LOGINThe frantic howling of the winter blizzard outside rattled the thick wooden logs of the cabin. Inside, the fire threw long, dancing shadows across the low ceiling.Rosalie stirred slowly from her deep sleep, her eyelids fluttering open. For a terrifying second, she expected to see the heavy dark curtains of the royal bedchamber. But as her vision cleared, she recognized the smell of dried sage and bitter bloodroot. They were still inside the witch’s crooked cottage, trapped by the unyielding storm.She took a deep breath, expecting the usual wave of white-hot agony to shred her lungs.It didn't come. The excruciating, skin-melting burn of the mate bond had truly settled into a dull, heavy ache beneath her collarbone. The witch’s dark paste had formed a protective veil over the mark, numbing the frantic spiritual pull. The phantom chain was still wrapped tightly around her heart, but it was no longer tearing her apart piece by piece. She felt remarkably better.Ezekiel came to her side
The silence in the royal bedchamber did not last. It was merely the heavy, suffocating pause before a fierce eruption.Dominic stood frozen for a single, agonizing second, the name Ezekiel burning a hole straight through his mind. Then, the reality of the betrayal settled deep into his marrow. His wife was gone. His chosen mate had left his lands. She had left his diamonds, his protection, and his bed to flee into the territory of a rival king.With a deafening, inhuman roar, Dominic completely lost his mind.He became a whirlwind of pure, deranged destruction. He lunged toward the heavy oak vanity, lifting the massive, solid piece of furniture over his head with impossible strength and hurling it across the room. It shattered into a thousand jagged splinters against the stone wall. He tore down the silk canopy of the bed, ripping the heavy blankets to shreds with his bare claws. The velvet chairs were smashed to kindling; the glass windows were blown outward into the snow by the shee
The afternoon sun was completely blocked by a sudden, ominous gathering of heavy, bruised storm clouds over the Amber Court. Inside the grand fortress, the temperature had plummeted, but it had nothing to do with the winter wind.Dominic stood in the center of the royal library, his massive chest heaving, his powerful jaw locked so tightly the bone threatened to crack. He had personally torn through the archives, the dusty historical aisles, and the quiet reading corners.She was not there.His inner wolf was pacing frantically behind his ribs, a wild, snarling beast clawing to get out. The lack of Rosalie’s sweet, vanilla-and-snow scent in the palace was driving him to the absolute brink of madness. He spun on his heel, his heavy leather boots slamming against the stone floor as he stormed out of the library and headed directly toward the outdoor training grounds.The cold wind whipped at his dark hair as he stepped onto the snow-covered field. The high-ranking warriors were in the m
The first light of dawn was a pale, icy blue as it crept over the massive, empty bed in the royal chambers of the Amber Court.Dominic blinked his eyes open, his powerful body instinctively reaching out for the soft, warm curve of his wife. He swept his massive arm across the silk sheets to pull her against his chest, expecting the familiar, sweet scent of vanilla to greet him.His hand met nothing but cold, empty fabric.Dominic sat up abruptly, his amber eyes scanning the dimly lit room. The fire in the hearth had died down to gray ash, leaving a bitter chill in the air."Rosalie?" he called, his voice deep and raspy with sleep.There was no answer. Only the howling of the northern wind against the glass.His brow furrowed, a low growl of frustration vibrating in his chest. His inner wolf snapped awake, pacing restlessly, highly agitated by the lack of her presence in the room. Yesterday's icy distance still burned in Dominic’s mind. He assumed she had simply woken up early to avoid
The rhythmic clacking of the wooden carriage wheels against the frozen cobblestones sounded like a death knell. Inside the dark, velvet-lined interior of the carriage, the air was heavy, cold, and thick with the suffocating scent of fresh, unending grief.Rosalie pressed her forehead against the frost-covered glass of the carriage window, staring out into the dark, swirling blizzard. The high, jagged stone towers of the Amber Court were shrinking into the distance, slowly swallowed by the unforgiving white storm.With every inch of ground they gained, the fragile dam holding back her emotions completely shattered.A low, broken sob escaped her lips, sounding so hollow and ruined that it didn't even feel like her own voice. She curled her knees up to her chest, burying her face in the dark wool of her cloak, and wept. She wept for the girl she had been only two days ago, the girl who had lain in Dominic’s arms, believing his sweet, deep whispers of forever. She wept for the trust she h
The figure that slowly stepped out from the dark, towering hedges of the glass garden was not Dominic, but a low-ranking guard patrolling the perimeter. Ezekiel’s hand remained on the hilt of his hidden dagger, his broad chest shielding Rosalie until the guard offered a hurried, respectful bow to the Luna and moved along into the snow.Rosalie let out the breath she had been holding, her hand trembling as she pulled away from Ezekiel."Go," Ezekiel whispered, his blue eyes filled with a fierce, protective urgency. "Do not let him see the fear in your eyes tonight, Rosalie. Tomorrow, you will be free."The formal dinner that evening was a slow, suffocating torture.The grand dining hall was filled with the chatter of the court and the clinking of silver, celebrating the final night of the southern delegation’s visit. Rosalie sat stiffly in her velvet chair, her face painted with the false rose tint to hide her ghostly paleness.Dominic sat beside her, his mood dark, volatile, and highl
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







