LOGINI must have hallucinated it all. Because when I slipped back into Dimitri’s room the next morning, he lay exactly as before—motionless.
“Did I imagine it?” I whispered.
My wolf whimpered. "Mate."
“No, absolutely not."
I crossed my arms, staring at him suspiciously. Those icy blue eyes yesterday… the tiny twitch of his eyebrow. It had felt so real. But now? Nothing.
“That’s it. Isolation has finally broken me,” I muttered. “I’ve officially gone crazy.”
The apartment door opened, and familiar footsteps approached. The nurse entered with her supplies, her face souring the second she saw me.
“Move.” She had no manners.
I rolled my eyes but stood aside. I watched her work for a moment before curiosity won. “Can I ask you something?”
“Depends.” Rude much?
“Is it possible for someone in his condition to just… open their eyes?”
She froze, then slowly turned. “What did you say?”
“I asked if he could open his eyes.”
“No.” She replied flatly.
“But—”
“Mr. Romanov has been in a coma for almost three months,” she snapped. “If he wakes up, it won’t be sudden. The body doesn’t flip from coma to fully aware in seconds.”
Hope flared. “So, he could wake up?”
“A miracle could happen tomorrow.” She shrugged. “Or in ten years. Nobody knows.”
“What happened to him?” I asked quietly.
Her entire body stiffened. “Ask the boss. I’m not allowed to discuss it.”
“Not allowed?”
“Not. Allowed.” She zipped her bag and left without another word.
More questions. Zero answers.
By evening, Alexi’s heavy footsteps echoed through the apartment. I stood quickly as he entered.
“Good evening, Mr. Romanov. Would you like something to drink?”
He ignored me, stopping at the massive window overlooking the city lights.
“Stop prying,” he said without turning.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
His humorless laugh chilled the air. “I think you do.” He faced me, icy eyes cutting deep. “You’ve been asking questions.”
The nurse had ratted me out. Of course.
“I was only worried—”
“You are a breeder.” The words sliced through me. “You are not family. You are not my son’s wife. If you want a title so badly, earn it by doing your job.”
My throat burned. Tears stung my eyes, but I forced them back. I wasn’t family. I was useful. Nothing more.
I bowed my head. “Of course, Mr. Romanov.”
He left. The silence that followed felt crushing.
I returned to Dimitri’s bedside, staring at his peaceful face. “See? I really am losing it.”
I kissed his forehead lightly. “Goodnight, Dimitri.”
Back in my room, I changed and climbed into bed. At first, everything felt normal.
Then the heat started.
A strange warmth spread through my body. I kicked off the blanket, but it only grew hotter—traveling through my chest, my stomach, and lower. Every nerve lit up, sensitive and aching.
My breathing turned ragged. A pulsing need bloomed low in my belly.
“No…”
My wolf stirred, excited. Very excited.
“No, no, no.”
This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not here. Not while trapped in a Romanov apartment with my unconscious mate.
I was entering heat.
For the first time in my life. I was in heat.
“No… not now,” I whispered into the darkness of my room, my voice already cracking with desperation. The words felt useless the moment they left my lips. My skin was on fire, every inch of me hypersensitive, like electricity danced across my nerves. I kicked the blankets off, but the cool apartment air did nothing to soothe me. Instead, it only teased my hardened nipples through the thin fabric of my sleep shirt, making them ache even more.
My thighs pressed together instinctively, but the pressure only heightened the throbbing between my legs. Slick was already soaking through my panties, a steady trickle of wet heat that made my folds feel swollen and empty.
So unbearably empty. I rolled onto my back, one hand drifting down before I could stop myself. My fingers slipped under the waistband, finding my clit immediately. It was puffy, pulsing under my touch.
“Ah—” The moan escaped me before I could bite it back. I circled the sensitive bundle of nerves, fast and frantic, then pushed two fingers inside my dripping entrance.
The wet, squelching sound filled the quiet room, humiliating and arousing all at once. I pumped them in and out, curling upward to hit that spot that usually brought me quick relief. Pleasure spiked, sharp and bright, but it wasn’t enough. The heat laughed at my efforts, turning the ache into something deeper, hungrier.
“More,” my wolf growled inside my head, her voice laced with feral need.
“Shut up,” I gasped, adding a third finger. My hips bucked off the bed, chasing the sensation.
Sweat beaded on my forehead, trickling down my temples. My free hand yanked my shirt up, palming my breast roughly, pinching the nipple until it stung. Still not enough. My body craved something much bigger, thicker, longer than my slender fingers could provide. Something that would stretch me open, fill me completely, and pin me down until the heat finally broke.
I tried for what felt like hours. My fingers moved faster, slick coating my hand and dripping down to the sheets. I rubbed my clit in tight, desperate circles, chasing an orgasm that hovered just out of reach. When it finally crashed over me, it was weak— a pathetic little ripple that left me more frustrated than satisfied.
“No, no, no…” I whimpered, curling into a ball. But my legs had other ideas. They swung over the edge of the bed on their own. My body moved like a puppet, controlled by the instinct screaming through every cell.
