Page 44 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
“He showed considerable skill,” Kitsuki replied, choosing words that were true but revealed little of his personal reaction. “His technique is unorthodox but effective, particularly given his size disadvantage against me.”
“Did you enjoy testing his abilities?”
“Yes,” the dragon king admitted, the word feeling like a small betrayal even as he spoke it. “It was stimulating to face an opponent who fought with such creativity and determination.”
It was exhilarating, his dragon corrected, memories of the session flooding Kitsuki’s mind.Maseo challenged us as few have dared.
Auslin studied him, his eyes narrowed as if trying to read beyond Kitsuki’s careful words. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
Tell him, his dragon urged, pushing against Kitsuki’s restraint.Tell him how the half-wolf made our blood sing with his challenge and his submission. Explain how perfectly Maseo would complete our trinity bond.
Kitsuki ignored his persistent dragon, but Auslin’s perceptiveness made evasion difficult. “The assessment was more intense than I expected.”
“In what way?” Auslin pressed, his gaze unwavering. His hand rested on Kitsuki’s chest, directly over the pendant, as if he could feel both their hearts through the metal.
Kitsuki sighed, recognizing his mate’s determination. Half answers wouldn’t satisfy Auslin, especially when he sensed there was more to be revealed. Perhaps it was better to address it now, in the privacy of their chamber, than to let it fester unsaid before the war began.
“My dragon enjoyed his combat style,” Kitsuki admitted. “Our fight was invigorating.”
“And?” Auslin prompted when Kitsuki fell silent, his tone making it clear he knew there was more to the story.
“And it ended when I pinned him,” Kitsuki confessed, the memory vivid despite his efforts to suppress it. “After disarming him, I forced him to the ground and held him there.”
The admission hung between them, heavy with implication. Kitsuki waited for Auslin’s reaction, unsure of what to expect. A sudden spike of arousal flared through their bond, and theunmistakable scent of Auslin’s renewed desire filled the air between them.
Kitsuki’s dragon stirred with interest, intrigued by the development.
“That pleases you?” Kitsuki asked, studying his mate’s flushed face with bewilderment. He struggled to reconcile the reaction with what he knew of Auslin.
“I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about you and Maseo fighting together,” he complained, his voice thick with misery.
“My dragon’s reaction to Maseo puzzles me as well,” Kitsuki admitted. “It is disconcerting how strongly it responds to his presence. I blame Kizoshi for planting these absurd notions of a trinity bond in my mind.”
Auslin searched Kitsuki’s face, seeking reassurance or perhaps permission. “But what if she’s right? What if there is something to this connection we both seem to feel? I mean, she’s never wrong, is she?”
Kitsuki had no answer that would satisfy either of them. The possibility that Kizoshi’s prophecy might be true filled him with equal parts intrigue and dread. It would complicate their already precarious situation. With war looming on the horizon and enemies gathering at their borders, the last thing they needed was a distraction.
Maseo would complete the bond, his dragon insisted.The half-wolf challenges and strengthens us. He would protect our beloved Auslin with his life.
Auslin nodded, a hint of relief in his expression at Kitsuki’s candor. “I want you to like him,” he confessed, his fingers stillwrapped around the pendant. “It makes me feel less guilty for feeling the way I do. At least you have a dragon you can blame for your interest. I don’t have an excuse for why I’m so drawn to him despite our history.”
The vulnerability in Auslin’s admission touched Kitsuki. His mate had always been open with his emotions, honest about his fears and desires. It was one of the qualities Kitsuki loved most about him.
He gathered Auslin closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You do not need to excuse your feelings, whatever they may be. We will navigate this together, as we have with all challenges. Whether my sister is right about the trinity bond is something we can discuss after the war. Nasume is too much of a threat to Maseo for us to risk distracting him.”
Auslin sighed. “You’re right. The last thing I want to do is put him in more danger.”
They lay in silence for a time, each lost in thought. The afternoon light had faded, casting long shadows across the veranda. Soon, Kitsuki knew, they would need to return to their respective duties. But for now, the moment of honesty and connection was more important than any other responsibility.
Kitsuki’s dragon pushed at the edges of his consciousness, urging him to ask more questions, to explore the depth of Auslin’s interest in Maseo. How far did his feelings go? Was it mere curiosity or something deeper? Did Auslin imagine himself with Maseo, or was his interest limited to watching Kitsuki with the half-wolf?
But Kitsuki silenced his dragon. He wasn’t ready to hear those answers, not when he remained so conflicted about the possibility of a trinity bond himself.
His father, Tatsuki, had been notorious for his inability to remain faithful to any one partner. The former king had taken countless lovers during his reign, leaving broken hearts and bitter resentment in his wake. Kitsuki’s mother had been murdered for those very reasons.
He had sworn never to follow that path, to honor his mate with unwavering loyalty. He had waited centuries for Auslin’s return and remained faithful through long years of solitude. Dividing his attention between Auslin and another felt wrong. But if Kizoshi was correct about the trinity bond, then they were fighting a losing battle by resisting.
A trinity is not infidelity, his dragon argued.It is completion. Maseo would not divide our affection. He would enhance it and strengthen what we share with Auslin.
