Kailin's Keeper

OooO The Secret Promise OooO

Lukin didn’t go far when he left the dining room, practically jogging down the halls to the first security office he found. He forced the door open, startling the three guards inside.

“Wait outside.”

None of the guards needed more encouragement, jumping from their seats and exiting the small room.

Lukin crossed over to a computer terminal, he logged in and brought up Kailin’s files. If there really was a promise agreement, it would be in there. He narrowed it down to personal files. Medical records. Academic reports. Financial accounts. There, hidden amongst his housing documentation, was a file which read ‘bond contract’. Blood thundered in his ears… it was true. Because his hand was suddenly unsteady, he had to try twice before he hit the right link.

When he did manage to hit it, a flashing orange message came up: RESTRICTED.

His clearance should be enough to access any file on the network. He tried again, and then a third time. Each attempt ended in the same place.

RESTRICTED.

Grasping at straws, he logged off as the commander of the guard and re-logged in under his private account. The file was still inaccessible. He did notice something strange though; the papers filed electronically were dated several years ago. The king had promised Kailin away years ago, and he hadn’t been informed?! Kailin hadn’t even told him.

He swore ferociously, slamming his fist down on the keypad. Plastic and metal crunched and fractured under his fist.

He left the office, blowing past the startled men outside, and navigated the tower corridors to Kailin’s suite. If the prince knew something and hadn’t told him…there’d be hell to pay.

At the door, he dismissed the prince’s guards and let himself in. He expected Kailin would be in bed. However, when he went back into the bedroom, the bed was empty and still made up. The shower was on though.

Lukin stalked over to the bathroom door and pounded on it. “Kailin! Get out here, now!”

The water didn’t stop right away. Lukin counted to three. Still on. He forced the door open a crack and yelled in, “Now, Kailin!”

The water trickled to a stop this time and moments later the door swung open fully. Kailin stood in the doorway, dripping wet with a white towel wrapped over his slender hips. “Lukin? What are you doing here?”

“Sit down,” Lukin gestured to the bed.

“What’s going on?”

“SIT DOWN.”

Kailin sat. He looked up mulishly as Lukin paced in front of him. “I feel like I’m 10 years-old and about to get a lecture from my keeper. I’m 22 now you know.”

“I know.” Lukin glowered, stewing over what Cholin had said. “Well over mating age.”

For the first time since Lukin had barged into his suite, Kailin looked startled. “What’s this about? Did my father say something to you?”

Lukin stared down at him grimly. “What has your father said to you about it?”

Kailin flawless aqua eyes narrowed slightly, he repeated, “Did my father say something to you?”

Lukin patience was frayed, he reached down and grabbed Kailin’s upper arm, his hand big enough to wrap all the way around like an iron cuff. “Enough. Who has your father promised you to?”

Kailin tried, ineffectually, to free his arm. “No one! Lukin, what the rek?”

“Your father hasn’t mentioned anything about your bonding?”

“What bonding?!”

Lukin studied him carefully; Kailin had never been able to lie to him successfully. He exhaled heavily, loosening (but not releasing) his hold around Kailin’s arm. “After you left the dinner, your father announced that you were promised. I looked it up on one of the terminals. The papers have been filed but the information is privileged.”

Lukin watched shock, confusion, and then alarm filter across Kailin’s face in rapid succession.

“What? You don’t know who?” Kailin demanded.

Lukin shook his head. “The papers were filed four years ago, after your 18th birthday.”

“That can’t be right.” Kailin hissed, trying again to jerk his arm free. “If my father made the arrangement so long ago, wouldn’t I already be bonded? I need to get dressed, Lukin, let go.”

Lukin let him go and the prince grabbed some clothes and fled to the bathroom. He came out shortly wearing draw string, white, linen pants and pulling on a matching white button up shirt. Lukin flinched. The boy looked like a rekking angel.

“Are you sure you your father didn’t mention anything about it?”

“I think I would remember if he had told me something like that! Lukin, there has to be a mistake. I’ve talked to my father before about bonding. He knows I have no interest in being some dominant’s property. He wouldn’t do that to me.” Kailin faltered for a moment, sounding suddenly unsure, “Would he?”

Lukin grit his teeth and just gave Kailin a look. There was no doubt the king loved his sons. There was also no doubt he would do what he thought best for his princes and his kingdom, regardless of feelings involved.

