Chapter 165: Episode 165.
The moment Xander stepped into the room, the warmth inside the chamber shifted slowly.
Nate straightened immediately beside Aire.
His entire body language changed in seconds. The softness that had settled around him moments ago hardened again beneath protective instinct.
He grew dangerously alert.
Xander gaze flicked toward Nate first. A sharp glare passed between them immediately. Then his eyes moved toward Aire.
And just like that, his inside softened visibly with relief.
"Aire."
His voice came out quieter than expected.
Aire straightened slightly away from Nate’s shoulder.
"Xander."
Nate noticed the way Xander looked at her, and his wolf instantly reacted.
A low territorial feeling moved sharply through his chest before he crushed it down immediately.
Not now.
Not with everything happening.
Still, his jaw tightened faintly anyway.
Xander took a few steps further into the room before stopping.
The silence stretched briefly.
"I need a moment alone with her." Xanden announced.
Nate answered immediately. "No." The refusal came fast, as he found Xanden’s request absolutely ridiculous.
Xander’s eyes snapped toward him sharply. "I wasn’t asking."
"And I wasn’t negotiating."
The atmosphere tightened again instantly.
Aire closed her eyes briefly.
Men.
Xander folded his arms tightly across his chest now. "This concerns the eastern borders."
Nate’s expression did not change. "Then say it here."
Xander laughed once under his breath. His laugh came out humorless. "You suddenly don’t trust me around her?"
Nate stared at him evenly. "No. I don’t trust anyone around her lately."
That answer silenced the room briefly. Even Xander paused slightly at the honesty in it.
Aire looked between both of them quietly.
The tension was becoming unbearable again.
Nate’s wolf especially hated this. The idea of leaving Aire alone with anyone right now felt wrong beneath his skin.
Xander noticed the possessiveness immediately.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Gods," he muttered quietly. "You’ve attached yourself to her completely."
Nate’s gaze darkened faintly. "And you haven’t?"
Aire quickly touched Nate’s arm before either of them could spiral again. The contact alone immediately got his attention.
"Nate."
His eyes moved toward her instantly.
Aire looked at him gently. "Please."
His jaw flexed sharply.
Every instinct inside him rejected the idea immediately. His wolf outright snarled beneath the surface.
Aire’s fingers tightened softly around his arm. Her brows came together. "Just a moment."
Nate stared at her quietly.
She could feel the refusal pouring through the bond. She could also feel him close to panicking.
Aire softened immediately. "You can stay outside the door."
That made his expression shift slightly.
Xander looked deeply unimpressed.
Aire ignored him completely and focused on Nate instead. "I’ll be alright."
Gods.
That sentence nearly made him laugh bitterly.
Nate found himself losing the ability to deny her anything. His wolf hated that realization deeply.
Nate exhaled slowly through his nose. "Fine."
Xander raised a brow slightly.
Nate immediately looked toward him sharply.
"One moment," he warned coldly. "If I hear anything wrong, I come back inside."
Xander looked unimpressed again. "You’re unbearable, and worth killing." He said, almost disgusted.
"So I’ve been told." Nate agreed.
Aire almost smiled faintly.
He leaned down slightly toward her before stopping himself halfway. Instinct had moved him before thought could.
Aire’s breath caught softly.
Nate’s eyes darkened briefly. He almost kissed her, but straightened again.
"I’ll be outside."
Aire nodded gently.
Nate looked at her one final second before turning toward the doors. His body remained tense the entire walk there.
Leaving physically hurt him.
The doors shut heavily behind him moments later.
Silence settled instantly afterward.
Xander watched the doors for a second before exhaling softly through his nose. "He’s gone completely insane over you."
Aire blinked faintly.
Xander walked further into the room slowly. "He nearly attacked Alaric tonight."
That did not surprised her, but she acted suprise. "What?"
Xander dragged a hand through his hair tiredly before sitting opposite her near the fire. "The council meeting became... complicated."
Aire studied him quietly.
Xander looked exhausted too now that she noticed properly. His eyes carried strain beneath them, and his shoulders remained tense.
