LOGINMINA I pulled him back as he continued shaking in my arms, my hands firm on his cheeks, and only then did I really see him.“Is it true?” I asked quietly. “Did he really not tell you?”He didn’t answer and instead leaned in. His lips met mine, soft at first. There was no hunger in it yet, only longing. His lips lingered there for a while, reminding me of what I had been missing for the past weeks. I, too, could feel how much he’d missed me in that single touch.My hands held onto his shirt without thinking. His breath brushed my cheek, his forehead resting against mine for a second. Then he kissed me again—longer and deeper than before. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.That was when the restraint snapped.His mouth opened against mine, and I gasped softly as the kiss turned desperate and messy. Weeks of fear and distance poured into that single moment. His hands slid to my waist, pulling me closer, and I stumbled back as he followed—until my hip knocked into
MINA My body was already feeling much better. Aiden had taken care of me well. Or rather, his maid had. He himself was rarely around, always coming and going like a shadow. However, I didn’t mind it at all. There was a clear boundary between us. He never asked questions beyond what was necessary, and he never looked at me in a way that made me feel like I owed him anything. I appreciated that more than I could explain.After breakfast, I stood by the wide window in the living room, one hand resting absentmindedly on the glass. The house was isolated, perched on the edge of land that looked untouched by civilization. Tall trees surrounded it, their shadows stretching long across the grass. The silence here felt protective. Carol, his maid, had told me it was Aiden’s new house, saying that his last one got invaded by too many fangirls. I had laughed when she told me the story. Carol was warm and motherly, the kind of woman who hummed while she worked and scolded me gently when I
ELIAS Where is she?Why can’t we fucking find her?The words kept looping in my head like a curse I couldn’t break. I paced the living room for what felt like the hundredth time, my footsteps heavy against the floor. Every report from my men only tightened the knot in my chest. It was like Mina had dissolved into thin air.My mother was standing near the window with her arms crossed. My father sat quietly on the couch, watching me with a knowing look. Before I could say a word, my mom marched up to me and slapped the back of my head.“Ow—what the hell?” I exclaimed, more startled than hurt.“This,” she snapped, pointing a finger at my chest, “is because you refused to see her. This is what happens when you think distance equals love.”I groaned and dragged a hand down my face. “Mom—”“My daughter-in-law has run away,” she continued, voice rising. “Do you have any idea how that makes you look? I will disown you if you don’t fix this.”I let out a long breath, forcing myself not to sna
MINA I really escaped.I stumbled forward, hands trembling, and only then did it sink in.My power worked.A shaky laugh slipped out of me. The silence of my power still clung to me, but I felt I could control it better now. Every sound around me was muted when I wanted it to be. The animals sensed me, I knew that much. I felt their awareness brushing against mine, but they didn’t react the way they should have. Their movements slowed when I passed. However, they couldn’t quite decide if I was there or not.I was a gap.A pocket where danger lost its edge.I moved carefully. I had always been good at spotting animals and reading the land. That part of me had survived everything. And now, with my power wrapping around me like a cloak, I was able to move through Montrose without becoming prey.However, strength came at a cost.Each step made my vision blur a little more. I had to stop more than once, pressing a hand to my abdomen and breathing through the nausea. It’s okay, I whisper
ELIASI looked around for a moment, but there was truly not a person here—only traces. Just then, we heard whistling. However, it suddenly stopped. Edison must have sensed we were here. I turned sharply, my vision narrowing. I saw him—just the edge of his silhouette slipping between trees, already preparing to bolt.“Fuck,” I muttered.He ran.However, that was a big mistake. He didn’t get far.Ezra and two of the guards cut him off from the left while I came in hard from behind. Edison didn’t even have the time to curse before he was slammed into the ground. He thrashed, snarling, trying to shift into his wolf, but the chains were already locking him in place.He screamed in fury. I ignored his cries and planted a boot against his spine and forced him flat, pressing him into the dirt until he stopped struggling. My breathing was heavy, but my voice was steady when I spoke.“Where is she?”He laughed.I crouched down, grabbed a fistful of his hair, and yanked his head back to the p
ELIAS I missed her so fucking much. Even though I knew I should focus on this event, that was the only thought that ran through my mind. Every step I took away from Mina had been taken for her, not from her. I always wanted to be near her. And yet, I watched as the space between us cut her confidence to pieces. At that moment, I realized that I needed to respect her desire for distance. It took every ounce in my body to ignore her all this time. However, the truth was simple. I wasn’t strong enough just yet. The wolfsbane in my system had affected me much more than I would have liked. Any other werewolf would have died within hours. However, I was still alive and kicking. Because of this, I couldn’t even stand the faintest residue of wolfsbane without my vision blurring.How could I let her see me like that?She had already blamed herself once. She stood in front of me with tears in her eyes and called herself a burden. If she saw how weak I was, she would tear herself apart, b







