Romances de Noah

Daciana is sprawled over me. Her frame is much smaller than mine, so she lies on top of me easily. We’re in her bed, tangled in sheets that smell like us, like what we’ve done. The fated mate bond burns brightly between us, a constant pulse of connection I couldn’t shut off even if I wanted to.I can feel everything through the bond—the soft, sleepy contentment that makes her limbs heavy, the gentle pull of exhaustion, the way she melts into me like she was made to fit against my chest.I run my fingers through her hair, watching the firelight dance across the ceiling.I can’t bring myself to regret this. Even knowing what I know—that this bond might be a curse, that something is hunting us—I can’t regret her. Whatever curse there may be, I’ll shatter it. I’ll keep my woman with me. I’ll protect her.“Where did you go this afternoon?”The sleepy question makes me freeze. My hand stills in her hair.“Kieran?”Daciana lifts her head, my name a question on her lips. I don’t answer. Can’t

I cup Kieran’s face in my hands, searching his eyes for any hint of doubt, any shadow of hesitation. But all I see is certainty. Desire. Love.“Then have me,” I whisper. And he does.His mouth crashes into mine again, and this time, there’s no hesitation. No holding back.My fingers tangle in his hair as he presses me harder against the wall, his body a line of heat and strength. The bond between us thrums with such intensity that I can barely think, barely breathe.“Daciana,” he murmurs against my lips, and the way he says my name—like a prayer, like a promise—makes something inside me break open.“I need you,” I whisper back. I hate how vulnerable I sound, but I can’t hold it in anymore.His hand slides beneath my nightgown, fingers tracing the curve of my waist, and I shiver at his touch. Every nerve ending feels alive, hyperaware of exactly where his skin meets mine.“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he says, pulling back just enough to look at me. His eyes are dark, hungry, but t

The admission should make me happy. Should make me feel victorious.But all I feel is the same crushing weight, the same exhaustion.“But you don’t want me,” I say, and my voice comes out smaller than I intend. Weaker. “You made that clear.”His eyes flash with what can only be described as pain. “Daciana, if I could, I would rip out my heart and put it at your feet. That’s how much I love you.”The words take my breath away. I want to believe them. Gods, I want to believe them so badly, it hurts. But…“You don’t even know me, Kieran.” The words tumble out, defensive and desperate. “I told you, I don’t want to be a replacement for—”“Don’t.” He cuts me off, his grip on my face tightening just slightly. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”I try to look away, but he won’t let me.“I am in love with you,” he says, each word deliberate and fierce. “With Daciana. Not some ghost from the past. Not some echo of who you used to be. You.”“But you haven’t even— You haven’t been around—”“I

She’s busy,” he says flatly, positioning himself between Leon and me.I’m shocked into silence for a moment, my mind struggling to process what’s happening. Then, anger flares hot and bright inside me.“Excuse me?” I glare at Kieran, my hands clenching at my sides. “I can speak for myself, thank you.”But Kieran isn’t looking at me. His eyes are fixed on Leon, and there’s a dangerous look in them—possessive and primal in a way that makes my wolf perk up with interest despite my irritation.My chest clenches at his earnestness. Leon is good. Kind. Reliable. Elara has been pushing us together for weeks now, dropping hints and creating opportunities for us to spend time alone. And Leon has made it clear, in a dozen small ways, that he’s interested in me as more than just a colleague or friend.But my heart doesn’t beat wildly for him. Not the way it does for Kieran. When Leon walks into a room, I feel nothing. No spark, no pull, no desperate need to be close to him. He’s attractive, certa

Daciana POV**The door to my chambers closes behind me with a soft click, and I finally let myself breathe. My face throbs with each pulse of my heartbeat, a sharp, burning sensation that radiates from my cheek down through my jaw.I press trembling fingers to the wound, wincing as pain lances through the affected area. My skin feels hot and tender, slightly raised where the wolfsbane-coated claws made contact. In the mirror across the room, I can see the angry red mark, slowly starting to heal.I shouldn’t have gone.The thought crashes through my mind as I sink onto the edge of my bed. I’d sensed the hostility from the noble families—felt it in every sideways glance, every whispered conversation that stopped when I entered a room. Ever since I was chosen as liaison, their resentment has been a constant presence, hanging in the air like smoke.But I never thought they would use wolfsbane on me.My hands curl into fists against my lap. The substance is banned within the Kingdom for a

Kieran POV**My control finally snapping, I move toward Celeste, ready to show her exactly what happens to people who hurt what’s mine.But a hand closes around my wrist.“Kieran.” Daciana’s voice is steady despite the tremor I can feel in her grip. “Don’t.”I freeze, every muscle in my body coiled tight. My wolf is snarling, demanding blood, insisting on retribution. But Daciana’s hand on my wrist anchors me, pulls me back from the edge.“They’re not worth it,” she continues, her voice quiet but firm. “Let the Queen handle them.”I look down at her, at the poison darkening her cheek and the blood seeping through her uniform, and the look in her eyes makes me pause. It’s not fear. It’s not a weakness.It’s trust.She’s trusting me to pull back. To let justice take its course rather than tear these women apart with my bare hands.I take a breath. Then another. Slowly, the red haze recedes.“You’re right,” I say finally, my voice still rough from trying to contain my violence. I turn ba