The name dropped into the quiet of the office like a shard of obsidian. Bloodmoon.
Lucian felt a cold, ancient fury settle deep in his bones. This was no longer the predictable posturing of a weak Alpha. Hiring the Bloodmoon mercenaries was an act of scorched-earth desperation. Kael wasn't just trying to provoke him; he was trying to burn the whole world down, starting with the fragile omega sleeping peacefully in the west wing.
He set his whiskey glass down, the sound a sharp crack in the silence. He pressed the intercom, his voice a low, hard command that held no room for discussion. "Zaide. Milo. Back to my office. Now."
They appeared in less than a minute, their expressions questioning until they saw the look on Lucian's face and the deadly stillness of Caius in the corner. Milo's gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a doctor's serious focus. Zaide's hands curled into fists at his sides, the soldier in him instantly on high alert, sensing a new, mo
Kara sat in her nest, her resolve solidifying. Before the storm broke, she needed to secure this one last piece of her future. She got to her feet, intending to call for Milo, and opened the suite door.She stopped dead. Lucian was standing right there in the hallway, a silent, immovable sentinel. He hadn't been pacing; he'd just been... standing guard. The sheer protective power of the gesture stole her breath.He looked at her, his expression calm. "Is something wrong?"She found her voice, though it was small and hesitant. "I... I needed to speak with Milo. I have a medical question for him."Lucian simply nodded, not moving from his spot. He spoke quietly into his comms. "Milo, Kara needs you in the west wing." He then met her gaze again, his presence filling the doorway. He was not leaving. He was going to overhear.When Milo arrived moments later, Kara invited him just inside, hyper-aware of the king still listening from the threshold. She to
The name dropped into the quiet of the office like a shard of obsidian. Bloodmoon.Lucian felt a cold, ancient fury settle deep in his bones. This was no longer the predictable posturing of a weak Alpha. Hiring the Bloodmoon mercenaries was an act of scorched-earth desperation. Kael wasn't just trying to provoke him; he was trying to burn the whole world down, starting with the fragile omega sleeping peacefully in the west wing.He set his whiskey glass down, the sound a sharp crack in the silence. He pressed the intercom, his voice a low, hard command that held no room for discussion. "Zaide. Milo. Back to my office. Now."They appeared in less than a minute, their expressions questioning until they saw the look on Lucian's face and the deadly stillness of Caius in the corner. Milo's gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a doctor's serious focus. Zaide's hands curled into fists at his sides, the soldier in him instantly on high alert, sensing a new, mo
The warmth and light from the west wing, where Kara was peacefully building her nest, felt a world away from the cold, quiet tension of Lucian's office. He swirled the whiskey in his glass, the monitors painting shifting patterns of light on the dark walls. He was a king in his fortress, but a fragile refugee was sleeping under his roof, and the pack of her abuser was testing his borders. The peace was an illusion.He didn't hear a door open, didn't hear a single footstep. He simply sensed a shift in the shadows in the corner of the room, a drop in the temperature. He turned his chair.Caius was there, leaning against a bookshelf, the chill of the night forest still clinging to him like a shroud.Lucian took a slow sip of his whiskey, his eyes meeting the assassin's. "Report," he commanded, his voice a low rumble.Lucian took a slow sip of his whiskey, his eyes meeting the assassin's. "Report," he commanded, his voice a low rumble.Caius met his ga
The world dissolved into a blinding wave of heat and need. One moment, Kara was standing in the hallway, clutching Lucian’s shirt; the next, her knees gave out, her body consumed by a fire so intense it stole the air from her lungs.She didn’t hit the floor.Strong arms caught her, scooping her up against a chest as solid as ancient rock. She was vaguely aware of being carried, of the scent of pine and ozone surrounding her, a grounding presence in her swirling delirium. She was laid down gently on the soft, waiting mattress of her nest.Through a hazy blur of pain and fever, she saw Lucian looking down at her, his face a mask of grim concern. His voice cut through the haze, not with a command, but with something so unexpected it momentarily cleared her head."I apologize, Kara," he said, his voice a low, serious rumble. "For entering your nest without your express permission. I will not cross this threshold again until you invite me."
Later that evening, after spending hours wrestling with her own mortification over impulsively hugging the pack's most intimidating warrior, a soft knock came at Kara's suite door. "Kara?" a gentle voice called. "I have your dinner."Expecting Milo, she cautiously opened the door. But it was Zaide who stood there, holding a tray, his harsh features softened in the warm light of the hallway. He seemed different now, his earlier anxiety replaced by a quiet, hesitant warmth. It was clear he was here to return her earlier, spontaneous affection in the only way he knew how.An awkward silence fell between them before Kara, looking for a distraction, remembered the laptop she had been using. "Oh," she said, gesturing behind her. "I've finished the shopping, but... I don't know the address to have everything sent here."Zaide's gaze flicked past her to the laptop, and a rare, almost-smile touched his lips. "Don't worry about it," he said, his voice a low, soft rumble t
For the first time in what felt like a decade, Kara felt a spark of genuine, uncomplicated joy. Sitting in front of the glowing laptop screen, she was a queen in her own right, with a limitless budget and a kingdom of choices before her.At first, her clicks were hesitant, her choices safe—a simple beige blanket, a plain set of gray pillows. The old habits of being unobtrusive and practical died hard. But then, Milo's teasing voice echoed in her memory: I wouldn't put it past him to only order it in dull colours, too.A real, defiant grin spread across her face. No more dull colors. No more tactical khaki.With a renewed sense of purpose, she deleted the safe choices from her cart. She began to choose things she truly wanted, things that were beautiful and alive. A cashmere throw in a deep emerald green that reminded her of the forest outside her window, silk pillowcases the color of a vibrant sunset, and string after string of delicate,