Serena.His mouth is hot against mine, demanding and unapologetic. There’s no hesitation in Tristan, no gentle testing like Thorne. This is wild, possessive hunger.My back hits the mattress and he’s there, his weight, his heat, the unmistakable presence of the mate bond flaring so bright I feel scorched.His hands slide under my shirt, callused fingertips ghosting over my skin. I arch into the touch, my breath seizing, my thoughts scattering. With Thorne, it was soft and sweet and patient. This is something else entirely.My shirt is gone before I realize it, his mouth trailing heat down my collarbone, nipping, tasting, branding. I gasp his name.“Say it again,” he growls, voice rough against my skin.“Tristan…”He shudders. “You have no idea what you do to me.”And I want to say I think I do, but his hands are everywhere and my body is moving before my mind can keep up. His kisses leave trails of fire, and when our hips meet, clothes forgotten somewhere on the floor, I swear I see
Serena.For one perfect, trembling second, the world holds its breath. Gasps, whispers and cries of disbelief rise from every corner as the circle shatters into noise.My breath stops. My chest tightens. I don’t know if it’s fear or fury clawing up my throat.“I carry the Alpha Prince’s heir,” the girl says again, bolder now, chin lifted like a dagger. Her voice rings out, steady, so confident that it is hard not to focus on her .I don’t recognize her, but she’s as young as I am, perhaps the same age, maybe even younger as moonlight catching the defiance in her eyes.As she repeats this, every eye turns to him. Tristan.He doesn’t move or even blink. He just stands there, shrouded in ceremonial black, silver trim glinting like a crown of thorns. His jaw ticks once. That’s it. No outburst. No denial.Nothing.The silence is worse than a yes.“Is this true?” the High Priestess finally asks, her voice heavy with ancient authority.Still, he says nothing. Just a slow exhale through his
Thorne.The thread split. I saw it happen, not imagined, not some fever-dream hope, like the one I've been holding onto too tightly lately. It stretched from Serena’s chest, flickering like a frightened star. One line pulled toward Tristan, desperate, familiar. The other... faltered, wavered, and then turned, toward me.It hit me like a punch to the ribs. I felt it. The bond. Not theory. Not fantasy. A real bond, and mine. But not only mine.Because fate, it seems, is a cruel thing, and Serena Nikolai and I are its favorite fates to ruin.She didn’t look at me right away. Her gaze was fixed on the flickering strands, on the confusion. On him. Always him.Across the circle, Tristan looked like a man standing in the wreckage of his own lies, he still had his stupid confident facade, yes, but cracking. His shoulders tight. His mouth a grim line. The medallion at his feet like a dropped crown, proof of betrayal no one could ignore anymore.But still, even in this chaos, the gods saw fit
Serena.Darkness. But not the kind that scares children. This was weightless, endless silence. A void where even pain didn’t reach.Until it did. My ribs ache first, then my temples. Then a thousand invisible strings tug at the corners of my soul, like they are trying to sew me back together after something had torn me in half.My eyes blink open to soft, flickering candlelight and a face I don’t expect.Alessia.She’s sitting near the edge of the room, her hands folded in her lap. She doesn't speak. Neither do I.Because the question hanging in the air is louder than anything she could say: Who did you choose?I wish I knew.I sit up slowly, realising I'm now alone and seeing Alessia was a figment of my imagination, no Priestess, no Tristan and no Thorne. I touch my chest, but I don't feel any threads, there's no warmth. Just my skin and heartbeat. Was the bond broken completely? Did I choose no one?Or worse… was I never truly meant for either of them?I hear footsteps. “Serena?
