로그인"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
A knock interrupted their conversation. Morvienne, who had been talking about her day while Kael responded in between, stopped as the knock came again, causing his attention to shift."Come in," he commanded, his voice regaining that effortless, resonant authority.The door creaked open to reveal a maid. The maid stood like a statue, her eyes lowered in a gesture of ingrained deference."Alpha," she murmured. "The head warrior is here to see you. He is waiting in the living room."Kael gave a single, curt nod. "Very well."With a fluid, practiced bow, the maid retreated and closed the door. Kael turned back to Morvienne. The transition was instantaneous. The Alpha vanished, and the man returned. His expression melted, his features softening as he looked at her, as if apologizing silently for the intrusion. "I'll be back," he said, his voice dropping to a gentle, intimate register. "Excuse me for a moment."Morvienne offered a small, knowing smile, her eyes shimmering with affection
Silk, perfume, and the dizzying scent of luxury. Thalira didn't just take Morvienne shopping; she curated an experience. From the moment they stepped into the high-end district, it felt as though they had entered an entirely different world."Look at this one, Morvienne! The cut of this dress would make your waist look absolutely lethal," Thalira exclaimed, holding up a shimmering, emerald-green slip dress that probably cost more than some people's yearly rent. Morvienne touched the fabric, her fingers tingling. It was breathtaking. "I shouldn't be spending this," the thought came, her mind flashing back to the cold, hard resolve she had when she first entered Kael's life, "I shouldn't be here at all, but it's okay. It's just a role. Nothing else.""I... I don't know, Thalira. It's beautiful, but maybe it's too much?" She whispered, her voice wavering as she pretended to be overwhelmed by the price of the dress. Thalira paused, her playful expression softening. This time, she did
Forty-five minutes. She had forty-five minutes to execute her plan perfectly. The moment she opened the doors of the aquarium and the night air brushed against her face, something in her changed. It was subtle at first. Her shoulders slackened and she stepped forward slowly, almost like she
Kael's eyes softened as he looked at her. "You... you look so effortlessly breathtaking," he said, his voice low and filled with adoration. "Like you completely took my breath away."Morvienne raised an eyebrow, now trying to keep her expression serious, forcing herself not to smile. "So... why a
He led her away from the aquarium viewing area and as they walked, she realized they were heading into a completely different section of the building. This section was brighter, livelier, and full of movement and voices. It was like a small world of its own. There were different stalls lined up
The man's eyes widened instantly, the fear in them raw. His breathing grew fast and shallow, chest rising and falling rapidly, then he started trembling uncontrollably. His whole body shook, from his shoulders to his hands, as if the very air around him had turned icy. Kael on the other hand, watc