Lukin grit his teeth. “I’ll have to go talk to your father again. I’ll get to the bottom of this.” At the dinner table, in front of witnesses, he hadn’t been able to challenge the king, but he damn well could find him alone now.

“I’ll go, too.”

“It’s late. You should be getting ready for bed. I’ll let you know after what your father says.” Something told Lukin it would probably be best if Kailin wasn’t around when he confronted his father.

“That’s ridiculous!” Kailin snapped righteously, “It concerns me more than it does you! I have every right to –”

“Enough.” Lukin ordered. “It’s past your bedtime, anyway.”

“Lukin, what –”

“Kailin, bed. Now.”

“No! I want to see my father. Take me to him.”

Lukin’s cheek flexed as he worked his jaw. “No.”

Kailin let out a huffing breath but didn’t try to stop him as he left the room.

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When Lukin arrived at the king’s private office there was a light on under the door. That was a good sign; it meant the king had finished with the dinner.

Lukin ignored the king’s guard and knocked directly on the door.

“Come in.”

Hearing the authorization, Lukin entered, closing the door behind himself. Luckily, the king was alone in the spacious office, seated behind his massive, grey marble desk as he had been that morning..

The king leaned back in his seat. “Paniz, I thought that might be you.”

Lukin bowed his head stiffly, halting in the doorway for permission to enter further. “Your High Excellency.”

The king waved his hand towards the seat directly in front of his desk. “Sit.”

Lukin marched in, back straight, expression impassive. He stopped in front of the heavy desk. “I would rather stand, Your High Excellency. I don’t believe this will take long.”

The king looked him over inscrutably. “It’s late. Is there something I can do for you?”

“I have been unable to retrieve some information on Kailin’s files. I require access.”

“What information is that, Paniz?”

A muscle flexed in Lukin’s jaw. “How much information do I not have access to?”

The king looked without speaking, waiting the commander out.

It didn’t take long… “After the events following dinner tonight, I looked up Kailin’s file. I saw that there was bonding promise.”

“Ah, I see.”

There was another long silence, before Lukin lost patience. “Well?!”

Amuth arched an eyebrow at his outburst. “Excuse me, Commander?”

Lukin fought to rein in his displeasure. He bit out each word with a strained control, “Who is he promised to?”

“What is your interest in this personal, family matter?”

Lukin practically growled, “As his keeper…”

“You are not his keeper, Paniz. You haven’t been for years.”

“As the Commander of the Guard,” Lukin corrected quickly, “Matters that affect the royal house affect me. Secrets of this kind could impede my ability to do my job properly.”

“That is why you want access to Kailin’s private files?”

“Yes.”

There was a pregnant pause, and then the king asked, “Do you consider me a stupid man, Paniz?”

The question caught him off guard, after a beat of recovery Lukin answered with total frankness “No, Your High Excellency. I know you to be highly intelligent.”

“Ah. Then I would appreciate you treated me as such.”

Lukin considered this and then allowed, “You have promised Prince Kailin to someone. I merely wish to know to whom.”

“Merely.”

Lukin waited.

“And what happens, Paniz, when I announce the name of Kailin’s future bondmate?”

“I don’t understand the question, Your High Excellency.”

“Yes. You do. And I would advise you to think about your answer and reply truthfully.”

Lukin didn’t answer right away. He finally settled on, “Kailin doesn’t wish to be bonded.”

“Relevance?” The king challenged.

“He would be...difficult.”

“Kailin is not the crux of this problem.” The king flapped his hand dismissively, Let’s presume there is a dominant Kailin would willingly bond with. Let us also presume it is a match I approve of and agree to. What happens then, Paniz?”

“I don’t know what you are get – ”

“Rekking bullshit! What happens then?”

“I don’t see the point of –”

“WHAT HAPPENS THEN?!”

The room went phenomenally silent.

“Kailin is not bonding.” Lukin said; his voice was suddenly low and fierce, Arlonite temper boiling up inside.

The king looked self-satisfied; the conversation was finally going where he wanted it to go. “Ah, but he is. You were there at the dinner tonight. I was not lying. And Cholin, that arrogant worm, was right about one thing – Kailin is more than old enough to be bonded. One day, soon, I am going to give him to a dominant. So, the question remains: what happens then?”