Serena.The silence after his words was the kind that crushed mountains.I watch Alessia crumble. Her face, once smug and glittering, is twisted into a mask of panic. She stumbles back from the Queen’s arms, her mouth flapping, trying to find some anchor in a room where none existed anymore.“No, he’s lying!” Alessia cries. “He just... he just wants to ruin me”“Enough,” the Queen snapped, voice sharp enough to flay skin.Tristan’s face is as hard as stone, carved from the same cruelty he used to reserve for enemies of the crown. “Bring the Seer,” he orders.Minutes pass like lifetimes. When the Seer arrives, cloaked in deep blue, the truth peels from Alessia like a second skin.She confesses that it has been all lies, manipulation and ambition. When she discovered that she was pregnant, she had to think of a way to secure the future of herself and that of her child.It is true that she had been intimate with Tristan, but it had been a long time again and Tristan had rejected her as a
Serena.The world tilts. For a moment, I can’t breathe.Thorne’s words slice through the night like a blade, severing the fragile thread of hope Tristan had dangled before me.Tristan rises to his feet, face a mask of fury. “You’re lying,” he growls.Thorne just laughs, slow and cruel. “Am I?” He circles closer, predatory. “Go ahead. Ask him. Ask your precious Alpha Prince Tristan how he spent the night you almost died.”I don't want to. I don’t want to ask, because deep down, I already know.My throat tightens painfully. Still, I force the words out. "Tristan. Tell me he’s lying."The fire crackles between us, painting his face in harsh shadows.He says nothing, nothing at all. The silence is louder than any confession.Something inside me, something already frayed and fragile, finally snaps. I do not scream or sob. I just let the silence, colder than any winter surface between us.I take a step back. Then another. Tristan moves toward me, hand outstretched, desperation flashing
Serena. The hood falls back, and my breath seizes. “Sylvaine?”She smirks. “Really, Rena, you looked like you were about to faint. I’m not that scary.”I don’t know whether to slap her or hug her. Relief bubbles up, unexpected and warm.“You…….” I shake my head, still catching up. “Why the cloak? Why all the drama?”She lifts a brow. “You think I’d risk sneaking out in full princess regalia? Honestly.”Then she grabs my hand. “Come on. I have a little... mischief planned.”“Should I be worried?” I ask as she tugs me along.“Probably,” she says brightly.We creep past the outer gardens, tiptoe behind the east wall, and slip by two guards who are far too busy arguing over whether the moon looks better from the east tower or the west.Sylvaine rolls her eyes. “Muscle, no brains.”At the stables, she snatches two worn travel cloaks from a hook, tossing one at me. “For blending in,” she whispers. “And because you look like heartbreak personified.”I shove her lightly. “Gee, thanks.”We du
Serena.Sylvaine disappears into the manor before I can ask questions. That night, I barely sleep. My dreams are filled with red cloaks, flickering torches, and the hollow echo of a chant that won't leave my head.The next day, I return to the hidden library as soon as I find the chance. This time however, I make sure I’m not followed. The passage is exactly as I met it before. The door groans open, and the familiar scent of dust and old parchment wraps around me like a welcome.I go back to the book I was reading the day Thorne and General Vasquez barged in. The one with the gilded spine and wolf’s eye seal.The letters are still tucked inside, the edges are crinkled from age. My father’s handwriting, bold and precise, spills out in passionate pleas to Henry Sinclair. I hadn't seen this particular letter. It is hidden so well that it blends with the pages of the book.> “You know this wolf cannot be allowed to open the gate, Henry. There are forces beyond even our understanding. I d
Serena.Athea’s hood falls back, and for a moment, no one breathes. Her white hair glows like snow in torchlight, her green eyes that look too much like mine seem calm, drawing whoever cares to gaze at them in.Thorne’s sword doesn’t lower. “Athea?” She stands her ground, voice steady. ““Your father made enemies on both sides of the Gate, Serena. You’re just starting to see the truth.”.”I stare at her, heart pounding. “What are you talking about?”Athea doesn’t look at me. Her gaze is fixed on Thorne. “I’ve been working undercover. With Alpha Prince Tristan.”“Tristan?” I echo. “He sent you?”Thorne’s jaw clenches. “You’re a spy?”“A scout,” she counters coolly. “A volunteer. The prince received whispers months ago, rumors about a cult rooted in Raelor’s old worship. When I joined the manor's slaves, he recognized the symbol, just like this one etched in my amulet. It matched one carved on the wall of a ruined stronghold in the mountains. I knew the whispers were true and wanted answ
Serena.Sylvaine disappears into the manor before I can ask questions. That night, I barely sleep. My dreams are filled with red cloaks, flickering torches, and the hollow echo of a chant that won't leave my head.The next day, I return to the hidden library as soon as I find the chance. This time however, I make sure I’m not followed. The passage is exactly as I met it before. The door groans open, and the familiar scent of dust and old parchment wraps around me like a welcome.I go back to the book I was reading the day Thorne and General Vasquez barged in. The one with the gilded spine and wolf’s eye seal.The letters are still tucked inside, the edges are crinkled from age. My father’s handwriting, bold and precise, spills out in passionate pleas to Henry Sinclair. I hadn't seen this particular letter. It is hidden so well that it blends with the pages of the book.> “You know this wolf cannot be allowed to open the gate, Henry. There are forces beyond even our understanding. I d
