INICIAR SESIÓNAzriel waited until the door closed behind him. "You're undermining my authority."
I almost crossed my arms over my chest, but I remember that my other hand was holding his. "I'm protecting your investigation."
He lifted his eyebrow. "From another continent?"
"From unnecessary travel expenses."
His gaze returned to our hands. "Is this how you intend to prevent me from reaching my study, hmm?"
"If necessary."
"You believe you can physically restrain me
Elder Ward rejected the threat before I finished repeating it. "You will not enter Redfang without Council authorization," she said through the speaker of my phone.The eastern boundary remained illuminated on the map between Azriel and me. Beyond it, the last recorded image of the black SUV waited beneath Redfang's territorial marker."My sister was transported across that border in a vehicle connected to the same company that funded the Blackridge attack.""And that evidence is being submitted to the Pack Council now.""Every minute you spend submitting it gives Caelan another minute to move her.""Entering another pack's territory without permission could be treated as an act of war.""Then authorize it."Silence followed.I looked toward the Fairmont estate.Council officers had moved Caelan from the drawing room into a secured vehicle after the physician identified the injection cap. He had not been formally charged with kidnapping, but Elder Ward had ordered him detained for obs
Ten minutes later, Azriel stood beside the bed fastening a clean shirt over the bandage around his side. I watched the careful movement of his hands."You aren't going to stop me?" he asked."You wouldn't listen.""That has never prevented you from trying."I stepped closer and took the next button from his fingers. "You will not shift, fight, or pretend the wound has disappeared merely because you're wearing a shirt over it."His olive eyes followed my hands. "Those sounded suspiciously like orders, wifey.""You married Silverpine's executive heiress, hubby. Adapt."The corner of his mouth twitched. I secured the last button and reached for his jacket. He tried to grab it, but I kept it just out of his reach."You don't need this," I told him. "I'm entering your family's estate in front of Council investigators.""You're recovering from a wolfsbane-coated blade.""I can do both while wearing a jacket.""You can barely raise your left arm."Azriel raised it, but pain tightened his ex
My first instinct was to wake Azriel.My second was to answer Evelina.But I trusted neither.Azriel remained asleep with his head resting against my lap, one arm curved around my waist. The tension had finally left his face. His breathing came evenly, no longer interrupted by the pain in his side.Doctor Maya had ordered him to rest.For once, he was obeying.I looked at the messages again.CAELAN KNOWS ABOUT THE MEDICAL REPORT.PLEASE DON'T TELL HIM I CONTACTED YOU.If Evelina had written them, answering could place her in greater danger.If Caelan possessed her phone, any response would confirm that she had already warned me—or convince him that I believed she had.The absence of a reply revealed nothing. I opened the secure investigation channel Isadora had created and added Azriel before uploading screenshots of both messages.He would receive everything I did.Even while he slept.Preserve the messages and their complete routing data. Verify the device signature and transmission
His amusement vanished.The question seemed to linger in the air far more than it should have. Azriel started to lift his head from my lap, but I rested my hand on his shoulder and eased him back down. "Explain while resting.""I have never explained a Luna ceremony from this position.""You chose this position."His arms tightened around my waist. "And I stand by it.""Then this will be educational for both of us."His olive eyes remained on my face. "The Luna ceremony is separate from our marriage covenant. Becoming my wife gave you the social title, but the ceremony would bind you directly to Nightfall.""What kind of bond?""The same connection that allows an Alpha to sense a threat moving through his territory or respond when one of his wolves calls for help. You would not hear their private thoughts. They could not enter yours.""Could you?""No."The answer came immediately."What would you feel?""Your presence inside Nightfall. Strong emotion if you deliberately sent it throu
Rest, however, did not come easily to him.For several minutes, Azriel remained against the pillows with his eyes closed and every muscle in his body prepared to respond to a threat that did not exist.I had seen the same tension at Blackridge, inside the Silverpine governing hall, and across every dining table where we examined evidence. Azriel knew how to become still when stillness allowed him to observe.He did not know how to stop.I leaned against the headboard beside him. "You aren't resting.""My eyes are closed.""You're listening to the elevator.""It stopped on this floor.""The medical staff checks the residence every hour.""There were two sets of footsteps.""One belonged to a guard.""The other?""A nurse."His eyes opened. "How do you know?""Because I'm listening, too."Azriel turned his head toward me. The faint color that had returned to his face made him look less fragile than he had inside the medical vehicle. It did not erase the exhaustion beneath his eyes or th
Azriel waited until the door closed behind him. "You're undermining my authority."I almost crossed my arms over my chest, but I remember that my other hand was holding his. "I'm protecting your investigation."He lifted his eyebrow. "From another continent?""From unnecessary travel expenses."His gaze returned to our hands. "Is this how you intend to prevent me from reaching my study, hmm?""If necessary.""You believe you can physically restrain me?""No." My smile became sweeter. "I believe you'll follow me willingly.""And if I don't?""Maya mentioned a sedative." I almost smiled when his eyes narrowed. "She also mentioned restraints.""You were paying way too much attention.""I was terrified you would die. I remember every word she said."The humor vanished from his face. I hadn't intended to end the argument that way.For a moment, neither of us moved. Then, Azriel turned his hand insi







