Bloodbound to the Beastly King

Twenty-four hours.

That was how long it had been since Thorne stormed out of the room. How long since she crumpled to the ground, sobbing, and Thessara had held her through it, softly whispering words she couldn't hear.

Adina had stayed awake all night, seated on the edge of the bed, waiting for him.

It was futile.

Sometime before dawn, exhaustion claimed her, and she slept off.

Now, it was past morning. She had gotten dressed, eaten, and was now surrounded by hundreds of scrolls regarding the women's trading affairs. After becoming the queen of the kingdom, her responsibility had tripled. She was now dealing with the women's internal affairs.

Her gaze strayed past the scrolls to the wall clock. It was past three, and still, she had heard nothing from Thorne. She contemplated reaching him through the mindlink but quickly dismissed the idea.

"Is that all for today?" She asked Kora, who she had now taken as her companion. She was like Caelum to her.

"All for today?" Kora asked, brows raised. She got up from the chair and walked to the shelf, pulling out another handful of scrolls.

"You have to go through all of these and set up meetings with the market head," she replied, and Adina groaned internally. Her gaze shifted to the wall clock yet again.

Kora placed the scrolls in front of her with a dull thud and gave her a pointed look. "You can't keep staring at the clock like it's going to answer you back."

Adina sighed, rubbing her temples. "I wasn't."

Kora snorted. "You absolutely were."

Adina leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting to the tall windows. The sky outside was dull and grey again, like the heavens themselves were undecided. "Has…." She trailed off. "Has anyone seen him today?" She asked.

Kora hesitated. That alone was answer enough.

"He's been in the war room since dawn," she said slowly. "Meetings. Councils. More meetings. He didn't even break for lunch."

Adina swallowed hard, feeling even worse than earlier. She nodded once, returning her focus back to work. "Thank you."

Kora studied her for a moment, then her gaze softened. "Do you want me to cancel the rest of today's work?"

"No," Adina straightened, pulling one of the scrolls closer. "If I stop now, I'll just think."

That earned her a sympathetic look. "Thinking is dangerous these days."

Adina hummed, "You're telling me."

The hours crawled by. Scroll after scroll, complaints and trade disputes blurred together until the words stopped meaning anything. Still, her mind wasn't on the women's market or supply routes. It was on a man who refused to look at her.

By the time the sun dipped low, Adina's chest felt tight.

"The head of trading affairs has requested a meeting with you," Kora said as she stepped back into the room, holding a jar of water.

"This late?" Adina asked. It was past 5 pm, and she was just about to round up for the day when the news came in.

Kora poured the water into a cup for her. "Another dispute of market stalls. Those affected won't stop until they find a lasting solution to it," she replied.

Adina sighed internally and nodded. "I'll meet them at the hall. Please refer them there."

Adina rose from her chair, smoothing the front of her dress. By the time she stepped into the hall, her face was calm.

The moment she stepped into the hall, they all rose to their feet, heads bowed in respect.

"You may all sit," she said as she sat down.

The head trader stepped forward, bringing forth the situation first.

The meeting dragged.

Voices rose and fell around her, arguments circling the same tired points. Market stalls. Territory lines. Whose mother had owned what land first. Adina listened, nodded, offered solutions she'd given a dozen times before. Her mind worked on instinct alone.

For a brief second, she wondered just how Thorne had managed to add this part of the women's internal affairs to his already tedious work.

Finally, she resolved the dispute as the sun began to dim.

"Thank you for your time, Your Majesty," one of the women said, bowing deeply.

Adina inclined her head. "May tonight be quieter than today."

Once they were all out of the hall, Adina leaned back on the chair and sighed. She glanced at Kora, who was still busy clearing up the place.

She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes.

But there was still nothing.

No brush against her mind. No familiar presence at the edge of her thoughts. Thorne hadn't reached for the bond—not once.

"Kora, has…" she paused again, the words catching in her throat like she was scared of hearing her reply.

Kora, on the other hand, understood what she wanted to ask. She slowly shook her head. No one had seen the king still.

Adina nodded slowly and stood up. "I'll be in my chambers."

By the time Adina returned to her chambers, night had fully settled. She dismissed the maids with a soft word and sat at the edge of the bed, fingers twisting in her lap.

This was wrong.

Not the argument, no, they've survived worse. But this distance. She couldn't bear it.

She wrapped her hand around her stomach, wondering for the umpteenth time if she was making a wrong decision.

She tried the mindlink again.

Thorne.

Nothing answered back.

Her chest tightened painfully. Adina stood abruptly, pacing once, twice, before stopping altogether. She glanced at the clock.

It was almost midnight.

That was when it hit her. Roseanne's anniversary.

Adina froze. How did she forget what today was about?

