LOGINMelvin's POVThe road stretched ahead, empty and gray beneath the afternoon sky, dust rose from the horses’ hooves, hanging in the still air.I hadn’t spoken in miles, my jaw ached from clenching it too often, and my cheek still burned from the slap.The memory of her face kept replaying in my mind. The tears that wouldn’t stop rolling down her cheeks, the way her voice had cracked when she said the words that cut my heart into pieces.“I was your wife, not anymore.”The words stayed in my head, reopening the same wound every time I remembered them.My head pounded, and my vision blurred for a moment.Markus rode beside me. He had been quiet throughout the journey, watching me with the careful patience of someone who knew better than to push.But the silence had stretched too long, he finally broke it.“Alpha, you’ve been silent since we left the gates.”I kept my eyes on the road ahead.“I have nothing to say.”He studied me, his gaze lingering on the red mark across my cheek.“You s
Auren's POV“What is going on here?”Ronan’s voice cut through the corridor like a blade.I turned, my cheek still burning from the second slap, my face wet with tears.He closed the distance between us, his eyes moving from me to Melvin, from my tear-streaked face to the red mark across Melvin’s jaw. His jaw tightened.Melvin’s hand was still near me, Ronan moved before either of us could speak. His hand caught my arm and drew me behind him, shielding me protectively, his fingers were warm against my skin, keeping me steady when my hands wouldn’t stop shaking.Silver surged beneath my skin, the sensation caught my breath, and I pressed my free hand against my chest.Ronan’s voice remained low.“Step away from her while you’re still breathing.”Melvin didn’t move, his eyes remained fixed on me, looking past Ronan’s shoulder as though he could still reach me if he simply kept looking.“She is my wife, Ronan.”The word hit me before I could brace myself.Wife?Did he even know what that
Melvin's POVThe noise from the hall faded behind me, replaced by the hollow echo of my footsteps against the stone. I walked through the first corridor with the guard trembling ahead of me. I told myself I needed air, but my steps carried me deeper into Emberfall’s private passages before I could even form a convincing lie.The guard stopped and bowed.“Alpha, the courtyard is this way.”I didn’t slow.“Good.”He hesitated.“The reception...”I stopped and looked over my shoulder.“Continue without me.”I walked past him. The corridors stretched ahead, lanterns flickering along the walls. I passed doorways and archways, searching casually at first, glancing into passing corridors, noting the direction of footsteps and watching healers move between rooms.Then, without even realizing when it happened, my search became deliberate.I stopped a young healer carrying a basket of herbs.“The healing wing? Where is it?”She pointed ahead.“That way, Alpha. Past the east courtyard, then left
Melvin's POVThe great hall of Emberfall was alive with ceremony.Trumpets had sounded, and everyone was comfortably seated. Emberfall’s elders, warriors, and council members filled the tables around us. Wine flowed freely, while servants moved between the benches with the precision of people who had done this countless times before.I sat where protocol required me to sit. Markus was close enough to speak without anyone else hearing, and his presence steadied me.An elder rose to welcome Thornridge. His voice carried across the hall.“Thornridge values the relationship between our territories,” I answered, keeping my voice calm. “We came here in good faith.”Ronan responded from across the table.“Then Emberfall will meet that faith with the same courtesy.”The words were polite, and the room accepted them, but I noticed how carefully Ronan watched me, how his attention never fully left my face, how he seemed to track my every movement without even realizing it.I watched him right b
Selene's POVThe news arrived at midday. Melvin had reached Emberfall, and the delegation was already inside. The formal reception had begun.I stood by the window, listening to the messenger’s report. My hand rested against the sill, the stone cold beneath my fingers.Across the room, Cassien didn’t react the way I expected.He didn’t ask whether Melvin had arrived safely. He didn’t inquire about the diplomatic reception, he didn’t even look up from the ledgers spread across his desk.Instead, he simply said, “Good,” then returned to his work.I remembered the morning Melvin left.“Why did you leave me behind?”Melvin had barely stopped.“Look after Selene.”The words had struck Cassien hard. He had been quiet ever since, not uttering a word to anyone after Melvin sent him back.I turned toward the window again. My reflection stared back at me.“Why would Melvin send Cassien back to me?”The thought settled deep in my chest. I gasped softly, wondering why I had never considered it be
Auren's POV“Hold still, so it doesn’t hurt more.”The warrior winced as I pulled the thread through his skin, the wound was deep, a nasty gash across his forearm from gate duty. I had been stitching it for the past few minutes, my fingers moving carefully as I worked to close the wound.“I’m almost done, how does it feel? Still hurts?”He grunted. “It does, but please, take your time.”I worked in silence, pulling the thread tight until the edges of the skin came together, then I tied it off, pressed a clean cloth against the wound and began wrapping it.“There you are, make sure you change the dressing tomorrow”He flexed his arm carefully. “I feel better, thanks a lot”“Thank you, it’s my duty to make sure you get better”He stood, nodded and walked toward the door.I turned back to the table, the herbs still needed sorting and the supplies needed organizing, my hands reached for a bundle of chamomile.Then the trumpets thundered through the palace, loud and commanding like a cerem







