chapter twenty-three

Caspian's POV

The council room was dimly lit, the heavy oak table surrounded by my most trusted men. Maps and documents were spread before us, detailing every recent movement of the hunters.

"They're getting bolder," Ronan said, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. "Scouting near our borders, setting traps in the woods. They haven't found us yet, but it's only a matter of time."

My jaw tightened. "We need to stay ahead of them. The doctor have already warned us we can't afford any unnecessary fights while we're still lying low."

"There's more," Beta Elias spoke up, his voice grim. "Nikolas' uncle has been asking around for him. We intercepted a messenger in the city he's searching, and from what we've gathered, he's planning something."

A slow, cold rage settled in my chest. That bastard had already taken enough from Nikolas. I wouldn't let him have anything else.

"He's trying to smoke us out," I muttered. "Using Nikolas as bait."

Elias nodded.

The room was silent for a moment, everyone exchanging wary glances. They knew what I was capable of when it came to protecting what was mine.

Nikolas' uncle would never touch him again.

The meeting wrapped up soon after, but the tension lingered. As I made my way through the halls, my thoughts remained on Nikolas. He was adjusting, but I could still see the fight in his eyes every time he looked at me—every time he resisted the bond pulling us together.

I stepped into our room quietly. The sight that greeted me made my chest tighten.

Nikolas was curled up on the bed, his breathing slow and even, lost in sleep. Beside him, an empty plate sat on the nightstand. Good. He had eaten. I never wanted him to go hungry, never wanted him to suffer any kind of neglect again.

Moving closer, I knelt beside the bed, tracing my fingers gently across his cheek. His skin was warm beneath my touch.

His eyelids fluttered before his eyes finally opened, hazy with sleep. He blinked up at me, then scowled, rolling away.

"Hey, baby," I murmured.

He groaned, burying his face in the pillow. "I'm not a baby," he grumbled.

I smirked, leaning in. "You are to me."

Nikolas huffed but didn't argue further. I let my fingers linger on his arm, grounding him, reminding him he wasn't alone.

"Tomorrow," I said after a beat, "I'll take you to the pack clinic. You can start working there if you want."

His body stiffened slightly before he turned his head toward me, eyes widening. "Really?"

"Yes, Nikolas," I said, my voice softer now. "I meant it. You're not a prisoner here. You're my baby. My queen."

His gaze dropped, uncertainty flickering across his face. "I… don't think I want that," he muttered.

I moved closer, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "You won't even give it a try?" My voice dropped lower, more intimate. "Let me love you. See if you like it. And maybe, one day… you'll love me too."

Nikolas swallowed, his breath unsteady.

he didn't pull away.

He didn't reply at first. Just stared at the blanket bunched in his lap like it held all the answers he didn't have. I waited, letting the silence stretch not as a weapon, but as an offering. If Nikolas needed space, I would give it. But I wouldn't let him forget that I was here. That I wasn't leaving.

Finally, he whispered, "I don't know if I can love someone like you."

That stung more than I expected.

"Someone like me?" I echoed softly.

He looked up then, and there was no venom in his gaze just quiet conflict. "You're strong. Commanding. You know what you want. I… don't even know who I am right now."

I sat beside him, careful not to touch him yet. "Then let me help you find out. I won't rush you, Nikolas. But I won't apologize for knowing that you're mine."

He exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple like his thoughts were too loud. "You're so sure of everything."

"No, not everything," I admitted. "But I'm sure of you."

Before he could respond, there was a knock on the door—two short taps, followed by one long. Ronan.

I stood, brushing invisible dust off my pants. "Stay. Rest. I'll be back."

The war room was already buzzing when I entered. Ronan stood near the far end, arms crossed, brows furrowed. Maps covered the long table, red pins marking places where hunter activity had spiked.

"They're circling again," Ronan said without looking at me. "Three different drones spotted near the forest perimeter this week."

"They haven't found us," I said, taking my place at the head of the table. "Not yet."

"No," said another warrior, Kalen, "but they're getting closer. They've mapped out the entire valley. It's only a matter of time before one of them gets lucky."

"And Nikolas' uncle?" I asked, voice dropping to a growl.

Ronan's jaw tightened. "He's been asking around. Pressuring small-town Alphas for information. Word is, he's been promising money and power to anyone who turns over a young man matching Nikolas' description."

My fingers curled into fists. "He won't touch him. I swear it."

"And the doctor's orders?" Ronan added. "They still want us low, but… if we wait too long, we might lose the upper hand."

"No," I said, standing. "We move first. Quietly. I'll send a few scouts tonight. No blood, no noise. Just eyes. I want to know every step that bastard takes."

Everyone nodded, understanding the unspoken warning. If Nikolas' uncle tried anything, there would be no mercy.

Later that night, I returned to our room. The lights were dim, the faint sound of the wind whispering through the trees outside the window.

Nikolas was awake now, sitting cross-legged on the bed in one of my oversized shirts, reading something.

He looked up. "You look… tense."

I smirked. "We're being circled. Your uncle's making moves. Hunters are getting brave."

"Sounds fun," he said dryly.

I stepped closer, kneeling at the edge of the bed. "I meant what I said earlier," I told him. "About the clinic. About letting you work, be useful, find yourself. You're not a caged bird, Nikolas."

He studied my face, like he was trying to decide if this was another trick.

"I'm scared," he finally admitted.

"Of me?"

"No. Of feeling something. And not being able to stop."

I reached out, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. "Then feel it. Just once. For you. Not for me."

He didn't pull away this time.

And for the first time, hope flickered in his eyes.