INICIAR SESIÓNMiles' Point Of View The formal dinner in the grand dining hall had finally drawn to a quiet close. The evening had been filled with continuous laughter, rich food, and endless teasing from Vespera and mom, but once the heavy oak doors of the west-wing guest suite clicked shut, the external noise vanished into absolute silence, leaving only the hush of two people who had spent an entire meal pretending nothing had changed between them. Zane had excused himself almost immediately, stepping into the adjoining master bathroom to draw a hot bath and let the enchanted waters soothe his recovering muscles. I'd watched him go, watched the careful way he still favored his left side even weeks after the healers had cleared him, and told myself, as I had told myself every night for the past year, that I would give him his space. The water was still running when I got my hands on him. I heard him through the glass, that low, tired groan he lets out when heat finally finds muscle, and somethi
Miles' Point Of ViewWe filed through the grand, vaulted foyer and stepped into the family's private drawing room. It was a massive, sunlit chamber lined with towering bookshelves filled with glowing ancient tomes, deep plush velvet sofas in shades of deep indigo and gold, and a crackling magical hearth that cast a cozy, dancing glow over the room. The familiar scent of dried sage and old parchment settled over me like a blanket, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to simply breathe in the safety of home. Every corner of this room held some memory, some echo of the boy I'd been before duty and war had reshaped me, and for a moment I let myself exist in that overlap. The moment Zane took a seat on the softest sofa, my mother vanished toward a towering mahogany bookshelf in the corner. I immediately felt a cold spike of sheer, unadulterated dread shoot straight down my spine. "Mom..." I warned, taking a quick step forward, holding my hands up in a defe
Miles' Point Of ViewThe smooth engine of the enchanted vehicle hummed to a gentle stop, the glowing blue wheels settling softly against the immaculately paved white stone of the courtyard. I killed the ignition, letting the quiet rustle of the enchanted silver-leaf trees wash over us. For a moment, neither of us moved, and I found myself savoring the stillness, the way the late sun caught the edges of everything and made the whole estate look like it had been dipped in gold. After everything we'd survived, the ordinary silence felt like a luxury I hadn't earned yet, and I wasn't ready to let it go. I glanced across the center console. Zane was pressed against the passenger-side window, his eyes wide and bright with genuine wonder as he stared out at the sprawling, majestic estate of my family. Soaring magical spires pierced the soft afternoon clouds like crystal needles, their surfaces shimmering with high-tier defensive wards, while floating courtyards and cascading fountains of l
Miles' Point Of ViewI tightened my arms around Zane's waist, pulling him flush against my chest until I could feel every steady beat of his heart. He was warm, real, and breathing right here against my skin. After everything we had survived, that simple fact felt like a miracle I didn't deserve, a gift I was still afraid might be snatched away the moment I let my guard down. My mind was still spinning in complete, chaotic shock. Daekan's mate. The divine spirit wolf residing inside Zane's soul was bound to me. The realization kept crashing over me in waves, each one stronger than the last, refusing to let my thoughts settle into anything resembling calm. I kept waiting for the ground beneath me to make sense again, and it never quite did. When the Moon Goddess had approached my lineage a year ago, accepting the suicide mission into the higher spiritual plane hadn't just been about protecting Zane from the dark entities hunting my bloodline. It had been an act of self-preservation,
Zane's Point Of View I rubbed the back of my neck, offering my parents a thoroughly helpless, sheepish grin while their collective screams still echoed off the vaulted stone arches of the royal infirmary. My ears were still ringing from the sheer volume of it. I could practically feel the vibrations in my teeth. "Erm... Mom... Dad..." I stammered, wincing slightly as my face burned a bright, feverish red. "You'll... you'll get used to it. Eventually. I promise." My dad, Marcus, looked like his brain had completely short-circuited. He kept darting his eyes back and forth between Ronan's massive, golden-eyed wolf frame and Miles's dark, impossibly smooth demeanor, rubbing his temples as if trying to physically massage the sheer absurdity out of his skull. A vein had started to throb near his left eyebrow, and he exhaled through his nose like a man bracing himself for a blow he couldn't quite dodge. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "Get used to it?" my dad echoed, his voice dropp
Zane's Point of View I shoved myself backward, breaking free from Ronan's possessive grip in a frantic flurry of movement. The shock running through my blood completely eclipsed the throbbing pain in my ribs as my bare feet slapped hard against the cold stone floor. My heart hammered against my chest so violently I thought it might crack through my bandages entirely. Everything else in the room, the smell of antiseptic, the dim flicker of the medical wing's lanterns, the quiet murmurs of concern, faded into nothing beside the sight in front of me. "Easy, Zane!" Ronan shouted, stepping forward with his arms outstretched, his golden eyes wide with sheer panic for my freshly wrapped injuries. "You're going to tear your bandages!" I ignored him entirely, deaf to everything but the roaring in my own ears. I sprinted across the medical wing, throwing my weight straight forward, and launched myself into my father's arms. He caught me effortlessly, his sturdy frame absorbing the impact as







