Chapter 95 Unexpected Visitor

• Emrys stood framed in the doorway, travel-worn and grinning with the kind of easy confidence that had defined their friendship since childhood. His beta's familiar presence hit Gideon with unexpected force—relief and joy combining into emotion that threatened to overwhelm his carefully maintained composure.
• "Miss me?" Emrys drawled, stepping into the office with the casual authority of someone who'd earned the right to treat their Alpha King like an old friend.
• Gideon rose from his chair, crossing the distance between them in three strides. He pulled Emrys into a fierce embrace, the kind of hug that communicated things words couldn't capture—gratitude for his return, relief at having his best friend back, and the bone-deep exhaustion of carrying burdens alone for too long.