MasukThe palace corridor felt emptier than usual. Wall lamps cast a pale glow onto the marble floor, creating long shadows that shifted slowly in time with the unhurried yet purposeful footsteps of someone walking.
Fabrizio walked towards Yoren’s chamber. His dark coat was neatly folded over his arm. His face was as calm as ever and his stride was steady. His expression was flat, not betraying any sense of ease, but rather reflecting his habit when his mind was racing through possibil
The woman looked back at her file. “Three days after you sent that message to Lady Paige, Miss Eirene started being attacked. Not just once, but three times,” she said. “Did you know that?”Monroe froze. The information caused him to frown deeply. “I didn’t know,” he replied vaguely. He was confused, but not so much that he missed what the woman was implying. “However, that must be just a coincidence.”“Very well.” The woman did not argue. She simply opened the next file and said, “27 January.”Monroe looked at another message. As far as he could remember, this had happened after Yoren returned from Helvarn.Paige: Has the Alpha returned from his business trip?Monroe: Yes, Lady.Paige: I hope he is well. Oh, by the way, has anything happened to him? Did he meet anyone? I'd like to see him, but I don't want to interfere with his schedule.Monroe: The Alpha is fine, Lady. Since he returned, he has only met Miss Eirene.Paige: Do you know why they met?Monroe: No, Lady. I only saw her l
Monroe had never imagined entering that room, not even in his dreams. It was enough for him to know about its horrors through rumour alone; he never intended to see it with his own eyes.The long corridor beneath the elite guard headquarters was quieter than any ordinary place. Bright white lights reflected off the black marble floor and grey walls, which were almost completely devoid of decoration.The elite guard member who had come to fetch Monroe had been walking in front, saying little. “Mr Monroe,” he eventually said, stopping in front of a metal door. “Please go in.”Monroe nodded faintly, but said nothing. He simply did as he was told, stepping inside with a mind already growing chaotic.Monroe had initially assumed that Fabrizio had called for him to ask something. At worst, Fabrizio might conduct a routine investigation, although he could not guess what mistake he might have made. He felt sure that there was something Fabrizio needed to confirm with him.Unfortunately, it wa
Only yesterday, Yoren had confessed his love to her, and now he was telling her something equally astonishing. By speaking to Gwyneth, he was emphasising that his feelings were genuine. He had truly proven his intentions through his actions.For a moment, Eirene felt as though stars were dancing before her eyes. Everything was happening so quickly that she felt as though she were chasing a dream that was too beautiful to become reality.Eirene swallowed hard. “You’ve already told the Elder?”“Yes. According to her, the next full moon is the perfect time for us to hold the blessing ceremony,” Yoren explained. “What do you think?”Eirene was utterly stunned. “The next full moon?”Yoren nodded, his expression filled with anticipation. “Is there a problem?”Eirene blinked once. “Doesn't that seem too soon?”Yoren frowned. “Are you opposed to it?”“Not opposed,” Eirene quickly replied. “I’m just worried that it’s happening too fast.”The tension on Yoren’s face eased. He reached out and to
Eirene had just pulled the blanket up to her waist when a gentle knock sounded at the door. She had been about to lie down, but immediately abandoned the idea.It was already quite late, but she did not feel sleepy yet. So, she sat up again and said, “Come in.”The door opened a second later. Someone entered and the door closed again.Eirene turned her head and froze for a moment. She had assumed it was Ruth or Hester, but she was mistaken. “Alpha,” she murmured softly, sounding slightly surprised yet unable to hide her happiness.Throughout the day, it could be said that Eirene had not truly spent time with Yoren. They had only met briefly at breakfast. After that, Yoren went to the office while Eirene spent the day with Hester.Eirene knew that Yoren must have had a lot on his plate since returning from Gardeno. She understood how busy he was, but she still longed to see him. She simply believed that he would come to see her when he had the chance—and she was right.He had come to s
Morning came too quickly for Yoren. He had only just returned the previous day after a long and exhausting journey, but his body was still conditioned by years of habit to wake before the sun had fully risen.Yoren opened his eyes but didn't get out of bed immediately. For a while, he simply lay there, motionless.The faint morning sky was visible through the bedroom window. The room was silent, but strangely, it did not feel empty as it usually did.Something crossed Yoren's mind without warning. He thought of Eirene instinctively, and a faint warmth spread through his chest.Yoren fell silent for a moment, allowing himself to recall everything that had happened the previous day. Images of Eirene filled his thoughts: her tear-filled eyes, her trembling voice. He was stunned by a wave of emotions he had never experienced before.“I love you, Eirene.”Yoren closed his eyes briefly as those words echoed in his mind once more. He needed more time to truly believe everything that had happ
Suddenly, a realisation struck Ruth. More questions immediately began to trouble her:This must have something to do with Elder Gwyneth, Ruth thought to herself. What exactly did she say to Alpha? How could Alpha's attitude have changed so drastically in just a matter of hours?Ruth smiled again. Whatever had happened, she would definitely thank Gwyneth later.The next morning, Ruth started her day earlier than usual. She sent out a notice requesting that all palace staff gather before the start of their shifts.The staff hall was filled with dozens of people standing in neat rows. They had been assembled for several minutes already, including Monroe.Ruth entered. She walked calmly past the rows of staff members, who could be heard whispering amongst themselves.“This is so strange.”“Why did the Watcher suddenly gather all of us?”“Did something happen?”Ruth stopped at the front of the hall and the room fell silent. She looked at each member of staff in turn. “Look at all of you,”
Paige knew even before she had heard a single whisper. The stares felt real; those small glances from the corners of people's eyes could not simply be ignored. Heads leaned towards one another, followed by faint smiles that were quickly concealed whenever she turned to look. The guests' behaviour m
The smell of antiseptic mingled with the fresh, citrusy scent of a recently peeled orange in the hospital room. Silence lingered, too, accompanying each passing second steeped in uncertainty.Daisy was sitting propped up on the hospital bed, her back supported by several pillows. Her face
The room was quieter than the donor room had been. White lights hung from the ceiling, their glow steady and not glaring. The scent of antiseptic was stronger here, mingling with a faint hint of metal and medicine.Yoren stood beside the medical bed and cast a brief glance at the small win
Paul looked at the watch on his left wrist for the umpteenth time. The second hand seemed to move far too slowly. Time felt frozen, and his mind was far too noisy to calm.Paul felt uneasy. As the night grew later, restlessness continued to settle in his thoughts, yet not a single piece of







