LOGINInside my heart, a heavy, painful sadness was blooming like a dark flower.I looked at the broken metal buckles on the floor, then I looked at Kael’s sharp, handsome face. He looked so powerful, so grand, but right now, he also looked terrifyingly cold and unyielding.He didn't even listen to him, I thought to myself, a bitter ache spreading through my chest. Guard Roland begged for mercy. He cried and swore he was innocent. But Kael did not listen for a single second. He just destroyed that young man's whole life in two minutes without any real proof. If he can be this cold and cruel to an innocent guard who served him for five years... what will he do to me if I ever make a mistake?The small, warm feelings I had started to build for Kael in my heart completely froze over. The quiet emotional wall between us grew ten times thicker and higher than it was this morning.I looked up at Kael, keeping my face completely smooth, my eyes cold, and my posture stiff like a stone statue.I gav
Guard Roland frowned. He bent down, picked up the paper with shaking fingers, and looked at the written words under the lantern light. As his eyes moved across the page, seeing the fake trade numbers that accused me of stealing gold, his face went completely pale, like all the blood had been drained out of his body."Alpha!" Roland gasped out, dropping the paper like it was made of hot fire. "I... I do not know what this is! I have never seen this letter before in my whole life!""Liar!" Kael roared, taking a massive step toward the young guard.Kael’s terrifying Alpha power burst out of his broad body like an invisible wave of giant pressure! The air on the balcony became so heavy that Guard Roland fell straight onto his knees, gasping for breath, his chest heaving hard."This maid just confessed everything!" Kael yelled, pointing down at Clara. "She said you gave her three silver coins to slip this fake paper into the council archives! You tried to make my Luna look like a traitor t
The wind on the high stone balcony was very cold and sharp. Down in the big courtyard, the bright paper lanterns were dancing in the dark night air. Happy music was playing from small wooden flutes, but up on the high terrace, everything was totally quiet and scary.Captain Freya held the small, shaking maid by her dirty grey collar.Clara was crying so hard her whole body was shaking like a wet leaf in an autumn storm. Her small knees hit the hard stone floor with a soft thud. Tears were spilling over her red cheeks, making dark wet spots on her woolen dress.Alpha Kael stood right in front of her. His big black velvet coat flapped loudly in the cold wind. He looked like a giant stone monster made of pure anger. His silver eyes were bright and sharp in the dark night.In his large, strong hand, he held the folded white paper that Captain Freya had just picked up off the dirty cobblestones below.Kael looked down at Clara. His broad chest went up and down with deep, mad breaths."Expl
Kael did not turn his head to look at her. His silver eyes remained locked on my dark blue cloak down in the courtyard. His deep voice dropped into an icy, dismissive growl."Why are you out here on my private balcony, Victoria?" Kael asked coldly.Victoria swallowed her rising frustration, keeping her smile firm as she rested her gloved hand lightly on the cold stone balustrade a foot away from his arm."I only wished to offer my peaceful thoughts," Victoria lied softly, leaning a tiny bit closer to him in the dark. "My father and I only want what is best for the future of Shadow Fang. I know we had misunderstandings regarding... that girl. But I spent four years at the Royal Academy studying trade and law. I can offer you true political power, Kael. Real diplomatic strength that a low-born runaway girl could never give you."Kael turned his head slowly, looking down at Victoria with eyes so cold, sharp, and lethal that her fake smile instantly froze on her lips.The heavy, suffocati
As we reached the open terrace overlooking the busy festival setup below, I noticed Lord Sterling and Lady Victoria standing near a grand stone archway in the lower yard.Victoria was wearing an elaborate dark green velvet cloak edged with thick white fur. Her long golden hair was styled in intricate braided coils, but her handsome face was pale, drawn, and tight with suppressed fury. She was speaking in low, harsh whispers to her father, who looked equally grim, sour, and frustrated.I kept my distance, watching them quietly from the high stone terrace.In Victoria's mind, a raging fire of pure, toxic desperation was burning brighter with every passing hour.Ever since the High Council meeting yesterday morning, her father had strictly forbidden her from making any more public statements or scenes against me. Lord Sterling was terrified of losing his wealthy military trade contracts with Shadow Fang, and he had warned Victoria in no uncertain terms that one more mistake would ruin th
The morning sun rose cold and pale over the sharp mountain peaks, casting a thin, silver light through the high arched windows of the grand bedroom. Outside, a bitter mountain wind howled against the stone walls, carrying dusting flakes of white snow across the dark pine forest below.I woke up early, long before the palace servants came in to light the fresh tallow candles. I lay completely still under the heavy woolen blankets, staring quietly up at the dark wooden beams of the high ceiling.My heart felt heavy and hollow, like a dry well in the middle of a brutal winter.Every single word Kael had spoken to me last night echoed in my mind with sharp, painful clarity."This is just a business contract between us, and it will remain a business contract."I took a slow, deliberate breath, resting my warm palm gently over my lower stomach. My baby was warm, quiet, and safe inside me, and in the end, that was the only truth that truly mattered in this grand, scary palace.He is right, I







