The Space Between Us

VESPERA

The bathroom door clicked shut, and my knees nearly gave out. I stumbled toward the sink, gripping its cold marble edges as I fought to steady my breathing. My reflection stared back at me, my cheeks were flushed, and my eyes were wide with an emotion I refused to name.

For one terrifying second, a golden glow flickered across my irises. I squeezed my eyes shut. "No, no…not here."

My wolf had been quiet for years. Too quiet, according to every pack physician who had examined me as a child. While other Omegas described their instincts as a constant presence, mine had always felt distant, like a voice calling from the other side of a locked door.

Until Kael Draven. One breath of his scent had torn that door open. "You're not in charge of me," I whispered.

He is ours.

"No, he isn't."

Ours.

"He's a stranger wearing an expensive suit and a wedding ring, that's all."

My wolf answered with a low, displeased growl inside my head. I turned on the tap and splashed cold water over my face. The chill helped bring me back to myself, though it did nothing to explain the strange warmth lingering beneath my skin.

I had been trained to control my body, my breathing, and my expressions. I could lie without blinking, endure pain without making a sound, and walk into a room full of armed men while calculating how many seconds it would take to kill them all.

Yet a single touch from my husband had nearly exposed something I didn't understand and I hated it more than that, I feared it.

If Lady Isolde discovered that something was wrong with me, she might decide I was no longer useful. And if she decided I was no longer useful, Mira would pay the price.

Mira came first, everything else could burn. A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. "Miss Vikin?"

Liora's voice came through the door. I looked toward it but didn't answer immediately.

"It's me," she continued. "You don't have to open the door. I only wanted to check whether you're all right."

"I'm fine," I called.

"Would you like me to bring you some water?" She offered.

I glanced at the running tap. "No, thank you."

"All right. I'll be nearby if you need anything." Her footsteps retreated without another question.

After several minutes, I went back into the room and rang the little bell that summoned Liora. Soon I heard her soft knock and I allowed her in.

“Is the reception still holding?” I asked her.

"Madam Corvelle has arranged a private sitting room for you," she explained. "You don't have to return to the reception tonight."

"What about Kael?"

"He has returned to his study." Liora replied.

"Did he say anything?"

"He told Madam Corvelle that you weren't feeling well and asked that nobody disturb you."

I stared at her. "He didn't ask where I was?"

"No."

"Didn't he want to know why I left?" I wonder why I asked.

Liora gave me a thoughtful look. "Would you have told him if he had asked?"

I didn't answer, perhaps Kael had simply decided I wasn't worth the trouble. That should have pleased me, instead, disappointment pricked at me, and I immediately despised myself for feeling it.

"Come on," Liora said gently. "I'll show you the sitting room."

I followed her through a quieter corridor, away from the music and laughter drifting from the reception hall. The private sitting room overlooked the gardens, with a velvet sofa, a fireplace, and a small table arranged with food.

My eyes automatically found the windows, the connecting door, and the narrow passage beyond the curtains.

Liora noticed me looking. "Is something wrong?"

"No. I'm just admiring the view."

She glanced toward the windows. "The gardens are lovely at night. You can see the fountains from here."

"I imagine they look even better when nobody is trying to marry you in front of an audience." I smiled.

A surprised laugh escaped her, for a moment, the tension eased. Liora had a way of making the estate feel less like a gilded cage, and I found myself almost enjoying her company.

"Would you like me to stay?" she asked.

"No. I think I need some time alone."

"All right." She moved toward the door. "I'll be nearby if you need anything."

My immediate priorities remained unchanged.

I needed to understand the estate's security system, learn the guards' schedules, and find a way to contact Mira without exposing myself. I also needed to discover why Seraphine had disappeared and whether her warning about marrying Kael meant something more than ordinary fear of an arranged marriage.

But I couldn't investigate anything while my wolf was behaving like a lovesick idiot.

He is not a stranger.

"He is absolutely a stranger." I growled.

You know him.

"I have known him for less than a week."

