Natalia ran a towel through her damp hair, the citrus scent of her body wash filling her bedroom as she stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Kimiko's words echoed in her head, circling like vultures.

"This path you two are on... it leads nowhere good."

She dropped the towel on her bed and pulled on a black lace bra, followed by a pair of silk shorts that barely covered anything. What the hell does Kimiko know about their path?

Natalia flopped onto her bed, picking up a manga volume she'd been neglecting. She flipped through the pages without registering a single panel. Instead, her mind kept replaying the moment in the kitchen... It had been jarring to see that side of the normally composed woman.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Once. Twice. Three times in rapid succession. Natalia reached for it with a sigh. The Bad Bitch Brigade group chat was lighting up with notifications.

Emi's message appeared first: OMG NAT HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?! SATORI IS BLOWING UP!!! 😱🔥

Attached was a SnapGram video of Satori at the gala, delivering his speech about legacy and earned power. The view count was already astronomical. The comments section overflowed with heart-eye emojis and declarations of love from strangers.

Miyako chimed in: Your step-bro is officially the most interesting man at NVA and school hasn't even started. Emi, you better lock that down before I do. 😉

Heat crawled up Natalia's neck as she watched the video again. Satori stood tall, his voice cutting through the crowd like a blade wrapped in velvet. His red hair caught the light. His eyes burned with conviction.

And these vultures were circling.

He's mine, she thought, a possessive thrill racing through her veins. All mine.

She typed back: Crazy. He never told me he was planning that.

More messages rolled in:

Yumiko: I heard he's already got offers from THREE guilds!

Emi: We're studying together tomorrow! Should I wear the blue sweater or the green one?

Miyako: Girl, wear nothing. That boy is FINE 🔥

Natalia tossed her phone aside, suddenly unable to bear another word. She got up, pacing the length of her bedroom. The need to see him, to touch him, to claim him grew unbearable. She needed reassurance that he was still hers, that all these people throwing themselves at him meant nothing.

Without allowing herself time to reconsider, Natalia walked out of her room and down the darkened hallway. She paused outside Satori's door for just a moment before pushing it open without knocking.

Satori was on his bed, shirtless, wearing only a pair of loose sweatpants.

Natalia didn't speak. She closed the door behind her and crossed the room, crawling onto his bed. She curled against his side, burying her face in the crook of his neck and inhaling deeply.

"Couldn't stay away?" His voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her cheek.

"Shut up," she mumbled into his skin. "I just... wanted to be here."

His arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer. His hand came to rest on the bare skin of her lower back, just above the waistband of her shorts. Even that simple touch sent electricity racing up her spine. She couldn't suppress a shiver.

"Kimiko knows," she whispered after a moment of silence. "She confronted me in the kitchen tonight."

Satori's hand stilled on her back. "What did she say?"

"That she saw us leave together at the gala. That she knows we're still... involved." Natalia traced a pattern on his chest with her fingertip. "She thinks we're headed for disaster."

"And what do you think?" His voice was neutral, impossible to read.

Natalia pushed herself up on one elbow to look down at him. "I think she doesn't understand what we are building together."

His eyes were dark pools in the moonlight, but she could feel them studying her face, searching for something.

"She loved you, you know," Natalia said softly. "Your mother. The real you, I mean. Before... all this." She gestured vaguely, encompassing the changes that had transformed him from the lazy, soft boy she once despised into the man now beneath her.

"I know." His voice was oddly gentle. He reached up to tuck a strand of damp hair behind her ear. "She still does."

Natalia settled back against his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart. His fingers resumed their gentle exploration of her back, tracing patterns that made her skin tingle.

"Satori," she said after a long silence, her voice small, "would you still love me if I was a worm?"

He didn't miss a beat. "Depends. Are you an immortal snail's arch-nemesis? Because Bartholomew is very territorial."

Natalia giggled despite herself. "Be serious!"

He sighed dramatically. "Fine. Yes, I would still love you if you were a worm. I'd put you in a very fancy terrarium right next to Bartholomew, and we'd be a weird, happy family."