Of course, he'd bury himself in work. Of course, he'd disappear on the one day that still gutted him, year after year. The day he never spoke about but never forgot.

Her decision settled quickly.

She grabbed a shawl and slipped it around her shoulders, the palace quiet enough now that her footsteps echoed softly through the corridors. Guards bowed as she passed, but she slid them no mind.

Just as she reached his office doors, Beta Caelum stepped out, going through some documents.

"Beta Caelum."

He looked up, surprised to see her. "Adina? What are you—"

"Is his Majesty in? I want to see him." She rushed out, chest heaving from the rush.

Caelum looked conflicted. "Adina….I don't think.."

"I'm not asking for your permission, Caelum. I want to see my mate." She cut him off, pushing past him towards the door.

"Wait." Caelum stopped her just as she held the doorknob. She turned to him, impatient.

Caelum shook his head. "His Majesty isn't there." He said.

"Then where is he?"

Once again, Caelum looked conflicted. "Adina….Perhaps it's better if you don't—"

"Caelum!" She snapped impatiently. "Please, tell me where he is."

Caelum stared at her for some seconds then nodded. "At Roseanne's grave. His Majesty went there right before midnight." He said.

Adina's heart stuttered for a second, and before she could think it twice, her legs pushed forward, and she rushed out.

She'd heard a few times where Thorne's former mate was buried. A place no one but him was allowed to visit. He had built an almost altar just for her.

She heard his voice before she even saw him. Of all the things she'd expected of him, it wasn't this. It wasn't to hear him talk to her grave about her—Adina.

Adina's breath hitched where she finally saw him. He stood over her grave, hands pocketed at his sides. "How else can I make her understand. I can't lose her the way I lost you. I—" his voice broke "I just can't."

Adina's heart clenched hard. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop. She'd only meant to find him. But now, she couldn't move.

Thorne stepped closer to the grave, lowering himself slowly to one knee. His hand brushed over the engraved stone.

"I failed you," he whispered. "I failed our pup. I couldn't protect either of you." His jaw clenched. "And I swear by the gods—I won't fail again. Not her. Not this child."

Adina felt like an intruder in a sacred space she had no right to enter, yet her feet betrayed her. The dried leaves she stepped on cracked slightly.

"Who's there?" Thorne's voice came immediately, firm and sharp. He wasn't kneeling anymore, no. He had his hand on his sword.

"Reveal yourself or I—" he paused once he sniffed the air. "Adina?" He called out to her.

She slowly stepped out, eyes filled with guilt. "I—"

His eyes that had once softened to her suddenly hardened. "You shouldn't be here."

"I know, but I thought it would be—" she trailed off, gaze starting towards Roseanne's grave.

It was the first time she would be seeing the woman's grave. A woman who she never met but had always felt like she knew.

"I wanted to pay my respect. I'm done now," he said, taking a step back. Adina didn't budge, though. Instead, she walked closer to the grave, her heart filled with sorrow for the other woman.

If only Khaos hadn't been a devil. If only he hadn't turned to dark magic, Roseanne and her pup would be alive.

She felt guilty. After all, the man who birthed her had killed her.

Adina turned to face Thorne. "Khaos.." she began.

Thorne's jaw clenched hard. "'Not here. Not now." He gritted out. Turning to leave, but she hurriedly rushed towards him, holding his arm back.

"No. Now." She said firmly.

Thorne's brows furrowed as he looked at her.

"Khaos did this…he murdered her and your pup. Would you rather a demon like that be reawakened? I can't—" she shook her head, desperately trying to make her words heard. "I owe Roseanne that at least. I can't—"

"You owe Roseanne nothing! Khaos took my family from me once, and I refuse to let him do the same again. Keeping the core inside of you will kill you or the pup, and I will not have it. Therefore, if Khaos will be reawakened by the core. Then let him."

"Thorne.."

"History will not repeat itself. I will take his life with my bare hands if he's reawakened. I swear it with my life."

Staring right into his eyes, Adina trembles internally. There was nothing to qualify the level of unfiltered hatred in his orbs….

She swallowed painfully. "One last thing.." she urged.

"If today, you find out that Khaos has an offspring. What would—"

Thorne scoffed, turning to the grave. "Khaos isn't a man, Adina. He's the devil. The devil cannot have offspring, only worshippers."

Adina shook her head, "Humor me." She replied, trying to keep her life steady.

Thorne stared at her for some seconds then shifted his gaze back to the grave. He went silent for what seemed like hours even though it was mere seconds.

Finally, he turned to look at her, eyes locked. "A child born of that man carries his blood... I watched Khaos rip out my pup brutally." His voice hardened. "If Khaos has an offspring," he began "then it is an extension of him. And I will end it the same way I will end Khaos."