LOGINAudrey's POV "Hold onto my hand," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "No matter what happens, do not let go."He nodded and we ran.The building was entering its final collapse. The ground beneath us violently shuddered, sending deep thuds echoing through the structure as whole floors collapsed above us. Chunks of plaster and stone rained down like meteors. Every step I took sent an agonizing pain straight up my spine from the burn on my back, but I squeezed the boy's hand tighter and kept sprinting forward."Run!" I shouted.We burst through the emergency doors just as a massive explosion tore through the building behind us. A strong blast of heat slammed into our backs, throwing us both forward onto the alleyway.The building collapsed into a roaring mountain of fire and black smoke behind us.I lay on the cold pavement, panting heavily, my chest heaving as I drew in clean air. Beside me, the little boy was coughing, but he was alive. We had made it out.A massive crowd had gat
Audrey’s POV The intense heat hit my face before I even opened my eyes, the suffocating air pressed down on my chest and all I smelled was ash and burning chemicals. I opened my eyes, but tears immediately flooded them, stinging against the thick gray smoke surrounding me."Mai!" I choked out, my throat feeling like sandpaper. "Mai, where are you?"Nobody answered me. There was no screams of the panicking crowd, or sound of blaring fire alarms. I pushed myself up onto my elbows, my head throbbing with a sharp pain where I had hit the counter earlier. As my eyes adjusted to the flames around me, my stomach dropped. Where the hell was I? This was the boutique floor.The pristine white tiles were gone, replaced by exposed concrete, broken pipes, and piles of burning debris.Seraphine.I remembered her standing over me with those triumphant eyes just before I lost consciousness. Don’t tell me… did she drag my unconscious body into an abandoned section of the building just to make su
Audrey’s POV I tried my best to push Seraphine’s bitter words into the quietest corner of my mind, but they clung to me, regardless. Every step I took through the boutique felt weighed down by the reminder that people who wished I didn't exist surrounded me.Mai must have noticed the slump in my shoulders because she suddenly clapped her hands together."Alright!" Mai declared, turning to the store attendants with her chin held high and a wide smile. "Bring out your finest evening gowns. My lady needs something worthy of a Luna, and we won't settle for anything less than perfection."The attendants scurried away, and within minutes, the fitting area transformed into a swirl of vibrant clothes.Mai pushed me into the changing room, handing me gown after gown. The first was a midnight blue gown that felt like water against my skin, then an emerald halter neck that made my breasts look larger than they actually were. Every time I stepped behind the curtain, Mai gasped loudly, placing
Kairos POV Governor Jorab was droning on about trade tariffs, while I rested my chin on my hand, staring blankly at the men in front of me. Against my will, my thoughts drifted away from the conversation and settled on Leslie.I kept replaying the scene from last night in my room and I couldn’t get over the way she had looked at me with those wide eyes and suggested we wait until we were both comfortable before doing anything. She wore an almost innocent smile that had no business belonging to a murderer and a sharp pang of guilt stabbed through my chest.I hated it. It made my blood boil. She is the enemy, I reminded myself savagely. She is the daughter of Roman Ashton, and my son is dead because of her family.I slammed my fist onto the table with enough force to rattle the glass cups of water.The entire council room flinched. Jorab stopped mid-sentence while the surrounding governors froze, staring at me with confusion. "Start over," I barked. "From the beginning, Joran. And m
Audrey’s POV My heart hammered against my ribs as the knocking grew more insistent."Just a moment!" I called out as I scrambled to stall for time.My hands trembled as I shoved the glass vial of poison back into the secret compartment and slammed the lid of the box shut. I slid the box deep under the vanity table, then I sucked in a deep breath and forced my facial muscles into a smile.I walked over and pulled the door open. Kairos stood in the doorway, looking as pristine as always."Good morning, Alpha Kairos," I greeted him with a respectful bow.He didn't say a word and I looked up to see him staring at me in a way that made my skin prickle. The silence stretched between us, growing thicker and more awkward by the second."Kairos?" I prompted, tilting my head. "Is everything alright?"He finally blinked, breaking the silent stare. "Our coronation is scheduled for two days from now," he said. "It will be a small affair. Only high council members and pack leaders will attend."I
Audrey’s POV The next morning, I woke up very early to see off my fake parents. They were leaving together and for some reason, it made me feel heavy and worried. To make things worse, I still couldn’t make sense of Kairos’ behavior last night. He was the one who wanted to spend the night with me but he walked out after accusing me of trying to poison him?If anything, I should be the one upset in this scenario but I wasn’t. My maids and I were in the front entrance of the palace, their luxury car was waiting behind them. Lillian had pulled me into a tight embrace, crying as she patted my back. “I’m going to miss you, my darling Leslie.”“Me too, mom.” I said, returning her embrace. Roman Ashton took my free hand and squeezed, giving me a reassuring look. The affection they showered on me felt very awkward, but I forced myself to play along, leaning into the warmth.Lillian pulled back, her eyes were rimmed red yet she had a smile on her face. She pressed a small metallic box i







