Page 43 of Fire and Fate
They leave together, Zara's hand finding the small of Solace's back in the same way my wife has always done for me I watch them go with satisfaction, knowing that Zara will take good care of our Beta, will show her that she's valued and desired for more than just her role as Kaia's protector.
Once the door closes behind them, I turn my full attention back to Kaia. "Now then, where were we?"
"You were spoiling me," Kaia says with a grin, opening her mouth for another bite.
I feed her slowly, taking my time with each piece. We talk about everything and nothing as the afternoon wears on. She tells me about her kingdom, about Valoria and its walls that keepout anyone who doesn't fit their narrow definition of acceptable. She describes the rigid social hierarchy, the expectations placed on Omegas, the way her father tried to mold her into something she could never be.
"The castle was beautiful but cold," she says at one point. "Everything was about appearance, about maintaining the proper image. No one was allowed to just be themselves. Omegas were supposed to be sweet and silent and hidden away. Betas were workers and guards but never considered equal to Alphas. And Alphas ruled everything with absolute authority."
"That sounds suffocating," I murmur, stroking her hair back from her face.
"It was," she admits. "I spent my whole life feeling like I couldn't breathe properly, like there was something wrong with me because I didn't want what I was supposed to want. I didn't want to be quiet or hidden. I didn't want some Alpha choosing me like I was a prize to be won. I just wanted freedom to choose my own path."
I lean down to press a kiss to her forehead. "You have that now. Here, you can be exactly who you are. No one will try to change you or mold you into something else."
She's quiet for a moment, and when I pull back to look at her face, I see that her expression has sobered considerably. "I don't really want to go back, but I need to. People will be looking for me. My father will send search parties, maybe even warriors into the Shadowlands. I can't just disappear without consequences."
"After your heat," I say firmly. "And after we present you to our people. They're probably wondering why we've holed ourselves away with our mystery guests instead of making a formal announcement."
Kaia giggles at that. "I suppose showing up as a princess from a country of wolves who was supposed to kill you isn't the most conventional introduction to your kingdom."
"Nothing about this situation is conventional," I agree with a smile. "But that's what makes it perfect. Our people have been waiting for the prophecy to unfold for centuries. They'll be thrilled to meet you, even if you did originally come here with violent intentions."
Her expression turns thoughtful. "Will Solace be okay? With Zara, I mean. I know my Beta can handle herself, but this is all so new for her too. She's spent so much of her time protecting me, being strong for me. I worry that she won't know how to let someone else care for her."
"Zara might not show much emotion to most people, but she loves hard when she lets herself," I assure her. "I don't think she expected Solace, didn't expect to feel drawn to a Beta the way she clearly is. But now that she's accepted it, she'll treat Solace with all the devotion and care she deserves."
Kaia sighs, cuddling closer to me. I wrap my arms around her, enjoying the weight of her against my chest. "I didn't think it would be this easy to just accept all of this," she admits quietly. "I never wanted an Alpha, none of the ones that my father kept sending anyway. They would have told me what to do, would have tried to rule my kingdom and made me give up Solace. But you and Zara, you're different. You don't feel like a cage. You feel like freedom."
My chest tightens with emotion at her words. "I can understand that. Sometimes the magic makes it that easy. When I met Zara centuries ago, I just knew. There was no doubt, no hesitation. She was mine and I was hers, and everything else was just details to work out. When I felt your magic as you entered the Shadowlands, I knew the same thing. You were coming home to us."
"What about Solace?" Kaia asks, tilting her head to look up at me. "When did you know about her?"
I sigh, considering how to explain it. "I didn't catch her scent until that night you two had together in our bed, when the magic pulled you both into your dreams. It isn't that she isn't mine, isn't ours. I just wasn't expecting her. The prophecy only spoke of an Omega coming to complete our bond. It never mentioned a Beta, so I assumed it would just be you. But the moment I smelled her scent alongside yours, my dragon recognized her as mate just as strongly."
Kaia nods, seeming satisfied with that explanation. We're quiet for a moment, just enjoying each other's presence. Then I shift, carefully extracting myself from our cuddle. "Come on, let me show you around a little bit before your heat starts and we're holed up in bed for days."
Kaia slides out of bed with my help, her legs still a bit unsteady. "You make it sound like a bad thing."
I grin, unable to help myself. "I assure you that it's not. I quite enjoy when my wife keeps me in bed for hours or even the entire day. Dragons enjoy pleasure in all forms, Kaia. We're not shy about pursuing what feels good."
Kaia's eyes widen slightly, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "You talk about it so freely!"
"Why wouldn't we?" I ask, genuinely confused by her reaction. "There's nothing to hide or be ashamed of. Pleasure is natural, beautiful, something to be celebrated rather than hidden away. Your kingdom might have taught you to be ashamed of desire, but here, we embrace it."
She stares at me for a moment, processing this different worldview. Then slowly, she smiles. "I think I'm going to like it here."
"I certainly hope so," I say, taking her hand. "Now come, let me show you your new home."
We walk through the castle corridors together, and I point out different rooms and features as we go. The library withits thousands of books collected over centuries. The great hall where we hold feasts and celebrations. The gardens that Zara tends herself when she needs to think. The training grounds where our warriors practice. The kitchens where the staff prepares meals that could feed hundreds.
Kaia drinks it all in with wide eyes, asking questions about everything. Some of the staff are out and about, and I notice them whispering and pointing as we pass. They're trying to be discreet, but dragons have excellent hearing. I catch fragments of their conversations, speculation about who this stranger is, why their queens are keeping her close, whether this has something to do with the prophecy they've all heard about their entire lives.
I proudly wind my arms around Kaia as we walk, making my claim clear to anyone watching. This woman is mine,ours, and I want everyone to know it. I steal kisses when the mood strikes me, pressing my lips to her temple, her cheek, her shoulder. She laughs and leans into the attention, clearly enjoying the public affection.
We're walking through one of the longer corridors, admiring the tapestries that line the walls, when something crashes behind us. The sound is sudden and loud, metal hitting stone. Kaia jumps, her body going rigid with fear, and my protective instincts take over before I can think.
I shift.
