Mag-log inAdrain’s POVI know I might die soon if Elise doesn’t fix whatever the hell was eating me from the inside. The curse.I’d felt it for weeks…the weakness creeping in, the way my wolf sometimes felt…distant. But how the fuck did this brand-new priestess know? And what did she mean I was already a corpse?My mind flicked to Elise. The real reason I’d brought her back here, aside from the fact that she belongs in the realm, was so she could cure me. That was the plan. The only plan that mattered. Just thinking about her waiting in our chambers made something in my chest loosen a little. This priestess is probably spewing nonsense. I cleared my throat, pushed the doubt down.My voice came out cold as winter steel, the kind that promised pain if she screwed with me. “Explain what you mean,” I said, staring her down, “or you’ll meet your end right here in this hall. No riddles. No voodoo nonsense. Just talk in plain English.”The priestess closed her eyes for a long second, then opened
Adrian’s POVMargaret walked in.Not rushed. Not flustered.No sign of the “upset stomach” she had claimed earlier.Instead, she strutted in like a satisfied woman. Calm and composed.And that small smile…playing on her lips like she knew something the rest of us didn’t.My gaze sharpened immediately. What the hell is she on about?Because whatever it was— She looked… pleased. Excited.Like everything was finally falling into place for her.And I didn’t like that.Not one bit.I watched her as she took her seat again, acting like nothing had happened, like she hadn’t just run out of this room looking like she’d seen death itself, and come back looking like she’d just won something.My curiosity spiked higher than ever.But I forced my attention back to the matter at hand.The priestess had reached the center of the room.She bowed gracefully.“Your Majesty,” she said, her voice calm, smooth, almost soothing. “I’ve heard so much about you, and I am honored to stand before you.”I studi
Adrain’s POV I didn’t interrupt her. Didn’t call her out or make her know that I suspect her. I just… watched. Silently. Carefully. Like a hunter waiting to see where the prey would run to. Because she would run. And right on cue… Margaret suddenly pushed her chair back and stood up. “Sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty. I… I need to excuse myself,” she said, placing a hand lightly against her stomach. “I’m not feeling well. My stomach is… upset. Maybe I ate something bad.” Her voice was controlled. But I saw it. The urgency beneath it. I held her gaze for a second. Two. Long enough to let her know I wasn’t buying it. Then I leaned back slightly and waved a hand. “Go.” No questions. No resistance. That seemed to surprise her. Just a little. But she nodded quickly and turned, walking out of the hall with measured steps that were just shy of too fast. The doors shut behind her and the second they did, I reached for Thomas through the mindlink. ‘Thomas.’ ‘He’s aware, you
Adrain’s POVA low shuffle moved through the room as the weight of my last words settled.Chairs creaked. Robes brushed against stone. A few council members leaned toward each other, whispering under their breath, eyes flicking in my direction like I might snap again at any second.Good.Let them feel it.Let them remember exactly who was sitting at the head of this table.Adrian Draven.The truth was…they had no idea why I called this meeting.Not really.They knew it was important. Urgent. The kind of summons you don’t ignore unless you have a death wish.But they didn’t know the real reason.I let the silence stretch just long enough to pull them in, to tighten that invisible rope around every throat in the room. Then I cleared my throat. The sound cut clean through the murmurs.Instant silence.Every head turned back to me.“I received solid information,” I began, my voice measured, controlled, “from a trusted source.”I paused, letting that sink in.“The nightmare…” I continued
Adrain’s POVEvery eye tracked me as I rounded the head of the table, boots ringing against the stone with deliberate, measured steps. I stopped directly in front of Levi, close enough that he had to tilt his head slightly to meet my gaze. Close enough that he could feel the temperature drop around me.“For the good of the kingdom,” I repeated, voice low, almost conversational. “How noble. Tell me, cousin…did the vampire king look impressed when you crawled into his hall uninvited? Did he pat you on the head and call you a good little prince for undermining your own king?”A muscle jumped in Levi’s jaw. Good. I wanted it to hurt.“You speak of alliances and vulnerability,” I continued, circling him now like a wolf sizing up prey that still thought it had teeth. “Yet you forgot the one rule that keeps this kingdom from tearing itself apart…the crown is not a suggestion. My word is not optional. When I say the meeting will be between two kings, that is not an invitation for my cousin t
Adrian’s POVThe heavy doors swung shut behind me with a solid thud that echoed through the hall.Every head in the room turned my way at once. The council members rose to their feet in one smooth motion, chairs scraping lightly against the stone floor.“Your Majesty,” they greeted in unison, voices respectful but tight with curiosity. Bows followed…deep and formal, shoulders straight, eyes lowered the way protocol demanded.I gave a single nod and moved to the head of the long oak table. Only when I dropped into the massive carved chair did the rest of them sit back down, the rustle of robes and the creak of their chairs filling the brief silence.Not everyone.I lifted my hand, stopping Levi and Margaret before they could take their seats.“Dear aunt… cousin…” My voice came out flat, cold, the kind of tone that left no room for bullshit. “I must say…that I’m impressed. I heard you both were quite the handful while I was away.”The air in the room shifted instantly. A few elders exch
Adrian’s POV“The princess or more dies?” I heard someone repeating it and my vision bled red.Not the slow simmer of anger…this was full crimson, the kind that turns everything into prey. My mate. The one person on this cursed earth I would burn kingdoms for, reduced to a bargaining chip in some
Kira’s POVAdrian’s hand tightened around mine under the table, like he needed the reminder that I was really there. I turned and shot him a look…the are-you-serious-right-now kind, sharp and questioning, with just a hint of warning.He didn’t even flinch. Just lifted an eyebrow, calm and unapolog
Kira’s POVThe memory was Abby’s. And it came the same way it's been coming for some time now. Sudden, vivid and unwanted.This one chilled me to the bones.The memory didn’t just flash. It crashed into me like cold water dumped over my head while I was still burning from Adrian’s touch.She was in
Adrian’s POVEverything was spiraling today like someone had spent months planning the perfect ambush and I was the idiot walking straight into the trap.This meeting? It wasn’t even supposed to happen today.Levi never breathed a word about the convoys arriving early. I’d been in the study going o







