LOGINThe door to Yoren’s room opened quietly. Gwyneth paused at the threshold for a moment, not stepping inside right away.
The air inside felt different; no longer was it filled with the scent of medicine and the chill of the night, but it was now warm, calm and alive. The large curtains by the window were open. Morning sunlight poured in, spilling across the floor and walls as if sweeping away the remnants of the previous night's darkness.
Yoren stood near the large window. H
Eirene gazed at the towering grand doors through the car window as the vehicle came to a stop right in front of the palace's main staircase. Her heart beat slightly faster than usual.Light reflected off the white marble. Guests entered and exited in immaculately tailored, luxurious attire, as though the night were not merely a birthday celebration, but a gathering of nobility.Daxton stepped out first, then walked around the car and opened the door for Eirene. “Please, Miss,” he said politely.Eirene drew a slow breath before stepping out of the car. Her legs trembled slightly as her feet touched the ground. The night air felt colder than she had expected, perhaps because she was nervous.Of course I’m nervous, Eirene thought, trying to steady herself. I’ve never been to a party like this before.Eirene smoothed the hem of her simple dress. She wore no striking jewellery or excessive make-up. She considere
Since the morning, the palace had been operating like a well-oiled machine. Crystal chandeliers gleamed flawlessly. A deep red carpet stretched from the main staircase to the grand hall. Arrangements of white and silver flowers adorned the towering pillars, their soft fragrance mingling with the scent of aged wood that characterised the building.Yoren stood before the mirror in his chamber. A black, sharply tailored suit fit his frame perfectly. His hair was neatly styled and his expression was calm, as always.From the outside, nothing about Yoren had changed. But inside, he reassured himself of one thing over and over again. I’m stable. I don’t need a donor. Nothing will happen.That day, the celebration for Yoren’s birthday would be held. He was certain that everything would go smoothly.Yoren studied his reflection for a few seconds longer, then turned when he heard a knock at the door. Fabrizio entered and immediately appr
Ravenor’s house felt quieter than usual. A heavy gloom seemed to cling to every corner of the place.Isabella paused at the threshold of the living room, letting the door close softly behind her. To her, the air inside the house still smelt the same, warm and carrying the scent of old wood and herbal tea, yet the atmosphere had changed. There was an invisible but unmistakable weariness hanging everywhere.Daisy was home. After days spent in hospital, she had finally returned.It was supposed to be good news. At the very least, Isabella could sleep in her own bed again, rather than on a hard folding chair by Daisy’s hospital bed. She would no longer wake up to the sound of machines or nurses' footsteps coming and going. Still, she knew it wasn't over yet.Isabella put her bag down on the table and rubbed her face with both hands. Her body felt heavy. Her shoulders ached, her head throbbed faintly and her eyelids felt as though they had been bea
“I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to know. Your symptoms aren’t consistent with those of someone suffering from acute anaemia. I know that for certain. My sister, Daisy, has had that illness for years. When she’s unwell, her symptoms are nothing like what happened to you last night. But rather than finding out what's actually happening to you, I just want to know that you're getting better, Alpha. I won’t ask about things you don’t want to talk about.”Those words still echoed clearly in Yoren’s mind. Two days had passed since that conversation, yet Eirene’s words seemed untouched by time. They kept resurfacing—in the silences, in the pauses between breaths, even when his thoughts should have been elsewhere. He could distinctly recall the calm tone of her voice, neither pressing nor demanding an explanation. Ironically, that was precisely where their weight lay.Eirene did not ask. It was this that left
Eirene was enjoying her lunch when Kyla entered the dining room. She walked as she always did—light and composed—but there was something in her gaze that made Eirene instinctively lift her head.“Miss,” said Kyla as she stopped near the table. “The Alpha has asked you to come to the Palace this afternoon. He wishes to meet with you.”The spoon in Eirene’s hand froze mid-motion. She froze. Her mind went blank for a moment. Kyla’s words registered, but it took a few seconds for their meaning to follow, like a delayed echo.“The Alpha…” Eirene swallowed, then repeated Kyla’s words to be sure. 'Wants to meet me?”Kyla nodded. “Yes, Miss.”Eirene froze. Her heart beat a little faster, but not out of fear or anxiety; it was something she could not quite name. There was a subtle pull in her chest, like a thin thread being slowly spun. “All right,” she sa
The door to Yoren’s room opened quietly. Gwyneth paused at the threshold for a moment, not stepping inside right away.The air inside felt different; no longer was it filled with the scent of medicine and the chill of the night, but it was now warm, calm and alive. The large curtains by the window were open. Morning sunlight poured in, spilling across the floor and walls as if sweeping away the remnants of the previous night's darkness.Yoren stood near the large window. His back was to the door. Both his hands were extended to the sides and resting lightly against the frame. His head was slightly raised and his eyes were closed. He looked like someone relearning how to breathe slowly and carefully, as though the world had almost taken him the night before and had just returned him that morning.Gwyneth drew a quiet breath. The sight made her chest feel both warm and tight at the same time.In all the decades she had known Yoren, she had seen him wo







