LOGINI straightened up. My heart was pounding. I looked around the room and for a single, disorienting moment, I had no idea where I was. The black stone walls, the red sky beyond the window, the dead air of this place—none of it felt right. None of it felt like mine. I felt like a man who had woken up m
Andrei’s POVThe collar of my shirt was pissing me off.I had fastened it twice already and it still insisted on sitting crooked, pulling too tight on the left side. I undid it a third time and redid it, slower, watching my hands in the mirror rather than my own face. My reflection had been botherin
Natalia’s POVHe didn’t hesitate.The moment I swung the rod toward him, his hand shot out and closed around my wrist like a vise. My arm wrenched sideways, and I felt the bones grind together under his grip, and the rod fell. It clattered somewhere on the stone floor, rolling away into the darkness
Andrei’s POVThe room was warm. The bed was soft and plush, the pillows made of feathers and velvet. Everything smelled familiar, the kind of scent that you recognize from a past life but can never put a finger on its source.Home.The woman was laying next to me, just as she always did. Amber hair
But I would do it, because the alternative was my children going through whatever came next, and that was not something I was willing to consider.I wasn’t certain yet. That was the only reason I was still trying so hard now. Because there was still a small part of me that thought that there must be
Natalia’s POVThey came for me after what felt like a full day. I say felt like because it really could have been any amount of time, or none at all. But someone did bring me some slop to eat at some point, so that had to have meant that at least a full cycle had passed.I was on my feet before the
Dammit, I still blamed myself. If I had just been a better Alpha, a better protector, Lilith never would have been taken. I had already failed her once. Could I really condemn her now over something that might not be her fault?“Andrei,” Natalia said sharply, making me look at her. There was that fi
Finally, I forced myself to meet his gaze. “I love Damon,” I said slowly, clearly. “I love him far more than I ever loved you. What we have is real, Andrei. What you and I had was the fake relationship.”He flinched like I’d slapped him across the face. For a second, if I didn’t know any better, I w
Natalia“You want to do what?”Damon’s incredulous voice echoed off the conference room walls. On the other side of the table, Andrei sat frozen, staring at the gleaming surface. For once, my ex-husband seemed completely speechless. I wasn’t sure if I should consider that a win or not.I straightene
My wolf chuffed again, but I ignored her.I sighed. “Look, Damon.” I took my friend’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I love you—but not in the way you want me to. I don’t want to be marked. And I don’t think it’s a good idea.”Damon’s green eyes searched my face as if looking for some hint that I migh







