Page 209 of A Warrior's Fate

Bed. Their bed. Their room.

But—

“Oh, Goddess,” Isla murmured as the realization hit. Truly what it meant. She could think all of this was hers now, but no one knew they were mated. She was still a warrior. “I haven’t reported or been at the hotel all day. Where do they think I am? Where I’ve been? I still need to follow protocol.”

“You’re covered,” Kai told her, as they walked past a living area and into a pristine kitchen. “I had a meeting with the lead commander and General Eli. You’ve been on my call for the day—you could be for a while if you want—and I’ll take whatever heat for that. At this point, what can Alpha Cassius do to me? And there’s no sending you back to Io.” He softly pushed her against the counter before lifting her onto the marble top. He corralled her in, settling between her legs. His face, his lips, were inches from hers, his hands ghosting over her bare thighs. “You’re mine now.”

Isla’s toes curled but she held her resolve. “But technically,” she cooed, reaching to brush a curl from his eye and draw a line down his face. “I still have a choice if I want to spend the night.”

A crooked grin crossed his mouth, a dimple appearing on his cheek. “Technically.”

Isla held his stare, challenging him, for a few moments before conceding, “Try not to hog all the blankets.”

He scoffed. “Try not to ice me out with your cold feet.”

CHAPTER 43

The days leading up to the challenge would be busy, to say the very least.

For Isla. For Kai. For all of them.

As much as they didn’t want the upcoming event to feel like they were up against a clock—against an end—it did. Everything had to be sorted within the remaining nine days.

Or as much of it as possible…however that was possible.

So, they’d discussed over dinner, Isla would spend her nights with Kai at the House, though they’d keep her identity as his mate a secret—for now, for safety.

Her new “role” was being a means of “protection for the alpha during these times”—or so that’s what she’d explain to General Eli when she finally checked back in with him in the evening.

What she wouldn’t mention was how her morning had gone on said “duties”.

Wouldn’t say how she’d woken up wrapped in strong arms and was met by soft kisses on her neck and shoulders, her mate’s warmth, his hardness, against her back. How Kai’s hands, his fingers, slipped beneath the second shirt she’d borrowed from him and worked over her body until she lazily, playfully demanded, masking her desperation for him to “just fuck her already”. Wouldn’t say how he’d laughed—that gravelly, sleepy, spine-tingling laugh that could’ve done her in on the spot—before chastising her mouth, mocking with a “good morning”, and giving her what she’d wanted. The easy, toe-curling strokes gradually evolved into a rhythm that had her wide awake, alive, and forcing her own face into a pillow to muffle her moaning.

He’d since gone back down to the kitchen to make them breakfast while she remained in bed for a few more moments, savoring her aching muscles and the heat and scent of him…everywhere.

Eventually, she forced herself to move.

Her features weren’t as sunken, she noticed, as she washed her face. Though they’d risen early to sort through things before Kai’s daily commitments and she’d been jarred awake a few times from those nightmares—aided by soft words and those kisses—it was the most sleep she’d gotten in days.

The most clarity she’d had in a while.

She was ready to do whatever had to be done to figure this all out.

Before heading downstairs, she shuffled over to the two sets of tall glass doors at the end of the room, each curved and dark-paned, leading out to a small terrace offering her views of the backyard and the land beyond. Their bedroom was one of three rooms in their “chambers”, spaces that were simple, comfy, but lavish. More like she’d imagined for Kai than any of the other extravagant places she’d seen.

She shivered as she stepped out onto the balcony, a light wind skittering along her bare legs. Behind the fog-tipped mountains, the sun chased away twilight.

A feeling rumbled beneath her skin as she took a deep, centering breath of the chilled morning air and glanced down at her hand.

Focus. Into your belly. Let the energy flow.

Claws ripped through her skin, healing quickly, and though she hissed at the pain of shifting bone, a sigh of relief passed her lips.

Good.

More than good.

Bless the Goddess.

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