My wolf retreated into silence, apparently satisfied with being unhelpful. I pressed my fingertips against my temples. Wonderful! I had married a man I barely knew, inherited a secret I couldn't explain, and lost control of my own instincts.

When Liora returned, she carried a fresh cup of tea and a small plate of sandwiches.

"You haven't eaten much," she said, setting them down.

"I'm not particularly hungry."

"That doesn't stop you from needing food." She set the tray on the table before me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you argue with everyone in this house?"

"Only the people who look as though they're planning to faint."

"I don't faint." I replied in a low voice.

I finally took a sandwich. "Has the reception ended?" I asked between bites.

"Most of the guests are still downstairs, but some have started leaving, Master Draven told Madam Corvelle to let you rest. He cancelled his remaining appearances for the evening, too."

I stopped chewing. "He cancelled them?"

"That's what I heard, miss. Perhaps he didn't want to leave his new wife alone on her wedding night." She smiled lightly.

"Or perhaps he wanted to escape a room full of people congratulating him on a marriage he never wanted."

Liora's expression changed slightly. "Do you think he didn't want to marry you?"

I nearly choked on my sandwich. "He agreed to an arranged marriage with a woman he had never met. What do you think?"

"I think people can agree to something for reasons that have nothing to do with wanting it."

Liora folded her hands in her lap. "People are frightened of Kael because he's powerful. Some are frightened because he's an Alpha. Others have their own reasons. But he isn't cruel simply for the pleasure of it."

"I would have cared if I was Seraphine.” I replied grimly.

Liora laughed softly. “You are now, miss.” Then she rose to collect the empty plate. "You should try to sleep, tomorrow will be another long day."

I wasn't sure I wanted to know what tomorrow would bring. Still, I nodded. "Thank you, Liora."

She smiled before leaving me to finish my tea. By the time I returned to my bedroom, the estate had grown quieter.

I changed into a loose nightdress and sat on the edge of the bed. The wedding ring gleamed beneath the bedside lamp, I twisted it around my finger.

It was strange to think that a single ceremony could change how the world saw me. Two days ago, I had been Vespera Vikin , an assassin with blood on her hands and a sister she would do anything to protect.

Today, I was supposedly Seraphine Bryt, the bride of one of the most powerful men in the country. Tomorrow, I would have to wake up and pretend that none of it frightened me.

A faint sound came from the corridor. I lifted my head and listened to footsteps approaching my door, till they stopped.

There was no knock, no hand turned the handle and after several seconds, the footsteps moved away.I remained still, listening until they disappeared.

I got into bed and pulled the blanket over myself, I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but for several minutes, nothing happened.

Then warmth spread through my chest, I opened my eyes. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, no longer frantic, but alert in a way that made every nerve in my body tighten.

Kael.

I sat upright. "Don't start."

He is close.

I looked toward the door, the corridor beyond it remained silent. There was no scent drifting beneath the door, no shadow passing the gap, and no sound of approaching footsteps yet my wolf seemed certain.

I pressed a hand against my chest. "He's nowhere near me."

You feel him.

I could still remember his scent from the ceremony, my instincts had recognized something in him, but I didn't know what. I didn't know whether it was the Alpha in him, the hybrid blood he carried, or something far more dangerous.

Whatever it was, I needed it to stop. I climbed out of bed and crossed to the window, the gardens lay beneath the moonlight, silver and still. Beyond them, the estate's security lights illuminated the walls and gates.

I studied the grounds, searching for a way out, there was always a way out. But tonight, escaping would mean abandoning my mission before I had learned anything useful. Worse, it would mean leaving Mira at the mercy of the people who had forced me into this marriage so I couldn't run yet.

My reflection appeared in the dark glass. For one heartbeat, my eyes glowed gold, I stumbled backward and the light vanished. I stood motionless, my heart hammering as I stared at my reflection.

"What is happening to me?"

My wolf offered no explanation, only that same quiet certainty.

He is ours.

"No," I whispered. "You don't get to choose my husband."