Chapter 22

I was about to respond when I felt it—Aina’s confusion bleeding through our bond. Damn. She must have woken up… and she was hungry.

“You’ll tell me everything later, Father,” I said, pushing back from my chair. “I have to go attend to my mate.”

He nodded, but before I left, I paused at the doorway and glanced back at him. “Also… tell Mom.”

With that, I stepped out.

Shit, I thought, already moving faster. I needed to get to Aina. Pulling out my phone, I dialed the kitchen. “I want your finest food in my room. No delays.”

By then, I was practically sprinting down the hall. Anyone watching me right now would think I was a love-struck fool… which, I suppose, I was.

When I reached my door, I took a moment to breathe, a smile tugging at my lips before I opened it.

What I saw made my chest tighten—Aina, sitting curled up on the couch, her head resting on her knees. She looked small, withdrawn. But the moment she heard the door open, she lifted her