LOGINDinner was a sterile affair. The dining room, which was usually a place of warmth and shared laughter, felt cavernous and cold. The only sounds were the rhythmic clinking of silverware against porcelain, nothing else. Kael watched Morvienne across the table. She was eating, but it seemed mechanical. She was also not sitting close to him like before. Trying to bridge the growing chasm between them, he cleared his throat and attempted a light topic. "How's dinner? Enjoying it?" He looked at her, hoping for a flicker of excitement, a small smile, anything. But she didn't look up from her plate. She chewed slowly and swallowed. "Mm."Kael's smile faltered. "Just... mm? Are you not enjoying it? I can tell them to make something else.""No, no," she quickly said and looked up then, finally meeting his eyes for a brief second before glancing back down. "I am enjoying it." Kael nodded. "That's good," he murmured as the conversation died there. He tried once or twice more to bring up smal
"I can't believe you're leaving already," Morvienne whispered, her voice filled with sadness as she wrapped her arms tightly around Thalira, pulling her into a tight hug. "Me too," Thalira murmured, hugging her back just as tightly. After a long moment, she pulled back slightly, her eyes searching Morvienne's. "Don't worry, we'll definitely see each other again, right?" Morvienne managed a soft smile and nodded. "Definitely."A few days had passed since her emotional collapse. She had made her decision, and today was the day Thalira was leaving.As they made their way through the hallway toward the front door, Kael stepped forward, his expression composed, but his eyes were observant, tracking every micro-expression on Morvienne's face. "My regards to your father," he told Thalira, his voice steady and formal. Thalira looked at him, her expression softening into one of sincere gratitude. "Of course. Thank you again for letting me stay. I really enjoyed my time here," she said seri
"I love him."The thought surfaced, unbidden and terrifying, and it hit her with the force of a physical blow if not worse. She recoiled, her back hitting the door with a dull thud as her heart hammered against her ribs like that of a trapped animal."No. I don't. I can't."She tried to push the feeling back, to shove it into the dark corners of her mind where she kept the screams and the blood, but it was too late. The love was there, a living, breathing thing, entwined with the memory of his laughter, the way he looked at her as if she were the only light in a dark world, and the tenderness of his touch. She could still feel the phantom sensation of his fingers tracing her jaw, the sincerity in his voice when he told her she didn't have to fight alone. And then, the shift happened. The warmth vanished, replaced by a sudden, visceral wave of nausea. The memory of his kiss, which seconds ago had felt like salvation, now felt like a violation. She felt a surge of absolute disgust—not
"First," Kael murmured. "I think we start by ignoring every single email, phone call, and obligation on my calendar for the next twenty-four hours."Morvienne let out a genuine laugh, the sound bright and airy. "I would like to see how that goes, although you can't just vanish.""Watch me," he countered, a playful glint in his eyes as he reached out, his fingers grazing her jawline before sliding back to cup the nape of her neck. He pulled her in slowly, not for a passionate kiss, but for one of those lingering, forehead-to-forehead moments where the only sound was the synchronized rhythm of their breathing.For those few seconds, Morvienne allowed herself to forget. She forgot everything about the hatred and revenge in her heart, the anger, the pain. In this bubble, there was only his scent, his intoxicating grape red wine scent, mixed with the warmth of his skin. She leaned into him, her eyes fluttering shut."I can't do this," she thought, even as she tightened her grip on his shir
Morvienne stirred first, her eyelashes fluttering open to find Kael still deep in sleep beside her. He looked peaceful, his features softened by slumber.She stayed frozen for a moment, her gaze lingering on his face as a small smile tugged at her lips. "I was actually happy last night," she admitted to herself. The memory of their teasing, the playful chase, the heat of his body pressed against hers, the way he had practically begged her to attend to the heavy bulge in his trousers, made her silently laugh to herself. It had been... amazing.Then, as quickly as the warmth came, the coldness of guilt crashed over her. She stiffened, her smile vanishing. "Why do I feel this way?" "Why am I... allowing myself to enjoy this?" she asked herself as the ghosts of her past seemed to crowd into the room all of a sudden, reminding her of why she had entered Kael's life in the first place. "I'm mistaken," she told herself, her inner voice becoming sharp and defensive. "It's just the role. I
Kael was still thinking about Harlan's report when he walked back into the bedroom, but his thoughts shifted the moment he saw Morvienne. She had already finished arranging her things and had clearly just stepped out of the shower. Her skin was glowing, and she smelled like the expensive, floral soaps from the boutique, her hair damp and clinging to her shoulders. "You're back," she said, giving him a small, curious smile. "I am," Kael replied, his voice dropping an octave as his eyes swept over her. The sight of her so fresh and soft made the predatory edge of his mood melt into something much more carnal. He didn't say much more and simply headed into the bathroom to wash the dirt off himself.Once he was dressed and refreshed, they headed downstairs for dinner. The meal was quiet but charged. Every time Kael's hand brushed hers or his gaze lingered on her lips, Morvienne felt a spark of electricity shoot through her. The conversation was light, but the air between them was thick
Kael walked out of the basement, Harlan close behind him. He stopped just short of his car before speaking. "Clean up the mess and leave no trace," he said, his tone a bit cold. "He's very lucky I'm in a good mood. Get him back to his family in one piece. Then you guys can go back. I'll have someo
"Miss Morvienne?" Lina called to her from outside the bathroom door. "Miss Morvienne, are you done? It's 7:40 PM and the Alpha will be here soon.""Coming!" Morvienne called back.A few minutes passed before the bathroom door finally opened and she stepped out. Lina had been helping her get ready
Dinner went well as usual, even better as they both didn't bother with the usual manners of just sitting, eating quietly, and saying little things to each other, or nothing at all. Tonight, they ate, talked, laughed, smiled, and enjoyed their meals together, and sometimes, plates were ignored as th
"Morvienne, Morvienne." She heard her name called softly, someone gently shaking her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking a few times as she tried to focus. "Morvienne," the voice said again, more insistently."Kael?" she asked as she immediately recognized the voice, her own voice still heavy w