Xander leaned forward slightly. "How are your wrists?"
Aire looked down briefly at the fading red marks. "Better."
Xander looked at her properly. "I need to ask you something important."
Aire straightened slightly. The seriousness in his tone immediately changed the atmosphere.
"What is it?"
Xander hesitated briefly. He was trying to phrase this correctly.
"The faes." He began.
Aire stilled instantly.
Xander noticed immediately. "I’ve been going through records," he continued quietly. "Ancient archives. Border histories and old accounts involving them."
Aire listened carefully now.
Xander’s expression darkened slightly. "And the more I learn..." he exhaled softly, "...the less I think any of this is accidental."
Aire’s fingers tightened faintly together. "The prophecy?"
"Yes."
Xander leaned back slightly. "The humans organizing now. The prophecy resurfacing. Your abilities awakening." His eyes stayed fixed on her carefully. "It feels orchestrated."
Aire swallowed softly.
Xander continued. "The faes are creatures deeply tied to memory, time, and truth."
Aire’s heartbeat slowed slightly. She already knew where this conversation was going.
Xander noticed the realization in her eyes immediately. "You can see the past."
It wasn’t a question anymore.
Aire stayed quiet briefly. Then slowly, she nodded. "Yes." Even now, admitting it aloud felt strange, and unreal.
Xander studied her carefully. "How far?" he inquired.
Aire frowned faintly. "I don’t fully know yet." She doubted her control over her abilities.
"What happens exactly when it started?"
Aire looked toward the fire briefly. She answered honestly. "I touch things sometimes..." her voice softened slightly. "Or people."
Xander remained completely focused now.
"And I see moments. Fragments mostly."
Her fingers twisted lightly together now. "Memories that are not mine."
Xander’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"The stronger the emotion attached to something... the clearer the vision becomes."
The room went quiet again.
Xander leaned forward slightly. "Aire... do you think you could use it intentionally?"
Her breath caught softly. That question frightened her more than expected. Truthfully, she had already wondered the same thing herself.
Aire lowered her gaze briefly. "I don’t know."
Xander watched her carefully.
"But..." she hesitated softly.
"But?"
Aire slowly looked back up at him. "I think I might be able to."
Silence settled heavily between them.
Xander’s expression sharpened immediately.
Aire’s voice lowered further now.
"If I focus enough... if I touch something connected strongly enough to the past..." Her heartbeat quickened slightly. "I think I could see more than fragments."
Xander went completely still.
Aire continued quietly. "Maybe the entire events."
The fire crackled softly nearby.
Outside the windows, distant thunder rolled again, as the rain poured more heavily.
Xander’s mind was already moving quickly now. If Aire truly could access past events intentionally, then that pull change everything.
They could uncover who manipulated the prophecy, who leaked patrol routes, what the humans were planning, and perhaps even why Aire herself was involved
Xander stared at her carefully. "You understand what this means."
Aire nodded slowly. Fear flickered faintly across her expression afterward. "What if I see something terrible?"
Xander’s face softened slightly then. "You probably will."
Aire laughed weakly under her breath.
Xander leaned forward carefully. "But terrible truths are still truths."
Aire asked the question haunting her now. "And if the prophecy is true?" she asked softly.
Xander answered immediately. "Then we fight it." He shrugged with no hesitation or uncertainty. Just certainty.
Aire stared at him quietly.
Xander held her gaze fully.
"I meant what I said earlier." His voice lowered slightly. "I will not let them destroy you to comfort themselves."
Aire looked down briefly at her hands. "I don’t know how to control any of this yet, but I’ll try to see what I can do for you." she promised.
Xander’s gaze softened. He chuckled softly. "You don’t need to master it tonight."
Aire exhaled softly. Her cehst heaved slowly. "What if I fail?" she asked, genuinely curious
Xander almost smiled faintly then.
"Aire," he said gently, "you survived this kingdom." His eyes darkened slightly afterward. "That already makes you stronger than most wolves here."
Her throat tightened unexpectedly.
Before she could answer, the chamber doors opened again, and Nate stepped back inside immediately.
