LOGINTalia's POV I stepped out of the council room, every muscle in my body buzzing from adrenaline. The kind that makes your limbs feel both weightless and wired at the same time. Every step I took down the hall felt like a statement—like I was claiming back the air after being poked and prodded by a bunch of decrepit old wolves with opinions about my life they didn't earn. Cassian needed to hear this. To hear how well I’d handled myself. To hear every insult, every ridiculous claim that I was a liability to him, to hear just how desperate they were to remove me. He'd been gone for hours, and I was ready to unload, to let him see exactly how stupidly proud I could be. I rounded a corner, thinking I could make it to him in one uninterrupted march when... oh, of course, the universe couldn't be that kind. Melissa. The woman appeared out of nowhere like a shadow you didn't want to see, lounging against the wall like she owned the hallway. That infuriating smirk of hers, like she'd jus
Talia’s POV His eyes widened in shock. Good. A murmur broke out—low, irritated, offended. I could practically hear their fragile egos cracking. I bit back a smile. "You forget yourself," another councilman snapped, leaning forward. "You may wear the title, but you are still—" "What? A liability?" I cut in coolly. That got their attention. Jarek's lips thinned. "You are reckless. Unstable. Since your arrival, this pack has known nothing but disruption. Attacks. Scandals. Omega power." His gaze sharpened. "Kira." The name struck like ice, but I didn't flinch. Did they know about Kira’s escape? Cassian was supposed to keep that under wraps. "You are a weakness to our Alpha," Jarek continued. "A distraction. An emotional fault line the enemy can exploit." My wolf surged, furious, but I held her tight. Enemy can exploit? That wasn’t the real reason they hated me. "Funny," I said calmly, "because Cassian has never been stronger." One of the elders scoffed. "Str
Talia’s POV The space between my legs was sore. My back ached. Matter of fact, my entire body hurt. Courtesy of the man currently staring at me with a lazy smirk, propped on one elbow like he hadn’t rearranged my insides last night. “Morning, beautiful.” “Shut up,” I muttered, peeling myself out of bed and wobbling toward the bathroom. I barely made it two steps before the room tilted. I froze at the doorway, my fingers curling around the frame as a wave of dizziness rolled through me—slow and heavy. My stomach flipped unpleasantly. I didn’t feel pain. Just… off. “Hey.” Cassian called, rising to his feet instantly. His smirk was gone . “Easy.” “I’m fine,” I said automatically, even as the world took its sweet time settling back into place. He hovered anyway, a warm hand pressing against my lower back. It felt comforting, and my body leaned into him subconsciously. “You’re not fine,” he murmured. “You’re wobbling.” “I’m sore,” I shot back. “That’s different.”
Talia’s POVI didn’t waste a breath.I wanted this. Needed it.Without breaking the kiss, I stripped—shirt, pants, bra—everything gone in frantic movements. I needed skin on skin. Needed to feel, to be comforted, wanted. His hands were everywhere at once, cupping my breasts, gripping my bare ass, sliding up to my throat possessively. His movements were Controlled, barely restrained.He grabbed my waist and turned me roughly, pressing me toward the bed. The sudden action knocked the breath from my lungs, my need spilling out in ragged, shameless gasps.Then I felt the pull at my wrists.His tie.He bound my arms behind me, the knot firm—tight enough to render me helpless, but not enough to hurt. My pulse thundered.“Are you okay with this?” His voice was strained, raw, holding back something dangerous.I nodded immediately, shifting restlessly. Needing more.His grip tightened briefly on my neck as he pulled me back against him, my spine flush to his chest. I could feel him—hard, achi
Talia's POVCassian came back late, hair disheveled, clothes wrinkled. The door clicked shut behind him, and the bond shifted instantly—tight, warm, familiar. Relief washed through me before I could stop it. My body reacted before my mind did, easing softly. I'd been too worried, too tensed up after the encounter in the woods.Cassian loosened his jacket as he walked in, rolling his shoulders like he was trying to shake the weight of the day off. His gaze found me almost immediately, dark eyes softening when they landed on my face."There you are," he said quietly. "I thought you'd be asleep."I shook my head, sitting up on the couch. "I was waiting."That earned me a slow smile—the kind that usually meant I’d missed you and come here all wrapped into one. He crossed the room, hands already reaching for me, thumbs brushing my jaw.I leaned into him automatically. Then I remembered.My chest tightened."Cassian," I said before he could kiss me properly. "I need to tell you something.
Nicole’s POVAfter hours of contemplating, here I stood—parked in front of the towering iron gates of the Shadowveil Pack.I sighed, resting my forehead briefly against the steering wheel. What exactly was I doing here?I didn’t know. I just knew I couldn’t turn around.The gates were massive, wrought iron twisted into sharp, elegant curves that screamed keep out. The forest behind them loomed dark and thick, shadows curling around the perimeter like they were alive.“Who’re you?”I didn’t even flinch.Of course, my car was being tailed. I’d sensed them long before they thought they were clever enough to sense me. If these were the warriors the Alpha assigned to border patrol, then Shadowveil had a bigger problem than outsiders.I stayed quiet a second too long.I felt the shift before I saw it—the guard moving, muscles coiling, hand reaching for a weapon.I stepped out of the car and turned just in time, releasing only a brush of my wolf. Not a full threat. Just enough.He froze.Eye







