The kiss deepened—slow, reverent—until it ignited into something raw and consuming, the kind of passion that only blooms after too much time spent holding back. Around them, the river shimmered as if it, too, recognized the sacredness of the bond being sealed.
Kai drew her gently into his arms, their bodies moulding together in the moonlit water, hearts pounding in sync.“Come,” she breathed against his lips, her voice trembling with anticipation and something deeper. “I want to be yours… completely.”Without hesitation, he followed her to the riverbank, where soft grass blanketed the earth, and glowing silver roses surrounded them like silent witnesses. The air pulsed with magic, with fate, with something ancient and undeniable.Second-chance mates were almost unheard of—whispers of legend. And now, they were living it. Sparks danced in the air, teasing their skin, feeding the ache to claim, and be claimed.They sank into the grass, hearThe car ride was quiet. Amber drove through the misty night, windshield wipers sweeping away the steady drizzle. In the passenger seat, Lily leaned her head against the cold glass window. The sky above was heavy and grey, rain trailing down like sorrowful tears. It matched her mood perfectly. The sky was crying for her— For not being loved. For not being chosen. For having no family of her own. For the betrayal that still ached, even after she swore, it didn’t. She shut her eyes. “I should let it go,” she thought. Time to move on. Under a pale, cloud-hung sky, the Royal Pack estate stirred to life the next morning. A quiet tension hung in the air as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Dew clung to the damp grass, sparkling faintly in the early light. Lily, Amber, and Darina stood by the garden, discussing the latest news, when
It hadn’t been the easiest days for Maya. After selling poison to a werewolf from the Royal Pack—even though she had reported the b*tch afterward—the Witch Council demanded redemption. To avoid banishment and the damning label of a black magic practitioner, she was tasked with restoring balance through unpaid good deeds.So today, she was helping several werewolf packs. Exhausting and unpaid. Using magic, combined with long drives, had taken a toll on her. All she wanted now was to rest—maybe pour herself a glass of wine and watch something brainless.Fate, for once, had been kind, sending her a friend with occasional benefits to brighten her evening. She was single and had a few lovers, but he was her favourite. And with over two thousand years of life behind her, she knew pleasure intimately. Experience taught her well.Now she was on her knees, licking her lips like an eager child in a candy shop. After just a few skilled touches and heated ki
The air in Kai’s study was heavy with tension . Darina sat on Kai’s lap, his hand tracing slow, comforting circles on her back trying to sooth her.All eyes were fixed on her.“Are you sure you didn’t miss anything?” Will asked gently, his voice laced with concern.“I’ve repeated the story ten times—every single detail,” she replied, her patience thinning.Amber folded her arms across her chest. “Definitely, magic was involved.”“Do you think the spy was connected to the rogues?” Will asked again.Reed shook his head. “Unlikely. So far, no magic’s been detected in any of the rogue attacks.”Cassandra leaned forward, her brow furrowed. “What about Jackie? Her death was strange and unnutural. Could she have been tied to them somehow?”Kai ran both hands through his hair in frustration. “I don’t think so. She was just rotting in the dungeon without any benefits for rogues. If they wanted intel, they could
A familiar ginger-haired beauty was gracefully making her way to the training grounds. “Amber!” Darina exclaimed, opening her arms to greet her friend. “How was your trip? You came back so fast.” “Oh, better than I expected. Reed’s still alive—even though my father and brother weren’t exactly thrilled,” she joked, winking at Darina. “I couldn’t stay away for long. Plus, I brought my sister with me—she’s looking for a bit of sanctuary.” A stunning woman approached them. Amber was striking herself, but her sister was drop-dead gorgeous. Petite yet toned, she carried a strength in her posture and a piercing intensity in her large violet eyes, framed by long black lashes. Her long silver hair was braided into two thick French braids. She looked like a warrior goddess stepped out of a painting. She bowed slightly, her voice as melodic and beautiful as her appearance. “I’m Lily, Your Highness. Sister of this naughty ginger cat,” she said
Darina didn’t respond. The final choices were confirmed to Gabriela, and she left.The wind brushed past them, cool against her flushed cheeks. His words echoed in her mind."We still don’t know how to be fully honest with each other."Her gaze met his—raw, full of emotion.“I want to,” she whispered. “I want to be that person you can tell anything to. I want to stop walking on eggshells, scared to ask, or be too much. I don’t want to doubt you… but I don’t know how to stop when I still feel like a piece of you is always just out of reach.”Kai’s expression cracked. Not with anger. Not with frustration.But with pain.He cupped her face gently, his forehead resting against hers. “And I don’t know how to let go of the fear that if I give you everything, and you leave me... I won’t survive the pain.”“I chose you,” she said softly. “And I stayed. I will always be with you.”He closed his eyes.An
Absolutely furious, Darina stomped her way to Kai's table.The smile on his face disappeared instantly. They both looked slightly surprised, and Kai appeared mildly disappointed, but not at all how she expected him to react to being caught red handed. It only made Darina burn with even more rage.“I know everything,” she spat, looking him straight in the eyes, her head held high.“Oh,” Kai said calmly, “I didn’t want you to find out this way. But it is what it is. Maybe this makes things easier.” He gestured to the woman beside him. “Join us. This is Gabriela. Gabriela, this is Princess Darina.”He didn’t flinch. Didn’t even look guilty. Didn’t ask for forgiveness. Nothing.She meant nothing to him.Darina’s chest ached as she held back the tears clawing to surface, threatening to expose the pain of betrayal she felt like a slap to the soul. She would cry—but not now. Not in front of a traitor and the homewrecker. He didn’t even