I stood on shaky legs, the room spinning slightly as a dizzy haze settled over my mind. My vision blurred at the edges, eyes half-lidded. Thoughts dissolved into pure sensation: the slick sliding down my inner thighs, the heavy ache in my core, the scent of my own arousal thick in the air.
I stumbled out of my room, barely registering the cool floor beneath my bare feet. The apartment was dark and silent, the city lights twinkling faintly through the massive windows. My wolf howled louder with every step, urging me forward.
Dimitri’s door loomed ahead. I pushed it open without knocking, the hinges whispering softly. His scent slammed into me like a physical wave— cold snow, crisp mountain air, and pine. It wrapped around me, making my mouth water instantly. Saliva pooled under my tongue as my wolf went completely feral, snarling and snapping at the edges of my control.
“Ours! Claim him!"
I approached the bed in a daze, my breathing ragged. He lay there motionless as always, the machines beeping their steady rhythm. Moonlight painted his features in silver, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw and the broad expanse of his chest beneath the thin gown. So handsome. So… available.
I climbed onto the bed carefully at first, then with growing urgency, straddling his hips. The heat made me bold, reckless. I leaned down and pressed my lips to his neck, kissing the warm skin there with open-mouthed desperation.
His taste was intoxicating. My tongue traced his marking spot, the one I would place my mark. Lower, I tugged at the hospital gown, pushing it up to expose his chest. I kissed every inch— collarbones, pectorals, the flat planes of his abdomen where muscles stood out even in repose. My hair fell around us like a curtain as I moved further down.
His pants were easy to pull down with trembling hands. His cock sprang free, and my eyes widened in raw hunger. It was huge— thick, veined, longer than I’d imagined in my shiest fantasies. Already hard, the heavy length resting against his stomach, the head flushed dark and glistening slightly at the tip.
My pussy clenched painfully at the sight, more slick gushing out to ruin my panties further.
I licked my lips, leaning closer. His scent here was overwhelming. I was about to take him into my mouth, to taste that perfect cock and ease some of this burning need—
But then I looked up.
Dimitri’s eyes were open. Those icy blue eyes stared back at me.
I froze completely, my heart slamming against my ribs like a trapped bird. Reality sliced through the heat haze like a knife. This was wrong.
So terribly wrong. He couldn’t consent— he was in a coma, had been for months. I was taking advantage of him in the worst way. My mate, my unconscious mate, and here I was, about to…
“I’m sorry—” I started to whisper, trying to pull back, shame flooding my chest.
But my wolf surged forward with terrifying force. She slammed against the walls of my mind, taking the reins completely. “No! Claim him now. Mate needs us too!”
I tried to tell her this was wrong, but then a wave of pain hit me again.
My body moved without my permission. I shoved my soaked panties roughly to the side, positioned the thick head of his cock at my dripping entrance, and sank down in one long, desperate thrust.
A strangled cry tore from my throat as he stretched me wide— so wide it bordered on pain, but the heat turned it into pure bliss. Inch after thick inch filled me, bottoming out deep inside where nothing had ever reached before. I paused for a second, trembling, feeling every vein, every ridge, dragging against my sensitive walls. Then instinct took over completely.
I started riding him hard.
My hips moved in frantic circles and bounces, fucking myself on his massive cock with wild abandon. The wet sounds of my slick pussy sliding up and down his length filled the room, mixing with the beeping machines and my broken moans. “Oh gods… so big… so deep…” I gasped, hands braced on his firm chest for leverage.
My breasts bounced with every movement, nipples brushing against the fabric of my shirt.
Pleasure built rapidly, coiling tight in my belly. His cock hit that perfect spot inside me on every downward thrust, sending sparks exploding behind my eyes. I leaned forward, kissing his neck again, sucking marks onto his skin as I ground my clit against his pelvis. My wolf howled in triumph with every motion, urging me faster, harder.
Sweat slicked my body. My thighs burned from the effort, but I couldn’t stop. The heat demanded everything.
I sat up straighter, riding him like an animal in heat— which I was. My head fell back, lips parted in silent cries as the orgasm finally approached like a tidal wave.
“Dimitri… mate…” I whimpered, even though he couldn’t respond. Those blue eyes stayed fixed on me, watching every desperate movement, every flush on my face. It should have horrified me. Instead, under the wolf’s control, it only pushed me higher.
The climax hit me like a storm. My pussy clenched violently around his thick length, pulsing and milking him as waves of intense pleasure ripped through me. Slick gushed out around his cock, soaking his lap and the sheets beneath us. I shook uncontrollably, a silent scream tearing from my throat as stars burst in my vision. It went on and on, the heat finally easing just enough for a moment of clarity.
Then horror crashed in.
I looked down at him again. Those blue eyes were still open, staring. Had he… felt everything? The realization of what I’d done— forcing myself on him while he lay there— made bile rise in my throat.
“Oh gods, what have I done?” I choked out, tears spilling down my cheeks. My legs trembled as I lifted myself off him, his cock slipping free with a lewd, wet sound. Cum and slick mixed together, dripping down my thighs in a shameful mess. I quickly pulled his pants back up, adjusted his gown with shaking fingers, trying to make it look untouched.
