Mag-log inTobias's povThe night was pitch black, and the cold air hit my face as we set our trap. We chose the empty training courtyard hidden right behind the main guard barracks.It was late, way past midnight, and the entire area was deserted. Valerie walked straight into the very center of the dusty clearing all by herself.She was pretending to just clear her head after a long day of dealing with the council. I watched her from up above, shadowing her movements from the high stone arches.My fingers gripped the cold stone edge as I kept my eyes locked on her. My mind was racing, my wolf pacing around in my chest with pure anxiety.If anyone touched a single hair on her head, I was going to lose my mind. I listened closely, my advanced wolf hearing picking up the slight rustle of fabric below.Suddenly, three rogue assassins sprang straight out from the deep shadows near the weapon racks. Their metal blades caught the faint moonlight, drawing a sharp hiss from my throat.They launched a
POV: TobiasI was buried in paperwork, trying to finalize the legal integration of the Red River trade routes, when my tracking screen flashed red.I sat up straight immediately. That alert never went off for nothing.I pulled the screen closer, scanning through the data fast. A secure report blinked at me, and my stomach turned the second I read it. Three names flagged under known associates of Eric's old circle. Survivors. From the southern purge we thought we'd cleaned out completely."No," I muttered, scrolling further. "No, no, no."But there it was, clear as day. They'd tracked Valerie all the way to the capital.I felt my jaw tighten, that old enforcer instinct kicking in before I could even process the fear underneath it. I pulled up the security footage from the outer walls and watched three wolves moving along the perimeter, slow, careful, patrolling like they were waiting for the right moment.This wasn't a coincidence. This was revenge.I didn't waste another second. I gra
Tobias's povI walked slowly through the long hallways of the central castle. The morning sun was coming through the large glass windows, making the stone floor look pale yellow. It was way too early in the day to deal with any kind of drama, but I could already feel the heavy tension building up inside the palace walls. My jaw ticked automatically as I kept my pace steady.We took a sharp turn right before the main dining hall entrance. Valerie was walking right next to me, completely quiet and keeping her eyes fixed on the path ahead. Even though she wasn't saying anything, her mere presence was completely driving my mind to the absolute edge.I glanced at her through the corner of my eye, trying to be as sneaky as possible about it. She had her dark hair pulled up into a tight, high ponytail today, with just a few loose strands hanging down to touch her face. Her lips were set in a thin, tight line, and I suddenly felt a massive urge to reach out and run my fingers across them.God
POV: ValerieTobias led me down the hall to his private quarters in the castle's executive wing. The place was way fancier than my room back home. Thick carpets, big windows with heavy curtains, and furniture that looked like it cost a fortune. My nerves from all the politics were still buzzing inside me. I felt that energy shift hard into something else. Pure sexual frustration hit me like a wave. The second that heavy oak door clicked shut behind us, I pushed Tobias back against it. My hands grabbed his shirt tight. "I need to forget about all that politics shit tonight," I said, my voice coming out rough. "Just you and me, Tobias. No kings, no deals, nothing else."He looked at me with those eyes that always pulled me in. "Valerie, you sure? After everything today?""Yeah, I'm sure," I shot back. I pressed my body against his. "I want you right now. Stop talking and let me have this."My mouth crashed into his before he could say more. We kissed hard, tongues fighting for contro
Tobias's povWe finally arrived at the pack house after driving for what felt like an eternity. I pulled my car into the massive stone courtyard and cut the engine, letting out a long breath as I leaned back against the seat.I looked over at Valerie, and I could instantly tell she was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the palace. Her brown eyes were wide as she stared up at the place, and the rows of guards standing at attention along the main entrance.She gripped her seatbelt tightly, her knuckles turning a little bit white as her wolf instincts clearly went on the defensive."Hey," I said softly, reaching across the console to wrap my hand around her arm to ground her. "Relax. You're with me, remember? Nobody in this building is going to challenge you.""I'm fine, Tobias," she muttered, forcing her chin up and throwing me a sharp look even though her breathing was a little fast. "I'm the future Alpha of my pack. I don't get intimidated that easily.""Right," I smirked, opening my
ValerieI shoved the last of my clothes into the bag and zipped it up tight. My hands would not stop shaking as I thought about what waited for us back at the central castle.Tobias moved around the room packing his own stuff with that calm way he always had.I kept telling myself this was just another trip, but my stomach twisted because I knew it was not. We were going so I could stand in front of Rowan and Mira and hand over the signed treaty like it was nothing. But it felt like everything.Tobias glanced over at me and smiled a little."You ready babe?" he asked.His voice sounded easy, but I could tell he already picked up on my nerves through the bond. I nodded fast even though my legs felt like jelly."Yeah I guess so," I said.Inside my head, though, the thoughts would not slow down.What if they looked at me like I did not belong there?What if my words came out all wrong and they saw me as some girl from the edges who got lucky?I hated how scared I felt about leaving my sa
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
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
Mira’s POV I woke up to the sound of low, unfamiliar, and professional voices vibrating through the heavy door. It wasn't the usual light banter or bored silence of the guards who had grown used to my silent presence. These new voices were hard, professional, and entirely new to me. I could hear







