Crowned by Fate Chapter 163

Skye’s POV

I expected Adrian to be angry.

After what I'd told him about Leon waking me from the maze's illusion, I braced myself for the storm. Ever since Leon kissed me while drunk that night, things between Adrian and me had been tense.

"I hate that guy," Adrian said quietly as we walked back to the hotel. "But I'm grateful he saved you. That's all that matters. You're safe."

I glanced at Adrian in surprise. His expression held only concern and sincerity.

Something had changed in that maze. The Adrian who emerged wasn't the same one who'd entered. The possessive fury that used to consume him at any mention of Leon had been replaced by something else.

Maturity? Acceptance? I couldn't quite name it.

"You're staring," he said, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

"You're different," I admitted. "Before, just hearing Leon's name would make you..."

"Lose control?" He finished for me. "I know. I'm sorry for that. For all of it."

We reached the hotel, and Adrian stopped at the elevator, turning to face me fully. "I've been thinking. Since you won't move back to my room, I'll move to yours. I don't care about the sleeping arrangements. I just... I can't be separated from you again. Not after today."

The vulnerability in his voice caught me off guard. This wasn't a demand or a declaration of possession. It was a request, almost a plea.

"Adrian..."

"Please, Skye. We almost lost each other in that maze. When I was trapped in that illusion, all I could think about was that I might never see you again. Never get to tell you..." He paused, running a hand through his dark hair. "Just let me stay close. That's all I'm asking."

How could I refuse when he looked at me like that? Like I was his anchor in a storm.

"Okay," I said softly. "You can move to my room."

The smile that spread across his face was brilliant, boyish almost. It reminded me that despite everything he'd been through, Adrian was still young. We both were.

"Thank you," he said, pulling me into a gentle embrace. "Thank you."

We spent the afternoon rearranging the room, Adrian's things mingling with mine in a way that felt surprisingly natural. Adrian hanging his clothes next to mine in the closet. Our toiletries sharing space on the bathroom counter.

"You know," Adrian said as he folded his shirts, "I never thanked you properly for coming after me in the maze."

"You thanked all of us already."

"No, I mean you specifically." He set down the shirt and moved closer. "When I heard your voice calling my name, it was like... like finding solid ground after drowning. You brought me back, Skye."

The intensity in his gaze made my heart skip. "We brought each other back," I said. "That's what we do."

He nodded slowly. "We should get ready for dinner. Xavier invited us to join him."

An hour later, we made our way to the hotel restaurant where Alpha Xavier was already waiting. He'd secured a private dining room, and as we entered, he stood with that movie star smile of his.

"Adrian! Skye! And the wonderful Lydia," he greeted warmly. "Please, sit. I've ordered some wine. We should celebrate making it to the finals."

Lydia had joined us, though Ryder begged off, claiming exhaustion. As we settled around the table, I studied Xavier more closely. Unlike the rest of us, he showed no signs of fatigue or injury. His clothes were immaculate, his demeanor completely relaxed. It was as if he'd spent the day at a spa rather than fighting through a maze of illusions.

"You look remarkably well for someone who just completed the third trial," I observed.

Xavier laughed, a rich sound that probably charmed audiences in his films. "Ah, the benefits of understanding the game. You see, I've acted in several movies. Horror, psychological thrillers, even a few romances. If I wasn't heir to an Alpha position, I'd probably be a full time actor."

He poured wine for each of us, his movements graceful and practiced. "For me, the third trial was simply performing in a one hour stage play. Once I recognized the illusion for what it was, I just had to play my part until the curtain fell."

"Must be nice," I muttered, remembering my own desperate struggle in the maze. "Some of us aren't so lucky with our scripts."

"You know what I want to do most right now?" I continued, feeling bold from the wine and exhaustion. "I want to punch you in the face. You seem to have been born under a lucky star, getting all the good roles."

Instead of taking offense, Xavier laughed even harder. "It's not entirely luck, my dear Skye. Before I became an actor, I spent two years studying psychology at a human university."

That caught our attention. Even Adrian looked surprised.

"Psychology?" Lydia asked. "That's unusual for a wolf."

"Exactly what my father said," Xavier agreed. "Most wolves think psychology is useless. After all, we have our defined roles within the pack. We follow our Alpha's commands. Our society is built on instinct and hierarchy, not complex emotional understanding."

He swirled his wine thoughtfully. "But humans... their minds work differently. More layers, more complexity. I even visited human psychiatric hospitals during my studies. Can you guess what I discovered?"

"That lots of people are just born bad?" I suggested, only half joking.

"You're not wrong," Xavier conceded. "But I noticed something else. The psychiatric wards had significantly more female patients suffering from depression."

The comfortable atmosphere shifted slightly. Lydia's expression grew guarded.

Xavier held up a hand quickly. "I'm not being sexist or stereotyping. I'm simply sharing an observation. Sometimes, perhaps, women's hearts are softer. More susceptible to emotional trauma. Take Alpha Morgan, for example. She was a strong contender, everyone expected her to make the finals. But she couldn't break free from the third trial. They say she's still trapped in the illusion. She might go completely insane."

A chill ran down my spine. That could have been me. If Leon hadn't called my name, hadn't broken through the illusion's hold...

"Alpha Morgan is still in town?" Lydia asked suddenly. "I could prepare some herbs, see if they might help wake her."

Xavier's eyes lit up with genuine excitement. "Really? You could do that? I'll contact her Beta immediately. This is wonderful!"

Before anyone could react, Xavier had swept Lydia into an enthusiastic hug. "You're as kind as you are beautiful!"

Lydia's face flushed crimson. She pushed against Xavier's chest, extracting herself from the embrace with obvious embarrassment. "I... I'll try my best. But I can't guarantee it will work."

Xavier stepped back, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair with sudden sheepishness. "Sorry. I get carried away sometimes. Occupational hazard of being an actor. We're very... expressive."