Masuk“You.”
The word still hung in the air as Eirene swallowed hard. The world around her seemed to shrink, as if the motorcycle headlights shining on her face were all that remained. The engines growled low behind the men, sending vibrations through the ground and into her soles, stiffening her calves.
Eirene looked at the big man who had just pointed at his own chest and said that they wanted her, not anyone else. His eyes were those of someone who had done this many ti
Yoren left the room as though he were fleeing. Although the door closed softly behind him, Eirene’s voice still echoed clearly inside his head:“What did those kisses mean to you?”Yoren's steps halted briefly in the corridor. His jaw hardened. His breathing felt heavy, as though each breath stabbed his chest.Coward!The word appeared suddenly in Yoren’s mind. He, who had always stood strong against countless obstacles and faced down various alphas, territorial wars and betrayals, not to mention the threat of death, had retreated simply because of a woman’s eyes.Yoren closed his eyes for a moment. He had almost lost control in that room—almost.Something inside him had nearly collapsed when he saw Eirene’s tear-filled eyes and heard her voice tremble with disappointment. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that everything he had done was precisely because he cared too much, but he could not.Yoren’s concern was the true source of the problem. It was far too great and fa
Eirene’s consciousness slowly returned; everything still felt hazy. Her body felt both light and heavy at the same time, as though she were sinking into a bottomless void. Distant voices sounded like echoes, sometimes drawing near before fading away again.Eirene’s head was throbbing painfully. Her eyelids felt heavy. Yet, amidst it all, she faintly sensed something warm and firm around her hand.Eirene slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry at first, the bedroom ceiling wavering before gradually becoming clearer. The scent of medicine filled her nostrils, while the soft beeping of the IV machine echoed beside her.A voice sounded a second later, filled with worry and hope: “Eirene, are you awake?”Eirene’s heart seemed to stop for a moment. Her vision slowly sharpened until she could finally see the figure before her clearly.Yoren was sitting in the chair beside the bed. He was looking at her with an unreadable gaze.Eirene froze for a moment before realising that Yoren was h
Fabrizio stood in front of Eirene’s tightly closed bedroom door for a long time. He stood completely still, worried that Yoren might call for him at any moment. He stayed on guard, but no summons came.The silence continued endlessly, stretching out over an uncertain passage of time and making Fabrizio even more alert. He knew the situation inside was not good. He had known Yoren for far too long not to understand the meaning behind that kind of silence.Yoren was in turmoil. That was bad—very bad.Fabrizio took a deep breath before finally gathering his courage. He knocked on the bedroom door once, then entered. He already knew what the outcome would be, but he tried anyway. “Alpha.”Yoren did not turn around. He was still sitting beside Eirene’s bed with his head slightly lowered. He held Eirene’s hand as though he was afraid to let go of it for even a second.Fabrizio continued, speaking carefully. “You need to pay attention to your own condition as well.”Yoren remained silent. He
Yoren drew a deep breath. His chest felt tight as a wave of emotions—anxiety, anger, fear and frustration—crashed over him all at once, until his head began to throb painfully.It had been far too long since Yoren last saw Eirene. Now, he had just received news that she had collapsed.Yoren tried to remain calm, but it was extremely difficult. Unfortunately, he ran into Paige in the palace corridor at the exact moment he was on the verge of losing control.“Thank you for your concern, Paige,” Yoren said heavily, “but no.”He did not even truly look at her. His mind was already far away at the Aurelion Residence, counting the seconds anxiously, as though something terrible would happen if he arrived even a few minutes late.Yoren turned towards Ruth. “Ruth, escort Paige out.”Ruth nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”Paige's expression froze for a split second before returning to normal. She was simply too accustomed to controlling her emotions. Her smile blossomed gracefully once more, as though not
Paige woke up in a much better mood than she had been in for weeks. Before the sun had risen too high, she was already in the Calloway Residence's backyard garden, wearing black workout clothes that clung to her slender figure.The morning air felt fresh. Dew still clung to the leaves.Paige regulated her breathing as she finished her final stretching movement. A light sheen of sweat slid slowly down her body, causing a few strands of her hair to stick lightly to her neck.That day, Paige truly felt good—extremely good. This was thanks to the string of sweet realities that had surrounded her lately.She kept thinking about that night in the transfusion room every single day. The moment when Yoren had asked her to undergo the blood bond ritual and become his Luna continued to fill her mind. Even now, her heart still beat faster whenever she thought about it.A faint smile bloomed on Paige’s lips. “I still can't quite believe it,” she murmured contentedly, taking a small towel from the
Saturday morning at Velmora Palace was busier than usual. With less than two days to go until departure for Gardeno Pack, the Lunar Sovereign Conclave was in full swing. All the agendas related to the Lunar Sovereign Conclave had begun to move forward, one by one, like the interconnected gears of a massive machine.Yoren’s office on the top floor of the palace had been filled with documents since the morning. Black folders bearing the Velmora emblem were neatly arranged on the long table beside the window. Several tablets lit up, displaying travel schedules, security arrangements and the sequence of inter-pack meeting agendas.Yoren sat in his chair looking calm. He was reading the final report that Fabrizio had just handed to him.Naomi stood before Yoren, holding a tablet. Her fingers moved quickly, occasionally double-checking several pieces of data. “The plane will depart early on Monday morning at 02:30, Alpha,” she said. “The technical team completed the final inspection earlier
The television in the living room had been on for an hour, but Eirene had stopped paying much attention to it fifteen minutes ago. She was sprawled lazily on the long sofa, with her back against the cushioned backrest, one leg folded and the other dangling towards the floor.On the screen, the host
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
Yoren was well aware that his birthday celebration was about more than just having a good time. The invited guests had not come merely to offer congratulations or well-wishes; they had hidden agendas. He was not careless; he had been observing the room long before Lysander Abercrombie stepped tow
The dining room fell silent after Eirene gave her firm answer. She remained seated, her body as stiff as if nailed to the chair. The words “not for sale” still echoed loudly in her ears. Yet, rather than feeling satisfied, she felt an even greater constriction in her heart.Aft







