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Lucien shrugged like it was no big deal "Sounds inus chuckled "Oh it is"

Wait, what? Caia glanced sharply at her uncle What did he know?

Her expression hed harder "I’ll let Ryder impart the news But here’s a clue Diive it away"

"Give what away?"

They remained silent and Lucien huffed, "Need I re on in rinus nodded and then shot a look at Caia "Now that he’s your responsibilitythat stick out of his ass"

They wondered aloud as to what Magnus and Ella could have been talking about, but their worries were so focused on Vilhelm and Laila they were already at Ryder’s with still no clue Ryder threw the door open with a huge, relieved grin and clapped Lucien hard on the shoulder before dragging Caia into a tight hug She suppressed a laugh at the feel of Lucien’s hand on her waist, drawing her forcefully out of his friend’s grip and tight to his side, his hand cupping her hip possessively At first Ryder stumbled back a little confused and then his expression cleared and he whooped, "All right, about time!" and held out a hand to Lucien Caia looked on as they did theirthat wasof hands on each other’s back

"Congrats guys, really Very relieved" He grinned and then gestured for the the roo room was blocked by Lucien as he entered first, and she was surprised at the soft sound hedeeper into the rooli Her heart sped up It had been a long while, and she and the real Jaeden hadn’t really spoken since her rescue Caia glanced anxiously at Ryder who s to stare at Jaeden A feeling rippled out of hiht it on the air

"Ryder," she breathed, disbelieving at the intensity of it, "Jaeden?"

His eyes widened as he realized she comprehended the truth "How did you know?"

"Knohat?" Lucien asked, as he and Jaeden drew back to the aard and useless There was a tireatest friend she had ever had It was difficult to remember now if there had been any truth in that, and what she felt towards her likened to grief

Jaeden appeared to not knohat to say either, her body rigid at first And then she visibly relaxed, surprising Caia by hugging her, if a little aardly "Cy, good to see you" She nodded, her eyes see a little stupid Caia grinned nervously "You too You look great"

"Knohat?" Lucien growled

Jaeden giggled at that, a sound Caia never thought to hear fro him affectionately "Ryder and I want to be ob sht when he realized his friend was serious He had never seen Ryder look at anyone the way he looked at Jae, obliterating all his predictions that Ryder would be a perpetual bachelor Sitting on Ryder’s sofa, he and Caia watched and listened as Ryder and Jaeden told the story of their return to the pack Lucien grinned at Caia as the two of them bickered like an old ive them permission to have a ceremony Ryder most probably would have killed him anyway if he didn’t He was not surprised, however, to hear that Di Jaeden had only just been returned to hilad there was no waiting involved to be with her truly, as there was for his friend It still amazed him how easily Caia had come to him when he told her he loved her, and ever since he had to stop frohed inwardly Knohat the Hades was going on a fe suits As she laughed at so, Lucien s time since he had seen her look this happy

At that darkness, like a silent snowfall shrouding his world of color and war chills across his skin

She had better enjoy it, he thought soainst Marita to win the as going to slowly siphon that happiness back out of her He was terrified for her That the hts could possibly be misunderstood was inconceivable, but Caia saw it, felt it, and he believed in Caia A flare of pain radiated fro his pack into a coup against the Head of the Daylight Coven

"Lucien?" Caia had reached over and was gripping his hand

He blinked away his conte at hiruffly

Ryder shrugged "You looked a little put out that’s all"

Lucien frowned at him "I said I’m fine"

Caia squeezed his hand and then released it, turning to Jaeden with a curious srowled and spun away fro Obviously the vampyre was a problem for his friend, Lucien concluded He could relate with the whole possessiveness thing - a genetic downfall of their species, if you asked hirin at Ryder’s attitude "Yeah, there’s nothis help-"

"Sticking his nose in," Ryder interrupted

"No Being a friend He and Ryder don’t exactly get on Especially sincethe other day"