Page 20 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
Chapter 10
Kisano
Aloud slam startled Kisano out of his concentration. He had been deep in his work, cataloguing his newest acquisitions, when the library doors flew open with unnecessary force. He glanced up to find Kitsuki striding between the shelves, his usual calm splintered at the edges. A flash of silver flickered in his eyes before fading to blue, a clear sign his dragon was stirring beneath the surface.
“Brother,” Kisano said, setting down his quill. “How was the assessment?”
Kitsuki’s jaw tightened as he approached Kisano’s desk, his movements carrying an unusual agitation for the normally controlled king. “That depends on your definition of well.”
The cryptic response prompted Kisano to gesture toward the chair across from him. “Perhaps you should sit and tell me what has you so unsettled.”
Kitsuki remained standing, beginning to pace the small area in front of Kisano’s workspace like a caged predator. “Maseo’scombat skills are exceptional. He will be a valuable asset to our forces.”
“That sounds like good news,” Kisano observed, though he sensed there was more to the story. “What else happened?”
“My dragon…” Kitsuki paused in his pacing, running a hand through his long, white hair. “My dragon reacted in ways I cannot explain or justify.”
Kisano leaned back in his chair, studying his younger brother’s distressed expression. “What kind of reactions?”
“Possessive and inappropriate,” Kitsuki admitted, the words seeming to cost him. “The entire time we were sparring, my dragon kept insisting Maseo was ours. That he belonged to us.”
The confession hung in the air between them, heavy with implications. Kisano felt his eyebrows arch despite his efforts to maintain a neutral expression. “I see.”
“Do you? Because I certainly do not. All I have ever wanted is Auslin. My dragon has never shown an interest in anyone else in all the centuries of my existence. And now it has fixated on Nasume’s son, of all people?”
Kisano chose his words with care, recognizing the turmoil his brother was experiencing. “Perhaps the situation is not as straightforward as you believe.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you considered that your dragon’s reaction might be connected to something Kizoshi has mentioned in the past?” Kisano asked. “She has spoken to you of trinity bonds before.”
Kitsuki’s pacing stopped. “They are legends that have not existed for eons, Kisano.”
“Perhaps not,” Kisano conceded, “but that does not mean they are impossible. Especially when our sister sees truths others cannot.”
“Even if such a thing were possible, it would require mutual attraction among all three parties.” Kitsuki’s voice took on a bitter edge. “Auslin loves me. He has no interest in Maseo beyond compassion for someone who has suffered.”
“Are you certain about that?” Kisano asked.
“Of course I am certain. Auslin is my mate. I know his heart better than anyone.”
Kisano tried to help his brother see things from a new perspective. “Then how do you explain his passionate defense of Maseo earlier? The tears in his eyes at the thought of Maseo being harmed? The way he reached for Maseo’s hand when you announced he would fight in the war?”
Kitsuki’s expression grew troubled. “Auslin has a compassionate heart. He would react the same way to any suffering person.”
“Would he?” Kisano pressed. “The way Auslin reacts to Maseo is less like friendship and more like…”
Kitsuki prompted his older brother when he trailed off into silence. “Like what?”
“Like how a mate would react to a threat against someone they cared about.”
The observation struck Kitsuki silent. He sank into the chair across from Kisano’s desk. “That is impossible. Auslin would have told me if he had feelings for someone else.”
“If Auslin does not understand his own feelings, how could he explain them to you? And even if he recognized them, would he risk your happiness by admitting to an attraction he might believe you would never share?”
Kitsuki looked up, his eyes haunted. “You are suggesting Auslin might have feelings for Maseo that he is hiding from me?”
“I am saying the trinity bond Kizoshi has hinted at could already be forming,” Kisano said. “Your dragon’s possessive reaction, Auslin’s emotional investment in Maseo’s safety, and the way you all are drawn to each other despite the complicated circumstances of his past with Kio and Nasume all seem connected.”
