LOGINSeptember 5, 2026. Chapters 1-2.
~ Elowen ~*Mooncrest Castle*Elowen walked beside King Aldric into the courtyard, where the visiting royal couples were preparing to depart.Carriages stood ready beneath the morning sun, with royal guards loading the last of the luggage. Prince Dorian and Princess Audrey were preparing to return to Valea, while Prince Regent Corvin Lorent and his wife were making ready for their journey home to Westfall.Cassian and Mira were there as well. They were exchanging pleasantries with Prince Dorian and Princess Audrey. Aldric was speaking to Prince Corvin at the moment. Elowen's gaze soon found Elara standing beside Kael.A smile touched her lips.She approached them and took Elara's hands in hers. “I am so happy, Elara. And I am grateful that you have chosen to do what is best for the realm. The knowledge you have uncovered about the Firebloods could change the fate of all our kingdoms.”Elara was taken aback by her approach. It was obvious from the way she stepped back, but very quickly
~ Kael ~*Gilded Chalice, Mooncrest*Two days passed.Kael and Elara had returned from Frostfang, where they had left Isolde at Frostfang Keep. That same evening, they met with Prince Dorian and his wife.The Valean royal couple had extended their stay in Asteria so Dorian could give Kael a proper celebration after his marriage. They spent the evening drinking in a private chamber at the Gilded Chalice.From his seat, Dorian looked Kael up and down. “You look different.”Kael frowned and said dryly, “How?”“Married suits you,” Dorian suggested before taking a sip of his wine.While Princess Audrey laughed, Kael scoffed. “I am still the same man.”“Of course,” Dorian answered. “You are simply the same man with a wife now.”Kael sighed, irritated. “Moon Goddess, give me patience.”“Patience was never your good quality,” Dorian teased. “But you wouldn’t dare hurt me in front of your wife.”“He won’t, Your Highness,” Elara assured Dorian.Then Elara wrapped her arms around Kael’s biceps. S
~ Elowen ~*Mooncrest Castle*Elowen immediately glared at Aldric.Her husband tried to mask his true reaction, but she saw the clear panic in his eyes before he found the right words.“Kael, Isolde is your mother. She was once the queen. She had refused to see me for many years. Of course, I wanted to ask how she was doing,” Aldric calmly admitted. “When she fled to Frostfang, it was, after all, my doing.”He adjusted his garment, adding, “I wanted to make certain that she did not harbor any resentment toward me, especially regarding my decision on the succession of the Crown. Peace within my family is important to me as king.”“There is no harm in what I did,” Aldric said.Elowen’s knuckles turned white as she clutched her fork. ‘Aldric sought out Isolde in secret? Was it necessary?’Aldric had named Cassian as the Crown Prince for many years. Isolde had not once contested it. He had absolutely no reason to see Isolde himself!And time and again, he had asked Kael how Isolde was doin
~ Kael ~*Mooncrest Castle*Kael slammed his back into the headboard of their bed. He took deep breaths and closed his eyes. Slowly, he took control of his wolf.When Elara suggested they might be true mates, Kael had nearly lost it.He badly wanted to mark her!But she was right.In the past, Northhaven killed all Firebloods because they feared their power, and now, they seek them because they may be the answer to the frost.Now that Kael thought about it, how could Mira boldly flaunt her ability to wield fire without fear of being hunted down? Among all the kingdoms, Northhaven was the most desperate to find an answer to the frost, for they had suffered from the eternal snow longer than any other.“You are right,” Kael said. “We do need to be careful.”“And it’s not just that,” Elara said softly. She continued to speak closer to his ear. “I don’t know how it works.”“What if I become overwhelmed and hurt you,” she suggested. “That’s the last thing I want.”Kael still could not wrap h
~ Elara ~*Mooncrest Castle*Waking up, Elara never expected to find Kael staring at her.He didn’t bother to hide it.His steel-gray eyes bore into her, intent on uncovering the truth.“Tell me more about that dream you had,” he asked, his chiseled face resting on his fist.Elara tried to brush it off, saying, “Kael, did anyone tell you how handsome you are?”She leaned into him and kissed his cheek and lips.He did not pull away, which meant her husband was getting used to her.“Tell me,” he repeated.Elara blinked. She pulled the covers over her naked body and returned to look at his face. “It’s like what I said. I dreamed of us being attacked by Northaven, and we both died.”She gulped. “You came to help me.”Elara felt her chest growing heavy, having to recount those events again. “And you tried to save me, but I still died in the end. We both died.”She became teary-eyed. “I was afraid.”“You said something like you couldn’t go through that again,” Kael asked, his eyes hooded. “W
~ Kael ~*Mooncrest Castle*He never imagined the day would come when Elara would take him by the mouth.It felt entirely unreal.Just days ago, she was his half-brother’s betrothed.She was a highborn lady bound to another man by an alliance, off-limits and untouchable.Yet here she was in the dim light of his chamber, on her knees, naked, one hand resting on his thigh, the other wrapped snugly around the base of his shaft.‘By the Moon.’ Kael threw his head back, closing his eyes. He did not know how long he could hold back.Then, it was as though Elara noticed his struggle.When he looked down at her, she stared right back at him, her lips wrapped around his length, her cheeks hollowing as she took him deeper.The veins on his neck bulged prominently against his skin.His body expanded.His fangs grew, and he let out a loud growl.The view was just too devastatingly sinful to endure.“Gods, Kael. You are far more impressive than I expected,” she said, letting go to marvel at his siz