Serena. The hood falls back, and my breath seizes. “Sylvaine?”She smirks. “Really, Rena, you looked like you were about to faint. I’m not that scary.”I don’t know whether to slap her or hug her. Relief bubbles up, unexpected and warm.“You…….” I shake my head, still catching up. “Why the cloak? Why all the drama?”She lifts a brow. “You think I’d risk sneaking out in full princess regalia? Honestly.”Then she grabs my hand. “Come on. I have a little... mischief planned.”“Should I be worried?” I ask as she tugs me along.“Probably,” she says brightly.We creep past the outer gardens, tiptoe behind the east wall, and slip by two guards who are far too busy arguing over whether the moon looks better from the east tower or the west.Sylvaine rolls her eyes. “Muscle, no brains.”At the stables, she snatches two worn travel cloaks from a hook, tossing one at me. “For blending in,” she whispers. “And because you look like heartbreak personified.”I shove her lightly. “Gee, thanks.”We du
Serena.The world tilts. For a moment, I can’t breathe.Thorne’s words slice through the night like a blade, severing the fragile thread of hope Tristan had dangled before me.Tristan rises to his feet, face a mask of fury. “You’re lying,” he growls.Thorne just laughs, slow and cruel. “Am I?” He circles closer, predatory. “Go ahead. Ask him. Ask your precious Alpha Prince Tristan how he spent the night you almost died.”I don't want to. I don’t want to ask, because deep down, I already know.My throat tightens painfully. Still, I force the words out. "Tristan. Tell me he’s lying."The fire crackles between us, painting his face in harsh shadows.He says nothing, nothing at all. The silence is louder than any confession.Something inside me, something already frayed and fragile, finally snaps. I do not scream or sob. I just let the silence, colder than any winter surface between us.I take a step back. Then another. Tristan moves toward me, hand outstretched, desperation flashing
Serena.The silence after his words was the kind that crushed mountains.I watch Alessia crumble. Her face, once smug and glittering, is twisted into a mask of panic. She stumbles back from the Queen’s arms, her mouth flapping, trying to find some anchor in a room where none existed anymore.“No, he’s lying!” Alessia cries. “He just... he just wants to ruin me”“Enough,” the Queen snapped, voice sharp enough to flay skin.Tristan’s face is as hard as stone, carved from the same cruelty he used to reserve for enemies of the crown. “Bring the Seer,” he orders.Minutes pass like lifetimes. When the Seer arrives, cloaked in deep blue, the truth peels from Alessia like a second skin.She confesses that it has been all lies, manipulation and ambition. When she discovered that she was pregnant, she had to think of a way to secure the future of herself and that of her child.It is true that she had been intimate with Tristan, but it had been a long time again and Tristan had rejected her as a
Serena.Darkness. But not the kind that scares children. This was weightless, endless silence. A void where even pain didn’t reach.Until it did. My ribs ache first, then my temples. Then a thousand invisible strings tug at the corners of my soul, like they are trying to sew me back together after something had torn me in half.My eyes blink open to soft, flickering candlelight and a face I don’t expect.Alessia.She’s sitting near the edge of the room, her hands folded in her lap. She doesn't speak. Neither do I.Because the question hanging in the air is louder than anything she could say: Who did you choose?I wish I knew.I sit up slowly, realising I'm now alone and seeing Alessia was a figment of my imagination, no Priestess, no Tristan and no Thorne. I touch my chest, but I don't feel any threads, there's no warmth. Just my skin and heartbeat. Was the bond broken completely? Did I choose no one?Or worse… was I never truly meant for either of them?I hear footsteps. “Serena?
Thorne.The thread split. I saw it happen, not imagined, not some fever-dream hope, like the one I've been holding onto too tightly lately. It stretched from Serena’s chest, flickering like a frightened star. One line pulled toward Tristan, desperate, familiar. The other... faltered, wavered, and then turned, toward me.It hit me like a punch to the ribs. I felt it. The bond. Not theory. Not fantasy. A real bond, and mine. But not only mine.Because fate, it seems, is a cruel thing, and Serena Nikolai and I are its favorite fates to ruin.She didn’t look at me right away. Her gaze was fixed on the flickering strands, on the confusion. On him. Always him.Across the circle, Tristan looked like a man standing in the wreckage of his own lies, he still had his stupid confident facade, yes, but cracking. His shoulders tight. His mouth a grim line. The medallion at his feet like a dropped crown, proof of betrayal no one could ignore anymore.But still, even in this chaos, the gods saw fit
Serena.For one perfect, trembling second, the world holds its breath. Gasps, whispers and cries of disbelief rise from every corner as the circle shatters into noise.My breath stops. My chest tightens. I don’t know if it’s fear or fury clawing up my throat.“I carry the Alpha Prince’s heir,” the girl says again, bolder now, chin lifted like a dagger. Her voice rings out, steady, so confident that it is hard not to focus on her .I don’t recognize her, but she’s as young as I am, perhaps the same age, maybe even younger as moonlight catching the defiance in her eyes.As she repeats this, every eye turns to him. Tristan.He doesn’t move or even blink. He just stands there, shrouded in ceremonial black, silver trim glinting like a crown of thorns. His jaw ticks once. That’s it. No outburst. No denial.Nothing.The silence is worse than a yes.“Is this true?” the High Priestess finally asks, her voice heavy with ancient authority.Still, he says nothing. Just a slow exhale through his
Serena.His mouth is hot against mine, demanding and unapologetic. There’s no hesitation in Tristan, no gentle testing like Thorne. This is wild, possessive hunger.My back hits the mattress and he’s there, his weight, his heat, the unmistakable presence of the mate bond flaring so bright I feel scorched.His hands slide under my shirt, callused fingertips ghosting over my skin. I arch into the touch, my breath seizing, my thoughts scattering. With Thorne, it was soft and sweet and patient. This is something else entirely.My shirt is gone before I realize it, his mouth trailing heat down my collarbone, nipping, tasting, branding. I gasp his name.“Say it again,” he growls, voice rough against my skin.“Tristan…”He shudders. “You have no idea what you do to me.”And I want to say I think I do, but his hands are everywhere and my body is moving before my mind can keep up. His kisses leave trails of fire, and when our hips meet, clothes forgotten somewhere on the floor, I swear I see