LOGINJulian
Zlata's quarters were empty. It was early morning, but her bed was already cold and her scent in the room had faded.It was the weekend — no combat training, no academy classes, not even a shift at the clinic. And as far as I could recall, Dr. Doris was off today too.Was she sulking somewhere, upset that I'd abandoned her last night? More than anything, I'd wanted to complete our mating — but the elders had kept me up the entire night picking apart the druggJulian"Brother — it's not what you think," Maverick started, and my eyes flared bright blue as Tyr surged toward the surface.“MINE!”He wanted blood. Maverick's blood. But I held him back, tilting my head, taking my brother in. For the first time in my life, he wasn't wearing that signature smug smile. He didn't want to hurt me or mock me. He was holding my mate, and in his eyes, there was no arrogance, no lust — only genuine care. The cold in that truck was brutal, even for a werewolf. And she had no wolf at all. Her body had already gone bluish.My gaze caught on his hand, splayed at the neckline of her dress, and something in me went white-hot — then I saw the way she trembled against his bare chest, the heat he was trying to share with her, and I understood. He hadn't been taking from her. He'd been keeping her alive.Tyr's fury guttered out, drowned by a far older fear — the fear of losing her. Not to Maverick. To death itself.
JulianZlata's quarters were empty. It was early morning, but her bed was already cold and her scent in the room had faded.It was the weekend — no combat training, no academy classes, not even a shift at the clinic. And as far as I could recall, Dr. Doris was off today too.Was she sulking somewhere, upset that I'd abandoned her last night? More than anything, I'd wanted to complete our mating — but the elders had kept me up the entire night picking apart the drugging. Valeria's father refused to accept his daughter's punishment, so we'd gone in circles, again and again, before everyone finally agreed the sentence was fair.I tried to call Zlata. Strangely, her phone was off. She was definitely furious with me.Then a thought struck me — Zlata loved the garden. She'd probably gone out for a morning stroll.Rushing toward it, I bumped into Tanya."Have you seen Maverick, Your Majesty?" she asked, bowing politely. "He wen
Zlata I was devastated, voice turned to whisper after what felt forever screaming, my knuckles were bleeding, and the temperature inside the truck was dropping. The track stopped so suddenly that I lost by balance, and my head hit a silver wall. I rubbed the spot and looked at my hand covered in blood. Outside was loud commotion. I could hear roars of wolves and sounds of battle. My heart raced, fueled by hope. Did Julian come to rescue me? The loud bang of something throwing in the truck startled me, and I again lost balance and feel to my knees. I just hoped that nothing had happened to Julian. The commotion stopped. But silence fell, terrifying me. What happened? Who won? I could not breathe. My thoughts scattered, already imagining thousands of different outcomes when the door to my silver prison opened and inside stepped naked and covered in blood Maverick. “YOU?!” I exclaimed in shock, but he just rolled his
Zlata I rushed toward the cry and stopped dead.It wasn't the voice that froze me — it was the sound underneath it. That particular, bottomless way of weeping, the kind that comes from a person who has given everything to someone and been handed nothing back. I knew it the way you know your own reflection. I had made that exact sound, alone, for years.The one wailing was Tanya.This proud pantheress, forever scowling and snapping at the world, now sobbed like a child."Tanya?" I called softly.She lifted red-rimmed eyes to me, brows knitting. "Come to gloat?""No. I take no pleasure in anyone's pain. What happened?"Her face twisted. "As if you don't know. The whole palace has heard about Maverick and Valeria."I was genuinely confused. It wasn't the first time Maverick had been with another woman. What had broken her so completely?I tried to sound gentle. "Tanya, Maverick was drugged. Don't
Zlata Julian's husky voice sent a thrilled hum singing through my body. I wanted him. I finally wanted to seal the bond. My body moved of its own accord, pressing close to him — but the moment my lips hovered a few inches from his, he stopped me. "Not here, my angel." His thumb traced my jaw. "This room needs to be cleansed first, and I won't have our first time rushed. We'll mate in our bed — and tonight, I won't let you out of it until I've worshipped every inch of you." My core pulsed, making my panties wet. A few words, and I was already putty in his hands. This man would be the death of me. Julian scooped me into his arms and carried me toward the door — only for us to nearly collide with Chase on the threshold. "Alpha, you're needed. Urgent council meeting. Benedict's stirring trouble again." Julian's face hardened. "Will I ever have a single h
Julian"Blue contact lenses." Chase held out his hand, a few torn, filmy orbs glistening with bluish liquid on a tissue. "Found in your study's trash."He went on, "And two glasses of whisky — one with a clear trace of a drug. I've already sent it to the lab."Zlata blinked, then gasped as the truth crashed over her."A perfect copy of you... with different-colored eyes." Her voice shook. "It was Maverick?""Looks like it," I muttered, while Chase pulled up the footage.Even knowing it hadn't been me, I watched Zlata's fists curl with fury as the video began to play — the imposter wearing my face, bending Valeria over my desk.I waved at Chase to cut it. "Enough. It's clear. Summon Maverick and Valeria to my study."***I sank into my chair and pulled Zlata onto my lap just as the door opened and Valeria stepped in. Her face twisted with confusion, then fury, the moment she spotted Zlata."Some







