-Finn-
Alexia laughs when she loses her balance - a real laugh, bright and raw - and it hits me right in the ribs. I tighten my grip around her waist before she can topple off the training dummy. Her boots slip in the dirt anyway, kicking up a puff of dust, and she squeaks, grabbing my forearms to steady herself.
"Don't you dare laugh," she huffs, cheeks flushed pink.
"Wouldn't dream of it," I lie, grinning down at her.
She narrows her eyes and shoves my shoulder, but she doesn't pull away. Zeus circles us in the grass, tail wagging, ears perked like he's supervising. It's supposed to be just another sparring session. Soren had work to do. Asher is off somewhere brooding. Jasper was supposed to be here, but he vanished when he saw her coming. Coward. So it's just us. Good. She needs this—the distraction, the space to breathe. So do I.
She tries to twist out of my grip, but I plant my feet, arms steady around her. "You're not using your center," I tease. "Stop fighting me like you're human."
She smacks my chest, laughter bubbling up again. "I am human."
I raise an eyebrow. "Are you?"
She freezes for a heartbeat, the bond between us flickering warm and soft, like she's testing it, letting it settle under her skin. Then she shoves me again, playful this time, a spark in her eyes that makes my chest feel too small.
"Shut up," she says, but she's grinning.
I don't think before I lean in and kiss her—quick and soft, tasting her smile. She melts into it, fingers curling in the front of my shirt, and for a breath, it's just us, the bond singing, warm and right.
Then she pulls back, breathless, cheeks pink. "Finn—"
"Training," I smirk. "Focus."
She shoves me again, laughing when I let her push me a step back. "You're terrible."
"Only for you, sunshine."
Later, we flop down on the grass in the shade of the old stone wall, our shoulders pressed together, Zeus panting at our feet. She's quiet for a moment, eyes half-closed, hair stuck to her neck with sweat.
"You ever wish things were… simpler?" she asks suddenly, voice soft as she picks at the grass.
I swallow. "Sometimes. But then I wouldn't have you."
She looks at me, and for a second, the flicker of doubt in her eyes makes me want to burn this whole place to the ground.
"I'm glad I have you," she whispers.
Gods, she doesn't know. She can't, not yet. I press a kiss to her hair, letting the bond warm us both even as my chest aches with everything I'm not telling her.
Later, after she heads inside with Zeus at her heels, promising to meet me for dinner, I find Asher leaning against the stone wall near the courtyard gate, arms crossed, blue eyes narrowed.
"What the hell do you want?" I snap, not in the mood for his silent, brooding judgment.
"You're wasting time," he says flatly.
My jaw tightens. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're too close to see it." He pushes off the wall, stepping closer, the wolf in his eyes.
"Don't start this again."
"She's manipulating us, Finn." His voice is low, dangerous. "It's her chaos. It's forcing us—"
"No." The word cuts sharper than I intend. "She's not doing anything to us. We chose this. I chose her."
His jaw flexes, fists clenching. "And if you're wrong?"
"I'm not." I step forward, nose to nose, letting the dragon rise, heat crackling in the air. "And I swear to the gods, Ash, if you or Jasper do anything to hurt her, you'll answer to me."
His nostrils flare, the wolf pushing back, but he doesn't step down. Neither do I. The bond with Alexia hums softly in the back of my mind, a promise, a shield.
Finally, Asher's lip curls, but he backs up half a step. "You're blind."
"No," I say quietly. "I'm in love. Whatever you and Jasper are planning, it ends now."
He bristles. "We're protecting us. And her."
"Bullshit." I shove him back a step, ignoring the low rumble in his chest. "You're protecting your fear. You're turning this into something it's not."
"You think you're the only one who cares?" Asher snaps, teeth bared. "You think your bond makes you her savior?"
I grab his shirt, dragging him close, nose to nose. "I'm not letting you break her. You hear me? If you want to tear this apart, you'll go through me first."
For a moment, I see it—the flicker of something raw and wounded behind his snarl, something that says he doesn't want this any more than I do. But the wolf is too loud for him to hear it.
He shoves me off, shoulders squared, voice cold. "Then stay out of my way."
My fists clench at my sides. "I'm not going anywhere."
We stand there, breathing hard, neither of us willing to back down, until he turns, stalking away into the mist rising off the grounds. The bond under my skin hums, restless, but I press my palm to my chest, forcing it quiet. She won't know. I'll keep this from her. And if Asher tries to tear this apart, I'll remind him who we're fighting for—not against. She's worth it. Every damn bruise.