(Siena’s POV)Lila’s words about my father keep echoing in my mind, haunting me.I try to push them away so that I can focus on the task at hand—preparing for the upcoming negotiations and the competition.But they cling to me, tight, like claws digging into my chest, scratching at the edges of my t
The room is silent for a moment, and then the murmurs begin. The councilors exchange looks, their expressions thoughtful, impressed, but still skeptical.I can see the wheels turning in their minds, weighing the potential benefits against the risks.It’s too soon to tell if I’ve won them over, but f
(Raiden’s POV)“She outmaneuvered everyone.”The words are repeated so often that they feel like a chant, a reminder of just how much I’ve underestimated her.How did she pull this off? She had every reason to fail, every reason to crumble under pressure, but instead, she walked into that room and f
(Siena’s POV)The grand hall of the Lycanthrope Council gleams with an almost oppressive elegance.Crystal chandeliers cast prismatic light across marble floors, illuminating the faces of the pack representatives with an unforgiving brightness that reveals every calculation, every political maneuver
Now, it’s cold. Lifeless.I close my eyes and let out a shaky breath. The ache in my chest is familiar, a constant companion these past few years. It’s not just the absence of the bond—it’s the knowledge that Raiden chose someone else. That he looked at me, at the life we could’ve built together, an
(Raiden’s POV) The silence in my office is suffocating.A low hum from the fluorescent light overhead is the only sound, but it grates on me like nails on a chalkboard.I’ve read the same line on this report five times now, and I still don’t know what it says. Siena. Her words won’t stop playin
His words land like blows, each one harder to deflect than the last. I open my mouth to argue, but he doesn’t give me the chance. “You’ve made your feelings clear, Raiden. You rejected her. You chose someone else. You’ve spent years acting like she doesn’t matter, and now you want to claim her? Yo
(Siena’s POV)The irony of it all doesn’t escape me.I sit at the edge of the conference table, the official announcement of the third competition round still echoing in my mind:A pack unity challenge requiring Alpha and Luna to work together, leveraging their unique strengths.Unity. Cooperation.
(Raiden’s POV)The council chamber falls into stunned silence as Mia's carefully maintained composure fractures."You're suggesting I had something to do with this?" she asks, her voice pitched higher than normal. Her fingers nervously adjust her silver pendant."I'm not suggesting anything," I repl
“Raiden,” I greet softly, stepping aside to let him enter. His eyes scan my quarters instinctively, protective instincts clear despite his careful politeness.“I was making my patrol rounds,” he murmurs gently, eyes flickering briefly toward the evidence on my desk. “Are you alright?”His genuine co
(Siena’s POV)The delicate silver hairpin Raiden gifted me years ago lies on my desk, shifted ever so slightly from its usual position—a subtle yet unmistakable sign that someone has invaded my sanctuary.My breath catches sharply.I step closer, and my senses sharpen with acute awareness.Moonlight
(Raiden’s POV)The grainy security footage flickers ominously across the monitor, each shadowy movement like a knife twisting in my gut, whispering the name I've come to dread most—Lila.I lean closer, my eyes burning from hours spent staring at endless loops of surveillance.The cramped security ro
"Good idea," I manage, my voice steadier than I feel. "I'll speak with Tomas about positioning archers on the ridge above."Raiden turns his head slightly, his face now inches from mine. "Siena..."My pulse quickens softly, heart stumbling traitorously. "We should focus on the threat," I whisper, no
(Siena’s POV)Raiden’s plea from the cabin echoes relentlessly in my mind, threatening to fracture every wall I've painstakingly built around my heart.I pace restlessly across the elegant guest quarters, my fingers tugging nervously at the edges of my jacket, tension coiling sharply within my chest
My wolf surges forward, craving her closeness. "Siena, I—""Don't," she whispers, but she doesn't move away when I step closer. "Please don't say things you'll take back tomorrow.""I never should have taken them back the first time," I confess, my voice breaking as I reach for her hand. "I've misse
(Raiden’s POV)Thunder crashes violently overhead, shaking the cabin walls, as if nature itself demands I finally lay bare the secrets I've guarded far too long.The steady rhythm of rain pounds relentlessly against the roof, creating a constant, murmuring backdrop to the silence hanging between us.
The oak offers no comfort or wisdom. It offers only silence and the mocking permanence of symbols that now mean nothing at all.I brush my fingertips over the markings, memories flooding vividly through me.That day, I felt cautious hope despite our union's political nature.I'd believed, or at leas