Se connecterGianna reached for Nolan’s arm, attempting to pull him back before he could deliver another blow, but Elias, despite his bloodied and battered state, refused to remain silent.“You’re pathetic,” he spat, blood dribbling from the split in his lip as he glared up at Nolan with what remained of his defiance. “The great Lycan King, unable to find a solution to his own curse for years, forced to depend entirely on a woman to save him. A bitter weakling hiding behind his wife’s sacrifice.”The words landed exactly as Elias intended, striking at something raw and vulnerable in Nolan’s pride, and Gianna felt him tense beneath her grip, fury radiating off him in waves so intense it seemed to fill the entire corridor.“Nolan,” she said quickly, tightening her hold on his arm.He surged forward anyway, his hand shooting through the bars again, and it took every ounce of her strength combined with the desperate urgency in her voice to finally halt him.“Nolan, stop! Please!”He froze, chest heavi
Once again, Gianna refused to be left behind. She followed Nolan through the palace corridors, down the narrow stairwell that led toward the dungeons, the cold, damp air growing thicker with each step downward.They reached Cyrus’s cell first. He sat slumped against the stone wall, bruises still visible along his jaw and arms, though nothing quite as severe as what Elias had endured during their earlier questioning. When his eyes lifted and caught sight of Nolan standing tall and healthy at the bars of his cell, genuine shock rippled across his features.“You’re alive,” he said, his voice cracking with disbelief. “You’re actually alive.”“Disappointed?” Nolan asked, his tone flat and dangerous.Cyrus’s gaze shifted then, landing on Gianna, and his expression twisted further into something sullen and bitter when he noticed the way Nolan’s arms wrapped protectively around her from behind, his chin resting near her shoulder in a display of easy, comfortable intimacy that clearly grated a
When Nolan prepared to leave for the council meeting later that afternoon, Gianna made her intentions clear.“I’m coming with you,” she said, already reaching for a shawl to drape over her shoulders.Nolan glanced at her, a flicker of hesitation crossing his features, though he didn’t argue. “Are you certain? These meetings can grow tense, and given everything you’ve just been through—”“I’m certain,” she said firmly.He nodded, offering his arm, and together they made their way to the council chamber, where the various members had already begun gathering, their conversations quieting the moment Nolan entered the room. Gianna took her seat beside him, straightening her posture despite the exhaustion that still lingered somewhere in her bones.Some of the council members greeted Nolan with genuine warmth, relief evident in their expressions at seeing their king restored to health after the terrifying uncertainty of recent weeks. Others, however, wasted no time diving into matters of mo
Chapter 207The PromiseGianna couldn’t stop laughing as she made her way back toward their chambers, Nolan trailing behind her, still dusted with flour, the apron somehow still tied around his waist despite the disaster he’d left behind in the kitchen.“You know,” she said, glancing back at him with a wide grin, “you can lead armies into battle. You can face down rogue kings and defeat them in single combat. You survived an ancient curse that’s plagued your bloodline for centuries. And yet a simple loaf of bread completely defeated you.”“It wasn’t that simple,” Nolan protested, though a sheepish smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “There were more steps involved than I anticipated.”“It’s bread, Nolan.”“Apparently there’s more to it than just putting things in an oven,” he said, his tone carrying just enough wounded pride to make her laugh even harder.Still, despite the teasing, he carried himself with an odd sort of pride, walking beside her with his chin held high even as f
The morning after arrived soft and golden, sunlight filtering through the curtains in warm streaks across the bed. Gianna stirred slowly, a pleasant soreness settling into muscles that had been thoroughly used the night before, a satisfied warmth still lingering in her chest as the memories of the previous hours drifted through her mind.She reached out instinctively, expecting to find Nolan beside her, and frowned when her hand met only empty sheets, the space where he'd been lying now cool to the touch.Disappointment tugged at her briefly, though she pushed it aside and forced herself upright, stretching carefully before making her way to freshen up. Her stomach growled loudly in the quiet of the room, reminding her how famished she actually was after everything her body had endured over the past several days.Breakfast together sounded perfect. She dressed quickly and made her way out into the corridor, expecting to find Nolan somewhere nearby, perhaps already seated at the table
Gianna could feel the longing woven into every movement of his mouth against hers, a hunger built from weeks of separation, of fear, of nights spent wondering if this moment would ever come again. She kissed him back with the same desperate intensity, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she pulled him closer.She had missed this. Missed the warmth of his hands against her skin, the weight of him pressed close, the simple, overwhelming reality of being wanted by him after so many nights spent watching his still, cold body and wondering if she would ever feel his touch again.Her hands trailed across his chest, over the muscles she knew so well, and she felt him respond to her touch with a low sound in his throat that sent heat coursing through her entire body. She wanted him. Wanted to feel close to him in every possible way after everything they’d survived to reach this point.And then, suddenly, he pulled back.Gianna blinked, confusion flooding through her at the une
Chapter TwoShe was having the best dream of her life.She didn't know what it was about – just that it was warm, and she was laughing, and nothing hurt.Then she felt eyes on her.Gianna's eyes snapped open.A man was sitting in the chair right beside her bed, close enough that she could see the i
Chapter OneThe gates swung open at dusk. Gianna heard the patrol return before she saw it – boots on gravel, wolves shifting back to skin, the familiar chaos of Valemont's warriors coming home.She was standing on the upper terrace with a glass of wine when she saw Cyrus walk through the main ga
Chapter FourCyrus and Pietra said goodbye at the door for four full minutes.Gianna watched from inside the carriage through the small window, arms crossed, expression blank.Pietra had both of Cyrus's hands in hers. She was looking up at him saying something – Gianna couldn't hear it and honestl
Chapter ThreeGetting out of bed took longer than it should have.Evelyn hovered the entire time – hands half-raised, ready to catch her – while Gianna moved carefully, testing each step like she was walking on ice. The lump on her skull had softened slightly overnight but the unpleasant headache







