Page 74 of The Alpha King’s Hidden Mute Mate

I shifted back to human form, stood, and looked toward the sound. The fog had thinned since last night, sunlight filtering through the canopy and dappling the forest floor. I could see several figures moving through the trees, searching in our direction.

The man in front wore a dark green jacket, carried a walking stick, and moved quickly and steadily—someone who'd walked these woods countless times. His gaze swept the area, then—

He saw us.

More precisely, he saw her.

His expression changed instantly—from tense to relieved. He hurried over, circling fallen logs, crossing a stream, then stopped a few meters away.

"Vela!" he said, voice heavy with relief. "Thank God you're okay."

Then he looked at me.

That look—not curiosity, not hostility, but swift professional assessment. Top to bottom, from my face to my clothing—or lack thereof—then his gaze returned to my face. His expression barely changed, but I caught wariness flash in his eyes.

"And this is?" he asked me, but his gaze had already returned to Mia.

Mia finally woke then. She opened her eyes, saw the man, froze momentarily, then—

She smiled.

Not that polite, perfunctory smile. A genuine, relaxed smile—like seeing her savior. She stood, brushed dirt and leaves from her dress, and walked toward him.

"Ethan," she said, her tone carrying a lightness I'd never heard before. "How did you find us?"

"Your security said some lunatic kidnapped you," the man called Ethan said, concern in his voice. "I mobilized three search teams and followed your scent here. Next time you want to play wilderness survival, can you give me a heads up?"

"There won't be a next time," she said with a laugh.

Their conversation—natural, in sync, like they'd rehearsed it a thousand times—made acid churn in my stomach. The way they spoke, how they looked at each other, that wordless understanding—

That came from time. Five years of accumulated time.

In five years, she'd met new people, built new relationships, and created a new life. And I—I had nothing. Just ashes and regret, and a throat that couldn't make sound.

"This is King Zane from Moonhowl Kingdom," Mia told Ethan, her tone flat as if introducing furniture. "He 'happened' to get lost in Mist Forest last night, too."

Happened. The way she said "happened"—like telling a joke. A joke only she found funny.

Ethan looked at me and bowed. "A pleasure, Your Majesty. I'm Ethan Blackwood, Vela's manager."

Standard business etiquette, no more, no less, perfectly measured. Then he turned to Mia and naturally took the small bag she'd been carrying all night—the little crossbody bag—and slung it over his own shoulder.

That gesture. That natural, practiced gesture—like he'd done it countless times.

"Let's go," he said. "The car's outside the forest. Your security team's waiting."

Mia nodded and followed him a couple of steps, then stopped.

She didn't turn around. But she paused, as if hesitating for a second, then kept walking.

Ethan walked beside her, and after a few steps, tilted his head slightly—from an angle only I could see—and gave me a look.

Not challenging. Not smug. Just calm, certain observation. As if saying: See? She chose to walk with me. She chose my world.

Then he turned back and walked into the forest alongside her.

I stood there, watching their figures shrink, finally swallowed by trees and shadows.