Mag-log inFor a beat, no one spoke. Then, he lowered Kaelani gently until her feet touched the ground, but he didn’t let go—his fingers slipping into hers, holding on like it was the most natural thing in the world. Kaelani’s gaze dropped to their hands. The contact stilled something inside her. No one ha
“You do.” He let his gaze drop—just for a second—to the space between them, the inches that still separated them. Then back to her. “But I meant it when I said I’d never leave you again… that was real.” A brief pause—not for effect, but because he meant it. “Not when it’s hard. Not when it’s me
Kaelani’s smile hit him harder than anything else had. For the first time, it was meant for him. Julian stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him and shutting out everything beyond it—the chaos, the noise, all of it. In here— was his peace. His heart. His whole world. He move
The room. The light. The faces. A breath caught in his chest. “Kaelani…?” His focus sharpened. His room. His packhouse. Familiar walls and scent. But something was wrong. His gaze moved quickly—his mother at his side, Jace by the window. No Kaelani. Julian pushed himself upright, pain tear
She didn’t look at him. “Julian Hale… fugitive status removed.” Another keystroke. “Jace Romano… fugitive status removed.” Her fingers paused for a fraction of a second before continuing. “Garrick Blake… charges dropped.” A quiet tap followed. “Release scheduled for… tomorrow morning.” Then—
A brief pause. “Am I wrong?” Councilor Voss didn’t answer. He simply watched her for a moment longer before speaking. “What is it that you want?” Kaelani held the room for a moment. “What I wanted the day I stood before you in the Chamber of Elders,” she said. “What I asked for then.” “To liv
Julian stood in front of the full-length mirror, silent as the tailor circled him, adjusting the jacket seams with careful precision. The room smelled faintly of pressed wool, starch, and his mother’s wine. She sat across from him on a velvet chair, one leg crossed over the other, a glass of red i
Julian’s hands balled into fists, every tendon tight as steel. His breath came sharp, jaw clenched against the pressure building beneath his skin. The wolf clawed at the edges of his control, demanding release. Demanding blood. Nobody threatened her. She was his. No—she was theirs. His body loc
Julian’s lips pressed into a thin line, his father’s words landing heavier than he wanted to admit. His father’s glare hardened. “So what’s changed, Julian? Aside from you sneaking off and fucking around with some whore?” Julian’s wolf surged, teeth bared in his chest — feral, outraged, snarling a
The packhouse was quiet, bathed in that pale stillness that came just after sunrise. Julian parked in the drive, cutting the engine and sitting there for a moment, gripping the steering wheel like it might hold the answers to the chaos in his head. He exhaled, rubbed a hand over his face, and stepp







