LOGIN~SERAPHINA~Every candle flame in the room seemed to flicker with irritation, mirroring the frustration inside my chest. I still couldn't believe what I had witnessed today. Vincent—my Vincent, had lost. Not just lost, but been thoroughly, humiliatingly defeated in front of the entire arena by Aurora's husband. Aurora's husband! The same man that hated our kind and was responsible for many deaths in our Kingdom. The memory replayed in my mind like a nightmare I couldn't wake from: the crowd's roar, the smug satisfaction on Aurora's face, and worst of all, the pitying glances thrown my way from the front row where I had been seated like some fool.In that moment, I'd regretted even being present for the duel. I should have stayed home and gotten a facial instead.He was supposed to be better than this. He was my fiancé. The man I had chosen because everyone else wanted him, especially Aurora. And yet he had let that Reaper brute beat him into the ground while I sat there, ring glint
~AURORA~My heart pounded wildly in my chest as Cassian's strong body pressed close, his chest brushing against mine with every subtle movement in the water. His finger traced lazy, deliberate circles around my nipple through the thin, wet fabric of my bikini top. The material was almost useless now, every slow rotation sent electric sparks straight down between my thighs, making the sensitive spot tighten and ache with need.I could hardly breathe."You need to be confident," Cassian murmured, his voice low.His breath was warm over my wet skin. "Know that you possess the power to make him go to his knees for you, Aurora. To beg. To lose control."I tried to focus on his words, this was supposed to be a lesson in seduction, a way to build my confidence so I could somehow convince Vincent to fight for us. But how could I concentrate when Cassian's touch was taking me apart so completely? His free hand slid to my other breast, mirroring the teasing motion, and I bit my lip hard to s
~AURORA~The moon hung low and beautiful over the Moon Reapers' estate, casting a soft, ethereal glow across the private pool. Zerath had suggested I come here after the long, emotionally exhausting day, insisting I deserved time to relax while Cassian spent the evening catching up with Elias and Elizabeth.Even hearing their names together had sent another unwelcome spike of jealousy through me. The image of the three of them laughing, sharing stories, Elizabeth leaning close to Cassian with that easy familiarity. . .it twisted something sharp in my chest. I tried to drown the feeling in the warm water, letting it lap gently against my skin as I lay down in the shallow end.I couldn't swim to save my life, so I stayed firmly where the water only reached my waist, refusing to venture any deeper. The black bikini the maids had brought me was far more revealing than anything I'd ever worn, two tiny triangles of fabric barely containing my breasts, the bottoms sitting low on my hips w
~AURORA~"You kicked ass today," Zerath praised, clapping his brother hard on the shoulder with a wide grin. "You should have seen the looks on their faces. Those beasts didn't think you'd actually beat their precious prince of the North. They were placing bets like he was untouchable."Cassian didn't share his brother's contagious energy. He merely shrugged, his powerful shoulders rolling under the clean shirt someone had tossed him upon our arrival. "It had to be done," he said flatly, voice low and edged with something darker than triumph. "He thought he could walk into the ring and beat me. I had to teach him a lesson he won't forget."The courtyard of the Moon Reapers' estate buzzed with celebration. People moved forward from every direction, offering Cassian gifts of many kinds. Children laughed and darted between legs while adults clapped and cheered, their voices rising in chants that honored their heir for defending their pride."This is for you, my lord, may your blade st
~CASSIAN~The plan had been simple.Get Vincent jealous enough to lose his fucking mind. Push him until the weak bastard finally snapped and fought for Aurora like a real mate should. I knew exactly why he'd let her go in the first place, he was a coward hiding behind his royal title. Terrified the council would kill him for choosing love over the precious peace treaty. He was a fucking weak man. Terrified his own people would turn on him for wanting the woman they'd forced into my bed for everyone's gain.But a true mate doesn't hand his woman over to another man. Not without a war. Not while the bond still burned between them. The jealousy would hit him directly in his veins, and if I played this right, Vincent would do all the dirty work for me. He'd rip her away, reject the marriage, shatter the treaty, whatever it took. And I would finally be free of this cursed union.Free of her.I didn't want to be married to a Varkas princess. I didn't want to be chained to the bloodline t
~AURORA~Cassian reached me in three powerful strides, his bare chest still heaving from the fight, glistening with sweat and blood—some his, most of it Vincent's. He moved with the confident grace of a predator who had just claimed victory.To me, he had never looked more devastatingly sexy.What is wrong with me? The thought flickered weakly in the back of my mind. Vincent was my mate. He was lying wounded on the arena floor. I should have been rushing to his side, consumed with worry, guilt, or at least some shred of loyalty.But all I could see was Cassian.Then again, why would I be loyal to someone who never cared about my feelings? Someone who cared more about what people thought than what would happen to me if he chose someone else. Cassian's eyes are burning with triumph and something far more dangerous—hunger. What was he hungry for?The scent of him hit me. My body responded before my mind could catch up, a rush of heat flooding low in my belly.He didn't ask permission.







