A Bond Denied.

Kael clenched his fists as he strode through the half-built streets of Vaelthane. The weight of the whispers in his mind had not faded.

Mate.

The word still echoed, refusing to be ignored.

But he would ignore it.

He had to.

The kingdom needed him focused. The approaching group at the western border could be a threat. And Fenir—Fenir was adjusting to her human form. She didn't need him forcing something neither of them asked for.

Yet, every time he tried to push the bond aside, it clawed back.

From the moment their gazes had locked, he could feel her. Not just her presence, but something deeper—her unease, her restlessness, the way her pulse had jumped the same moment his did.

She had felt it.

And worse, she was watching him now.

Kael forced his attention forward. The western border. The unknown riders. That was what mattered.

The Border Standoff

By the time Kael arrived, the night was thick with tension. His warriors stood in formation, their weapons ready but lowered—a sign of caution, not aggression.

Beyond them, the approaching riders had halted. There were about twenty of them, cloaked figures mounted on sturdy horses, their faces shadowed by the flickering torchlight.

Kael stepped forward. "You've entered Vaelthane's lands. State your purpose."

The leader of the group—a tall man with a scar running across his cheek—dismounted. He studied Kael with sharp, assessing eyes before speaking.

"We've come to see if the rumors are true."

Kael raised a brow. "And what rumors would those be?"

The man smirked slightly. "That Vaelthane lives."

Silence stretched. Then, he removed his hood, revealing short-cropped dark hair and a sigil burned into his forearm—one Kael recognized.

Not an enemy.

A former warrior of Vaelthane.

The tension shifted, no longer one of impending conflict, but of something else—a test.

Fenir's Presence

Before Kael could respond, Fenir stepped to his side. He stiffened at her proximity, his bond flaring up like a live ember.

Not now.

She didn't speak, but her presence alone was enough to make the riders take notice. Some murmured under their breath, eyes flicking to her silver gaze.

"You're him, aren't you?" the leader finally said, looking at Kael. "The one they whisper about. The bloodline thought lost."

Kael didn't confirm or deny. He simply stood.

The leader chuckled, shaking his head. "Then maybe it's time we see if you're worthy of that throne."

Kael's eyes narrowed. "And how do you intend to do that?"

The man's smirk widened. "By seeing if you can fight for it."

The gathered warriors tensed. But Kael? He simply exhaled.

Because a challenge?

That, he could handle.

—