"We need to talk."
Dex stood in Hale's door frame. Serena was moving towards him when he noticed her cloak and training suit weren't hers and her hair was soaking wet.
He frowned, not understanding.
Elara grabbed Serena's wrist, stopping her.
"Hurry back," she snapped impatiently, her expression and posture tense. "It's important."
"Okay, I'll be right back," Serena said, pulling her arm free.
Dex didn't like that interaction. It felt off. And Serena was not going anywhere if he had anything to say about it. He'd been missing her for the last few hours.
He grabbed her hand leading her back to their chambers.
He was silent because his mind was racing.
Would this scare her?
Finally when they arrived, Dex sat down in one of the arm chairs by their fire and pulled her onto his lap.
He was about to ask her why her hair was wet when he felt her nerves wash through their matebond. She was anxious about something.
She spoke before he could ask about it. "What happened with Velkaris… I didn't mean for it to..."
He cut her off mid sentence, with a fierce kiss, catching her off guard. She laughed into the kiss making him smile.
He pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers. "What did my mother do?"
"I missed you," she said, not answering his question.
"Of course you did," he answered with a grin of pure trouble. "I'm very difficult to forget."
She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and gave him another kiss.
"I borrowed Elara's suit," she said, catching his look. "Mine smelled like volcano."
Dex frowned at that. Why didn't she come back here? She still wasn't treating these quarters like it was hers.
That was another conversation. Not right now.
Dex exhaled. "What did she say? I want to know."
Serena ran her fingers through his hair, her brows furrowed.
He could feel her with startling clarity. She wanted to tell him but she also didn't want him to worry. His face darkened at that.
"You don't get to worry about me," he said, arms tightening around her. "I've got this."
Serena didn't know where to begin. What hadn't Bellatrix said?
"Velkaris grabbed her when she said she'd castrate you if you had marked me."
Dex went very still. "…I'm sorry, she threatened what?"
He blinked processing, then spoke again a moment later.
"That explains that."
Serena shook her head. "He didn't appreciate it."
Dex chuckled briefly. "I'm touched."
He stared at the fire for a long second, then burst out laughing.
"I would pay obscene amounts of money to watch whatever happened on that dragon ride."
Serena started laughing too.
Gods, he loved her laugh. He kissed her. Once. Twice. Three times.
Then he paused, a flicker of tension crossing his face.
"I need to tell you something."
Serena pulled away slightly so she could meet his eyes fully.
"I put in paperwork the day you agreed to be my mate, to give you my house name..."
He stopped mid sentence at the look on her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Serena swallowed, heart pounding.
"Before you say anything else… there's something you should know. I'm not who you think I am."
He didn't flinch, searching her eyes. "I know exactly who you are. I've been feeling your emotions since I kidnapped you."
He kissed her lips. "Whatever it is. It doesn't change anything."
He wanted to tell her he loved her. Even if it was crazy. Even if it was fast.
He was about to when she spoke again.
"My house name isn't Silverveil," she said, her eyes reddening. "It's actually Frostborne."
Dexmon didn't answer right away. Through the matebond, he felt something new from her. Resignation. Like she knew someday this would surface, and now the reckoning had come.
"You are Drakenfell now," he said, his arms tightening around her. "You can always tell me anything. Nothing you say will change how I feel."
A tear fell from her eye and he quickly wiped it with his thumb.
"It should," she said with a hiccup, "If it's found out who I am, it would put your house at risk. I don't want..."
Dex cut her off with a kiss. "No. You're mine. Whoever tries to come for you will have to go through me and an army of dragons."
He cupped her face with one hand, gently stroking her cheek.
"I know it has not been long..."
He stopped again mid-sentence, taken aback by the sheer intensity of her emotions washing over him. He hadn't felt her this upset before. Her guilt in particular.
He was clearly missing something.
Finally, after a long moment, it clicked. Her guilt stemmed from not telling him this before he marked her.
She felt like she'd lied to him.
He wiped away another tear.
"Serena… I already suspected. For future reference, translating seven languages is a dead giveaway."
She hiccuped and laughed at that.
He continued, "I knew you would tell me eventually. You didn't do anything wrong. I marked you without your permission. Remember?"
She wiped her eyes with her hand and spoke. "True."
"You don't need to worry..."
Dexmon froze mid-word.
"That's strange. My father just mindlinked. I think it's an emergency."
There was a loud knock on the door causing Serena to jump. She started to stand, but Dex pulled her back onto his lap. Not having it.
"Come in," he called.
Elara entered agitated. "Serena. I need you to come with me. Now."
Dexmon's brows furrowed. That was the second time he felt something was off with her.
"You should go to your father," Serena said, slipping off his lap, successfully this time. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Dex stayed seated not letting go of her hand, his jaw working. He didn't want to leave. Not like this. Not with everything still unsaid.
Something felt off. He couldn't shake it.
His instincts screamed at him to bring Serena with him and his wolf agreed.
But she stood calm, unbothered—clearly not sensing whatever had him on edge. Was he reading too much into Elara? Was he being overbearing?
He dragged a hand through his hair, torn.
"I'll find you as soon as I take care of this," Dex said finally, his voice tight.
He rose, his hand lingering in hers a moment longer than necessary before he forced himself to let go.
✦✦✦
"Where exactly are we going?" Serena asked, adjusting her cloak. They were entering the south forest near the castle.
"I told you. I need to show you something."
"You told me that," Serena said. "You did not tell me what."
Elara laughed, light and pleased, like she was enjoying a private joke.
It made Serena smile. "You're up to something."
Elara led her deeper into the woods. Serena followed without question.
Then she noticed Elara's eyes, usually green, were glowing bronze.
Serena's awareness sharpened, instinct pricking along her spine.
"Elara?"
"They are coming," Elara said softly.
Serena stopped. "What do you mean?"
Elara didn't answer.
Serena heard a leaf crunch and movement in the underbrush.
She stepped in front of Elara without thought. A reflex to protect her. The same quiet certainty that had guided her since childhood.
Whatever this was, it would go through Serena first.
Elara's body convulsed as if she were wrestling for control.
"Run, Serena!" She struggled to get the words out.
It tore out of her, sharp and wrong. Her eyes flickered green for a heartbeat, then snapped back to that unnatural bronze.
Serena's pulse spiked, blood roaring in her ears.
Masked figures stepped out from the trees, silent and controlled. Dark leathers and weapons held with practiced ease.
Serena grabbed Elara's hand and tried to pull her into a run.
Elara tried to move, but her legs wouldn't obey. They lagged, dragged, and resisted like they were no longer hers.
"Shit," Serena breathed.
Serena picked Elara up, throwing her over her shoulder and ran at alpha speed. Her own strength surprised her. She'd never carried anyone while running before, let alone at alpha speed. This shouldn't be possible.
Under normal circumstances, Serena's tiny frame hauling Elara like a sack of grain would've been comical. But there was nothing funny about the terror driving her forward.
The world blurred into streaks of shadow and moonlight. Trees whipped past. Branches snapped against her cloak, stinging her face. The ground thundered beneath her feet, each step eating up impossible distance.
Her lungs screamed.
She skidded to a stop and eased Elara down, gasping for breath.
And that's when everything went south.
Elara's hand shot out. A dagger, hidden somewhere in her clothes, flashed in the moonlight.
White-hot pain detonated through Serena's chest as the blade slid between her ribs and buried itself in her lung.
She pressed a hand to her chest. Blood dripped between her fingers.
Then she looked back up at Elara.