Chapter 164: Episode 164.
Nate closed his eyes briefly at her touch. "I am trying very hard not to tear this kingdom apart tonight." He co messed.
Aire’s chest tightened painfully. She gently guided his face toward her properly. "Look at me."
Nate obeyed instantly.
Aire studied him quietly.
"You cannot carry everything at once," she said softly. "Especially when it isn’t yours to carry."
Nate stared at her like she had said something impossible.
Aire gently took his wrist. "Sit."
For a second, Nate simply looked at her.
Then slowly, he allowed her to guide him toward the bed. That alone would have shocked the entire kingdom.
Alpha Nate obeying anyone quietly.
With her hand around his wrist, he sat.
Aire moved beside him afterward.
Nate watched her carefully now. His eyes went from her hair flowing down her back, then into her soft eyes.
She was the only thing keeping him anchored tonight.
The fire crackled softly nearby.
Outside the windows, distant thunder rolled faintly across the sky again.
Aire turned slightly toward him. "Tell me everything." She ordered him.
Nate looked at her for a long moment before finally speaking again.
And this time, he truly did. He told her about the eastern borders, about the wolves nailed to trees, about the silver rods, the suppression damage, the human camps, the maps, and the experiments, more detailed.
Aire listened quietly through all of it.
Her expression slowly changed the more he spoke in understanding. She couldn’t tell him this, but she had seen fragments of all he said.
By the time he finished, silence settled heavily between them again.
Nate rubbed a hand across his face roughly. "They think war is coming."
Aire lowered her gaze briefly. "It is." She clarified, ready to give him that little until she was certain of how everything would go through her visions.
Nate looked at her sharply.
Aire’s fingers twisted softly together in her lap. "The prophecy frightened everyone so much that they stopped looking anywhere else. Sometimes, I don’t think anyone was at fault. It was suposed to happen." Her voice sounded quiet now.
Nate stared at her. "You still speak gently about the wolves after everything we did to you."
Aire looked toward the fire. "I know what fear feels like."
Nate’s gaze softened faintly.
Aire finally looked back at him again. "And what about you?" she asked.
Nate frowned slightly.
"You’re angry at everyone," she said quietly. "But what are you actually feeling?"
The question caught him off guard completely.
Nate looked away sharply.
Aire waited patiently.
Eventually, he answered honestly.
"I feel like I failed." Nate laughed bitterly under his breath. "I failed you first."
Aire stayed silent.
"I failed the borders. And I nearly turned against my own brothers tonight."
His voice lowered further now. "I do not know where to place all this rage."
Aire watched him carefully for a long moment. Then slowly, she shifted closer.
Nate’s breathing stilled immediately.
Aire reached for his hand carefully.
His fingers tightened around hers instantly, and almost instinctively.
Aire looked down briefly at their joined hands before speaking softly. "You do not always have to want to feel nothing. You don’t always have to be too intense."
Nate stared at her quietly. Raw and unfamiliar trust filled his eyes.
Aire gently brushed her thumb across the back of his hand. "You asked me days ago, if I still believed you thought I was your mate."
Nate’s jaw tightened slightly.
Aire looked up at him. "I think..." she hesitated softly. "I think you are trying."
The words visibly affected him.
Nate lowered his gaze briefly before looking back at her again. "I do not deserve your patience." He whispered.
Aire smiled faintly.
"That has never stopped you from receiving it."
Gods.
He almost kissed her.
The urge hit him so suddenly and violently his wolf surged beneath his skin immediately. His eyes dropped briefly toward her lips.
Aire noticed. Her breath caught softly, and the bond tightened painfully between them.
Nate forced himself to look away first. No matter how selfish he wants to be, he needs to think about his brothers.
"I sent for blankets directly from my chamber and food," he said roughly instead.
Aire blinked faintly.
Nate cleared his throat slightly. "You barely ate earlier."
A knock sounded softly at the doors moments later.
Nate’s expression darkened instantly again.
Aire felt it through the bond.
"Come in," she called gently before he could scare whoever stood outside.
A servant entered carefully carrying folded blankets and a tray.
The poor man looked reasonably terrified of Nate.
Nate took the tray from him himself before the servant could even fully approach.
"Leave."
The servant obeyed immediately. The doors shut again, and silence returned.
Aire watched quietly as Nate placed the tray carefully near her. He unfolded one of the blankets himself.
The sight felt strangely intimate, even if she have been seeing more of him lately.
A future Alpha King of the kingdom arranging blankets for her with quiet focus? Yes, her heart raced at the sight of it. Given their start.
Aire’s chest tightened unexpectedly.
Nate noticed the way she watched him. "What?"
Aire shook her head softly, smiling now. "Nothing."
Nate moved back beside her afterward and draped the blanket carefully over her shoulders himself.
His fingers brushed lightly against her neck.
Aire shut her eyes, and shivered faintly at the feeling of the spark.
Nate immediately pulled back slightly. He stared down at her, his intense grey eyes questioning her.
"Cold?"
Aire looked at him. "No." she shook her head, thinning her lips.
That answer lingered between them dangerously.
Nate sat beside her again afterward, closer this time.
Their shoulders touched lightly now, and neither moved away. The fire continued crackling softly, amd slowly, Nate relaxed.
Nate’s voice lowered quietly into the silence. "I love you,"
Aire said nothing. Rather, she rested her head against his shoulder. For werewolves, she knows that was sacred, and he felt what he said.
Her on the other hand, she couldn’t tell. She might love him, but without a wolf, she couldn’t love any of her nates as deeply as they love her.
Nate froze completely. He leaned his head lightly against hers, and his eyes closed briefly.
Relief moved through his wolf instantly.
The bond quieted for the first time all night.
Aire listened quietly to his heartbeat beneath his chest. He still sounded strong, heavy, and restless. However, he sounded quite now.
Her fingers lightly curled against his arm. "You should sleep eventually," she whispered.
Nate almost smiled faintly.
Aire looked up at him slightly. "You can sleep here tonight."
Gods.
Nate’s hand moved carefully over hers where it rested against his arm. He leaned down to drop a kiss on the top of her head, when the chamber doors suddenly opened.
Both of them looked up instantly, and Xander stood there.
