MasukThe cool night breeze brushed against Elara's face as she stood alone on the balcony. She closed her eyes, allowing the gentle wind to wash over her, carrying away the stress, fear, and uncertainty that had been suffocating her for days. For a brief moment, she felt at peace. But peace never stayed long. A sting burned behind her eyes, and when she slowly opened them, she realized tears had already begun to gather. Tilting her head upward, she gazed at the full moon hanging high in the night sky. A lone tear escaped and slid silently down her cheek. "Mom..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her fingers curled around the balcony railing. "I promise I'll fulfill your last wish." Her throat tightened painfully. "The moment I return to my world, I'll marry the man Father chose for me. I won't let either of you down." The words left her lips, yet they felt foreign. Heavy. Wrong. As if she were forcing herself to believe something her heart refused to accept. Another
"No, actually, on a serious note, why are you sending Leo here?" Elara asked, finally pulling Lucien out of the awkward silence that had settled over the room. Beside her, Lyra immediately straightened. "Yes! I want to know too," she chimed in, curiosity practically dripping from her voice. Lucien pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a weary sigh. "Because Leo will be stationed outside this chamber from now on," he replied. "I don't want to take any risks." Elara frowned. "What risk?" For a moment, Lucien simply stared at her as if he couldn't believe she was asking that question. Then he sighed again, this time heavier. "I think you've forgotten because of everything that happened with the marriage discussion." The room fell silent. "The person who ordered that guard to harm you is still out there," Lucien continued, his voice turning serious. "Theo killed the guard before we could get any answers. If he hadn't, we might have known who was behind it by now."
"Here." Lucien's voice was quiet as he held out a spoonful of food toward Elara. The moment she noticed it, Elara stared at him for a second before instinctively leaning back. The movement was small, almost unnoticeable, but Lucien caught it anyway. His jaw tightened. He knew why. Elara still wasn't completely comfortable with him. He could practically see the big wall she has built around her own self. He knew that it would take time, a lot of time for her to be comfortable around him. Elara's actions were a genuine proof that she isn't comfortable with him, he could see the hesitation lingering in her eyes. And he hated it. Because she was his mate. His mate. How was he supposed to sit across from her and pretend none of it mattered? How was he supposed to keep his hands to himself when every instinct inside him screamed to take care of her? How was he supposed to watch her struggle alone when his entire existence revolved around protecting her? Lucien's expression slow
"Finally, I get to eat food!" Lyra practically skipped into the Ivory Bloom Chamber, her eyes immediately landing on the table where the food lay covered and untouched. After everything that had happened the entire day, her stomach felt like a bottomless pit. She barely took two steps toward the table before a familiar voice stopped her. "After eating everyone's brain, you're still hungry? You'll get fat, Piggy." Lyra froze. Slowly, she turned around to find Lucien entering the chamber with Elara beside him. "Why would you say that?" she whined dramatically, stomping her foot against the marble floor. Elara let out a soft laugh before walking toward her. "Lucien, stop it. Let her eat." Lucien merely shrugged. Lyra narrowed her eyes at him. "You also look like a giant monkey, but have I ever said that to you? No, right? Then why do you keep calling me Piggy, you monkey?" She pointed an accusing finger at him. Lucien raised an eyebrow. A dangerous one. Then he started wa
"Wait, isn't that a little too casual a way of announcing something this huge?" Lyra exclaimed dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. Beside her, Leo nodded in agreement. "Seriously. You just dropped that like you're talking about the weather." A few chuckles echoed around the room. Theo silently bit the inside of his cheek. The strange thing was that no one else seemed surprised as they already knew about that. Lucien was the Alpha Prince. The future ruler of the pack. Everyone present already knew that his marriage had been scheduled for next week. To them, this wasn't news. To Elara, however, it felt like the ground had disappeared beneath her feet. Marriage. Next week. The words crashed into her mind like thunder, leaving her completely stunned. Her heartbeat became uneven as countless thoughts rushed through her head. She couldn't even process what she had just heard. "Elara." Lucien's voice cut through the chaos. She looked up. His green eyes softened as he
The throne room fell into a heavy silence. No one dared to speak. The only sound that echoed through the vast hall was Lucien's strained breathing. Unaware of her own actions, Elara gently brushed her thumb across Lucien's clenched knuckles. The small gesture did more than any words could. Lucien's fists slowly loosened as a quiet sigh escaped his lips. The storm raging inside him calmed instantly beneath her touch. More than anything, he wanted to pull his mate into his arms and hold her close, but he restrained himself. He knew Elara wasn't comfortable with such intimacy yet. The fact that she was holding his hand was already more than he could have hoped for. The entire court watched the silent interaction between the Alpha Prince and his mate. A faint smile tugged at Ragnar's lips. Seeing his son soften so completely for someone reminded him of himself. He, too, had once been feared by all, yet there was only one person capable of calming him with a single touch. Lunaria.