She giggled again, relaxing further into his warmth. She shifted, her bare leg sliding over his, her core pressing against his hip through the thin fabric separating them. Her hand wandered across his torso, tracing the definition of his abs that hadn't been there just months ago.

"What's your favorite thing about me?"

A smirk curled his lips. "Your ass. It's magnificent. A perfect 10 out of 10. Makes me want to do terrible, filthy things to it all night long."

Natalia pinched his side, hard. "You ass! I'm being serious!"

Satori laughed, catching her hand. "Okay, okay, you win." His expression turned serious, his eyes locking with hers in the dark. "Your ambition. The fire in you. The way you look when you're mastering your Aspect, like you could conquer the whole damn world. It's the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

Her breath caught. That was the perfect answer. She leaned in and kissed him, a deep, slow, languid kiss that was pure love and possession. His hand slipped under the waistband of her shorts, cupping her ass and squeezing. She moaned into his mouth. "Mmmph... Satori..."

When they broke apart, both breathless, Natalia rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. The mood shifted from playful to serious.

"I'm still worried about your mom," she admitted.

"My mother wants me to be happy," Satori said, stroking her hair. "That's all she's ever wanted. It might take her time, but she'll see that you... this..." he gestured between them, "...this makes me happy."

His words washed over her like a balm. She felt the tension leave her shoulders as she relaxed against him.

"Did you see your video going viral?" she asked, changing the subject. "The Bad Bitch Brigade can't stop talking about it."

"The what?"

"My group chat with Emi, Miyako, and Yumiko. They've been blowing up my phone about your little speech." She poked his chest. "You're quite the celebrity now. Girls are already fighting over who gets to 'lock you down.'"

"Is that so?" There was amusement in his voice.

Natalia pushed herself up, straddling his hips. "Too bad for them you're already taken." She began to grind against him slowly, feeling him harden beneath her.

He let her continue for a moment, his hands on her hips, before gently stilling her movements.

"Not tonight," he said softly.

A pout formed on her lips, but she settled back against his chest, accepting his decision. The tension she didn't even realize she was holding in her shoulders seemed to melt away.

She let out a soft sigh, her body relaxing fully against his for the first time all night.

"How many women will you need? For the Covenant?"

Satori was quiet for a moment, thoughtful. "I don't know. Three? Five? However many it takes to build a kingdom strong enough that no one can ever threaten us again." His arms tightened around her. "But you will always be the first. The foundation."

Natalia was silent for a long time. "What do you think about... kids?"

She felt him tense beneath her, then deliberately relax. "That's... quite a jump in conversation."

"I'm not saying right now," she clarified quickly. "But someday. After we've built our kingdom. After we're strong enough that no one can touch us." She looked up at him.

"Would you want that? With me?"

His eyes were unreadable in the moonlight. "Little ice princesses with telekinesis and a penchant for world domination? Sounds terrifying." A small smile curved his lips. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it."

Warmth bloomed in Natalia's chest. She hadn't expected that answer.

"We almost never use protection," she reminded him, her voice barely above a whisper. "What would you have done if..."

"I would have taken responsibility," he said firmly. "I told you before, Natalia. You're mine. Any child of yours would be mine too. My responsibility. My legacy." His hand moved to cup her cheek. "But we have time for that. Years. First, we need to secure our place at the Academy. Build our court. Become untouchable."

Natalia nodded, reassured. She settled back against him, her eyelids growing heavy. The stress of the day—the gala, the confrontation with Kimiko, the viral video—began to take its toll.

"I should go back to my room," she murmured, making no move to leave.

"Stay," Satori said, pulling the blanket over them both. "Just for tonight."

"Kimiko might check."

"Let her."

Natalia smiled against his chest. "That's a dangerous game, my King."

"I live for danger," he replied, his voice already thick with approaching sleep.

As she drifted off in Satori's arms, Natalia's last conscious thought was that Kimiko was wrong. This path—their path—didn't lead nowhere. It led exactly where they were meant to go.

Together.

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