“I’m so sorry, Dimitri,” I whispered brokenly, voice thick with guilt and lingering heat. “I didn’t mean to— I couldn’t control it. The heat… my wolf… Please forgive me. I’m so, so sorry.”
I scrambled off the bed, nearly falling in my haste. My bare feet carried me back through the dark apartment, heart pounding with panic. I slammed my bedroom door behind me and collapsed against it, sliding down to the floor. My body still hummed with aftershocks, but the shame outweighed everything. I hugged my knees to my chest, rocking slightly, tears flowing freely now.
I just made a big mistake.
Dimitri’s POV“It’s a couple of minutes away from here,” Lyrien said, already moving, pushing herself off the bed.“Then let's go.” I caught her hand before she could take another step.“Lyrien,” She turned to me. “Whatever we find there, we need to be careful. We don't know what condition Ryan is in, or why my father has kept his location to himself for so long.”“I know.” She replied, her eyes hardening.“And if he really is the key to stopping this war, we can't afford to lose him.”Her fingers tightened around mine. “He is, my mother said so. I’m not sure how I’m going to convince him, but if he was the king of vampires once, he can be again.”I leaned forward and kissed her forehead.“Grab your bag, love.” She nodded and hurried toward the wardrobe.I slipped my phone into my pocke
Dimitri’s POVMy father sat across from me in the living room, looking far too comfortable for a man who had spent years making my life more complicated than it needed to be. Alexi had always been good at that. He could walk into a room and make everyone else feel like guests in his territory, even when he no longer had the authority to claim it.I leaned back against the sofa and studied him.“So,” I began, crossing my arms over my chest. “What exactly do you want to talk about now that you've arrived?”My father smiled faintly. “Straight to the point. I see nothing has changed.”“I'm not in the mood for games, Father.”“Good. Neither am I.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “We are more than ready to fight the vampires. My wolves have been preparing for the possibility of war for some time, and you can count on our support when the ti
Lyrien’s POVMy heart began to race."Damon? Does he hold that kind of power?”She nodded. “He does. Ever since my brother gave him the nest, he has done whatever he wants. But that isn’t the only danger.”She glanced toward the windows, where the moon had begun to disappear behind a bank of dark clouds."There will also be a war between the supernatural world and humans."I stared at her. “Why? Humans have never meddled with us. They don’t even know we exist.”“They do,” she replied. "Humans are becoming aware of things they were never meant to understand. Some will be frightened. Others will see our existence as a threat. And there are people who will use that fear to turn them against us."Her voice became urgent."Once those conflicts begin, they will feed each other. The vampires will fight the wolves, the humans will turn against both, and
Lyrien’s POVForgive me.That voice was almost a whisper, but I still heard it.My eyes flew open.For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was. My heart hammered against my ribs as I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above me, instinctively reaching for the person who should have been lying beside me.Nothing."Dimitri?" I pushed myself upright, my breathing quickening.The room was enormous, with tall windows framed by heavy velvet curtains. Moonlight spilled across a polished marble floor, illuminating the intricate carvings on the walls and the silver ornaments scattered throughout the chamber.I knew this place. I had seen it before when I was with that vampire…Dammit! How did he get to me? I was sleeping with Dimitri by my side."Where the hell am I?"I threw the covers aside and climbed out of bed, my bare feet touching the cold floor. I rushed toward the door, but before I could reach it, I heard a voice behind me."Calm down, Lyrien.”I froze. Every muscle in my body went ri
Lyrien’s POV“I still don’t understand why you said that my mother was a bad mother.”Caesar, who had been sitting across from Dimitri and me, lifted his eyes.“I mean, everything you told us about her… it sounds like she was suffering. Maybe she had postpartum depression after giving birth to me. And with everything that happened between you two, perhaps she simply couldn't cope with it all.”“Maybe,” he finally admitted. “I have thought about that possibility more times than I can count.” His expression grew distant. “But even if that was the case, Lyrien, I always felt as though your mother didn't love you.”My chest tightened.“I know that's a horrible thing to say about a dead woman, especially when she's your mother, but I can't pretend I didn't feel that way. I watched her with you, and I watched you with Noah. The difference was alwa
Caesar’s POVRaya’s physical strength gradually returned, and the doctors continued monitoring her recovery. Yet she remained distant, refusing to ask about Lyrien or even acknowledge that she had a daughter.I visited the neonatal unit every day.Sometimes twice.I learned which nurse was best at calming her when she became restless, and even when they couldn’t figure out why she cried all day despite being fed formula, I suggested we try blood.Worked like a charm.I learned how to recognize the small movements that meant she was uncomfortable and how to speak to her through the incubator, even when I couldn't hold her.Every day, I told her that I was sorry. Every day, I promised her that I would make things right. And every day, when I returned to Raya's room, I found my mate staring at the wall as if our daughter had never existed.A month passed just like that. Then, finally, the doctors







