FAZER LOGINRosemary’s POV Maya stood frozen across the courtyard, her cheeks turning a bright, beautiful pink. Tari looked like a giant statue. He didn't move a single muscle, just stared at her with his glowing wolf eyes like she was the only person in the entire world. "Go!" I urged, giving his massive arm a hard shove. It felt like pushing a brick wall. "Tari, go to her!" He blinked, finally snapping out of his trance. He looked down at me, his face a mix of pure shock and absolute terror. "Luna... I’m on duty. The Alpha said I cannot leave your side. I have to protect you." "Are you crazy?" I laughed, shaking my head. "This is your mate! The Alpha would tear this whole castle down if someone tried to keep him from me. I am perfectly safe right here. Go help her with her flowers!" Tari looked back at Maya. She was slowly kneeling down, her hands shaking as she tried to gather the spilled lavender from the grass. Every time she reached for a flower, her eyes flicked back up to look at him
Rosemary’s POV A few weeks passed, and life inside the Moon Claw castle finally found a new rhythm. The crazy drama from the coronation ceremony was slowly becoming a memory. Still, things were different now. Security was much tighter than before. There were more guards at the gates, the border patrols were doubled, and I was never allowed to walk anywhere without my giant shadow. Luckily, that shadow was Tari. Over the past weeks, Tari had become much more than just a bodyguard to me. He had become one of my closest friends, someone I truly counted as family. We spent hours together every day. He accompanied me to my meetings with Lily about the new pup literacy school, walked with me through the gardens, and, true to his word, helped me eat an alarming amount of sweet pastries from the kitchen. "I'm just saying, Luna," Tari said, adjusting the heavy leather strap of his chest armor as we walked down the sunny courtyard pathway. "If the Alpha thinks he can out-eat me at the p
Rosemary’s POV Kieran’s heavy arm tightened around my waist, pulling me flush against his side as Tanya’s footsteps completely faded from the stone corridor. Marcus gave us a quiet, respectful nod and stepped a few paces ahead, giving us a small pocket of privacy while we walked toward the grand war room. "You're a terrible liar, you know," Kieran murmured, his deep voice vibrating against my shoulder. The amusement from our mindlink was gone, replaced by a softer, curious tone. "What was that really about?" I hesitated, looking down at the stone floor as our boots clicked in unison. "She's just stressed. She's worried about the borders being locked down and the trade routes freezing up. She thinks I'm causing a lot of trouble for the pack." Kieran let out a dark, rough sigh, his jaw clenching for a brief second. "Tanya is an exceptional administrator, but she views everything through the lens of military perfection. Don't take her coldness to heart, Rosemary." He paused, his expr
Rosemary’s POV When I woke up the next morning, the heavy fear in my chest was finally gone. The air in our bedroom smelled like pine trees, fresh rain, and Kieran. I moved a little under the silk sheets. My body felt a bit sore, reminding me of how fiercely Kieran had loved me last night. He had completely washed away the memory of that scary forest cabin from my skin. For the first time since the kidnapping, I felt happy and totally safe. Kieran was already dressed, sitting on the edge of the big bed. He was buckling the leather guards onto his arms. The moment he heard the sheets move, his golden eyes snapped to mine, and his face softened right away. "Good morning, little one," he murmured. He leaned over to kiss my forehead for a long moment, his thumb gently wiping my cheek. "You look well rested." "I am," I smiled, stretching my arms above my head. "I feel like myself again. Celine is quiet, too. She is just enjoying the bond." Kieran’s face grew a bit hard, and a protecti
Kieran’s POV The early afternoon sun cut through the heavy velvet drapes of our private suite, casting long, amber slashes across the grand bed. Rosemary was finally resting, but she wasn't peaceful. Even deep in her sleep, her small body would occasionally twitch, her fingers clawing weakly at the silk sheets as if she were still trying to break out of that gilded forest cage. I sat on the edge of the mattress, stripped to the waist, watching her every breath. My knuckles were still bruised and stained with rogue blood I hadn't bothered to scrub off. Every time she whimpered in her sleep, Nikolai roared inside my skull, a feral, possessive demand to tear the world apart until she was safe. I reached out, my large, calloused hand lightly cupping her cheek. Her skin was warm, the fever from the sleeping drug finally breaking under the medical pack’s herbs. *I swear to the Moon, little one,* I thought, my chest tight with a heavy, aching vow. *I will make you feel safe again. I will
Kieran’s POV The moment my eyes locked onto Rosemary, the suffocating, feral knot of panic in my chest finally loosened, if only a fraction. I didn't care about the blood dripping down my arms, or the deep, burning ache in my muscles from a night of relentless slaughter. I crossed the ruined threshold of the cottage in a single, desperate stride, pulling her into my arms before she could even finish stepping toward me. "I have you," I breathed against her hair, my voice raw and cracking with an emotion I had never felt in my entire life. Pure, unadulterated relief. "Goddess, Rosemary, I have you." She collapsed against my chest, her small hands clutching tightly at the torn fabric of my shirt. She was trembling violently, her breathing shallow, but the warmth of her body against mine instantly began to quiet the roaring fury inside Nikolai. My wolf pressed against the surface of my mind, purring in dark satisfaction as he inhaled her scent. Vanilla, fresh rain, and the unmistakabl







