MasukVictoria’s POVMakarius, I said, touching his face, I have to do this. I need to close this chapter.I trust you, but not him. He is a man, after all."How about I take Liam with me?" she suggested." You owe him nothing," he said, raising his voice.Victoria was startled. She had never seen this side of him before."I’m sorry," he said, taking a deep breath."Makarius, talk to me. What is it? I thought you said you trust me, but your reaction tells me you don’t. Do you still not believe me?""Of course I do. I can feel everything, Victoria. There’s no doubt in my mind about your love for me. But seeing him might bring up old feelings, and being that vulnerable... I just can’t."I hugged him."I can’t even imagine him touching you. I would lose my mind.""Okay, I’ll cancel," I said. I thought to myself, He’s acting strange.He left without saying a word. He was probably fighting his jealousy.Drystan will always be there; I need to convince him to move on. I looked up to him growing u
Drystan’s POVVictoria is doubting me. That makes no sense, unless someone is trying to turn her against me. I rack my brain for who could benefit from driving this wedge between us. Makarius? Lately, I’ve noticed the way he watches our interactions, always where he shouldn’t be, dropping subtle hints to others in the pack. He was conveniently nearby the night Victoria first questioned my loyalty. Is he planting these seeds of doubt? I need more proof, but everything keeps pointing back to him.No, he wouldn’t do that...A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.Good, you’re here. According to Victoria, Thane captured two people from our pack who were responsible for torching the town.What? Draven said. Impossible. You will never hurt her like that.Drystan let out a sad laugh. Victoria will interrogate the two prisoners herself. The idea unsettles me, knowing how far she’ll go to protect the pack, even if it means becoming someone she hates. These interrogations could change ever
Victoria’s POVWhere are we going? I asked him.Dinner first.At the airport? Makarius, what are you up to?I want to spoil you, that's all, he said as he took my hand and kissed it. He pulled over, and after we got in, the steward closed the jet door.I sat down next to him. "Come here," Makarius said. "I need time with you. Just the two of us. Maybe it's selfish of me, but...""You are not selfish," I interrupted him. Then I sat in his lap. Between kisses, I asked, "Did I ignore you too much?"Makarius chuckled. "Yes, you did. I should be your number one priority. When we were in the pack, you always surprised me with little...""Adventures. Call them adventures, please.""Are you ashamed of what you did?""Of course not. It's just you and me," I said. But even as I spoke, something deep inside me twisted, a shadow I couldn't quite shake. His eyes drew me in, searching for my soul and making me feel exposed in a way that was both comforting and frightening.I wondered if he could se
Victoria’s POVDad, how is the transition going? I asked as I held Abrax on my hipEveryone has moved in, and the trucks are bringing the supplies and the rest of the furniture.I’m so excited, I can hardly wait to get back. The city is fine, but I belong in the wild.He laughed. My wild girl, you really do. Just a few more days, and I get to hold my grandchild. I thinkAbrax takes after me. He’s only five months old and already giving us trouble. He was making bubbles and mumbling. Then Makarius walked in, and Abrax’s eyes lit up when he saw his dad. Makarius kissed him, and Abrax put his tiny hands on his face.Are you giving your mom a hard time, little wolf? He laughed, and Makarius kissed him again.Dad, I must go. Love you. Then I hung up. We lay on the bed with Abrax between us.Have you seen a child so adorable? asked. I chuckled, then played with Abrax for a while until Pirate walked in.May I speak to you for a minute, Victoria? We sat together on the couch in the living
Victoria’s POVWe walked into the hotel lobby; his suit jacket draped over my shoulders.Makarius chuckled."You find that funny?" I asked, smiling."Yeah, I do," he said as the elevator doors closed. He kissed my neck, his hand sliding under my dress.The doors opened, and an older couple stepped in, glancing at us sideways.Makarius pulled me close to his chest. The couple got out a few floors later, leaving us alone again.He carried me to the room and opened the door. The sweet scent of roses filled the air, mixing with soft vanilla from the candles. The gentle light made the deep red roses stand out. Everything was set up to feel intimate and magical, leaving me breathless.The tub was ready. I undressed and got in, and he joined me. My body relaxed as his gentle hands touched me."You’re so beautiful," he whispered.I took his hand and brought it to my face. "Makarius..."He stood up and grabbed towels, wrapping one around me and one around himself. Then he carried me to bed.A
Victoria‘s POVI walked slowly while Makarius held my arm."Why are you so stubborn?" he said. "The baby could come any minute.""Makarius, I need to make sure everything is finished."The conference room was packed.He helped me into a chair."Thank you all for coming. This is it. Now we’ll see if all our hard work paid off.""Doxon, please go ahead."He stood up and clicked to the first slide. The room went completely silent. I could tell everyone was trying to process the numbers.I caught Doxon's eye, and he smiled at me."Oh my," I said, covering my mouth. Makarius started laughing, and then the whole room burst into cheers."Yeah, not only did we sell out, but we have orders to fill for the next three months," Doxon said. "Please give a round of applause to Ms. Apian."I shook my head. When they stopped. I looked around.You all, together, made this a reality—also, a huge thank you to Mr. Lance for believing in my ideas. I felt pain surging through me. "Makarius," I managed to s