Lukin’s body was tense, his expression bordering on defiant. He did not answer.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Lukin. How you disappoint me.” The king stood, walking around his massive desk, stopping a few feet from Lukin. “I’ll tell you what happens then, my loyal, honourable commander…You would do everything within your power to prevent the bond.”

Lukin snapped his teeth together to avoid speaking out in his defence; after all, Amuth was correct.

“And if you were to do that, I would be forced to use my power and position against you. After all, I could not just let you oppose my will; how would that it make me look?” The king continued chillingly, “And you are more powerful than you even know.”

Lukin said nothing to this, but the look he gave the king was penetrating.

“You have belonged to my service for how long now, Paniz?”

“21 years, Your High Excellency.”

“And you have been leading and training my men for how long?”

“At least 15 of those years.”

The king nodded. “You have personally trained almost all the military men in the capital in the last 10 years. They are as loyal to you as they are to me. Perhaps some even more so. If you were to challenge me out right – well, though I have no doubt the outcome would favour me, I also have no doubt there would be loses sustained and it would put a blemish on my rule.”

“I don’t understand.”

The king typed something into his desk consol. He then spun it around so the screen faced Lukin. Kailin’s records were pulled up, unsealed.

Lukin gave the king a guarded look, trying to figure out what the older man’s endgame was. Why had he said those things? Why was he now showing him the files? The king’s expression was calm, controlled, revealing nothing.

Another shoe was going to drop. Lukin needed to see the file, though, despite his misgivings. He stepped closer to reach the screen, accessing it the relevant file. He didn’t understand what he saw.

“What the rek it that supposed to mean?!” He couldn’t take his eyes off it. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Come now, it’s a standard promise of bonding agreement. Surely you’ve seen several before.”

“My name is on there.”

“It is.”

“Kailin is promised to me?”

“He is. I had the bonding agreement drawn up at the time of his 18th birthday, fully expecting you would demand his formal bonding within 2 or 3 days of his coming to majority.”

“How…?”

“Come now, I am the highest power in the world. It was child’s play to get the agreement countersigned without your involvement. I had your electronic signature lifted off another document.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I think you’ll find I did do that.”

“Why did you never say anything?!”

“Why did you never say anything? What would you have me do? Beg you to take my youngest child? No.”

“I…I thought you would never allow it. I am Arlonite. I am certainly not of noble birth. I am not rich.”

“No. I am noble. I have unequalled riches. It is to your credit you have obtained your power without these things. Even with the…stain of your birth. It is a testament to your strength. I want only the strongest to become my son’s bonded. And let’s face it; strength will be needed to claim Kailin. I fear he will not settle easily into a bond.”

Lukin touched his fingers over the names on the screen. It felt surreal. The date was on the screen, too. Four rekking years ago. He had wasted so much time. Time that could’ve been spent bonded to Kailin. “I can’t believe he will be mine.”

Lukin wasn’t even aware he had spoken the thought out loud until the king responded, “The boy has been more yours than mine since the beginning. I’ve have many years to come to accept that. When he chose you as his keeper, I knew. The way he followed you around. The way you watched over him.”

“That was my job.”

“No, it wasn’t. Not to that extent.”

The was silence between them for a few moments, something occurred to Lukin, “Kailin doesn’t know?”

The king’s lips quirked up for the first time since Lukin had entered the room. “No. And I don’t envy you the task of having to tell him. The boy has his head set against bonding.”

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Kailin rushed him at the door as he entered. “Well? What did Father say?”

Lukin pushed him back to enter the room fully and closed the door on the guards outside. “Perhaps you should take a seat.”

“Why? I’m not some weak submissive who will faint away. Just tell me.”

Lukin gave him a grave look.

Kailin paled slightly, “Is it that horrible? It’s not that odious Cholin, is it? I won’t bond with him; I’ll tell you that right now.”

“It’s not Cholin.”

“Who then?! Just tell me!”

Lukin took a steadying breath and braced himself for an explosion, “It’s me. Your father has promised you to me.”

Kailin’s response was surprising to say the least. He blinked, digesting the news, and then exclaimed with a dawning smile, “Oh…That’s great! Oh, Lukin, this is great!”

Lukin locked his jaw to stop it from falling open in astonishment. “You think so?”

