<b>CHAPTER </b><b>63 </b>


    <b>Anastasia </b><b>sighed</b><b>, </b>running a hand through her hair before <b>shaking </b>her head lightly, pushing away the weight of everything she had just shared.


    <b>“</b><b>It’s </b>been too long since I’ve had normal conversation,” she murmured with a small, tired smile. “Tell me, Saphira, how <b>is </b>Niks <b>handling </b><b>everything</b>? 1 imagine leading a pack <b>isn’t </b>exactly <b>a </b>peaceful upation.”


    Saphira chuckled, the tension that had sat heavy in her chest easing slightly. “You can say that again. He’s always dealing with <b>something</b><b>, </b><b>but </b>I <b>think </b>he tas adjusting.”


    “Adjusting is good,” Anastasia said, nodding approvingly.


    Saphira exhaled, ncing toward the door. As much as she wanted to stay, she needed to return to Zafira.


    “I should head back,” she announced, straightening in her seat. “I’ll send her your best.”


    Anastasia smiled warmly. “Please do.”


    Saphira turned to Asher, offering him a nod as well. “And <b>thank </b>you–for letting me be here<b>.” </b>


    “You’re always wee,” he assured, his voice carrying a sincerity she wasn’t quite expecting.


    With that<b>, </b>she stood and stepped into the hallway, inhaling deeply <b>as </b>she prepared to return to Zafira’s room.


    Then–footsteps behind her.


    <b>“</b>Asher?”


    He had caught up to her, his expression somewhat uneasy, fingers curling slightly at his sides.


    “I–uh–just wanted to ask you something.”


    Saphira tilted her head slightly, sensing the hesitation in his tone. “Go ahead.”


    “The thing we felt before,” Asher admitted. “Through our dragons. That–pulse–it hasn’t gone away.”


    Saphira froze for a fraction of a second, then carefully schooled her expression.


    She knew what he was talking about.


    She had felt it too.


    And it still sat somewhere inside her, in the back of her mind, faint but present.


    “I’m not sure why,” Asher continued, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “But… I know it’s there.<b>” </b>


    Saphira opened her mouth, about to respond-


    Then-


    Niks rounded the corner,


    Ca


    His golden eyes locked onto Asher immediately, his posture rigid, his expression darkening as he caught just enough of the conversation to send <b>a </b>surge <b>of </b>irritation through him.


    <b>“</b>What’s going on?”


    His voice carried weight.


    <b>1/4 </b>


    Saphira knew that tone–it was jealous, sharp, demanding answe!1,


    Asher straightened slightly, his own expression shifting but before either of them could say more, Saphira mused.


    She reached for Niks‘ arm, fingers curling firmly around his wrist.


    “Not here,” she whispered, pulling him away, stepping back toward an emptier section of the hallway.


    Niks didn’t resist–but his re lingered on Asher, barely masked,


    Saphira tightened her grip. “Do not make a scene in the hospital.”


    Niks inhaled sharply, turning toward her fully, his expression still charged.


    Saphira softened, pressing a hand against his chest, grounding him.


    “I’ll tell you everything,” she promised. “Just not here.”


    A beat.


    Then–Niks exhaled, his muscles slowly easing.


    “…Fine.”


    Saphira tightened her grip on Niks‘ wrist, guiding him away from the hospital and toward the back of the building, her stomach twisting slightly.


    She knew this wouldn’t be easy.


    Niks stopped abruptly, turning to face her, his golden eyes burning with barely contained anger.


    “What you heard-” Saphira started, keeping her voice steady, but before she could continue, his gaze snapped to hers<b>, </b>sharp and full of heat.


    “What I heard-” his voice was low, edged with something raw “-was you and another dragon talking about a pulse you felt together.<b>” </b>


    Saphira inhaled deeply, grounding herself before speaking.


    “Yes, we felt something,” she admitted.


    Niks stiffened, his jaw clenching.


    She immediately regretted phrasing it like that.


    Not her best choice of words.


    “Before you blow this out of proportion,” she added quickly, “it wasn’t anything romantic.”


    Niks‘ eyes didn’t soften.


    Instead, he took a deliberate step closer, the tension in his stance thickening.


    “Then what way?” His tone was clipped, demanding.


    Saphira swallowed, meeting his gaze.


    “I don’t know exactly,” she admitted, frustration curling at the edges of her own voice.


    Niks‘ expression darkened.


    CHAPTER <b>63 </b>


    “Then how do you know it isn’t romantic?” he snapped.


    The usation pressed into her, but she didn’t shrink away.


    Instead–she stepped toward him.


    “Because the only person I get that feeling with is you!” she snapped back, her voice cutting through the charged space between them.


    Niks froze.


    A flicker of something unreadable passed across his face.


    Then–his expression shifted slightly, but he said nothing.


    Saphira exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her hair before crossing her arms tightly.


    “I don’t know what it is,” she continued, her voice quieter now, but no less firm. “Because I still don’t fully understand my dragon’s emotions or feelings.


    Silence settled between them–tense but not broken.


    て。


    Niks inhaled deeply, his posture not as rigid as before, but the weight of his emotions still there.


    Saphira watched him carefully, waiting–hoping–for him to let go of some of his anger.


    Niks exhaled sharply, running both hands through his hair, his fingers tightening briefly as frustration coiled through him.


    “Then we need to do more training,” he muttered, his voice edged with firm determination.


    But even as he said it, his golden eyes flickered with something else–something uncertain.


    He hesitated for a fraction of a second before his gaze locked onto hers again, sharp and searching.


    “Are you sure it isn’t romantic?” His voice dipped lower, carrying a clipped edge. “Even from his end?”


    Saphira inhaled slowly, steadying herself.


    Then–she reached out, her fingers brushing against his arm, grounding him.


    “No,” she murmured, her tone unwavering. “Not at all.”


    She stepped a fraction closer, making sure he felt the truth in her words.


    “You are my mate,” she continued, the certainty in her voice cutting through the tension. “My true mate.<b>” </b>


    Niks didn’t move, but the tightness in his shoulders remained.


    “There must be a reason,” she admitted, sighing softly. I just need to understand my dragon <b>first</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>


    Her words sat between them, heavy but honest.


    Niks studied her for a moment–his golden eyes/searching hers, his posture still rigid-


    Then-


    Without warning-


    He pulled her in.


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    The hug was tight, his arms locking around her as if he was holding onto something <b>vital</b><b>. </b>


    Saphira felt it–the desperation threading through him, the raw fear curling beneath the surface.


    His breath was warm against her ear as his voice lowered, dipping into something fragile.


    “Tell me <b>I </b>won’t lose you…”


    The words carried more weight than she expected.


    “I can’t lose you,” he whispered, his grip pressing firmer for just a second–like he needed her to say it, to confirm it, to make sure it was real<b>. </b>


    Saphira pressed closer, her fingers curling slightly against the fabric of his shirt, grounding him just as much as herself.


    She could feel the fear lingering beneath his words, the unspoken weight behind why he was so worried.


    But she wouldn’t let it spiral.


    She wouldn’t let him doubt.


    She exhaled softly, her voice steady as she whispered-


    “You won’t lose me… I promise.”


    Niks stiffened briefly–then exhaled, his body melting just slightly into hers.


    The tension broke.


    And for now–just for now- That was enough.


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