Author’s POVRaya’s skin was on fire.Her chest heaved with every breath, but the burn within her did not fade. It wasn’t the same kind of heat that had ignited last night, the kind that had curled and sparked between her and Humphrey,no. This heat was different. It was aching. A yearning. A need.It wasn’t pleasure.It was longing.The feeling of being pulled away from something vital,like a fish struggling on dry land, desperate to return to the water. Him. The bond. It was calling her. Like an invisible thread tied around her chest, tightening with every second that passed without him.She clutched at her chest, but there was no relief. Two pains at once!. But she tried her best to hold it in,not trying to show too much pain.Valeria’s voice cut through the haze, distant and muffled, though her words were clear enough.“Your Highness… It’s because he’s a rogue… You’ve mated differently than you realize. The bond between you two isn’t like anything you’ve ever known. His blood, his
Raya’s POVThe water was still warm.I blinked slowly, eyes adjusting to the morning light spilling in through the arched windows. My arms floated just beneath the surface, and steam curled into the air around me, wrapping me in a quiet cocoon. I hadn't even remembered crawling into the bathtub last night… or falling asleep in it.But I remembered him.Humphrey.His smirk. His eyes like molten gold. His voice, laced with arrogance and a sinful calm that shouldn’t have made my heart race the way it did. I remembered how he caught my wrist, how his touch felt like sparks crawling under my skin.I swallowed and leaned back against the marble edge, letting the water kiss my collarbone.“He got under my skin,” I muttered.Damned chains or not, he’d wrapped himself around my thoughts.And yet, amidst all that, another memory flickered.Riven.His kiss.Gentle. Careful. Sweet, even.Too sweet.My heart hadn’t fluttered. My wolf had barely stirred. It was warm… but it wasn't on fire. The way
Raya’s POVThe moon was out,silver and beautiful casting its haunting glow across the rocky ridges of the mountains. Everything was silent, yet the stillness buzzed in her bones like a warning.I was dreaming… at least, I thought I was.But now? Now I was burning. It wasn't a burn of pain but a burn of pleasure and longing from someone…from your mate.A heat bloomed beneath my skin. Not just warmth… wolf heat. The kind that prickled at the back of my neck, made the blood in my veins simmer, made my wolf stir like she was being summoned by something ancient and made your pussy ache for a dick…your mate’s dick.I flinched in my sleep, eyes snapping open.Sweat clung to my forehead. My breath came in sharp pants as I sat up. I reached a shaky hand to wipe my face,but stopped halfway.My hands… were glowing.“What the hell—” I breathed, staring at my palms. Pale blue light shimmered across them like they were laced with lightning. The light danced along my fingers and traveled slowly up m
Vael and Eira went back to his room.The fire was dying low as what happened earlier in the court room seemed to fade off between them.Silence took the room like a second skin. Heavy. Tense. Sacred.Eira walked to the window, still barefoot, the hem of her gown brushing stone. Outside, the full moon cast silver across the dark forest, catching in the trees like shattered glass. Her hands gripped the sill. She didn’t need to turn to know he was still watching her.“He used to love full moons,” she said softly.Vael said nothing.Eira exhaled. “Your brother, I mean. He’d pull me out of bed when we were kids. Said we had to howl. ‘It’s in our blood, Eira,’ he used to say.”Silence. Then,“He’s not the only one with a wolf in his blood.”His voice came from behind her. Closer now.Eira smiled faintly, eyes still on the sky. “Have you ever howled at the moon?”“Only when I’m aching.”His hands came to her waist.Not asking.Claiming.He pressed up behind her, chest against her back, mouth
The room smelled of lavender oil and woodsmoke.Eira stood in front of a mirror, her bandages freshly changed, hair still damp from the basin bath Vael had brought in himself. Candle light streamed in through the narrow windows, catching the gold in her eyes and the bruising at her ribs.She wasn’t dressed yet.Not fully.Just a linen shift, loose at the shoulders, as Vael stood behind her, holding up the deep green gown he’d brought in. His gaze raked down her spine,slow, thorough, far too calm for the fire building behind his eyes.“You’re staring,” she murmured, hiding her smile.“You’re exposed,” he replied, unbothered. “I’m only appreciating the view before I cover it.”Eira turned her head slightly, lips twitching. “You’re getting bold.”He leaned closer, his voice brushing her ear like smoke. “No, sweetheart. I’ve always been bold. You’re just finally letting me show it.”She rolled her eyes, but her breath hitched as his fingers brushed her shoulder, sliding one arm of the dre
Eira sat propped up in the oversized bed, her hair messy and her skin pale against the furs. Vael put bandages across her ribs still pressed tight, and her breathing came shallow. Her body ached, but it was no longer the sharp pain of injury—it was the slow thrum of healing.Vael was kneeling beside the bed, sleeves rolled to his elbows, one hand holding a shallow clay bowl, the other stirring a mixture of crushed herbs into salve. His fingers were deft, steady, and streaked with dried blood that wasn’t his. He worked in silence, except for the occasional hum under his breath.“You’re staring,” he said without looking up, voice warm and smug.Eira flushed and looked away sharply. “I’m not.”He chuckled, low and deep. “Here we go again,you are. And it’s very flattering. Please don’t stop.”She rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”He dipped two fingers into the salve and looked up at her with a slow smile, all teeth and charm. “No, love. I’m Vael. But I can be impossible if it keeps y