LOGINAria’s POVLyra’s gaze didn’t leave my face nor did Kade’s.And Damon… I didn’t need to look at him to feel the bond between us humming under my skin, stronger now, steadier in a way that made it impossible to ignore. The suppressants were gone, the barriers stripped away, and everything I had worke
Damon’s POVI knew she would hate me for it.The moment the word yes left my mouth, I felt it settle into my bones like a decision that would not be undone. There had been no hesitation in my voice, no visible crack in my control, but inside, something had shifted into place with a finality I could
Aria’s POVThe silence after that was not empty… it was alive.It pressed against my skin, thick and suffocating, like the entire chamber had been holding its breath and now didn’t know what to do with it. My heart was still hammering from the Queen’s declaration, from the way she had spoken so calm
Aria’s POVMorning came too fast, like the night had been impatient to abandon me.I woke before I even opened my eyes fully, aware of the warmth beside me, aware of the steady rhythm of breathing that didn’t belong to me. For a moment I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, remembering exactly ho
Damon’s POVI should have stood my ground, slept on the floor instead. My chest tightened the moment she scooted closer, that familiar heat crawling up my spine like fire on dry wood. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her eyes flicking away the instant mine landed on hers. The kind of look th
Or maybe she did.Maybe she just didn’t realize how bad it was.“You really want me to answer that?” I asked, my voice dropping.“Yes.”No hesitation, no fear. Just that same stubborn insistence that made everything ten times harder.I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through my hair again as I force
Aria’s POVBy the morning of the ceremony, the pack house no longer felt like a home I had grown up in. It felt like a stage dressed for a performance I had not agreed to attend.The corridors were crowded with relatives from allied packs, servants carrying trays of polished silver, young wolves rus
She looked like a Luna already.Composed, radiant and untouchable.“Aria,” she greeted smoothly, her smile gentle but assessing. “Thank you for helping. It means a great deal.”“I’m doing what’s best for the pack,” I replied evenly, placing the folded silk on a nearby table.Her gaze lingered on me
Aria’s POVBy the time the sun dipped low enough to cast gold across the clearing, I had memorized every step of the mating ritual.That had been the goal.If I was going to stand inside that circle tomorrow, I needed to understand exactly what I was standing against.“Hand me the silver cord,” I to
I pushed the image aside.“She’ll stay out of the way,” I said, quieter now.Lyra nodded, satisfied. “That’s all I want. Peace.”Peace.The word scraped against the inside of my skull.Another elder approached, clapping me on the shoulder with hearty approval. “You’ve handled this beautifully,” he b







