INICIAR SESIÓNAdrain’s POVThe heavy door clicked shut behind us with a soft finality that made the silence in the chamber feel even thicker. Elise stood exactly where I’d left her hours ago…still upright, eyes closed, head bowed slightly like she’d just dozed off while standing. Her arms hung loose at her sides, palms facing forward, and her breathing was so shallow I had to stare hard to see her chest move at all. She looked peaceful. Too peaceful. Like a statue someone had forgotten to wake up.Thomas stepped further in first, boots quiet on the stone. I followed, pulling the door fully closed so no one outside could hear whatever the hell this was. The room had a strange misty haze hanging in the air, soft and swirling, like someone had lit a bundle of incense and let it burn slow. The smell was faint…herbs, smoke, something earthy that made the back of my throat tighten.“What the hell…” Thomas muttered under his breath, eyes wide as he took it all in.I didn’t waste time. “Go. Wake her.”
Adrain’s POVChairs scraped immediately without hesitation as feet’s began shuffling. The elders couldn’t get out fast enough, but the guards were already moving toward the priestess. They hauled her up by the arms, her bad leg dragging worse than before. She twisted in their grip, eyes wild, voice rising one last time as they dragged her toward the doors.“You must listen to me, king Adrian Draven!” she shouted over her shoulder. “Or everything you have worked so hard to protect will be left bare! Your enemies will laugh at your corpse! Stay away from the princess…for now, at least…until I can find a way to help you! Please, Your Majesty—”Her voice cut off as the heavy doors slammed shut behind the last person. The echo bounced around the empty hall like a death knell.I slumped into my chair, the carved oak creaking under my weight. A frustrated sigh ripped out of me before I could stop it. My head fell back against the high backrest, eyes closing for just a second. The mark on
Adrain’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
Kira’s POVThe so-called Dark Zone should be a piece of cake. She’s probably overreacting to scare me.I cleared my throat and crossed my arm. “Tell me more about this Dark Zone,” I said.Victoria crossed her arms, that smug little smile still plastered on her face, but her eyes had this gleam…like
Kira’s POVI stumbled out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, legs still shaky, cheeks burning like I’d run a marathon. My reflection in the mirror looked guilty as hell…flushed skin, messy hair, eyes too bright. I was utterly disgusted with myself.Not once. Twice.I’d come twice in there. The f
Adrian’s POVThe forest was still black with night when a low, vibrating growl ripped out of my chest and cut through the frost.“Liana?”I stepped out from the shadows of the pines, moonlight sliding over the steam rising from my skin. I had only shifted back seconds ago when Derek caught the scen
Liana’s POVThis wasn’t how it was supposed to go.At all.I kept replaying it in my head while I ran through the forest, branches whipping my face until I tasted blood.The exact second her knees buckled and she hit the floor like someone cut every string holding her up.Yesterday, when Abby’s eye







