Page 21 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
“I do not want this,” Kitsuki protested, though his voice lacked conviction. “I refuse to be like Father, spreading my attention among multiple partners and hurting them all by giving only a fraction of my heart.”
Kisano’s expression softened with understanding. “This is not like Father’s situation at all, brother. He pursued his own selfish desires at the expense of our mothers’ happiness. A trinity bond would connect and strengthen your relationship with Auslin rather than threaten it.”
Kitsuki’s sorrow was palpable. “You do not understand. The way my dragon reacted to Maseo during our sparring was unacceptable. I pinned him to the floor, Kisano. I had him at my mercy, and my dragon was demanding I claim him right there. IfUncle had not interrupted, I shudder to think what would have happened.”
“Why?”
“Maseo did not fight the pin or look afraid. He looked willing to submit to whatever I demanded of him.” After a long pause, Kitsuki added, “And I wanted to take everything he was offering.”
Kisano absorbed the information. “How did that make you feel?”
“Guilty. Ashamed. Like I was betraying Auslin’s trust.”
“But beneath the guilt and shame,” Kisano pressed, “how did it feel in the moment?”
Kitsuki was quiet for a long time before answering. “It felt right in a way that terrifies me.”
“Perhaps that feeling of rightness is something you should explore rather than fight against.”
“How can you say that?” Kitsuki’s anguish drove him to pace. “I am talking about wanting another man while mated to Auslin.”
“You are talking about potentially wanting both Auslin and Maseo,” Kisano corrected. “There is a significant difference. One is betrayal; the other is likely fulfilling the fate our sister has been hinting about for some time now.”
Kitsuki shook his head. “Even if that were true, Maseo is under our protection. He is vulnerable, dependent on our sanctuary. Acting on any shameful impulses would be an abuse of power.”
“Only if the feelings were not mutual,” Kisano pointed out. “But from what you have described, it sounds as if Maseo was responding to you as intensely.”
Misery radiated from Kitsuki as he halted his steps. “That does not matter. As a refugee in Valzerna, he cannot refuse a king’s advances, even if he wanted to. The power imbalance makes any relationship impossible.”
Kisano studied his brother’s troubled expression. “You are right to be cautious about that issue, but you are also assuming Maseo’s responses stem from obligation rather than genuine attraction. What if you are wrong?”
“I cannot take that risk. I cannot act like Father by using my position to coerce others into situations they do not truly want.” Kitsuki turned to face his brother with an expression of desperate curiosity. “Brother, may I ask you a hypothetical question?”
“Of course.”
Kitsuki hesitated before continuing. “How would you react if you discovered you had a second mate? How would you feel about its impact on your relationship with Sephen?”
Kisano’s scholarly mind considered the philosophical implications. “That is quite a complex question.”
“If what Kizoshi says about one person never being enough for an Ariake is true, the same would apply to you as well. What would you do in that situation?”
Kisano fell silent for a long moment, tracing the edge of a manuscript on his desk as he thought through the question. “I cannot imagine anyone who could compete with my love for Sephen. He is brilliant, kind, and passionate about the same things that drive me.”
“But?” Kitsuki prompted when his brother fell silent.
“But if fate were to send me a second mate.” Kisano’s voice grew more thoughtful. “I would hope I could embrace a trinity bond and find true happiness with them both. Sephen is amazing enough to deserve love from two people. If the Powers decreed such a bond was meant to be, who am I to argue with the fate Sophina wrote for me?”
Kitsuki’s interest piqued. “You truly believe you could love someone else without diminishing what you feel for Sephen?”
“I believe love is not a finite resource to be rationed. The love I feel for you as my brother does not diminish what I feel for Kizoshi as my sister. Despite you both being siblings, they are different types of affection, yet both are complete and whole. Perhaps romantic love could work the same.”
“What kind of person would you need them to be?”
Kisano’s expression grew distant as he considered the question. “Someone with intellect to match our own, who values learning and philosophical discourse. He would need to engage with both Sephen’s enthusiasm and my more reserved nature.” He paused, his cheeks coloring. “It would only work if he understood our passion for knowledge and shared it rather than tolerates it.”
Kisano’s mind wandered to a very specific possibility of someone whose lyrical philosophical writings had captivated both him and Sephen. The way the Knowledge Power crafted ideas into elegant prose that spoke to the soul, along with the infinite wisdom he represented, would appeal to both Kisano and Sephen.
The idea was laughable, of course. Powers rarely involved themselves with the people in the Living Realm they governed. Yet if Kisano was honest with himself, Liros was the only beinghe could imagine complementing what he and Sephen already shared. The Power could challenge them both intellectually, broadening their understanding of the world. And if Sephen felt the same, Liros could strengthen their mating bond rather than ruin it.
