LOGINDorian’s POVThe silence in the room stretched on, the ticking of the wall clock sounding like a countdown in my ears. As I looked down at Lillian’s pleading eyes and felt the nervous tremble in her hands, the fierce, defensive wall inside my mind finally began to crack.I knew she was right. The ceremony I had frantically agreed with Aiden to hold was simply too sudden, too messy, and entirely fueled by blind panic. But Lillian didn't understand the sheer terror driving my actions. I knew with absolute certainty that someone was out there in the dark, hunting us. Someone was actively trying to stop my happiness, trying to tear down the life I was building. I had truly thought that pushing the mating ceremony forward would give us a shield. I thought it would make me make us happier, stronger, and more hopeful against the invisible storm.But looking at her stressed, pale face, I realized I was only making her suffer.I let out a long, heavy breath, the rigid tension slowly leaving my
Lillian’s POVThe bright morning sun was already filtering heavily through the sheer curtains when I finally opened my eyes. I blinked against the light, my chest tightening the moment I checked the clock on the nightstand. I had woken up a little too late. The heavy exhaustion from the previous night had kept me pinned to the mattress, and now, reality was crashing down on me all at once.Sitting up in the quiet room, I started completely freaking out. Panic clawed at my throat as I realized I had blindly agreed to a totally impulsive decision. What on earth was I thinking? A mating ceremony wasn't just any regular event. In the werewolf world, it was a sacred, monumental milestone. It was supposed to be grand, beautifully prepared, and at least properly planned out over months, not frantically rushed into in the middle of a security crisis.I threw on a simple robe and practically ran out of the bedroom. I spent the whole morning rushing through the corridors, looking everywhere for
Lillian’s POVThe moment my fingers touched his shoulder, Dorian jolted. The vacant, dark look in his eyes shattered, and he pulled me into his arms before I could even take another breath. He hugged me with a sudden, desperate tightness, burying his face into the crook of my neck. His grip was so fierce it was almost painful, his broad chest heaving against mine as if he were trying to physically anchor himself to my body."Dorian, you're squeezing me a bit too tight," I whispered, but he didn't let go right away.Instead, he began to speak, his voice a rough, urgent murmur against my skin. "I am going to protect you, Lillian. I swear it to you. I will always protect you, and I will never, ever let anything or anyone in this world hurt you again. No matter what happens, no matter who comes after us, I won't let them take you away from me."At first, hearing those words was incredibly sweet. It felt like the ultimate reassurance after the horrifying ambush in the garden. But as he kep
Lillian’s POVHearing Alanna lay the blame so directly on my husband made my chest tighten. I shifted on the sofa, looking at her closely in the dim light of the lounge. "Why do you think so, Alanna? Why are you so sure this is about Dorian's past?"Alanna leaned forward, her eyes wide and dead serious. "Think about it, Lillian. I’ve been analyzing how everything played out. I noticed that those people waited until you and Aiden were completely alone in the dark garden before striking. They had been tracking the property, watching the guards rotate. Whoever sent them didn't want a random casualty. They wanted to take two specific things that mattered the most to Dorian his wife and his absolute most loyal Beta. It was a targeted, personal message meant to destroy him emotionally."The logic in her words sent a cold shiver down my spine. Before I could even respond to her theory, a firm, polite knock echoed at the lounge door, shattering the heavy silence between us.We both straighte
Lillian’s POVThe headlights of my car cut through the thick, heavy darkness of the country road as I drove back to the pack house. My hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned completely white. I couldn't stop my mind from spinning out of control. I kept thinking about my near-death experience in the garden last night. The image of that sharp knife coming down toward my chest was burned into my brain, and a cold sweat broke out across my skin.Who could possibly want me dead?I went through the list of our enemies in my head. Was it Shantel, driven by pure jealousy and her desire to see me ruined? Or was it Aaron, trying to strike a fatal blow against Dorian? A sudden realization hit me hard. I began to think that maybe this was the exact reason why Aaron had been spying on me through his people for all these weeks. He wasn't just trying to play corporate games, he was looking for a weak spot to eliminate me completely.Suddenly, a loud, violent thud e
Dorian’s POVThe traps were fully set, and the damage was completely done. Within a matter of hours, Alpha Crimson had his hands completely full. He was drowning in a sea of corporate ruin, and his phones were ringing off the hook with furious investors. To make matters worse for him, the leaked video had worked perfectly. He was now facing a massive, looming battle with the fierce Valor pack, whose Alpha was already mobilizing warriors to avenge the ultimate betrayal of his mate bond. Crimson was completely cornered, fighting for his survival on two separate fronts.I sat back in my office chair, my mind already moving past him. I knew exactly who the next target on my list had to be. Aaron and his magically inflated corporate empire needed to be dismantled next. But as I looked at the strategic maps on my desk, I realized there was absolutely nothing I could do right now except wait. The exclusive high-society party was happening in two days, and I needed to be incredibly calculativ
Lillian’s POVI woke up to my phone buzzing on the nightstand, the screen glowing in the pre-dawn darkness. My hand reached for it automatically, still half-asleep, and I squinted at the message that had just come through from an unknown number.“Two days left.”Just those three words, but they hit
Dorian’s POVI stared at Aiden in shock, my mind refusing to fully process what he’d just told me. Alpha Marcus? the same Alpha who’d pulled me aside at the council meetings, who’d given me advice about showing strength, who’d positioned himself as a concerned ally had orchestrated the attack on my
Dorian’s POVI spent hours in that dungeon, questioning the maid while she sat on the cold stone bench trembling with fear and guilt. The interrogation was methodical and relentless, I needed to know every detail of what had happened, who was behind it, and how deep this conspiracy went.“Tell me e
Lillian’s POVMy eyes flew open. I knew that voice. Knew it from the mall, from the car accident, from waking up unconscious in the guest room.The ginger-haired woman.Before I could decide whether to hide or confront her, my massage therapist opened the door to grab more oils and the woman walked







