Kaine’s pov.I lay in bed watching her stomp to the bathroom. Not long after, she stomped out again, already dressed in her nightwear. Without sparing me a single glance, she yanked the door open and stormed out of my office as if she couldn’t get away from me fast enough.I smirked, but it didn’t reach my eyes. Her defiance was amusing, yet something about the way she left—so determined to put distance between us, it grated on my nerves. She thought this was over. She thought she could walk away without looking back. She was wrong.I ran a hand over my face before pulling the sheet over my waist, knowing Oscar could barge in at any moment. Then again, considering how loud we’d been, he had enough common sense not to disturb me just yet.I exhaled, rolling onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. That was the best sex I’d had in a long time, but wasn’t ready to admit it, not even to myself, but something about Celine made my blood burn hotter, made me lose control in a way I never had
Celine’s pov.I woke up the next morning, my entire body sore, especially my waist. The dull ache was a cruel reminder of the night before, and the memories it carried were ones I wasn’t exactly proud of. I groaned, pressing my hand against my forehead as if I could somehow erase it all.Kaine…Even thinking his name sent a chill down my spine. It was as cold as his exterior, as distant as the way he had treated me after it was over. As if it hadn’t meant anything. And maybe it hadn’t. But it had felt real in the moment.I sighed heavily, pushing away the thought. It was done. There was no reason to dwell on it. If he could act like it was nothing, then so could I.The large wall clock in the room caught my attention, its ticking suddenly too loud in the silence. I needed to get out of here. To see Lucien. To demand answers. Was I even allowed to leave? That thought made my stomach turn. I wasn’t a prisoner, was I?A surge of determination ran through me as I got out of bed and dresse
Celine’s pov.“I know what that little secret of yours is,” I said, my voice unwavering despite the fury boiling inside me.Lucien stood a few feet away from me, his sharp gaze narrowing. There was panic in his eyes, maybe—but it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by his usual cold indifference.“You’re a traitor to your own pack,” I continued, taking a slow step forward, daring him to deny it. “Not just that, you had someone killed and then covered it up. You think I don’t know? I know everything, Lucien. And I swear, I will expose you. To the pack. To the council. To your father!”That got his attention.The air between us grew tense, thick with warning. Lucien’s jaw clenched as he took a step toward me, his aura shifting from irritation to something much more dangerous.“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice low and almost condescending, but I saw it—the slight twitch in his fingers, the way his nostrils flared. I had struck a nerve.“Oh, but I do,” I
Celine’s pov.I watched him walk out of the study, not even turning back to look at me. The heavy sound of the door slamming shut sent a tremor through me. I flinched, my breath rising in my throat as the room was swallowed by silence.It was only then—only after the rage in me had settled and the bruises started to throb, that the weight of what I had done finally sank in. I’d made a mistake. A terrible, irreversible mistake.The pain in my ribs was sharp, stabbing with every shallow breath I took. I didn’t need a doctor to tell me that something had cracked, maybe even broken. My arms were wrenched behind me, wrists bound so tightly that the rope bit into my skin. I could feel my pulse hammering against the it, my circulation already suffering from how harshly I had been tied. And my mouth—taped shut, it kept me from screaming for help, even if someone had been around to hear me. Which they weren’t. Lucien made sure of that.A sickening realization settled in my stomach…he might act
Kaine’s pov.I needed this. Needed to forget. Forget her. Forget the way she looked at me—eyes full of suspicion and vulnerability, like she knew something I didn’t. Forget how her body felt against mine, her soft curves, the way she seemed to fit perfectly in my hands. I didn’t need to think about her. I didn’t.The woman beneath me was eager, grinding against me with a soft moan as I pushed her hips into the mattress, but all I could feel was the heat in my chest, the dull ache of longing. Her lips, her breath, everything was a dull echo. I clenched my jaw and tightened my grip on her waist, desperate to keep my mind from wandering.She whimpered as I moved harder, faster. The rush of her body beneath mine was supposed to make me forget, supposed to drown out the voice in the back of my head that kept whispering Celine’s name. But it didn’t. It only made it worse.I thrust into her, every movement mechanical, driven by some dark, primal need to expel this fucking frustration. She wa
Celine’s pov.Three days.I had spent three entire days in the study, bound to a chair, my ribs cracked and screaming in pain with every shallow breath. No food, no water, no sign of Lucien, just silence and suffering.At first, I thought Lucien had forgotten about me. That he had locked me away in here to rot, a slow punishment for daring to challenge him. But then, the door had finally creaked open. The moment the maids entered, I knew something was wrong.They carried fresh clothes, soft fabrics far too elegant for a prisoner. They brought warm water to clean my face, wiped away the dried blood caked on my lips, and applied makeup to conceal the bruises. They even brushed my hair, taming the tangled mess it had become.Lucien wanted me to look good. But for what? Or for who?My ribs protested as they pulled me to my feet. Every movement sent sharp pain through my body, but I clenched my jaw and endured it. The maids were silent, their faces carefully blank as they dressed me. I tri
