Masuk“I think I’ve heard enough.” But Garrick didn’t stop. “When you turned eighteen… and you were still wolfless,” he said, the confession weighing in his voice, “I’ll admit… I used that.” He dragged a hand over his face. “For my own benefit. And for yours.” He shifted slightly, like the words them
Her gaze flicked back to him. “Couldn’t use all that money of yours to get something a little more… upscale?” Garrick let out a faint breath, his attention following hers as he looked around the cell. “My family cut me off,” he said. “Completely.” His jaw tightened slightly. “They’re my only ti
The cell held the kind of darkness that never fully lifted, even when the lights came on. It smelled old—damp stone, rust, something faintly sour like mildew that had settled deep into the walls over time. The air felt stale, unmoving, as if it had been trapped there too long. Somewhere beyond the
Her grip tightened slightly. “And that was before you came to me in my dream.” Tessa’s eyes searched hers, steady, certain. “Kae… believe it or not, I always knew you were… different.” A faint smile touched her lips. “I mean, I didn’t think supernatural different—but this?” she huffed a quiet b
“After a while, they just… closed it down.” She let the silence sit for a second before finishing. “I tried to get a loan to save it,” she added, quieter now. “But I was denied… didn’t make enough.” A small, apologetic breath. Her eyes softened, guilt threading through her voice. “I’m sorry.”
Kaelani reappeared in the entryway of her home. It was night. Quiet. Still. But the darkness didn’t feel unfamiliar anymore. It didn’t press in. Didn’t suffocate. It settled around her—familiar, almost comforting. The shadows seemed to embrace her, welcoming her back as if she had never left—
Night had swallowed the desert, but the heat hadn’t loosened its grip. It clung to Julian’s skin like a second hide—heavy, suffocating. Every breath scraped his throat raw, lungs burning as if they’d forgotten how to draw air properly. His tongue felt swollen, useless. Dry enough that swallowing hu
And then—snap. Her canines extended. Her body jerked forward. Before she could stop it, her wolf took over—and she bit. Hard. Draevyn recoiled, pulling back with a sharp inhale, his hand catching the edge of his bottom lip where blood now trickled freely. Kaelani froze. Mortified. “I’m—oh my
The question alone unraveled something in her. Pulled at strings she wasn’t ready to tug loose. Because the truth was murky. Heavy. Entangled with longing and betrayal, memory and hope. Did she love Julian? Or had the bond just convinced her that she should? Before she could even begin to untangl
Julian flinched like she’d struck him. His breath hitched as he loosened more buttons from his shirt, revealing the sharp lines of his collarbone, the gleam of sweat now soaking through the fabric. “You’re right, baby,” he managed hoarsely, licking his lips. “You’re so fucking right. You deserve—”







