Chapter 0098

"Do I smell?"

"No, definitely not." I hesitate, biting my lip. Maybe I should just drop it.

His thumb grazes my lower lip, freeing it from my teeth. "But?"

I blurt it out before I can stop myself. "Did your mom bake brownies today?"

Confusion flickers across his face. Yeah, I know—random.

"Not that I'm aware of. Why?"

I inhale again. "You smell like them. Like warm, just-out-of-the-oven brownies."

His grin turns blinding. "Is that right?" His thumb traces slow circles on my shoulder, sending sparks through me. He leans in, nuzzling my hair. "I heard my mother's brownies are your favorite."

I close my eyes, sinking into his presence. Selene is useless right now—she's been under Adrian and Theron's spell for ages.

He chuckles, pressing a kiss just above my ear. "Was there something you wanted to show me?"

My eyes snap open. Right. I didn’t bring him up here just to get distracted. I flip open the book to the marked page.

"I've been reading this history book—the one that someone," I shoot him a playful glance, catching his smirk, "got for me. Found something interesting."

I point to the passage:

Since the dawn of the Guardian lineage,

Only two have ever existed at once.

Forged by the Moon Goddess herself,

The spirit reincarnates

When the current vessel falls.

Adrian's brow furrows as he processes my unspoken question.

When he meets my gaze again, I voice it.

"It says nothing about a Guardian being born. But here I am. For five years, there were three of us." My voice wavers. "Do you think that imbalance... caused my mother’s death?"

His arm tightens around me, pulling me against his chest. I melt into him, the weight of the question finally spilling out. The kidnapping had pushed it aside, but now it’s back, gnawing at me.

His fingers absently trace my arm as he thinks. Finally, he answers.

"No. Your birth didn’t disrupt anything. There had to be a chance two Guardians would mate eventually." He pauses, letting the implication hang.

I voice the next question. "Then where is my mother’s wolf spirit?"

We stare at each other for a long moment before the rest tumbles out. "It’s been thirteen years. Shouldn’t we have seen her? Heard something? Even if she didn’t recognize Dad or me, another Guardian awakening would’ve been known. You’d have heard, right?"

He kisses my temple. "No, but we can ask my father. If another had awakened, he would’ve told yours."

He exhales. "Give me time. I have a theory, but I need to be sure before I say anything." His fingers tilt my chin up, locking onto my gaze. "Trust me?"

I smile softly. "Always."

His answering look is pure hunger. He brushes his nose against mine, so tender it makes my chest ache. Even Selene, quiet all evening, purrs in approval.

He closes the book, setting it aside before pulling me in. One hand tangles in my hair, the other slides down my back, crushing me against him. His kiss is commanding, overwhelming—and I surrender completely.