LOGINEVE.
He turned like he was finished with me, but I couldn’t let him walk away. My voice cracked before my courage did.
“Wait.”
Saint stopped mid-stride, then pivoted slowly. That slow turn of his always made the air feel heavier, like the room knew what was coming.
He stopped and turned slowly to face me.
I know it might seem stupid, even trying to seem desperate enough to risk my life saving Kyrie. Begging Saint was like standing in front of a loaded gun and daring it to go off. But Kyrie would have done the same for me.
He’d shielded me from Saint when Saint was blood-drunk and hunting. He’d been the one person who didn’t treat me like an object on a shelf to be grabbed when convenient. He made me feel wanted and desired like a woman. He took care of me and made me see myself in a different light.
That kind of man you fight for, no matter the risk.
“Please…” My throat tig
KYRIE.“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I said, stepping in front of Eve, my hand tightening around her arm. “You’re done here, Saint Rollins. Whatever game you think this is, it ends now.”He didn’t move an inch. He just stared right through me like I wasn’t even there.Then, with that quiet, lethal arrogance he wore like a second skin, he murmured,“Let's go home, Eve.”Those four words hit like a fucking nuke.Eve gasped. My wolf damn near exploded through my skin. The world went silent except for the sound of my
SAINT.All I came to do was to get this ceremony over and done with.It was no news that my wolf was cursed. Everyone here knew that I couldn't stay around anyone the moment the full moon leaves the sky. So, I had to round up whatever the fuck I had to do here and be on my way already.Because when the full moon disappeared, the thing inside me stopped obeying. My wolf didn’t sleep — it consumed.The moon was already sinking lower, its light paling around the edges.I’d have maybe fifteen minutes before the curse started to pull.Fifteen minutes to keep
EVE.Saint finally moved, and the entire crowd dropped to their knees.Everyone except me.I was too busy trying to remember how to breathe.He noticed.Saint’s steps stopped right in front of me. The air changed again. It always did around him. He didn’t even have to touch me; he just shifted the gravity in his direction.“Kneel.” He commanded.My body responded before my mind caught up — heart racing, throat closing, that sharp memory of being pinned against a wall by that same v
EVE.If nerves could make noise, mine would be screaming.The air on the field was gradually growing heavier by the minute. It carried something ancient that was thick with energy and tension.Everyone was pretending to be calm, but I could feel it — fear moves differently and travels quietly. From one person’s heartbeat to another.I could almost hear my mother’s voice in my head saying, 'Don’t fidget, Eve, it makes you look unsure.'My fingers were already trembling, so I locked them behind my back.An elder shuffled forward, holding a massive, ancient book l
EVE.I’d been restless all day — couldn’t eat, couldn’t sit still, couldn’t stop thinking about the moment I’d finally meet my wolf.My wolf... The thought alone made my stomach tighten.I’d seen enough transitions to know it wasn’t all light and glory. Some people cried. Some screamed. Some wolves didn’t even survive it. But I still couldn’t stop wondering what she’d look like… what we’d look like.Would she be strong? Wild? Would she have my mother’s fire?I hoped she'd be as powerful as my Mum's wolf was. I wasn't going to measure my expectations
KYRIE."Eve, marry me — not because I deserve you, but because I need to be better with you beside me. You bring more meaning to my life than anyone ever would..."I bent my head and rehearsed the words under my breath until they stopped sounding rehearsed.The sentence tasted real and, for a second, my chest opened in a way that had nothing to do with power. If she said yes, I would spend the rest of my life proving it.I slipped the velvet box from my jacket again and opened it like I’d done a dozen times tonight. My smile had refused to fade.I ran my thumb along the ring. I rehearsed small things like how I would say







