Page 114 of Secrets of Avalon

“Good,” Hawke answers.

Drawing a deep breath, I tap Hawke’s arm and he helps me stand. I square my shoulders and face the mirror once more. The wedding dress shimmers around me, no longer feeling like a dream I don’t deserve, but a symbol of the future I'm choosing to embrace.

CHAPTER 43

Big Bad Wolf

Hawke Stormblood

The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the training arena as I step through the arched entrance. Dozens are practicing. The familiar clash of steel and grunts of exertion greet me, a welcome distraction from the whirlwind of emotions surrounding tomorrow's ceremony.

It's only been an hour since I left Melinda with my mother, finishing the final wedding dress preparations while Kellan stands guard outside the room. And already I want to turn around and go back to her. But she’s safe. She’s happy. Calm. Our bond hums happily in my chest.

I need to be prepared for anything that comes for my mate.

When I look up I spot a familiar broad-shouldered silhouette on the opposite side of the arena. Ares. He's back. Relief floods through me, quickly followed by a flicker of concern. I didn’t think he’d be back this soon.

I walk outside of the arena, away from the sparring, and make my way to his side.

"Hawke.” He dips his chin. "The Lady Melinda, is she well?"

"She is," I reply, the words heavy on my tongue. "But grief has sunk its talons deep with the loss of her family. And Aena is reaching for her through nightmares."

"Fucking hell." Ares' fist slams against the nearest pillar, his jaw clenched tight enough to crack stone. "How is that even possible? Aena’s never done anything like that before."

“I don’t have an answer for that. I fear for my mate, Ares. Aena threatens to take her from me.”

Ares’ eyes blaze with fury. "She has all of us knights as family now. No tower witch will be taking her from you. Hear me?"

A sad smile tugs at my lips as I reach out, squeezing his shoulder. “I do, brother. Thank you.” The muscles beneath my fingers are coiled with tension and anger. "She doesn't know what being part of our family means yet. She doesn’t trust it."

Ares’ frown deepens, but understanding flickers in his eyes. He nods, resignation etched in the lines of his face. "It takes time to trust, especially when you've been hated and hunted your whole life."

"Quite true."

Ares' gaze turns sly. "I'm surprised you're back out here with us and not breathing the same air as her still."

A snort of laughter escapes me, unexpected and genuine. "She shooed me away," I admit, warmth blooming in my chest at the memory. "Something about needing girl time with my mother to finish up with the dress and... whatever mysterious rituals that entails."

Boaz's brow furrows, his analytical mind clearly working overtime. "Girl time? Was there a prescribed length to this time away from males?"

I grin, shaking my head. "I don't think there's a rulebook, Boaz. It was just her way of telling Kellan and me it was safe to leave her side."

Fen and Wraith halt their sparring, sheathing their swords with practiced ease. Boaz pushes off the wall he'd been leaning against, his usual stoic demeanor softening. They converge on me, a tight knit circle of brothers.

These are my true brothers, I realize with a pang.

The bitter taste of betrayal rises in my throat as I think of my own flesh and blood–married in secret, aligning himself with those who would see my mate murdered.

Fen bumps shoulders with Boaz. "You're reading into her words too much. Think about it–how much do any of us truly know about Earth? No one but the sirens have been there since the door was locked. Culture shifts like sand in the wind. It’s been centuries."

Boaz rolls his neck, the loud crack making me wince. "How often do you think the sirens make that journey?"

A familiar voice cuts through the air, sending a jolt of surprise through me. "Pretty often."

I whirl to see Arik striding across the arena from a group of sparring rebels near the north entrance. "I've been twice," he continues, a hint of... is that fear in his eyes? "It's terrifyingly different than it used to be. The sirens go regularly. They've been hunting for your missing soul shards since the day it happened."

Ice floods my veins, panic clawing at my insides. My mouth goes dry, and I struggle to form words. "You know about our–" The rest of the sentence dies on my tongue.

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