Even secrets cannot sever what destiny has bound.
Through the bond, I felt Darius's shock transform into something else. Not doubt. Not hesitation. Understanding.
He'd known his father's death carried secrets. Known the territorial wars had hidden betrayals. But he'd also known me. Known the mate bond didn't lie about who people really were. Known that Gideon's accusation was just mind games instead of truth.
The moment lasted maybe three seconds. Three seconds where Gideon expected doubt to break our coordination. Where he thought the mate bond would splinter under accusations designed to hit old wounds.
Three seconds where he completely misunderstood what held us together.
"No," Darius said simply, his voice carrying absolute certainty across the clearing. His wolf settled, not from doubt but from conviction. "Whatever game you're playing, it won't work. The mate bond doesn't connect liars and killers. It recognizes truth deeper than words."
