ログインTobiasA sudden patrol drone swept across the eastern courtyard, its lights cut through the dark like a warning. I grabbed Valerie fast and pulled her with me into the tiny supply closet inside the sheds. We had to hide before it spotted us.The door clicked shut behind us. Pitch black swallowed everything. We stood pressed flat against each other in the cramped space. My back hit the wooden shelves. Her body pushed right into mine. There was no room to move, just heat and breath and that damn vanilla scent filling my nose.My heart pounded hard from the chase. The mate bond flared up strong between us, adrenaline mixed with it and made my head spin and my cock thicken. I tried to stay focused but her closeness messed with my logic fast.Valerie breathed heavy against my neck. For a split second her angry edge dropped. She grabbed my collar and yanked it down hard. Her mouth crashed into mine without any hesitation. it was just raw need.I kissed her back just as rough. Our teeth clic
Tobias's povI decided to check into the pack house guest quarters instead of heading back to that depressing motel down the road. The room they gave me was massive, but the air felt completely suffocating. I tried to sit at the small desk to review the border clauses, but my brain was totally fried. Every single time I closed my eyes, the phantom scent of vanilla hit my nose, and my chest throbbed from the pressure of the hidden mate bond.My instincts were screaming at me that something was completely off about this place, and it had nothing to do with Valerie rejecting me. The entire pack house felt way too tense, like everyone was holding their breath waiting for a bomb to go off. I finally threw my pen down, grabbed a dark jacket, and walked out the back exit to clear my head.The cool night air helped a little bit as I started walking the outer perimeter of the estate. The grass was damp beneath my boots, and the moon was high enough to light up the dark tree line surrounding t
Tobias's povThe heavy silence in the room was getting so thick I could practically taste it. Marcus kept shifting through the pages, but the awkwardness between Valerie and me was completely derailing the meeting.Suddenly, the black phone on the wall started buzzing loudly. Marcus jumped up, checked the flashing screen, and let out a frustrated grunt."I have to take this, it is the northern border patrol," Marcus said, heading toward the side door. "Lock the doors if you leave, Valerie, I will be back in ten minutes."The second the heavy door clicked shut behind him, the fake professional act completely vanished. I dropped my pen onto the folder, stood up from my chair, and walked straight around the massive wooden table.Valerie did not even have time to stand up before I reached her side of the room. I grabbed her by the waist and pinned her flat against the hard edge of the large desk, trapping her completely between my arms."What the hell is your problem?" I demanded, leaning
Tobias's povI managed to drag myself out of that empty bed after getting maybe two hours of sleep. My body felt completely wiped out, but the faint scent of vanilla still lingering on the cheap sheets kept my brain spinning in circles.I jumped into the shower, scrubbing the smell of the tavern out of my hair and trying to force my mind back into gear. I threw on my suit, fixed my tie in the mirror, and checked out of the motel before my thoughts could drift back to that dark alleyway.I drove straight up the winding hill toward the grand Red River pack house, the massive stone building looking incredibly imposing against the morning sun. I parked the car, walked past the armed guards at the front entrance, and was led immediately into the main executive office to wait for the Alpha.I sat down in one of the heavy leather chairs facing the giant wooden desk, crossing my legs and trying to look like a completely professional diplomat from the capital. I needed to act like the Head of
Tobias's povI was officially losing my mind under a massive mountain of post-war paperwork. The pack was dead quiet, but my office felt like a total prison zone today.Every single folder on my desk contained another territorial dispute or a supply requisition form. My eyes were burning from staring at the messy handwritten ledgers for six straight hours.I leaned back in my leather chair and rubbed my face with both hands. I seriously needed a break before I threw a stack of files out the window.The heavy oak door swung open without a knock, and Rowan walked straight into the room. He looked completely stressed out, his shoulders tense and a deep frown cutting into his forehead."Tell me you are here to give me good news," I said, dropping my hands to my lap. "Because if you have more paperwork, I am jumping out of this building.""Fortunately for you, I have a fresh headache," Rowan said, tossing a leather folder right onto my desk. "The Red River Pack down south is causing proble
Mira's povThree months later, the garden was completely quiet in the early morning. The wild summer heat had finally settled, clearing away the last of the heavy gray rain clouds that used to hang over the castle. I sat on the low stone bench beneath the shadow of the tall oak trees, leaning my back against the warm rock wall and just taking a deep breath of the fresh, clean air.Lyra was wide awake in my arms, kicking her tiny legs against my stomach and making little puffing noises with her mouth. She was growing so fast it was actually starting to freak me out a little bit. Her dark hair was thicker now, falling into soft little tufts over her forehead, and every single time she blinked up at me, those bright silver-grey eyes stared back with total, absolute focus. She was already incredibly alert, tracking every single movement in the courtyard like she was trying to figure out how the entire world worked."You are getting way too big," I whispered down to her, using my finger
MIRA’S POVThe heavy doors had closed behind Finn, but his voice still seemed to ring in the chamber. My hands were pressed against my stomach, my fingers digging into the fabric of my dress. I could feel my heart hammering against my ribs. Rowan was standing nearby, his shoulder bleeding, but my
Finn’s POVI stopped outside Mira’s door before leaving, the heavy wood of the portal a barrier between my world of power and the woman who refused to submit.The guards straightened immediately when they saw me, the sharp click of their heels hitting the stone floor echoing through the narrow corr
FinnIsla hesitated, her eyes searching mine for a reassurance I wasn’t sure I could give. “What if that wasn't enough? What if he brought in outside Seers? What if he demanded she be examined by neutral parties?”“It wasn't,” I said sharply, cutting her off before the doubt could take root.A heav
Finn’s POVThe shadows in my study seemed to stretch and crawl, growing impossibly long as the fire in the hearth died down to a dull, angry orange. I didn't sit. I couldn't allow myself to sit. I paced the entire length of the floor, my boots rhythmic against the dark wood—back and forth, back and







