تسجيل الدخولRowan pov
The glass of the third-floor window didn’t shatter with some grand, cinematic roar, but the old wood casing split right down the center when Romy dropped through it. Her left boot caught the edge of the low frame, throwing her balance off just enough that she had to plant her palm hard against the carpet to keep from sliding face-first into the washstand.
Vance spun around from the sideboard, his wool sleeve catching a small glass jar of tooth-powder and sending
Romy povBy midday, the bedroom was filled with the rustle of clothing and the murmurs of the three seamstresses. I stood on a low stool before the mirror, the heavy silk of a dark gown pinning my shoulders back. The head designer knelt at my feet, her fingers working silver pins into the hem while the others adjusted the tight bodice, constricting my ribs until every breath was an effort.A short knock sounded on the door frame before Rowan walked in, his black utility vest unbuckled over his shirt, his boots heavy against the floorboards. He stopped near the washbasin, his eyes locking onto the exposed line of my neck and the way the dark silk hugged my waist. He didn't say a word, but the sudden, heavy rise and fall of his chest told me everything I needed to know. He was staring, his dark eyes tracking the silver embroidery down to my hips with a raw, predatory hunger that made my skin tingle."Out," I told the seamstresses, my voice flat, low. "All of you. Leave the pins."They
Romy povThe morning sun hit the cedar tray the kitchen detail had left by the door, the sharp aroma of dark roast coffee and toasted grain instantly filling the small dining alcove. I didn't bother waiting for plates, dragging the heavy wood tray onto the small oak dining table near the balcony doors. The spread was massive: bowls of spiced tigernut porridge sweetened with wild honey, thick slices of rye toast loaded with smoked salmon, capers, and dill, and a plate of grilled venison sausages still sizzling from the hearth.I tore off a piece of the rye bread, dipping it straight into a small bowl of melted butter while Rowan pulled out the heavy timber chair opposite me."I love that you have such a healthy appetite, little raven," he muttered, his thumb reaching out to catch a smear of honey from the corner of my mouth before I could wipe it away. He didn't drop his hand, his thumb lingered, pressure building against my lower lip until I bit down softly on the pad of his skin. H
Rowan povThe first gray light of morning cut through the lead frames of the window, hitting the edge of the mattress where the heavy wool blankets had tangled around our ankles.My left arm was completely numb from where Romy had spent the night sleeping against my chest, her red hair spread over the canvas ticking of the pillow. Her nose was tucked into the hollow of my throat, her breathing warm and slightly uneven against my skin.I shifted my hip to free my legs, my knee catching the edge of the sheet and dragging it down to the floorboards with a soft rustle.Romy stirred instantly, her eyelids fluttering open to show the dark hazel underneath before she reached out to catch my wrist. Her fingers were warm, her grip clumsy from sleep as she missed my sleeve twice and grabbed the bare skin of my forearm instead."Rowan," she muttered, her voice sounding thick and gravelly from the hours of quiet. She pulled
Rowan povMy mouth came down on hers before she could finish the last word, the impact hard enough that her teeth clicked against mine. It wasn't the clean, careful kiss of a soldier; my nose bumped hers as I tasted the salt on her lips and the heat inside her mouth.She opened for me instantly, her tongue meeting mine with a fierce, desperate hunger that deleted every wall we had spent the winter building between us.I slid my hands down to the back of her thighs, lifting her completely off the floorboards until her boots cleared the dropped leather vest.Romy wrapped her legs around my waist, her fingers burying deep into the hair at the back of my neck as I carried her backward toward the leather lounge chair by the hearth.We hit the deep cushions together, my elbow knocking a small wooden footstool over with a loud bang that we both ignored. She was under me, her hands tearing at the metal buttons of my ve
Rowan povThe key scraped inside the bedroom lock before turning with a heavy click.I kept my hand on the door for a moment, listening as Aaron’s footsteps faded down the staircase toward the lower offices. The keep had gone quiet again. Only the low hum of the ventilation system travelled through the floor, steady beneath the faint rattle of the windows.Outside, the snow had started falling harder.I removed my coat and dropped it across the foot of the bed. The thick wool struck the wooden frame with a dull sound, but Romy did not turn around.She stood several feet away, struggling with the buckles of her utility vest.Her fingers slipped over the top clasp once, then again. The metal clicked uselessly beneath her hands until she finally released a frustrated breath and pulled the vest over her head instead. It fell beside her boots, one of the silver loops striking the floor.The raven mask slipped from the pocket and roll
Aaron povI looked away from her and back at the monitor. Silas’s name filled several lines on the banking trust–My father. The word no longer made any sense in my head, not after the files, not after the bodies near the southern road, not after I saw Caleb’s signature under a Hunter weapons transfer and understood how long they had expected me to look the other way.Rowan’s voice stayed even. “We finish the operation first.” Romy held his gaze for a long moment, her jaw still set and her grip on the knife tight. Then, slowly, her fingers loosened around the handle. Not agreement–just enough and Rowan didn’t push it further.I reached toward the monitor as the fan beneath it gave a sharp squeal, the metal frame starting to vibrate against the table. “Caleb keeps two personal guards inside the station house. Both carry encrypted radios linked directly to Silas’s office at the bank. The moment the tower goes dark, they call him.”“Let them,” Rowan replied, his thumb moving over the sc
Romy pov1:30 AM.My subdued, sullen bridesmaid persona was dead and buried. In its place was Viper and Romy, the girl whose sister was killed by a beast.I stood on the ledge of the adjacent skyscraper, the freezing Buston wind whipping around my dark, skin-tight tactical gear. My face was conceal
Romy pov“Did… did she just reject him?”“Did she reject Alpha Rowan?”“Is she crazy?”“Wait… she’s the Alpha’s mate?”The frantic, horrified whispers of the crowd swept through the grand reception hall like wildfire.Hundreds of pairs of eyes darted between me and the towering Beast of Flames stan
Rowan, 31 "Today is his son's wedding, Alpha. Can we just give him the decency of enjoying a father-of-the-groom day before taking him in for questioning?"Aaron, my Beta and second-in-command, matched my long strides as we turned out of the elevator. I barely paid heed to his words."I don't have
Romy, 23. Present Day. “That dress,” Camellia noted, her polished finger pointing directly at my neck as I turned slightly in the full-length mirror. “It doesn't cover the tattoo.” I kept my eyes on the raven tattoo climbing the side of my neck. It was for Alina, the only person who had ever call







