fingers together.”
I followed his instruction. The moment our blood mixed, electricity shot up my arm. Not painful, but intense. Like touching a live wire.
Caelan’s eyes blazed gold for a heartbeat before returning to blue.
“The mind link is established. Try calling my name in your mind.”
Caclan?
His response came immediately, warm and clear in my consciousness: I’m here, my queen.
Then without warning, he lifted my injured finger to his mouth. His warm tongue traced the small cut with delicate precision.
Heat flooded my cheeks as he sealed the wound with his saliva. The gentle pressure of his mouth against my skin sent awareness spiraling through my body.
When he finally released my finger, the cut had healed completely.
I pulled my hand back and moved toward the small kitchen. “Want something to drink?”
Caelan stood, his gaze shifting to the window. His expression turned serious as he surveyed the darkened street beyond the glass.
‘As a security expert, I think I need to check the protective measures in this place.”
I bit back a smile while reaching for two glasses from the cabinet. “Oh? When did you add that to your resume?”
He moved to the window with purposeful strides. His fingers tested the lock mechanism with the focused attention of someone conducting a military inspection.
“Just as I suspected.” He shook his head gravely. “This lock rates maybe a C-level security classification.”
I filled the glasses with water, eyebrow arching. ‘Let me guess your place has better locks?”
–
A+ grade minimum. Military standard.” He turned the latch again, frowning. “These wouldn’t stop a determined teenager, let alone a professional.
The water nearly went down the wrong way as I tried not to laugh. “Professional what exactly?”
Caelan pivoted, his expression switching to lecture mode. “According to criminal psychology, attackers typically strike again within twenty-four hours. It’s a pattern.
I nearly choked on my sip. “Criminal psychology? When did you earn that PhD?”
He scratched his nose sheepishly. “I read about it… online.”
“So now His Majesty is an internet expert?”
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