The sun, a pale, distant disc in the Beastworld sky, had long set by the time Elias escorted Elara to the Alpha's private wing. The cold in this upper section of the Citadel was sharper, infused with Kael's raw, concentrated elemental power. Elias remained respectful but tense.
"He is waiting, Conduit," the Beta murmured, pausing before a massive, seamless door of shimmering blue ice. "Remember your strength limits. Do not push past the point of pain for him, or the pack loses you entirely."
Elara nodded, her exhaustion already profound from the day's work. She was walking into the lair of the apex predator, forced to offer her unique mortality as a life support system.
The ice door slid open silently. The chamber within was vast, austere, and undeniably impressive. It was dominated by a colossal bed raised on a platform of carved ice, covered in a king's ransom of thick, snow-white furs. A single, enormous fire pit burned in the center, casting dancing blue shadows on the walls, which seemed to capture the very light of the stars. It smelled exclusively of Kael: musk, pine resin, and freezing, untamed power.
Kael was waiting, but he was not in his armor. He was fully shifted to his human form, though the sheer scale of his muscle was overwhelming. He wore only a simple, dark cloth wrapped low around his waist. His silver-gray fur was smooth on his skin, and his glacial eyes were fixed on her with an expression Elara couldn't decipher—it wasn't anger, but a heavy, quiet intensity.
"Close the door, Conduit," Kael commanded, his voice softer than it had been in the infirmary, but the dominance remained.
Elara obeyed, the click of the closing ice door sealing her into the overwhelming intimacy of his space.
Kael walked slowly to the edge of his bed, sitting on the thick furs. He extended his hand, palm up, in a gesture that was both invitation and absolute command. "The Scourge does not rest. Nor does my duty. Come. We begin."
She approached the bed platform, her heart racing not just from fear, but from the sudden, jarring proximity to such powerful, unadulterated masculinity. She climbed onto the furs, keeping a respectful distance.
"We need to establish a duration," Elara said, trying to maintain her clinical detachment. "If my capacity is finite, then we need a timer, or a signal, before I black out."
Kael's massive hand closed around her wrist—gentler than his grasp had been in the infirmary, yet still non-negotiable. He pulled her closer, guiding her hand to rest against his bare, broad shoulder, where the scent of ozone and the subtle green remnants of Shadow Taint were strongest.
"I will be your timer," Kael rumbled. "I will not destroy what is mine."
The contact initiated the familiar, terrifying rush. Her body became the conductive wire, drawing out the localized taint and amplifying his elemental Ice magic. This time, however, Elara focused on the sensation instead of fighting it. She tried to analyze the flow.
She felt the core of Kael's being—a relentless, singular drive to protect his people, a crushing weight of responsibility that fueled his power. The magic she channeled felt ancient, pure, and utterly cold. When the Shadow Taint flowed through her, it brought fleeting flashes of chaotic hunger and dark, seductive madness, which her human nature instantly purified and expelled.
Kael let out a deep, shaking breath, the sound one of pure relief. His muscles, rigid seconds before, began to relax under her hand.
"It is like… swimming in pure water after months in stagnant muck," he murmured, his eyes closed. The sensation was clearly euphoric for him. He shifted, pulling her against the hard, cool expanse of his chest, forcing her ear over the powerful, steady rhythm of his heart.
"Your body… you do not merely conduct," Kael whispered, his breath warm against her hair. "You are an anchor. You stop the erosion of the self."
Elara's mind, drained and exhausted, struggled to hold onto her professional resistance. Being pressed against him was overwhelming. The raw power, the warmth, the sheer scale of the man was both terrifying and undeniably comforting in the freezing world.
After what felt like an eternity, Kael's grip loosened. He broke the contact abruptly, a shadow of genuine concern visible in his eyes as he assessed her pale face.
"Enough. You are spent."
He watched her carefully as she pulled away, trembling slightly. She felt hollowed out, but the painful, electric shock was gone. She was just deeply, physically tired.
"I need… I need to sleep," Elara managed, fighting the wave of lightheadedness.
Kael didn't argue. He swung his legs off the bed. "You will sleep here. In this chamber."
"Wait, you mean… in a separate room?"
Kael stopped and looked back, an expression of genuine confusion crossing his face. "You are the Conduit. You belong where your power can be accessed instantly, and where I know you are secure. You will sleep on the furs at the foot of the bed. You are claimed, Conduit. That means you are always under my watch."
He led her to a pile of thick, soft furs near the fire pit—a spot that offered protection from the worst of the cold, but was still unmistakably within his direct domain. Kael then turned, returned to the massive bed, and simply lay down, resting his enormous frame on the furs. He was asleep—or pretending to be—within minutes.
Elara stared at the fire, listening to the deep, steady breathing of the Alpha who had claimed her. She was a captive, but she was also protected. She was a resource, but her presence was a source of profound physical and magical relief for the most powerful creature in this territory.
As she sank into the deep, isolating pile of furs, she realized that Kael had given her safety, duty, and life—all at the cost of her freedom. The Ice Wolf Alpha had claimed his Cure, and the lines of their strange, compulsory bond were now firmly drawn.