Bloodbound to the Beastly King

Thorne hadn't as much as blinked for the past hour. He made plans, sketched routes, barked orders. Maps spread across the table messily. Inks and pins filled over them. "Search Woodfall. Sweep the Marshes. Block every crossing to the south."

Caelum stood at his side, watching Thorne deliver instruction after instruction to the head warrior until the man's face was pale and his throat raw from replying.

"Deploy even more warriors to the south. Make sure all passageways are totally blocked for Carter." He ordered. The head warrior nodded sharply, waiting for a beat longer than necessary. Thorne's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Well, Get to it, or I swear to the gods I'll have your head." Thorne growled as the head warriors rushed out the door.

When the door shut, Thorne's ran his fingers through his hair, The motion was more violent than he intended.

Caelum stepped forward, laying a fresh stack of reports on the table. "Your majesty," he began "If you continue at this pace you'll break. We can handle things on the ground—you must consider the kingdom and—"

"The kingdom is nothing!" Thorne snapped before he could stop himself. The words were harsher than intended. He swallowed and forced himself to breathe. "We must find Carter before he can breathe on the realm again. Before he—" he breaks off. Remembering what Adina had told him.

Carter was trying to reawaken Khaos. That had been his goal all this while.

"We must find Carter before he finds us." He said with finality. Thorne wasn't taking any chance in this. Not after the news he just got. He wasn't letting another Roseanne situation happen. He was going to end it all.

Caelum stared at him for some seconds more then nodded. "We will find him. Not matter what it takes." He declared.

"The news of Adina's pregnancy must been concealed. Outside of those of us who know, no one must hear of it." He said.

The betas brows furrowed. "Your majesty…if I may, this is a good news for the realm. After all that's happened— it'll bring the people immense joy to learn that an heir has been conceived and—"

"Carter is planning on reawakening Khaos."

Thorne cut him off.

The beta stiffened, "What?"

"He took Adina because he— He needs a sage to bear Khaos's powers. He is behind the hundreds of people who have gone missing in the past year."

The more Thorne spoke, the more Caelums eyes widen. "What?"

"After the news i received today. I must do everything possible to find Carter. Khaos cannot come back to life."

Caelum's throat bobbed as he tried to find words. This was even more than he'd thought. He knew Carter was a greedy desperate man but to be a rebel? Part of the group that believed Khaos was sent by the gods.

Thorne's jaw clenched so tight the muscle ticked. "If Khaos rises, Adina.—" he couldn't get the words out as his voice broke, Caelum had never heard it from him. He steadied himself quickly, "I won't allow history repeat itself again. Adina will not be touched, and my pup will not suffer because of him."

For the first time in years, Caelum saw not just the king but a terrified man.

He nodded firmly, "We'll find him. We have to."

Thorne straightened, brushing off his cloak, "Double the guards around Adina. Triple them if you have to. She will not be left unattended for even a heartbeat. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Caelum answered.

"Tomorrow, we leave for Obsidian. Check and clear out all the paths leading to the kingdom." He ordered again.

Caelum nodded and left the office. Once he was alone Thorne walked to the window and pushed it open, the cold air slapped his face.

He exhaled, gazing out into the sky. He should go to Adina. Should hug her tight and thank her for carrying their pup. He should worship her. He should do all of that…but even now that he was done with everything he'd set out to do.. he couldn't bring himself out to go.

When he'd gotten the news about the pregnancy. He'd been shocked. Shocked to his bones…and then came the joy, but even then it didn't seem to have settled much in his mind until now.

A pup.

He remembered when he'd gotten the news of Roseanne's pregnancy. He'd been over the moon too…only for him to lost it all in a flash.

He knew very well that this was different. Adina wasn't Roseanne and the situations weren't similar too. Still, the fear in his mind wasn't something he could get rid of, no matter how much he wanted to.

The whole news with Carter and Khaos had made him spiral, and the last thing he wanted was to let hope cloud his judgment.

What if the same gods who gave him this miracle, were preparing to snatch it away?

