Adams’ POV
I sat at the side of the party with the flickering torches giving off a warm light that pushed back the cool night. But my eyes went to Ronan.
What really grabbed my attention was his intense stare at Dale, who was telling a funny story that had everyone cracking up. Dale had just proved himself in battle and his charm made even the serious soldiers laugh. But it was Ronan’s reaction that really stood out to me.
“Ronan,” I said in my head while sipping my drink with my thoughts spinning. What was happening? The way Ronan’s eyes softened and how he leaned a bit toward Dale stirred something in me. A bond between two guys? It seemed strange, even extreme, but the bond between them was clear.
As the party went on, laughter and music filled the air and I started thinking hard while watching Ronan and Dale. As the night went by, the fun slowly faded as the soldiers became tired. I realized it was time to talk to Ronan alone.
“Okay guys, it’s time to relax,” I said while softly guiding Ronan by the shoulder, taking him away from the crowd.
As we got closer to the guest house that elder Simmons had set up for us, I saw Ronan shaking off the fun of the party while looking more serious instead of happy. A feeling of worry stirred in my stomach.
“Ronan, hold on a second,” I said, as he was about to go into his room.
“What’s going on, Adams?” he asked with a confused look growing on his face.
“I need to talk to you,” I said while motioning for him to come into the room. The door clicked closed behind us, locking us in a small, but cozy space with chairs lined up against the wall.
I poured two cups of deep red wine and gave one to Ronan. “You’ve been my right-hand man for quite some time,” I said while speaking slowly as I picked my words. “I see you as more than just a Beta. We are friends. Best friend.”
“Yeah, I know that too,” Ronan said while sipping his drink, his fingers shaking a little around the cup.
Leaning in while wanting to talk about the tension between us, I said, “You’ve had a tough time these last few weeks. I want you to know you can tell me anything. I noticed how you looked at Dale tonight.”
Ronan’s eyes grew wide with shock mixed with fear. “I-I don’t understand,” he said, while looking down instead of at me.
“Ronan,” I said firmly but softly. “It’s okay. You don’t have to hide it from me. You’re experiencing something profound, aren’t you? A bond with Dale?”
“Adams, it’s not-” he started, but the redness in his neck gave him away.
I kept going with my eyes fixed on him. “It’s okay to say it. I can tell. There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to another guy, especially if it’s a mate bond.”
Ronan sank back in his chair while feeling the heavy weight of confusion. “It’s just… I didn’t see this coming. Dale is my fated mate, but he’s a guy! This is all so unclear!”
“Is that really true?” I asked softly. “Love has no limits, Ronan. The moon goddess picked you both for a reason. You shouldn’t let what society thinks ruin your feelings.”
“I just-I didn’t think I would feel like this,” Ronan said, with his voice getting quieter as he relaxed a bit.
I felt a spark of hope. Maybe this talk could be the start of figuring out what was going on between him and Dale. Every relationship has its issues, but I was set on making sure my friend wouldn’t go through this struggle alone.
I nodded while feeling Ronan’s pain in my chest. I got what he was dealing with-a fight not only in his heart but also shown in his stance and the lines on his forehead.
“You don’t need to do anything tonight,” I told him gently. “You have time. Just relax and when we go home we can talk about it together. You’re not alone.”
As he took a shaky breath, I saw his shoulders ease a bit and a spark of hope appeared in his eyes. “Thanks, Adams. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You won’t ever have to worry,” I said, while hoping to make him understand that I would always be there for him. I thought it was important for him to hear this, especially now. “And don’t forget any feelings for Dale are real. Real love doesn’t follow rules-it grows in surprising ways.”
As he stood, a new sense of purpose changed how he looked. “You’re right. I have to accept this. I really like him.”
“That’s great,” I said while smiling as my worry lessened, totally happy to see him getting stronger. “Now get some rest. It’s been a tough night, and we have a long journey ahead tomorrow.”
He started to go but paused with uncertainty back in his eyes. “Umm Your Highness? Can you promise we’ll discuss this more?”
“Sure. I’m here whenever you need me,” I said, while watching him leave with the door shutting behind him and leaving a strange quiet.
As I lost myself in my thoughts, the weight of our talk felt heavy on me. I can’t ignore how harsh the world can be. Ronan would face judgment he shouldn’t have to face. It hurts to think-why would the moon goddess make such a lovely bond only to put it in danger of ridicule?
High hopes for tradition clashed with the real feeling of love, creating a storm inside me that made me uneasy. How could I keep him safe? What if people reacted badly to his connection? My face showed the same worry I felt about Ronan earlier.
At that moment, a loud noise at the window broke my train of thought. I looked over and saw the maid outside with her face lit by the moon while looking worried.
“Your Highness! You have to hurry!” she shouted with her voice filled with worry.
“What’s the matter?” I felt a worry rise in me as I walked to the window with anxiety twisting in my gut.
But before I could get to her, she disappeared into the dark. Fear filled me while pushing me to move. I jumped out the window while looking hard for her in the night.
“Cara!?” I shouted into the dark with my voice breaking the quiet, but only silence answered back. “Where are you?”
Then darkness surrounded me-both known and strange-an intense feeling washing over me. I felt myself drawn into it with the air changing and getting heavier like tendrils wrapping around me.
“You’re going to fall soon, little King,” a creepy voice said while making me shiver.
My heart stopped racing with fear filling me as I fought against the dark and at that moment I woke up with a gasp.
I sat up straight with my heart racing hard in my chest. Morning light came through the broken window, softly lighting the room while feeling strange after the nightmare I had. I tried to breathe normally with the fear still hanging over me like a thick mist.
“Ronan!” I yelled while quickly getting out of bed. “Get the men ready! We need to go back to the palace right now!”
“Your Highness?” Ronan called from outside while sounding worried. He hurried in with eyes full of concern. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“We need to go. Right now!” I urged, with my voice tensed while aware that time was running out like sand in an hourglass…!