“Yes! Of course.”

Lukin felt a flood of relief, the likes of which he had never felt before in his life. Until Kailin continued…

“Don’t you see? This will give me so much time. If Father has me promised to you, no one else will even think of trying to claim me. Everyone is terrified of your reputation. I won’t be forced into some ridiculous bond. No one can say anything about it. Then when I find out what I want to do with my life, or if I find someone I want to bond with for real, we can just dissolve the agreement.”

“You’re kidding,” Lukin choked out.

Kailin paused a beat and, looking slightly ashamed, he hurried to assure the commander, “Oh…you too, of course! I didn’t mean to sound so selfish. If you find someone you decide you want to bond with for real, I’ll help you dissolve the promise agreement.”

“You.”

“Huh?”

“I’m bonding with you for real.”

“Huh…? Lukin, I don’t understand…”

“We are going to bond. For real.”

“You’re not serious.”

“I am.”

Kailin’s stood, feet planted on the floor, fists clenched, mind whirling. Did Lukin really want to bond with him? No. Lukin didn’t care for him in that way. As recently as last night he had been rekking with some random submissive. The proof was still crumpled in the pocket of his suit pants. Or worse, what if that wasn’t just some random submissive, but instead was a submissive he saw frequently. Kailin had been gone for six months after all. He had probably missed things like that.

So if not because he wanted Kailin, why would Lukin want to bond? He posed the question out loud, “Why? Why would you ever agree to that?”

“Your father –”

Kailin froze and then erupted, “Of course! Of course that’s what’s going on. My father wants me bonded, wants to make me someone else’s problem. And you’re always there to do his dirty work. He says jumps and you throw yourself off a cliff.”

“He is my king.”

Kailin eyes welled with tears, though his quickly blinked them back. Of course Lukin didn’t want him; he had been foolish to think otherwise, even for a moment. The enormity of what Lukin was saying sunk in. The commander wanted them to enter into a duty-bound, loveless bond. It was something Kailin had always sworn to avoid. He leaned back against the wall, knees suddenly weak, “You…you promised me!”

Lukin wanted badly to gather Kailin in his arms and sooth him, to make everything alright. But, he realized, the only way he could do that was to give up the bonding agreement, and that was the one thing he could not give Kailin. “What are you talking about?”

“You promised me the world!”

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“What’s wrong?” Lukin asked a 10-year-old Kailin the question as he helped the boy get ready for bed that night. Kailin had been dragging his feet through his pre-bed rituals, frowning and moping through washing his face, brushing his teeth, and putting his white and blue pajamas on.

“Do you think I’m going to be submissive?”

Yes. Rek, yes. Every dominant bone in his body confirmed that. He tried to be diplomatic with the young boy though, “It’s certainly possible. What do you think?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Kailin shrugged a thin shoulder. “Axial said today I couldn’t play with him and his friends because I was submissive.”

Lukin rolled his eyes, “Axial probably just wanted to play with his friends alone. It has nothing to do with your drive.”

Kailin frowned, almost a pout, “Submissives are weak.”

“Kailin!” Lukin rebuked him, “They are not. I train with submissives all the time. They can be very good soldiers, tougher than some of the dominants. And some of the trainers are submissive, too. They are definitely not weak.”

Kailin sighed, still looking dejected. “If I’m submissive, I’ll have to take a dominant bondmate one day.”

Lukin turned down Kailin’s sheets and waited for the boy to climb in. “This upsets you?”

“I hate being ordered around.”

“Is that all you think submissives do? Just get ordered around?”

Kailin shrugged again, arranging his blankets. “Sometimes they do chores, I think, when they don’t have slaves or servants.”

Lukin’s brow furrowed as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Being a submissive certainly doesn’t mean you have to be subservient to every dominant you meet. So you might not like taking orders from certain people, but one day you’ll find a dominant who you will want to please and obey.”

“I’ll be like his servant.” Kailin mumbled grumpily.

“No, Kailin, I promise, you won’t.” Lukin tucked him tightly and confided, “You’ll be his world.”

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“Kailin…” Lukin didn’t know what to say. Kailin was his world; there was no doubt of that. But he thought revealing that now would do more harm than benefit. Kailin didn’t need to know Lukin had been secretly coveting him for years - a creepy, obsessive dirt-digger.

“Just get out.”