He hated himself for even thinking it. Hated that he could feel fear where there should only be joy. But that was the truth. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Roseanne's lifeless face, heard the screams, remembered the scent of her blood.

Now Adina. His Adina. The only woman who had ever truly been his mate, his equal, his salvation. And she was carrying his heir.

His throat tightened. He wasn't going to loose her or their pup. He'd rewrite fate if need be. He would never—

His thoughts are passed as the door creaked open from behind. He turned, ready to lash out on who had dared to interrupt him. He paused seeing Adina step in.

She'd washed up already. Her black curls was let loose over her shoulders. She wore a white long dress that looked like it belonged to a woman in her eighties. A white shawl spread across her shoulders too.

She stepped forward, a soft smile on her face and all of his worries vanished like that. "You've been in here for a while." She whispered.

Thorne nodded, holding her outstretched hand. His gaze flickered to her stomach and back to her face.

"You've should be resting. Why aren't you?" He asked.

"I was waiting for you. I was waiting for quite a while." She replied. She'd wanted to come find him a while back but Thessara didn't let her. The woman had acted firmer than a warrior would. It was only till she fell asleep watching her was Adina able to slip out the room.

Thorne's shoulders sagged, the tension bleeding out of him as he tugged her closer. He pressed his forehead to hers, "You shouldn't have come. Not when you need rest. Not when—"

"Not when I'm carrying your pup?" she teased gently, her fingers brushing his cheek.

His throat worked. "Exactly that."

Adina hesitated for a beat, then looked up at him. "You— Are you happy that I am carrying our pup, Thorne?" She asked quietly.

Thorne froze, he looked like he'd been hit across the face. "What? I- Adina—" his voice cracked. "Of course I am. Baby, I'm— I'm the happiest that you are carrying our child. I— Why would you ask—"

"You've stayed in here since we got the news. Beta Caelum said you were free but you still didn't come. I thought— I thought you mustn't—"

"Gods, no. Fuck, Adina. I'm sorry. I'm such a fool. A mess. Forgive me. I swear I am happy."

Adina searched his face, her lips trembling. "Then why?" She asked. She'd had her breakdown with Thessara. Blaming herself for things that were well within her control….now, she wanted to understand Thorne.

Thorne cupped her cheeks with both hands, eyes locked on hers. "Listen to me. There is not a single part of me that isn't insanely happy about the news of our pup. Adina— I, This is the greatest news I've received. I'd be mad not to be happy about it. Not when it's happening with the woman I love with my life."

Adina chuckled wetly. "The greatest news you've received, huh? Finding out I was your mate wasn't one." She teased.

Thorne smiled, pulling her to him. "It was the second best."

"Your majesty!" She cried affrontedly. She knew Finding out she was his mate wasn't the second best news. It wasn't even the third. It had been the worst news Thorne had received back then. He thought it another curse from the gods.

Now… He thanked the gods daily for bringing her into his life. Now…he walked to their altars, a place he vowed never to step foot in decades ago…to pray for her life.

"Adina." He called quietly and she looked at him…his eyes conveying every word he hadn't even said. "I wanted to hasten finding Carter. To do everything within and beyond my powers to find him and stop Khaos's reawakening. I can't let the past repeat itself."

Ah, this was it. While she nursed her own fears. He nursed his too. Adina held his face in her hands, getting on her tippy toes and kissed him softly on the lips.

She leaned back down, eyes softer than ever. "Roseanne's ghost isn't mine to carry, Thorne," she whispered, stroking the line of his jaw. "And this pup… this pup is ours. Don't let the past steal this from you before it even begins."

Her words hit him hard. He wanted to argue, to tell her she didn't understand…but she did. She understood it all.

"You are my salvation, Adina," he murmured, his voice rough, almost breaking. "If anything ever happened to you—"

She pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. "Then make sure nothing does. That me and our pup are safe. Find Carter. Destroy Khaos before he's reawakened. Do it all."

Thorne closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers. "I will. I promise you, Adina. I will not let any of them near you or this pup."