Page 56 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
When Maseo entered the reception room, surprise flickered across his face at finding Auslin alone. The mage’s breath caught at the sight of him. Months of training had honed Maseo’s already lean frame into something more striking. His uniform fit him perfectly, emphasizing the breadth of his shoulders and the confident way he carried himself. There was an assurance in his movements now, a quiet authority that made Auslin’s pulse quicken.
“Is everything all right?” Maseo asked, his jade eyes studying Auslin with concern.
“I had to see you before you left,” Auslin confessed. “I didn’t want to show favoritism by meeting with you in the barracks, but I thought if I summoned you here, everyone would assume Kitsuki called you to review strategy for approaching Nasume’s defenses.”
Maseo tilted his head in acknowledgment, and the simple gesture drew Auslin’s attention to the elegant line of his throat. “I appreciate the consideration.”
Auslin struggled with his emotions, his healing magic stirring beneath his skin as if already anticipating wounds to mend. The pendant around his neck felt heavier than usual. “Are you prepared for this fight?”
“I’m more than ready.” Maseo’s voice carried the same confidence Auslin had witnessed during training, sending an unwelcome flutter through his chest. “I have no qualms about what’s about to happen, Auslin. You shouldn’t either.”
The authority in Maseo’s tone made Auslin respond in ways that confused him. His heat heightened his sensitivity to dominance, making him more prone to the submission he only offered Kitsuki. He shifted, trying to ignore the warmth pooling low in his belly.
“Please come back safe,” Auslin insisted, his voice catching. “I could never live with the guilt of knowing it’s my fault you got hurt fighting, or worse.”
Maseo’s gaze softened. “Even if I die in battle, I’m glad I’m at least fighting on the right side.”
Auslin stared down at the floor as his heart wrenched in his chest. “I know that’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t.”
“You’ve seen me fight,” Maseo said, moving closer with the same predatory grace Auslin remembered from the training yard. The half-shifter’s voice carried a serene confidence that made Auslin want to lean into his strength. “While I can’t use magic, there’s no way I’m losing to my father or his soldiers. The only ones begging for mercy will be them.”
A reflexive smile touched Auslin’s lips, though unease coursed through him. “I know, but I can’t stop imagining the worst-case scenario. I keep thinking about the day we found you in Balsimi. How close you were to…” He couldn’t finish the sentence; the memory of Maseo’s battered body and failing life force was still vivid in his mind.
“That won’t happen again.” Maseo’s demeanor took on a commanding edge that made Auslin’s knees feel weak. “I’m not alone this time. I have Kitsuki’s forces with me, and I’m wearing Valzerna’s colors now.”
Auslin nodded, but his expression remained troubled. The authority in Maseo’s voice stirred the same primal response he’d felt while watching him dominate opponents in the training yard. He wanted to yield to that strength, to trust in Maseo’s capability. “Nasume will target you when he realizes you’re fighting against him. You know that, right?”
“I’m counting on it,” Maseo replied, a dangerous edge to his voice. “It’s time he faced the consequences of his actions.”
Auslin’s response got stuck in his throat. Maseo’s intensity was magnetic, drawing him in despite his attempts to maintain composure.
“Is that why you’re smothering your scent?” Maseo asked after a moment, changing the subject. “So I can’t smell your fear?”
A blush rose to Auslin’s cheeks. “Partially. But it’s not because I doubt you can defend yourself. It’s more that I know you’re going to a place filled with enemies who want to hurt you.”
Maseo closed the distance between them with deliberate steps. The half-shifter’s presence seemed to fill the space around them, commanding and protective in equal measure. “What’s the other reason?”
“I’m afraid for all the warriors, but?—”
Maseo cut him off. “I meant why you’re hiding your scent?”
Embarrassment colored Auslin’s voice as he touched the pendant that masked his condition. The direct questioning made him feel vulnerable in a way that sent confusing signals. “I’m wearing this to hide the fact that my heat started. I don’t want to distract Kitsuki from what he needs to do.”
Without warning, Maseo reached out and lifted the pendant from Auslin’s chest. His fingers brushed against Auslin’s skin, and the contact shot through the mage. The moment the pendant’s magic disrupted, Auslin’s heat scent flooded the space between them.
Maseo’s eyes widened, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled. His pupils dilated, and his grip on the pendant tightened as if anchoring himself. “How could Kio have ever left your side whenyou smell this incredible?” His voice had gone rough, almost reverent. “Let alone leave you for me.”
Auslin trembled at the naked desire in Maseo’s voice. “Back then, I didn’t know humans had a heat since it never seemed to affect Kio.”
“Then he’s a bigger fool than I thought.” He drew a deeper breath, a soft groan escaping him. “No wonder you wear this charm. It would be impossible for anyone to want to leave such temptation, let alone a mate.”
Auslin’s heat made him hypersensitive to Maseo’s proximity. The half-shifter’s appreciation felt like a physical caress, stirring needs he struggled to ignore. “It’s not like I feel that different.”
Maseo stepped closer, keeping the charm from touching his skin while his free arm came around Auslin in a possessive embrace. “I will never understand why you care about me when you have every reason to hate me.”
Auslin returned the embrace, his hands fisting in the fabric of Maseo’s uniform as his heart raced. Being held by Maseo’s strength and warmth felt right. His body molded against the half-shifter’s, seeking more contact, even as his mind screamed warnings. “You deserve a chance at a real life after all this is over, where you’re not defined by your father’s cruelty or by being a half-shifter.”
Maseo’s arms tightened around him, and Auslin could feel the controlled strength in his embrace. It made him want to surrender, to let Maseo’s dominance wash over him as it did with Kitsuki. The parallel should have alarmed him, but in his heat-hazed state, it felt natural.
