MasukI apologize that this chapter is shorter than normal. I will make tomorrows update longer to make up for the fact.
The walk back to the west wing passed beneath a sky slowly surrendering itself to evening, the last traces of sunlight slipping behind the mountains that surrounded Valmere like ancient guardians. Warm amber light filtered through the tall palace windows, stretching long shadows across polished stone corridors while servants quietly lit lanterns one by one along the walls. The palace had begun settling into its evening rhythm, though tonight, something about the silence felt heavier.Fenrir walked beside Valeria rather than ahead of her, though neither spoke for several moments after leaving the gardens.The quiet between them felt strained.Uncomfortable.Not because he did not know what to say, but because his thoughts refused to settle long enough for him to understand what exactly he was feeling.His wolf had reacted immediately the moment he stepped into the garden.Protective.Instinctive.Valeria was carrying his child.That alone changed things.The sight of her crying, distre
The late afternoon settled softly over Valmere, the sun slowly beginning its descent behind the distant mountains while warm streaks of gold filtered through the palace gardens. The tension from the strategy meeting still lingered quietly through the halls of the palace, though for a brief moment, Aurelia allowed herself distance from it all.Her garden sat tucked behind the eastern wing, partially hidden by pale stone archways woven with ivy and climbing roses. It was quieter here. Removed from the movement of guards, servants, and endless reports that seemed to follow her no matter where she went. The air carried the soft scent of herbs and blooming flowers while the fading warmth of the day lingered over carefully maintained soil.Unlike the decorative gardens scattered throughout Valmere, this one served purpose.Every plant here had meaning.Rows of chamomile rested near the front beds, their small white petals swaying gently in the evening breeze. Lavender bloomed nearby in shad
Sleep had become more irritating than useful.Fenrir had eventually returned to his room sometime after wandering far too close to the eastern wing the night before, annoyed enough with himself that even the quiet of Valmere had begun to grate on his nerves. He had laid in bed for hours afterward, staring at the dark ceiling while the same thoughts continued circling through his mind no matter how many times he tried forcing them away.Aurelia.Again.He still did not understand why she occupied so much of his attention.It made no sense.She was human. Stubborn, frustrating, far too opinionated for someone with no physical strength to back it, and somehow entirely unwilling to fear him despite every reason to.Yet somehow, she remained there.In his thoughts.In his irritation.Lingering in the back of his mind in ways he found increasingly difficult to ignore.He had tried explaining it to himself. Perhaps it was because of the curse. Their lives were tied together whether he liked
Hi guys, I have been working hard on trying to keep up with the chapters of this story, but due to health problems that have come up, I will be delaying updating until the beginning of next month. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I will resume with daily updates in the coming month.Thank you to everyone who has read this far.
The west wing gradually quieted after Valeria disappeared into her room.Not immediately.The tension she left behind lingered heavily enough that even Elias finally lost interest in provoking Fenrir further. Rowan returned to his book eventually, though he turned the same page three separate times without actually reading it, while Fenrir remained near the window longer than necessary, staring out across the darkened palace grounds below.The conversation had ended.But none of them had truly moved past it.Eventually, Rowan excused himself first, offering little more than a tired nod before leaving. Elias followed not long after, stretching lazily as he made his way down the corridor toward his own chambers.“You enjoy causing problems far too much,” Rowan muttered as they walked.Elias smirked faintly. “Only when people make it easy.”“That isn’t the reassuring answer you think it is.”“I wasn’t trying to reassure you.”Rowan sighed quietly under his breath.Behind them, Fenrir sti
The sun had nearly disappeared behind the mountains surrounding Valmere by the time Elias finally returned to the palace.The cloudy sky had dimmed the city earlier than usual, leaving the halls washed in warm lantern light by the time he crossed back into the west wing. Servants moved more quietly during the evenings here. Even the palace itself seemed to settle once night approached, conversations softening behind closed doors while guards rotated through shifts with practiced silence.Elias walked through it all at an unhurried pace.Mostly because he already knew Fenrir was waiting.Not literally standing around waiting, of course. Fenrir would rather die than admit to anticipating someone’s return. But Elias knew him well enough to recognize the signs. The moment Fenrir realized Elias had been gone most of the day gathering information, he would want answers immediately.Which made delaying it slightly far more entertaining.Sure enough, the moment Elias stepped into the west win







