LOGINBy the time we were escorted inside the manor and into the parlor room, the chaos from earlier had already settled at least on the surface.According to Enoch."We'll talk properly," he had said, his voice clipped and restrained, as if forcing himself to hold back everything he wanted to do. "Like adults."I rolled my eyes just remembering it.Adults.Right.Because punching someone twice in front of royal soldiers was definitely how adults behaved.A quiet huff escaped me as I sank into the cushioned chair, crossing my arms loosely over my chest.The room felt too small as if everything that had happened outside was being purposely buried under this forced sense of civility.But it didn't work.Not for me.Not when I could still feel it through the bond.My gaze flickered to Lucretius, which was only this time, he wasn't standing. He was seated beside me on the couch, his posture still straight and composed as if nothing had happened at all.He looked like he hadn't just been punched
"Enoch...!" My voice broke into a shriek as I saw his stance, the way his body lunged forward without hesitation and restraint, driven purely by fury. "Lucretius...!"But Lucretius didn't move or dodge. He didn't even step back; instead, he simply raised a hand.And that terrified me more than anything.Enoch's fist came out of nowhere. A strike fueled by everything he had been holding back since the moment we arrived had landed hard. The crack of impact echoed sharply across the state as Lucretius' head snapped slightly to the side.My breath hitched. "STOP...!"But it was too late. The force of it made him take a step back, but that was all because Lucretius didn't retaliate. He didn't even glare. He simply straightened, looking calm and collected as if he had expected and accepted it.A thin line of blood formed at the corner of his lip, but he still didn't fight back. "Is that enough?" he asked afterwards.That only made everything worse, and I had the silent urge to smack his h
"Lucretius...!" I turned to him, my heart pounding so fast it felt like it might burst out of my chest. My fingers curled tightly against the edge of the seat, nails pressing into the fabric as my breath came out uneven, shallow, as the air inside the carriage had suddenly grown too thin to breathe.Lucretius looked calm and unbothered, as if the line of the royal soldiers waiting outside the manor wasn't enough to provoke even the slightest reaction from him. I reached for his arm as I tugged it gently to gather his attention. "I'll talk to him first," I said quickly, my voice lowering. "I'm serious... He might lunge at you."His gaze lingered on me, softening. "He won't," he said simply. The certainty in his voice didn't soothe me. If anything, it made my stomach twist tighter, because Lucretius never spoke like that unless he had already decided how things would unfold.I frowned. "Lucretius—""If he does," he added, his tone still even, "then I'll let him."That didn't help at a
The capital came into view just as the carriage slowed. The towering walls of Waevalon stood as they always had, as if time had not passed at all.But I had.My fingers curled over the edge of the window as I stared out, watching the gates draw closer with every passing second. "We're really back..." I murmured under my breath.The words felt strange, like I had left as one person and returned as another. Behind me, I felt the shift before I even saw him. Lucretius' presence pressed closer, his hand sliding over mine without hesitation. "You're tense," he noted quietly.I didn't deny it. Because I was. So I squeezed back his hand. "We've been gone for almost three weeks," I said, my gaze still fixed outside.We didn't return to the capital after our wedding. We decided to stay for another week to consummate our marriage and to enjoy the honeymoon. We both knew that once we got back, there was a chance unexpected moments might force us to be apart.Like... Enoch, for example."And I
And just like that, the very next day, Lucretius and I went to the nearest divine temple. The soft glow of candlelight flickered along the marble walls, casting gentle shadows that moved with the silence, as if even the air held its breath for this moment.There were no crowds. No grand procession. No whispers of nobles or the weight of politics pressing against us.Only a few witnesses stood at a distance, being respectful as if they understood this wasn't meant for anyone else. It was just for us.My steps slowed the moment I crossed the threshold. Something in my chest tightened because this scene was too familiar for me.Because I had stood here before.Not in this exact place, but in a moment just like this. My fingers brushed at my sides as I walked toward Lucretius. He was standing at the altar already, dressed simply, yet there was nothing simple about the way he looked at me.Like I was his everything. Like I had always been everything. And for a moment, time folded, and t
Morning came as the sunlight filtered gently through the vines of the gazebo, casting shadows across the table where we sat too close, as if distance was no longer something either of us remembered how to keep.I didn't sit across from him. I couldn't, not when the mate bond still pulsed softly beneath my skin and his presence felt like the only thing keeping me grounded.So, instead, I naturally sat on his lap like it was where I belonged."Wifey..." His voice carried an amusement as his arm circled my waist, while the other hand lifted a piece of fruit toward my lips. I didn't argue as I leaned forward, taking the bite, my fingers absentmindedly toying with the collar of his tunic while chewing. "You're staring again," I murmured. "I would melt if you keep doing that, hubby." I couldn't help the smile creeping to my lips."Can you blame me?" he replied lightly. "The love of my life is finally reciprocating my feelings."I huffed softly, though I didn't look away either, not when he
Lucretius' smile widened as soon as I came out, his expression pressing a pride on it the moment I was in front of him.For a moment, I forgot how to breathe when his striking hazel eyes traced the gown he had tailored for me as he offered his hand to me."Beautiful," he murmured, breathless. I in
As I got into the carriage, that was the only time I got to breathe properly while clutching the report tightly against my chest as if my life was dependent on it. I was trying to calm my heart down as well as my body that was set on fire because of him.That commander... I swear to the Moon Goddes
"That freaking brat said that to me?" Lucretius asked through gritted teeth when I told him the message from Commander Rachelle as soon as I arrived. "She has a mouth on her. Tell her I appreciate the concern for my mobility."I pressed my lips into a thin line to suppress the smile that was about
The next morning, I woke up from the faint light slipping through the curtains. My hand reached across the mattress, and the warmth beside me was already gone. I almost thought last night was just a dream, but the sheets covering my naked body, the torn nightdress on top of the sheets, and the sens