“Kailin…”

“We’re not bonded. You’re not my dominant; you’re still just a member of my guard, and I am your prince. Get out of my suite.”

“I think we should discuss –”

“Now!” Kailin yelled, his face reddening with fury.

Lukin left.

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Shortly after Lukin’s departure, Kailin was pounding at his oldest brother’s door. It was the middle of the night and it took several minutes before Araz opened the door. The crown prince looked worn-out, scruffy, and bare chested, linen pants slung lower at his hips.

“I tried to contact you through you transceiver system, but you have your speaker disabled!” Kailin accused, pushing his way into his older brother’s suite.

Frowning in confusion, Araz dragged a hand through his dishevelled, golden hair. “Kailin? What are you doing here? At this hour?”

“It’s a disaster,” Kailin muttered, pacing the front hall.

“You look terrible. What’s going on, Kailin?”

“You’ll never guess what I found out tonight…” Kailin trailed off as a woman appeared in the bedroom doorway. She was barefoot, a white sheet wrapped around her waist in lieu of clothes, breasts bared. Oh, that explained why Araz didn’t answer the door right away and why his transceiver was turned off.

“Ohh…Sorry.” Kailin apologized, embarrassed.

“It’s no problem.” Araz assured him. “Lys – ”

“Lyda.”

“Pardon?”

The woman lowered her eyes respectfully, one hand touching the doorway, other hand holding up the sheet. “My name is Lyda, Your Excellency.”

“My apologies, Lyda, get some clothes on, we’re done.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.” The submissive hurried back into the bedroom.

There was an awkward moment as both brothers looked at each other.

“You don’t have to…” Kailin trailed off. “I didn’t know…”

Araz waved him off, “It’s nothing. Now tell me what has you so upset.”

There was a knock at the door.

“Uh, that’ll be Axial,” Kailin predicted, “I sent a message for him to meet me here.”

Araz walked over and opened the door. Axial pushed in, “What’s wrong? Kailin said there was an emergency.”

The woman, Lyda, hurried out of the bedroom. She had on a servant uniform, which didn’t surprised Kailin overly, knowing Araz as he did. She bowed to each of them without stopping and left the suite.

Axial raised an eyebrow and scolded, “Sleeping with the servants again, Araz? Really? And what happened to the last one?”

Araz gave the middle prince a pointed look, “Not the time, Axial.”

“Ah, right…” The brothers turned and looked at Kailin.

Araz waved towards the couches, “Maybe we should sit down.”

“I can’t sit,” Kailin declared, “I’m too angry.”

The older brothers exchanged glances, and then Axial pressed, “Tell us what happened.”

“Father signed a bonding promise for me…”

“Rekking hell! Really?” Araz swore.

“Yes.” Kailin confirmed grimly. “And I didn’t even know about it until tonight.”

“Does Lukin know?” both men asked at the same time with identical expressions of alarm.

Kailin nodded quickly, “Yes. He’s the one that told me about it.”

“Rek,” Araz, usually so cool and collected and in charge, looked uneasy, tension tightening the muscles in his jaw and around his eyes. “He’ll be on the warpath.”

Axial looked even more disturbed. “He’ll be furious.”

“And you think I’m not?” Kailin groused, insulted that his own brothers seemed more concerned with Lukin’s reaction to this news. “I didn’t ask to be promised to him!”

“Promised to him? To Lukin?” Araz questioned sharply.

“Yeah…” Kailin narrowed his eyes. “Pay attention, Araz.”

“Burning Suns,” Araz exhaled, tension draining out, “You couldn’t have led with that?!”

Axial, too, appeared to relax with this news.

“What is wrong with you two?” Kailin cried, “Are you not listening to what I’m saying? Father has filed a formal bonding promise.”

“Between you…and Paniz.” Axial clarified.

Kailin nodded, losing patience. “Yes! I know it’s shocking, but can you two try to keep up? We need to figure out what to do.”

“Going back to bed seems like a good idea,” Axial muttered.

“Axial!” Kailin snapped, glaring daggers.

“I’m listening,” Axial defended himself, lowering himself down onto one of the couches. “But I don’t get what the problem is. You had to have known eventually you’d have to get bonded.”

Araz perched himself on the arm at the other end of the couch.