Celine’s pov.ripple of murmurs spread through the council, eyes narrowing with disapproval. I felt my breath hitch, my hands clenching into fists.“This is ridiculous!” I burst out, my voice shaking. “I never wrote that letter. This is a setup!”One of the elders looked at me sharply. “Are you calling your husband a liar?”I turned to Lucien. His expression was carefully blank, but his eyes… there was amusement there, hidden beneath a mask of disappointment. He was enjoying this.I swallowed hard. “I am saying that I am being framed.”Lucien sighed as if my words pained him. “Celine, lying won’t help you. The truth is right here in this letter. You committed adultery.”A fresh wave of murmurs swept through the gathered audience.“Who is he?” One of the elders demanded.My blood turned cold. Lucien’s lips curled ever so slightly. “A rogue from outside our borders. She has been meeting him in secret.”A rogue? So, he really had no idea about Kaine. He wasn’t punishing me for what truly
Celine’s pov.I winced as Kaine dragged me out of there, his grip firm but not painful. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions, confusion, fear, and frustration all tangled together. What the hell did he just do? He had just burned every bridge I had left, ensuring that I could never return to Emerald Forest. He had branded me a traitor.I suddenly yanked my hand from his grasp. The abruptness of it made him stop mid-step, his towering figure turning back to face me.His dark eyes narrowed. “What do you think you’re doing?”I sniffed, barely holding back the lump in my throat. “What did you do that for?” My voice cracked, and I hated how weak I sounded. “Did I tell you I needed your help?”Kaine let out a scoff, his head tilting slightly as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What—”I didn’t let him finish. “Why?” I snapped, my voice shaking as hot tears pricked at my eyes. “Why did you save me? You said you were done with me! You said you got what you wanted! Then why? Why did
Celine’s pov.The next morning, sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, bathing the room in a soft golden glow.I stirred beneath the covers, momentarily disoriented. For a split second, I reached out instinctively to the other side of the bed, searching for warmth. But it was empty. Kaine was already gone.I sat up slowly, running a hand through my tangled hair. My body ached deliciously from the night before; sex had become an everyday thing for us. but a deeper ache pulsed in my chest—an ache that had nothing to do with touch and everything to do with the way he had clung to me, spoken to me, stayed with me through the night.I pulled on a simple white robe and padded barefoot downstairs. The house was still quiet, but this time, the scent of fresh coffee and bread lingered in the air. Somewhere beyond the kitchen, I heard movement—maids, maybe, bustling quietly, cleaning and resetting the world Kaine and I had unraveled in the night before.I paused by the window, watching t
Celine’s pov. The walk back to the villa was longer than usual. Not in distance—but in weight.The words Matthias had thrown at me echoed louder with every step. I told myself I didn’t care. That I’d heard worse. That nothing could rattle me after everything I’d done to hold Bloodfang together. But somehow, his voice still lingered.“You don’t ask for loyalty. You demand it.”The wind bit at my jaw as I turned the final corner leading to the private gates. The guards stood straight, stiff as statues as I passed. They didn’t dare speak—not to me. Not now.I slammed the villa door shut behind me and leaned against it for a breath. The house was silent again, spotless, polished. Whatever traces of last night were left had been wiped clean by the staff. As if it never happened.Except… I could still smell her. Still feel her. Her laughter. Her voice gasping my name. The way her body had curled into mine after.I looked up toward the stairs, toward where I’d left her this morning. I shoul
Celine’s pov. One of the women paused to collect a tray near the entryway, and I instinctively stepped back, half-hiding behind one of the stone columns that lined the corridor. She glanced in my direction briefly, her face carefully neutral, but I saw the flicker in her eyes.Recognition. My heart sank.I took a shaky breath and finally forced myself to keep moving. I needed answers. Or at the very least, I needed to find Kaine and yell at him for not warning me about the twenty people apparently living inside this house.The kitchen was empty, save for the smell of fresh coffee and something baking. Kaine was nowhere in sight. Neither was Matthias or anyone else familiar.Where the hell did he go? And why didn’t he tell me this place wasn’t as private as he made it seem?I leaned against the counter, chewing my lip, trying to ignore the echo of last night still rippling through my bones. The way he held me. The way his voice broke when I called his name. The way he kissed me after
