Page 110 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

"I don't doubt it." Serenity glanced at the network of scars across his torso, visible above the sheet. Each one told a story of violence she could only imagine.

She disappeared into the hallway, returning minutes later with a tray of toast, eggs, and coffee. The staff had beensurprisingly accommodating when she'd made her request, though their curious glances hadn't escaped her notice.

"You didn't have to," Ronan said, but he pushed himself up against the headboard, wincing slightly.

"Clearly I did." Serenity placed the tray across his lap and settled beside him. "You can barely move without grimacing."

"Noticing a lot about me, aren't you?" His voice carried that infuriating Alpha confidence.

"Hard not to notice when you're a mess." She picked up a piece of toast, holding it out to him. "Eat."

To her surprise, he leaned forward and took a bite directly from her hand, his eyes never leaving hers. The gesture was strangely intimate, more so than their naked bodies had been the night before.

"What game are we playing here, Serenity?" Ronan asked after swallowing.

She cut a piece of egg and offered it, avoiding his question. "No game. You're injured, I'm helping. Don't make it complicated."

He accepted the food, his lips brushing her fingers. "Everything about you is complicated. The fucking Vale princess with the MBA, playing nursemaid to a Drake."

"Former Drake," she corrected, taking a sip of his coffee before handing him the mug. "You were disowned, remember?"

A shadow crossed his face. "Some things you don't forget."

The vulnerability in his voice caught her off guard. This wasn't the ruthless Alpha who commanded fear and respect in the underground world. This was just a man, injured and perhaps lonely.

"Your family—" she began.

"Don't." His voice hardened. "That's not breakfast conversation."

Serenity nodded, understanding boundaries better than most. "Fair enough."

She continued feeding him in silence, occasionally stealing bites for herself. It was oddly domestic, sitting beside this dangerous man, sharing a meal in the morning light.

"Thank you," Ronan said quietly as she set aside the empty plate. The words sounded unfamiliar in his mouth, as if he rarely had cause to use them.

"You're welcome." Serenity tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear, suddenly self-conscious under his intense gaze.

"Gold eyes with red," he murmured, studying her face. "Never seen anything like it."

Her hand instinctively rose to her face. Her unusual eyes—gold from her father, flecked with her mother's red—had always drawn attention.

"Genetic anomaly," she said dismissively.

"Beautiful anomaly." His fingers caught hers, drawing her hand away from her face. "Don't hide what makes you unique, Omega."

Something warm unfurled in her chest at his words. Dangerous. Getting attached to an Alpha like Ronan Drake was playing with fire.

But as she looked at him, battered yet unbroken in the morning light, Serenity wondered if perhaps some fires were worth the burn.

Setting the empty breakfast tray aside, Serenity let her gaze linger on Ronan's face. Despite the bruises discoloring his jaw and the cut above his brow, there was something undeniably magnetic about him. Power radiated from him even in his injured state, like a caged predator momentarily at rest.

"You're staring, Omega," Ronan said, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her.

"Just assessing my handiwork." Serenity's lips curved into a smile as she leaned closer, her golden-red eyes gleaming with mischief. "What does it feel like, Drake? Having to rely on someone else for once?"

His green eyes narrowed. "Don't get used to it. I'll be back on my feet by tonight."

"And until then?" She traced a finger along his uninjured arm, feeling his muscles tense beneath her touch. "You're at my mercy."

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