Kailin paced in front of them, growing more and more agitated. “You don’t understand. I can’t bond with Lukin.”

Araz gave him a hard look. “Why not?”

“Why not?” Kailin exclaimed, “Because it’s Lukin!”

“Is he not a good man?” Araz questioned evenly.

“Of course he is.” Kailin answered without a moment’s thought.

“Is he not a strong fighter?” Araz continued.

“You know he is. The best. Or else he wouldn’t be in command of the guard.”

“Is he not a capable dominant?”

Kailin frowned, brows pinching. He stopped his pacing in front of the couch, hands going to his hips. “How would I know, Araz?”

“Instinct.” Araz said simply. “You’ve come into your drive, Kailin, over the last few years. You should be able to form an opinion about Paniz’s dominance.”

Kailin wavered, wondering what the hell Araz was getting at. He gave it a little thought and then threw his hands up, frustrated, “I don’t know... Yes, I guess, I think he would be a good dominant.”

“Do you have an issue with his race?” Araz glowered as he pressed for more details.

“What? You mean that he’s Arlonite? That doesn’t matter!”

Araz exhaled heavily with frustration, “Then what is your problem with the bond?”

There was a moment of stilted silence as Kailin faltered again. It seemed so straight forward to him, how could his brothers not understand? “My problem?! I…He…For one, he was with one of the soldiers last night.”

Araz and Axial looked at him.

“With, with them.” Kailin emphasised.

“So?” Araz drew the word out.

Kailin groaned and flapped his hands, “Of course you would say that, you just kicked a submissive out of your bed whose name you didn’t even know.”

“Well, yes. I’m not bonded yet, and neither is Paniz. So I don’t see what your issue is.”

Kailin glared. “My issue is that’s not what kind of bondmate I want. He’s not interested in bonding; he’s doing this for Father. He lives to obey our father and do his will.”

“Loyalty to the monarchy, our family line? That is a problem?” Araz arched an eyebrow, giving Kailin a look as if he was being irrational.

“I won’t be bonded just because father says so,” Kailin vowed. “I want a bondmate who wants me!”

Araz stood. “Why don’t I call Paniz? He can come and talk some sense into you.”

“No! I don’t want to see him.” Kailin insisted fervently, “I don’t want to talk to him! I just want to…get away from here.”

Suddenly, that seemed like the perfect idea. Travel again. Get away from here. Get away from Lukin and bonding promises and crushed expectations.

“Kailin…” Araz groaned.

“Forget it. I’ll find a way to go myself.” He spun around and started marching towards the door. He would have to makes some calls, try to arrange …

Axial, who had been mostly quiet to this point, stood from the couched anf stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “You’re dead set against this?”

“Yes!” Kailin cried, exasperated, shrugging Axial’s hand off. “Dead, dead set.”

“Fine.” Axial agreed, “But you can’t go running off alone, it’s too dangerous. We’ll help you.”

“Axial!” Araz cried out, “What are you – ”

“Enough, Araz.” Axial shut his older brother up with a look. “Kailin is our baby brother. His happiness and well-being comes first. I can’t imagine if I had been forced to bond with someone who wasn’t Wen. If Kailin is set against this bond, the only thing we can do is help him.”

Kailin felt a rush of relief. He threw himself into Axial’s arms and hugged him, a rare show of physical affection between the brothers. “Thank you, Axial! Thank you!”

“We best hurry though. We have to get you out of the capital before father or Paniz come looking for you. I want you to go back to your rooms and pack a bag. Araz and I will work out the details.”

Kailin’s expression shone with relief.

“Go!” Axial led him to the door, practically pushing him through. “We’ll come to collect you once the plans are in motion.”

Kailin nodded and thanked Axial again before racing down the hall towards his own rooms.

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Well, this chapter turned out pretty dialogue-y, which makes up for the lack in the last chapter, I hope. In my head, the revelation of Kailin’s promised bondmate was going to be all surprising, but then everyone in the reviews was “yeah, it’s Lukin, get on with it”. You guys are too, too awesome. Or I’m way too predictable. Probably both :P.

Anyways, keep reviewing if you have a moment to spare, plllllleaaasse. I love them, even if they ruin my big ‘reveals’.

Next up: Lukin finds Kailin gone, and he’s not a happy-bunny. I know three brothers who are in Trouble (note the capital T :P).