Alpha Xander's Undoing Chasing my Unknown Mate Back novel Chapter 139

Imperial 139 Summary

The chapter opens with a vivid scene around a bonfire in a courtyard that has been partially rebuilt. Despite the imperfections of the setting, the atmosphere is warm and lively, filled with laughter and lighthearted moments. Dhara and Castor share a tender moment as he teaches her to spin lightning between her fingers, their closeness drawing smiles from those around them. Elsewhere, Mona and Matt share a clumsy but joyful dance, accompanied by Isaac’s fiddle playing, creating a sense of lightness and relief after hardship.

The narrator shares a quiet moment with Xander, who offers her hot cider and gently pulls her away from the lively crowd. Their walk leads them to a peaceful lake, where the night feels calm and intimate. Xander expresses how he sees a new peace in her, acknowledging the internal struggles she has faced and the balance she has found within herself. Their conversation reveals a deep emotional connection, with Xander claiming her not as a possession but as a home.

Their tender exchange culminates in a slow, meaningful kiss that symbolizes their love and mutual healing. They share playful banter about their past misunderstandings and the unexpected nature of their relationship, highlighting how far they have come together. The chapter closes with them embracing by the lake, feeling hopeful about the future despite the scars of war, and ready to face whatever comes next as long as they are together.

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Chapter 139

Rory

The bonfire rackled so loudly it sounded like it was trying to mudo the laughter around it. Sparks rose into the might like tiny he spirits, drifting up toward the stars.

The courtyard had been rebuilt in pieces, but tonight nobody cared about the missing stones or the blackened patches on the ground. Tonight was for surviving.

Dhara and Castor were in the center of it all, of course. She was leaning back against his chest while he tried to teach her how to spin lightning between her fingertips without setting anyone’s sleeves on fire.

Every time the spark got too close to a student, Castor pulled her in with one arm and muttered something in her ear, and she grinned like someone had handed her the moon.

They were disgustingly cute. It suited them.

Mona had dragged Matt into a dance at some point, though to call it dancing was generous. She twirled like she was performing in a play, while Matt tried to keep up with all the grace of a startled elk.

Every time he stepped on her toes, she laughed so loudly half the courtyard turned to look, and he blushed so red that Mona leaned up and kissed his cheek just to make it worse. Isaac played a fiddle nearby, the bow gliding with ease even though the scar on his jaw pulled tight when he smiled.

The Academy looked like a different world tonight. A lighter one. A world that remembered what it felt like to breathe.

Xander appeared beside me with two mugs of hot cider. He handed me one, watched me sip it, then stole a sip from mine even though he had his own.

“Yours tastes better,” he said casually.

“It’s literally the same drink.”

He shrugged. “Still better.”

I nudged him with my hip, pretending not to love every stupid, warm, domestic thing he did. We watched the bonfire for a while, letting the noise wash over us. Students laughed, Vallin attempted to keep someone from lighting a table on fire, Dhara and Castor kissed like they were showing off, and Isaac played faster as the dancers moved closer to the flames.

Xander leaned down, lips brushing my ear. “Come with me.”

My heartbeat stuttered at the softness in his voice. “Shouldn’t we stay? Mona might throw Matt into the fire by accident.”

“She has good reflexes. He’ll live,” he said, tugging my hand gently. “I want you to myself for a little while.”

The words landed somewhere warm and dangerous in my chest. I let him pull me away from the circle of firelight, past the rebuilt archway, down the narrow path leading toward the lake. The trees were dark silhouettes around us, rustling softly in the night breeze. The glow of the bonfire faded behind us until all we heard were distant voices and Isaac’s fiddle drifting like an echo.

The lake shimmered under the moon when we reached it, the surface smooth as glass. I exhaled, feeling something inside me settle the way it only did near water. Xander stopped just shy of the shore and turned to face me.

“You’re staring at me,” I said quietly. “Why?”

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His eyes softened. “Because you look at peace. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you breathe without pain sitting behind your ribs.”

“I’m getting there,” I murmured, stepping closer. “Zerina feels… different now. Like she’s watching instead of pushing.”

“That’s because you’re not fighting yourself anymore.” His hand cupped my cheek, warm against the cool night. “You carried chaos without knowing it was balance all along.”

The words caught something deep in my chest. I didn’t know how to explain the feeling without sounding ridiculous, so I didn’t try. I simply leaned into his touch.

He brushed his thumb along my cheekbone. “The world called you chaos,” he said softly. “I call you mine?

My breath left me all at once, not in shock but in a kind of quiet surrender. He wasn’t claiming me like a possession; he was claiming me like a home. Like saying my name anchored him the way he anchored me.

“Yours.” I whispered back. “Always.”

His mouth touched mine, slow and warm, not rushed or hungry, just deliberate in a way that made my whole body soften. The kind of kiss that didn’t demand anything except the truth of how much we loved each other. My fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer until there was no space left between us.

He kissed me again, deeper this time, his hands sliding down my back and settling at my waist. The bond pulsed quietly beneath my skin, not burning or overwhelming, just humming like a living promise. The world felt small and safe in his arms, the lake still and bright as if even the moon paused to watch.

When we finally parted, we stayed close, our foreheads touching.

“You know,” he murmured, “if someone told me two years ago I’d be kissing the girl who nearly punched me during our first training session-”

“I didn’t nearly punch you,” I said, pretending to glare. “I absolutely meant to.”

“Exactly,” he replied. “And I loved you anyway.”

I nudged him lightly with my nose. “Yeah well, I didn’t expect to fall for the guy who glared at me like I was breaking school property every time I breathed too loudly.”

“You were,” he teased.

I laughed softly, letting the sound settle between us. The lake breeze brushed our hair, the bonfire crackled distantly, and for the first time in months, the night felt like something that belonged to us instead of something waiting to break.

Xander tugged me gently until my head rested against his chest. His heartbeat was steady beneath my ear.

“I know the war took a lot from us,” he murmured. “But I like what we get to keep.”

“What’s that?”

“This.” His arms wrapped a little tighter around me. “You. Me. Whatever comes next. As long as we’re under the same stars, I’m not worried.”

I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of him soak into my bones.

“Me neither,” I whispered.

We stood there by the lake, wrapped in a silence that wasn’t heavy or haunted. It was the kind of silence people earned when

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