KODA'S POV
"What about my sister? What about the contracts between our families?"
I looked at him, this man who'd been like a brother to me, who was now standing between me and everything I needed to protect. "I told you. Contracts can be broken."
"Not without war."
"Then we'll have war."
The words came out harder than I'd intended, but I didn't take them back. Marcus's face went pale, then red with anger.
"For one woman? You'd destroy both our houses for someone you barely know?"
The mate bond pulsed again, stronger now. Ayasha was somewhere in this fortress, probably trying to figure out how to survive whatever they threw at her next. She had no idea that twelve powerful men had already decided she should die. She was facing impossible odds with nothing but her courage and whatever allies she'd managed to make among the other competitors.
She needed me. Whether she knew it or not, whether she wanted my help or not, she needed someone with power to stand between her and the wolves circling her.
"I have to go," I said, heading for the door.
"Koda, wait."
I paused with my hand on the latch, not turning around.
"Be careful," Marcus said quietly. "Your father isn't just cruel. He's smart. If you give him any reason to suspect what she means to you, he'll use it against both of you."
I nodded without looking back. "I know."
"Do you? Because the way you're acting right now, anyone with eyes can see you're compromised."
That made me turn around. Marcus was watching me with the expression he'd worn when we were children and he was trying to talk me out of some dangerous adventure.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you look like a man in love," he said bluntly. "Or at least a man obsessed. And if I can see it, your father definitely will."
The truth of his words hit me like cold water. I'd been so focused on protecting Ayasha that I hadn't considered how my behavior might be giving me away. If my father suspected the real reason I wanted to keep her alive...
"I'll be careful," I said.
"Will you?"
I opened the door and stepped into the corridor. "I have to be."
The walk to my father's chambers felt longer than usual. Every step took me closer to a conversation that could either save Ayasha's life or seal both our fates. I had no plan, no clever scheme, no brilliant argument prepared.
All I had was the desperate certainty that I couldn't let her die. Not for trying to save lives. Not for choosing mercy when everyone else chose violence.
The mate bond hummed beneath my skin, a constant reminder of what I stood to lose. Somewhere in this fortress, Ayasha was probably preparing for whatever challenge came next, unaware that the real battle was about to happen in a room she'd never see.
I stopped outside my father's door and took a deep breath. Whatever happened in the next few minutes would determine whether my mate lived to see another day.
I knocked and waited for permission to enter, already planning how to lie to the most dangerous man I'd ever known.
"Enter."
My father's voice carried the same authority it had held since I was a child. I pushed open the heavy door and stepped into his private study. King Nahuel sat behind his massive oak desk, reviewing what looked like military reports. He didn't look up immediately, letting me stand there while he finished reading.
The room smelled of leather and smoke from the fireplace. Weapons lined the walls between bookshelves, a reminder that my father had earned his throne through conquest, not inheritance. Everything about this space was designed to intimidate, to remind visitors that they stood before a man who could end their lives with a word.
Finally, he set down the parchment and looked at me. His dark eyes, so similar to my own, studied my face with the intensity of a predator evaluating prey.
"Koda. How are you enjoying the games so far?"
The question was casual, conversational. Which meant it was dangerous. My father never asked casual questions.
I forced myself to shrug, aiming for the kind of callous indifference he'd expect from his heir. "They're entertaining enough. Though I thought there would be more bloodshed by now."
Something flickered in his expression. Surprise, maybe. "That doesn't sound like you."
My stomach clenched, but I kept my voice steady. "What do you mean?"
"You've always been soft when it comes to violence. Too merciful for your own good." He leaned back in his chair, still watching me. "I'm impressed you're finally embracing the necessity of it."
I had to be careful here. Too much of a change in character would make him suspicious, but I needed to seem detached enough that he wouldn't suspect my real motivations.
"I still don't understand your plan," I said, changing the subject slightly. "I already have a betrothal to Marcus's sister. Why go through all this?"
My father's smile was cold and calculating. "Who says you can't have two brides?"
The words hit me like a slap. Two brides. He was planning to make me marry both his chosen Luna and Dena, turning my future into some kind of political chess game where women were just pieces to be moved around the board.
But his answer also gave me an opening. A way to get what I needed without revealing too much.
"I do find it funny that I'm not a voter at this event," I said, letting a hint of petulance creep into my voice. "You know, considering beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
My father's eyebrows rose slightly. "I didn't think about that."
Perfect. I'd planted the seed. Now I just had to nurture it without seeming too eager.
"Do you want to join the panel for the second round?" he asked.
"Yes." The word came out too quickly, too eager. I forced myself to sound more casual. "I mean, if you think it would be valuable for me to participate."
"It would." My father leaned forward, his eyes bright with interest. "Tell me, who catches your eye so far?"
This was the moment. Everything depended on my next words. If I said Ayasha's name, he'd know something was wrong. But I couldn't seem completely disinterested either.
"The blonde one," I said, hoping I sounded thoughtful rather than desperate.
My father chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "The Luna of the High Plains? Elora?"
I nodded, trying to look like I was considering her merits. "She has a delicate beauty. Refined."
"I don't know..." My father's voice trailed off, and I felt ice form in my veins. "That's not where your interest looks like it lies."
My heart hammered against my ribs, but I kept my expression neutral. "What do you mean?"
"I would believe it was Luna Pavati of Blue River. Or maybe..." His smile turned predatory. "Ayasha of Whitewater. After all, that is the room you wrote to, the night before."
The bottom dropped out of my world. He knew. Somehow, he knew about the letter I'd sent. My mouth went dry, but I forced myself to meet his gaze.
My father turned in his chair to face me fully, his dark eyes boring into mine. "Are you trying to deceive me, son?"