Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 285

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**

**Chapter 285: Give Him a Kiss**

The air was thick with the absence of Theodore, as if the very essence of his presence had been swept away like leaves in a storm.

Having dealt with the chaos that Theodore brought, Marcus hurried back to Emma, his heart racing with concern.

“Ms. Tibarn, are you alright?” he asked, his voice laced with urgency.

His gaze swept over her, taking in every detail, from the tousled strands of her hair to the way her eyes flickered with a mixture of relief and lingering fear. Without a moment’s hesitation, he enveloped her in a tight embrace, his arms wrapping around her as if he could shield her from any further harm.

“Ms. Tibarn, I’m so sorry. I failed to protect you,” he murmured, guilt gnawing at him like a hungry beast.

If only he hadn’t insisted on that hunting trip, perhaps she would have been safe, untouched by the unexpected fury of nature that had nearly swept her away in that freak snow tide.

Emma, who had just finished soothing a guilt-ridden Lucien, leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on Marcus’s cheek, her touch warm and reassuring.

“Marcus, I’m fine. You don’t need to blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault,” she reassured him, her voice soft yet firm.

It was simply an accident, a cruel twist of fate that could have happened to anyone.

“Awoo!”

Remy peeked out from the tangled mess of Drake’s hair, his small voice cutting through the tension. “Daddy, how come Mommy’s giving kisses to those two males, but not you?”

His innocent question hung in the air, a child’s curiosity untainted by the complexities of adult relationships.

“Daddy, you should go over there too! Get Mommy to give you kisses. That’s how you make her like you!”

Drake’s gaze drifted toward Emma, who was laughing and chatting animatedly with Marcus and Lucien. The sight of her joy sparked a dull ache in his chest, a sensation that was all too familiar yet still unwelcome.

“They’re your mommy’s mates, Remy,” he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness.

“Awoo?” Remy tilted his head, confusion etched on his little face. “But aren’t you Mommy’s mate too, Daddy? You and Mommy even have a baby fruit together!”

The innocent logic of a child was unyielding. “Those other two don’t have any baby fruits on their heads. Mommy must like you the most, Daddy!”

Drake felt the ache in his chest deepen, a heavy weight he couldn’t shake off. “Remy, you’re not my cub,” he said, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.

He was a Drakonid, a creature of fire and flight. How could he possibly have a fruit for a child? They were not even of the same species.

“Daddy, is your mental power collapsing again and making you say silly things?”

The question struck a nerve. If he wasn’t Remy’s daddy, how could the little one hang from his horns with such unyielding trust?

“You’ve admitted I’m your cub!” Remy huffed, his conviction unwavering.

“Awoo! Mommy! Mommy!” he shouted, his voice ringing with urgency as he called out to Emma.

“Don’t—”

Emma nodded, her expression serious. “That’s probably our only option right now.”

Remy was absolutely convinced that Drake was his father, and no amount of arguing would change his mind. They would have to wait for Silas to resolve the situation.

Concern etched itself on Emma’s face as she noticed Drake’s pale complexion. “Drake, you don’t look well. Is your mental power collapsing again?”

“I’m fine,” Drake insisted, shaking his head. “It’s just a side effect from the potion. I need to sleep it off. I’m taking Remy to rest now. I’ll have Thero arrange rooms for everyone.”

With that, he turned and walked away quickly, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on him. Right now, he couldn’t bear to face Emma, not with the turmoil swirling within him.

As he watched Drake and Remy leave, Marcus leaned against Emma, his voice weary. “Ms. Tibarn, I’m exhausted too.”

Both he and Lucien had pushed themselves to their limits to reach this point. Now, every muscle in his body felt as if it were ready to give out.

Hearing this, Emma quickly asked Thero to arrange accommodations for them.

Thero reserved the finest suites in the Thalassian Palace for Marcus, Lucien, and Kieran. Given that Marcus and Lucien were Emma’s mates, anything less than the utmost respect would have been unthinkable.

Once they settled into the lavish suite Thero had prepared, Marcus pulled Emma into a warm embrace.

“Ms. Tibarn, I know you want to spend time with Lucien tonight, but could you stay with me tomorrow night?”

Emma and Lucien hadn’t seen each other in ages, and Marcus understood that he couldn’t compete for her attention tonight. But he missed her terribly, and the thought of being apart for even one more night felt unbearable.

“Sure,” Emma replied, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a soft kiss to his lips, a promise of the time they would share again.