LOGINMayaI should have stepped away.Instead, my fingers curled into Tyler's shirt, pulling him closer as I kissed him again.The warmth of his mouth made it difficult to think, and whatever questions had been circling my mind moments earlier seemed to disappear beneath the rush of sensation."Tyler..."His name left my lips in a whisper.I barely remembered where we were.The guards were still standing outside the office, yet I couldn't bring myself to care.I pressed closer to him, my hands tightening in the fabric of his shirt as the kiss deepened, and a strange warmth spread through my body, making my breath catch.Tyler's hand settled at my waist.His eyes met mine when we finally separated, and something heated passed between us."Come with me," he murmured.Before I could ask where, he took my hand and guided me toward a door beside his office.He opened it quickly and pulled me inside.I barely had time to look around.The room was smaller than his office, furnished with a large d
MayaI waited for Tyler throughout the night.He never came.At first, I told myself he was busy.River Vale was his territory, and after everything that had happened, there was probably a great deal he needed to handle. I tried to be patient, but as the hours passed, the silence became harder to ignore.I tried the mind-link.Tyler? Nothing. I tried again. Tyler, are you there?Still nothing. I frowned at myself. Maybe I was doing it wrong.I had never really understood how mind-links worked. Tyler had explained almost nothing about them, and I had always assumed the connection simply happened between wolves who were bonded.Yet I had managed to answer him that afternoon.When he had called my name inside my head, I had heard him clearly and responded without thinking.So what had changed?I sat on the edge of the bed, staring into the darkness.I had read that mated wolves could sometimes sense each other's emotions through the mate bond. Happiness, Fear, Anger or Pain.But I had ne
Maya"I did this for you."Tyler's words lingered between us long after he said them.I looked at the two women on the floor, then back at him, hoping that if I stared long enough, I would find some sign that this was all a misunderstanding.Instead, Tyler simply watched me. "You don't have to look at them," he said quietly. "Come with me."I didn't move. "Tyler, I don't understand.""What don't you understand?""Why would you even bring me here?"His expression softened. "Because I don't want you believing the people around you are harmless when some of them aren't."I looked toward the women again. "They were gossiping about me.""They were doing more than gossiping, Maya Dear, have people who listen."The answer should have reassured me, but something about it made my stomach tighten. "Do you have people listening to everyone?""I have people protecting my pack." He said it so naturally that I almost felt foolish for questioning him. One of the women suddenly lifted her head.Her
MayaMorning arrived before I felt ready for it.I had barely slept, and although the first light of dawn had begun slipping through the curtains, I remained beside the window, staring at the River Vale grounds below. Everything looked peaceful, from the gardens to the quiet paths winding through the trees, yet my mind was still trapped in the old tower with the Moon Seer's warning.The possibility that something inside me could put Roman and Ryan in danger.I had spent hours trying to convince myself that the Moon Seer hadn't meant anything definite, especially since she had admitted that she didn't know what my silver blood meant. Still, every time I closed my eyes, I heard her words again.A soft knock interrupted my thoughts."Come in."The door opened, and Willow entered carrying a breakfast tray. She was the maid who had carried Roman during the ceremony the night before, and she smiled politely as she placed the tray on the table."Good morning, ma'am.""Good morning, Willow."S
Maya"Tyler?"He didn't answer immediately. His attention remained fixed on my palm, where the faint silver glow had already disappeared, leaving only the shallow cut from the ceremony.Something about his expression made the room feel colder."Who is the Moon Seer?" I asked.Tyler finally looked at me. "She's someone who has lived in River Vale longer than anyone else.""Can she tell us what happened to my blood?""Maybe."The hesitation in his voice made my stomach tighten. "You said you knew someone who could explain it.""I said she might be able to." He reached for my hand. "Come with me."I followed him out of the room and into the quiet corridor. Most of the house had already gone to sleep, leaving only the faint sounds of our footsteps against the polished floor.Instead of taking me toward the main staircase, Tyler led me down a narrow passage and toward a staircase I had never seen before.As we climbed, the house began to change. The walls were made from darker stone, and s
MayaI stood there for several seconds, pretending I hadn't heard anything. The music continued behind me.People laughed. Glasses clinked. Someone cheered as a new song began, and couples moved onto the dance floor.But I couldn't hear any of it properly anymore. All I could hear was one sentence.She doesn't even have a wolf. I looked down at my hands.The shallow cut on my palm had already stopped bleeding, but I could still feel the warmth of Tyler's blood beneath my skin.The bond or whatever it was. It had felt real. I had felt something change between us.So why did their words bother me this much?"Maya?" I turned.Tyler was standing a few feet away, watching me. His smile was gone.He had noticed. "Are you okay?"I forced a smile. "Yes."He walked toward me."You don't look okay.""I'm fine."His eyes moved over my face before settling on my hand."Did someone say something?"I hesitated.That was enough of an answer.His jaw tightened. "Who?""It's nothing.""Maya."His voic