Celine’s pov.He cleaned me gently, his brow furrowed like he was concentrating on something fragile. His fingertips grazed my skin like he was afraid of hurting me now, as if his roughness from earlier had been stored away, tucked into the shadows.When he was done, he reached for the water, lifting it to my lips. “Drink.”I didn’t argue. My throat was dry, and I needed something to ground me. I drank slowly, his hand steady at the back of my neck. When I was finished, he set the glass aside and slid into the bed beside me, pulling me into his chest with no hesitation.Just… holding me.I rested my head against his bare chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. His fingers traced slow circles over my back, and the warmth of his body bled into mine until I stopped shaking. Until I felt safe.“Kaine…” I whispered.He didn’t answer at first. His hand came to rest at the back of my head, holding me there, like he needed me close just as much as I needed him.“I’m here,” he said f
Celine’s pov. The words wrecked me.He leaned back just enough to pull the shirt over my head, eyes darkening as he took in the sight of me. His hands followed his gaze, gliding over my chest, fingers teasing the edge of my bra before tugging the straps down. I arched up toward him, unable to help it.“Tell me you want this,” he said, voice suddenly low, tight, like he was holding himself back with every ounce of strength he had.“I do,” I breathed, and it wasn’t just lust behind the words. It was surrender. Full, raw, terrifying surrender.And that was all it took. The tension between us shattered.Kaine kissed me again, but this time there was no restraint. His mouth was hot and hungry, his hands everywhere—cupping, gripping, dragging me deeper into the moment. His shirt came off in seconds, and the feel of his bare skin against mine made me gasp into his mouth.He moved down, mouth trailing over my collarbone, down my chest, teeth grazing just enough to make me writhe. My fingers
Celine’s pov. He set the glass down on the small table beside the hearth with a soft clink. Then, slowly, deliberately, he reached for my waist and pulled me to him—not roughly, not like the wild, volatile Kaine I’d grown used to, but with a kind of reverence that unnerved me more than any snarl ever could.I didn’t resist.My body betrayed me the moment his fingers touched the small of my back. The air left my lungs in a shaky exhale, and I tilted my head back just slightly, instinctively, like my body knew what was coming.“I want you to stop pretending,” he murmured, voice low, rich, and fraying at the edges. “Like you don’t lie awake thinking about the way I touch you. Like your body doesn’t burn when I’m near.”His thumb brushed the skin just beneath the hem of my shirt. Barely there. But it was enough to make my knees soften.“I don’t—” I started, but the words were weak. Hollow.“Liar,” he whispered, and his mouth descended on mine.It wasn’t gentle.It wasn’t asking.It was c
Celine’s pov. The words seemed magic in their simplicity and weight. What would life be like once I stepped over the threshold of that luxurious villa? Would I still feel like an outsider, or would I find my place beside him? Shaking my head to dispel the lingering thoughts, I started moving around the room. I stuffed clothes into a suitcase, my mind racing as I tried to make sense of my emotions. Why did this matter to me so much? Perhaps it was the possibility that I could find solace more than anything else. I had a chance to carve out my own space, to navigate this world with Kaine as my unlikely companion. The thought filled me with both dread and excitement, a dangerous cocktail that burned in my chest. It wouldn’t be easy, but what in life ever was? I owed it to myself to find out what lay on the other side of that door—what could be formed if I let my walls come down, at least for a moment. After what felt like eternity, I zipped up the suitcase decisively, determination w
Celine’s pov. I lay on the bed, the fabric cool and smooth against my skin, but it did little to soothe the storm brewing in my heart. What an eventful evening it had been. Did Kaine really get mad because Tess called me a maid? A part of me wanted to laugh, but the other was too caught up in the whirlwind of confusion that surrounded my emotions. My mind raced. What exactly was happening to me? I had sworn I hated Kaine, ever since the fateful moment he traded me for a secret, ripping away any semblance of control I had over my own life. He had taken me hostage, thrown me into a world I never wished to be a part of, with the weight of his title hanging over me like a dark cloud. Every encounter with him felt like a battle between my instincts and my desires. But now? Now, perhaps somewhere deep inside, that venomous hatred began to fade, blurring into something alarmingly akin to yearning. I hated the realization, hated the way it twisted my stomach into knots. Was I really starti
Kaine’s pov. I studied her, searching for any sign of the girl I once knew. All I saw was someone fighting to hold onto a memory that was better left in the past. “I have let go, Tess! You’re the one clinging on. You’re not a victim here.” My words were harsh, but I felt them deep inside as though they were laced with the truth.The confusion and pain on her face melted my resolve, but I couldn’t back down. I wouldn’t. “You need to accept it. I’m not your Kaine anymore. You need to stop trying to make me feel guilty for moving on.”“Stop!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the air. “You really don’t think I wanted this to happen? That I would throw everything away for some silly rivalry?” Her eyes burned with frustration, and I felt an ache of regret crawling up my spine. “This isn’t just about us. This is about the future, about making decisions that matter.”“What future?” she snapped. “Your future without me?”“I’m trying to have a future without the ghost of what we used to