LOGINInside the high stone walls of the Northern palace, a quiet, immovable serenity had taken root.
Rosalie withdrew completely into the sanctuary of the royal quarters. The heavy oak doors remained closed to the murmuring court, the opportunistic elders, and the poisonous whispers that still echoed through the distant corridors. She had no desire to defend herself to men who had already judged her, nor would she waste her breath arg
Dominic stood frozen in the doorway of the steam-filled bathing chamber, his gaze locked onto Rosalie as if the rest of the world had completely ceased to exist. His dark golden eyes burned with such raw, consuming intensity that he seemed physically incapable of looking away. Five years of peace had smoothed the edges of their chaotic lives, five years of shared nights had filled their bed with comfort and contentment, and yet the sight of her in the rose-scented water still stripped him of every shred of kingly restraint. She looked so fucking tempting."My love," Dominic rasped, his voice dropping an octave, rough with a heavy, rising heat that made the hair on her arms stand up. "So many years have passed, and I still couldn't get enough of you."Rosalie smiled, a quiet, breathless giggle escaping her lips as she watched him step deeper into the bathing chamber. Her dark red hair, pinned u
5 years later.Five golden years had passed since the darkness of Ezekiel’s deceit was shattered and Prince Asher's birth brought peace to the unified realm. Five years of rebuilding, of laughter returning to the marble corridors, and of a peace so deep and untroubled that the bloody battles of the past felt like nothing more than a fading bad dream.The warm afternoon sun spilled across the royal gardens, painting the blooming roses and emerald lawns in hues of molten gold. The air was rich with the sweet scent of jasmine and the bright, unfiltered music of children’s laughter."Look, Mommy! Look how high I can jump!"Five-year-old Prince Asher darted across the grass, his dark hair flying in the wind, his eyes, a striking mirror of his father’s golden gaze, shining with pride. He cleared a sm
The atmosphere inside the grand throne hall shifted from joyful celebration to a suffocating, razor-sharp silence.The echoing cheers for Prince Alpha Asher had barely faded before King Dominic’s golden eyes snapped toward the front row of the council. His aura flared with a terrifying, heavy intensity that pressed down upon the marble floor like an invisible mountain. The court lords froze, their breath hitching in their throats as the Alpha King descended the dais, his heavy boots echoing through the cavernous chamber.His gaze locked onto High Elder Karl."You," Dominic spoke, his voice a low, lethal rasp that vibrated through the stone walls. "When Ezekiel's commander brought that false relic forward and staged that monstrous lie, you did not seek truth. You leapt at the chance to degrade your Queen. You stood before this entire court, ignored her cri
The grand throne room of the Amber Court had never seen such majestic splendor. Banners of deep navy velvet, embroidered with the twin crests of the Northern Wolf and the newly annexed Southern Sun, hung from the massive vaulted ceilings.Today was the official presentation and grand naming ceremony of the royal infant.Lords, high nobles, and elite warriors from every corner of the unified realm had traveled for days to attend. Southern lords stood side by side with Northern councilmen, bowing their heads in unified reverence. The whispers of treason and doubt that had once plagued the halls were entirely extinguished, replaced by awe for the King and his unquestioned Queen.Dominic stood atop the dais, clad in immaculate, gold-trimmed black armor. Next to him stood Rosalie, looking ethereal and breathtaking in a gown of shimmering silver silk, her emerald eye
Two agonizing months passed in the Northern palace, each day heavy with anticipation.Morana remained untraceable, her dark trail vanishing entirely into the western mountain peaks. But inside the royal castle, political whispers had quieted to a dead hush. No elder dared challenge the Queen’s chambers, for Garrett and Griat stood guard like unbreakable iron titans.Inside her quiet sanctuary, Rosalie had maintained her strict, composed routine. She rested, stayed hydrated, ate well, and nurtured her growing body. Her heart remained steady, grounded in the unshakeable certainty that her child’s arrival would clear her name once and for all.Then, on a bitterly cold afternoon, the peaceful silence of the palace shattered into absolute chaos.Rosalie felt a sudden, sharp pain tear through her abdomen, forcing a low gas
The heavy iron doors of the Southern throne chamber groaned under the weight of Dominic’s strike, bursting inward with a violent, deafening crash.Dominic crossed the threshold alone. His black plate armor was caked in dried gore, his wolf-skin mantle torn, and his eyes blazing with a terrifying, golden Alpha aura that lit up the dimly lit hall.Inside, the grand cavernous room was lined with nearly two dozen elite royal guards. These were Ezekiel’s personal shadow vanguard, massive, battle-hardened Alpha warriors clad in heavy steel, their broadswords already drawn and gleaming in the torchlight. Ezekiel said calmly, like a king on his throne, hiding behind his men like a coward.Dominic did not hesitate. He roared a guttural war cry, a sound so primal it rattled the stained-glass windows above, and charged into the center of the hall.
A wave of ice-cold dread clouded her very soul, freezing the blood in her veins. No... Her mind screamed as the realization hit her like a physical blow. Why did he want her dressed in the purest of silk
Dominic dismounted the beast in one fluid, predatory movement. His massive hand wrapped around her arm, tugging her down with him. The moment her bare, bruised soles made contact with the freezing cobblestones of the courtyard, Rosalie's knees turned into compl
The thick, copper taste of Dominic Varkov’s blood coated Rosalie’s tongue, a metallic brand that felt like a permanent iron shackle around her soul. The ancient incantations chanted by the trembling High Priest still echoed in the freezing night air, vibrating
The silence of the clearing was deafening. Thousands of eyes were pinned on Rosalie Ashford, but she only had eyes for Prince Cassian. There was so much pain in her teary eyes as she pleaded with her eyes, but he didn't offer her a single glance.The silver threads of the mate bond were still puls







