The chamber was wide and airy, its stillness carrying a quiet grandeur. In the center stood a large bed layered with soft quilts, flanked by two carved stools. There was a woven mat on the floor.
A bead curtain swayed gently at the entrance, the clinking of its charms filling the room with a soothing music each time the breeze touched it.
Rayna drifted straight to the balcony, her steps quick as though drawn there by instinct.
Serene views had always been her weakness.
And the sight before her was nothing short of breathtaking.
From where she stood, the entire Beast City stretched out beneath her—the stone structures, the winding streets, the bustle far below, all framed by distant mountains washed in the orange-gold of the setting sun.
The light scattered across rooftops—sparkling, and the chilly but pleasant breeze kissed her skin.
"Rayna, you'll catch a cold. Come in," Yunxi called softly.
Rayna's lips curved faintly, though her eyes never left the horizon. "Yeah... I'm just enjoying the view."
Yunxi stepped closer, leaning on the balcony rail beside her. "It's so amazing, isn't it? I feel like I could stay here forever."
Rayna nodded, smiling at her mate's awe.
Then Yunxi added, almost shyly, "And I never expected Soren to be the son of the Patriarch. He's so cool." His eyes sparkled with genuine admiration.
Rayna's smile faltered. She lowered her gaze, retreating quietly into the chamber.
Of course she was proud—happy even—that her mate carried such strength and standing.
But a small ache tugged at her chest. He could have told me. Just once. Did he not think it mattered? Or... did he not think I mattered enough to know? Or simply he just didn't tell me.
Her sigh was soft, lost in the bead curtain's faint chiming as she crossed back into the room.
"I'm thirsty," she murmured to herself, glancing around in search of water.
And then the bead curtain rustled again.
Soren stepped inside, tall frame filling the entrance. His golden eyes sought her immediately. In his hand he held a finely crafted wooden cup, a faint aroma curling from the scented drink inside.
He crossed the room with his usual unhurried grace, but there was a softness to his gaze meant only for her.
"Here, my love," he said, extending the cup toward her. His voice was low, warm, carrying an undertone of care. "You must be thirsty."
Rayna just took the drink from his hand. She didn't smile, didn't offer a word. The warmth of the cup lingered against her palms, but it did nothing to melt the chill she felt inside.
After a few slow sips, she set the empty cup back into his waiting hand, then turned and sat on the bed without a glance in his direction.
Soren carefully placed the cup aside, then moved toward her. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he lowered himself onto one knee so his eyes were level with hers.
"My love..." he murmured, reaching to hold her hands.
But Rayna pulled them back, folding her arms tightly as if to build a wall between them. Her gaze stayed stubbornly away from his face.
"Rayna... look at me," Soren said softly. "Please."
"You should go meet your family," Rayna replied, her tone cool and distant, as though every word was a stone.
"My love, please don't be mad at me," he pleaded gently, his voice dipping with sincerity. "I only wanted to enjoy the time we had in Vukari Village. I wanted you to see me just as Soren... not as the son of a Patriarch, or as the Lord of the Beast City."
Rayna stayed silent, her eyes fixed stubbornly on the floor.
Soren sighed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as if he hoped to lighten the tension. "In the end, does it even matter who my father is? "
"Besides..." he added, leaning just a little closer, "You did fall for me, didn't you? So maybe keeping the whole 'son of the Patriarch' secret didn't turn out to be such a bad idea. Besides... I know you love me far too much to stay mad at me for long."
That earned him exactly what he expected—Rayna's head snapped toward him, eyes blazing, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel.
"You're glaring fiercely at me but all I can think is how beautiful you look my love." Soren smiled and took Rayna's hands in his.
Soren's voice was low, almost guilty. "I just... was never used to sharing things about myself. I've always kept everything inside, so I thought it wasn't that important to tell..."
Rayna frowned. She reached out, her gaze locking with his golden eyes.
"But I'm your mate, Soren. I'm your partner. I'd love it if you shared yourself with me—your thoughts, your feelings, everything. Don't keep them locked away. Be open with me... tell me what you love, what you don't, even if it's something small or silly, like how you feel about food. It doesn't matter how trivial it seems—I just want to know you, all of you."
Soren smiled gently. "Yes, my love, I'll keep that in mind from now on." His eyes searched hers softly. "So... has your anger subsided yet?"
Rayna huffed, crossing her arms with exaggerated stubbornness. "Well, I'm still a bit angry. I'm not giving in so easily this time."
Soren chuckled under his breath and reached out to ruffle her hair. "Okay, okay, fair enough."
Rayna swatted his hand away. "Hey! Don't spoil my hair, it gets tangled so easily!"
Just then, her stomach rumbled loudly, breaking the moment.
Soren grinned. "Alright then, let's go eat. Darian and the Patriarch are waiting for us."
He stood up, pressed a gentle kiss to her hand, and helped Rayna rise. She let him pull her up, though still trying to maintain her pout.
Before they could leave, Yunxi peeked in from the balcony. "Oh, we're going to eat?"
Both Rayna and Soren nodded.
"Good. I'm starving. But wait, where's Ezra?" Yunxi asked, looking around.
Soren sighed dramatically. "That's true... it's been unusually quiet. Normally that fox would've interrupted our moment by now."
Almost on cue, Ezra's voice rang out from the hallway. "Rayna! You have to see this!"
Rayna blinked. "See what?"
"Just come here, quickly!" Ezra insisted.
Rayna glanced curiously at Soren, who rolled his eyes. "Of course. Figures he'd find a way to interrupt."
The three of them followed Ezra's voice.
Rayna's curiosity piqued, Soren muttering under his breath, and Yunxi intrigued to know what Ezra had stumbled onto this time.