LOGINChapter 57Kai's POVThe forensic report lay open on my desk, its contents confirming what I had suspected.The recording had been deliberately manipulated.Cain stood across from me, holding a second folder. His expression was unusually serious, but I had learned not to mistake his silence for a lack of findings."How certain are we?" I asked."Certain enough to establish that the recording was altered before it was distributed." He placed the folder on my desk. "The original file was recovered. Several portions were removed, and the remaining statements were rearranged to create an entirely different conversation."I opened the folder.The forensic analyst had highlighted the discrepancies between the original and the circulated version. The threats Liam had made were missing. So were Mia's repeated refusals to cooperate with him.Instead, the edited recording made it sound as though they had been discussing how to exploit my attachment to Mia, obtain my fingerprint, and gain access
Chapter 56Mia's POV Sleep refused to come.I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed in my mind.The recording. The accusations. The possibility of being expelled from the academy.And Kai.His confession about the fated mate bond had caught me off guard. I had always assumed that being someone's fated mate was supposed to be a wonderful thing. Something every werewolf dreamed of experiencing.Yet, according to him, it could also be a source of torment.I understood a little more about what he was going through now, but that didn't mean I suddenly understood him.The bond might explain his possessiveness, but it didn't change the fact that I had spent weeks feeling like I had no control over my own life.I turned onto my side, pulling the blanket closer.Our engagement was never supposed to be real. At least, not in the way people understood marriage and commitment. Kai had announced me as his fiancée for reasons that had nothing to do with love, and
Chapter 55Kai's POV The villa was unusually quiet that night.I sat behind my desk, staring at the documents Cain had sent over, but I hadn't turned a page in nearly twenty minutes.My thoughts kept returning to the recording.Someone had deliberately manipulated Mia's words, and I intended to find out who. Cain was already working on it, but the investigation wasn't progressing quickly enough to satisfy me.Still, that wasn't the only reason I couldn't concentrate.Something was wrong with the bond.It had been restless all evening, tugging at me with an insistence I couldn't ignore. Every few minutes, I felt a strange pressure in my chest, accompanied by an overwhelming awareness of Mia's presence somewhere in the villa.I knew she was awake.I could feel her unease through the connection, faint but persistent. Her exhaustion, frustration, and lingering distress seemed to seep into me, making it difficult to distinguish my own emotions from hers.I clenched my jaw."Enough," I mut
Chapter 54Mia’s POV I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped into the academy.The usual chatter filling the corridors seemed to die down as I walked past. A few students glanced at me before quickly looking away, while others whispered among themselves, their eyes following me.I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag.It wasn't the first time I'd been the subject of gossip, but there was something different about the atmosphere today. The looks weren't merely judgmental. They were accusatory.I continued walking, pretending not to notice.Then I heard my name."That's her.""Are you sure?""Listen to the recording. It's her voice."My steps faltered.A small group of students stood near the lockers, huddled around a phone. One of them replayed something, and a familiar voice drifted into the corridor.My voice."...Kai's attachment to me is the easiest way to get close to him."My heart dropped.I turned toward them, unable to move as the recording continued."...the fing
Chapter 53Mia's POVI thought I was finally done dealing with Liam.After our last encounter, I had made it clear that I wanted nothing more to do with him. I had refused his proposal, rejected his promises, and walked away without looking back.I thought that would be enough.Apparently, I was wrong.I had barely made it a few steps down the corridor when I heard him call my name."Mia!"I stopped and turned around, my patience already wearing thin."What now, Liam?"He approached me with a completely different expression from the one he'd worn during our earlier conversation. The sadness was gone, replaced by an unmistakable look of resentment."You really think you can just walk away from me like that?"I stared at him."Didn't we just have this conversation?""I'm asking you a question.""And I already gave you an answer. I don't want anything to do with you."He let out a bitter laugh."Of course. It's easy for you to say that when you're living comfortably in Kai Voss's villa.
Chapter 52Mia's POV "You want me to steal his fingerprint and confidential documents?" I asked slowly."Not exactly steal. You could find a way to access them. You live with him, and he trusts you more than he trusts most people. If you just—""Stop."He fell silent.I stared at him, struggling to comprehend how little he seemed to have learned."You want me to betray Kai for you. Again.""I'm asking you to help me.""No. You're asking me to commit another crime because you can't accept that your business isn't going the way you planned."His face tightened."That's not fair.""Fair?" I repeated. "You came here to ask me to steal confidential information from the man I'm engaged to, and you want to talk to me about fairness?""I wouldn't ask if I had another option.""You always have another option, Liam! You just don't like the options that require you to take responsibility for yourself."He looked away.I could see the frustration building in his expression, but he tried to suppr







