Page 34 of Fire and Fate
I can see the fierce concentration on the Beta’s face even from here, the way every movement is calculated to keep her Omega safe. There's something beautiful about it, something that makes my dragon purr with satisfaction. This Beta will protect what's ours. This Beta understands the value of what she carries.
"She's beautiful," I whisper, not sure if I mean the Omega or the Beta or both. My eyes track their progress, drinking in every detail I can see from this distance. "Zara, they're both so beautiful."
"They are," Zara agrees quietly, her hand sliding to my waist. "Come on. We need to meet them."
We rush through the castle corridors, our footsteps echoing on the marble floors. Servants scatter out of our way, their eyes wide with confusion at seeing their queens moving with such urgency. I barely register them. I can't think about anything except getting to those women, to our Omega who's suffering, tothe Beta who's protecting her so fiercely. My dragon is pushing at me, demanding we move faster, demanding we get to our mates now.
We reach the courtyard just as the horse thunders through the gates, its hooves striking sparks against the stone. Guards are already moving to intercept, hands on their weapons, clearly uncertain about these strangers charging toward the castle. I wave them back with a sharp gesture that brooks no argument.
"Let them through," I command, my voice ringing with authority. "Don't frighten them."
The Beta pulls the horse to a stop in the center of the courtyard, sweat covering the animal's coat from the hard ride. Her eyes scan the area with obvious wariness, taking in every guard, every potential threat, every exit route. She's assessing us, I realize. Looking for danger. Making sure this place is safe for her Omega before she'll let her guard down even slightly. The intelligence in that assessment, the tactical thinking, impresses me despite the circumstances.
One of our senior guards, Adam, approaches slowly with his hands raised in a peaceful gesture. He's dealt with frightened people before and knows how to project calm and safety. "Easy there," he says, his voice low and soothing. "We're here to help. Let me assist you down."
The Beta's eyes narrow, her jaw tight with suspicion. She doesn't reach for her weapon but I can see the way her muscles coil, ready to fight if necessary. After a moment that stretches too long, she gives a short, sharp nod.
She slides off the horse first, landing lightly on her feet, then reaches up to catch the Omega as Adam helps lower her down. The Omega is completely limp now, her head lolling back, her scent so thick in the air that even the guards are shifting uncomfortably as their bodies react to it.
"Inside," I say, my voice coming out as a command. Every instinct is screaming at me to take the Omega myself, to carry her, to get her somewhere safe where I can care for her properly. "Bring her inside immediately."
Adam scoops the Omega into his arms, cradling her carefully against his chest. I see the Beta's hand go to the sword at her waist, fingers wrapping around the hilt. She doesn't draw it, but the threat is absolutely clear. Touch my Omega wrong and I'll kill you, consequences be damned. The fierce protectiveness radiating from her makes my dragon settle slightly.
"This way," Zara says, gesturing toward the castle entrance. "We have rooms prepared. She'll be safe here, I promise you."
The Beta follows closely as Adam carries the Omega inside, her eyes never leaving her companion for even a second. She walks with her weight forward, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation. I fall into step beside Zara, my heart racing as we make our way through the corridors to the guest wing. The Omega's scent fills the hallways, marking everything, announcing her presence to everyone we pass. Servants stop and stare, their expressions ranging from shock to wonder. They can feel the magic too, the way it's crackling through the air like lightning before a storm.
We reach one of the larger bedrooms, one I had prepared weeks ago in hopeful anticipation. It has windows that overlook the valley, heavy curtains that can block out the light, and a bed large enough for multiple people. Adam lays the Omega down gently on the comforter, stepping back immediately to give space. I finally get my first clear look at her, and the sight steals my breath completely.
She's breathtaking in a way that has nothing to do with conventional beauty and everything to do with rightness. Warm brown skin that seems to glow in the afternoon light, full lipsparted as she breathes shallowly, dark curls spread across the pillow like a halo.
Even unconscious, even in the throes of heat that's clearly overwhelming her system, she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Her scent fills the room completely now, sweet and wild and absolutely perfect, making my mouth water and my dragon rumble with satisfaction deep in my chest.
Mine, my dragon says with absolute certainty.Ours.
Then I look at the Beta properly for the first time, really see her beyond just the protector, and my entire body goes cold. The realization hits me like a physical blow. She's a wolf. A wolf shifter. I can see it in the way she moves, the way she holds herself, the faint shimmer of her other form just beneath her skin. From Valoria, no doubt. From the kingdom that's been sending warriors to attack us for years, that's laid siege to our borders, that's called us monsters and beasts. From the people who hunt us, who've tried repeatedly to breach our walls and steal our wealth, who've killed our people without mercy or remorse.
A hiss escapes my lips before I can stop it. My dragon surges forward, protective of our territory, of our mate lying vulnerable on the bed, of everything we've built and defended for centuries. The sound is low and threatening, and I see the Beta's hand immediately go back to her sword.
But then the Beta's scent hits me as well, and I freeze mid-breath. It's the second scent. The one that was on our sheets alongside the Omega's. The one that called to my dragon almost as strongly as the Omega's did, making me ache with wanting even though I didn't understand why. The one that felt like home and safety and rightness all wrapped together. This Beta, this wolf shifter from our enemy kingdom, is our mate too.
The confusion must show clearly on my face because the Beta takes a step back, watching me with wary eyes, clearly preparedto fight if necessary. To protect her Omega even though she's outnumbered, even though she's in enemy territory, even though she has to know she can't win against two dragons and an entire castle full of guards.
Then our eyes meet fully, and something shifts in the air between us. Something that makes my dragon settle and purr instead of attack, that says this person, this fierce protective Beta, belongs to us just as surely as the Omega on the bed does. That we are meant to be four, not three.
The Beta's expression changes, hardening into determination. She drops to her knees beside the bed in one fluid motion, one hand reaching out to touch the Omega's face. The contrast between the warrior's wariness and this tender touch is startling, beautiful in its own way. When she looks up at me, there's desperation in her eyes that cuts straight through every defense I have.
"Please," she says, her voice rough with emotion and exhaustion. "Please help my Omega."
Solace
The queens have introduced themselves, and Kaia has calmed somewhat after the older woman, the royal physician, Elara, administered something that eased the worst of her heat symptoms. But now it's just the four of us in this enormous bedchamber, and I'm not sure what to do with myself. My body won't stop trembling, every muscle coiled tight with tension that refuses to release despite the apparent safety of our surroundings.
Kaia lies on the bed, her breathing more even now but still too fast, her scent still thick in the air. Alessia stands on one side of the bed, watching my princess with an expression I can't quite read. Something between wonder and possessiveness that makes my protective instincts flare even as another partof me recognizes that expression, understands it on a level I'm not ready to examine. And Zara stands near the window, her arms crossed over her chest, her dark eyes fixed on me with an intensity that makes me want to shift just so I have claws and teeth to defend with.
She doesn't look like she trusts me at all. I can see it in the tension of her shoulders, the way her weight stays forward on her feet like she's ready to move at any moment. She's assessing me as a threat, and I can't blame her for that. I'm a wolf from Valoria in the heart of dragon territory with a princess who's supposed to be here to kill them. The fact that we're standing here at all instead of dead or imprisoned is more grace than I probably deserve.
"Solace," Zara says, her voice cutting through the silence. It's not cruel but it's not warm either, just direct and commanding. "A word. Over here."
