MasukDinner finished in silence. Rhiannon kept her eyes on her plate, pushing food around more than eating it, and painfully aware of the man watching her from across the table like nothing unusual had happened at all. She stood the moment her fork touched down for the last time, gripping the edge of the table as the room tilted under her. Theron was out of his chair before she'd even finished rising, his hand closing around her wrist to steady her. Rhiannon tried to snatch her hand back from his grip, but his fingers only tightened around hers. "I'm fine." "You swayed." "I stood up too fast. That's all." She yanked again, harder this time, and he released her so easily she almost stumbled from the momentum. "And in case you've forgotten, this is my life. You don't get a vote in how I live it." "I wasn't aware I needed one." "That's the problem, Vance. You never think you do." Something in his expression shifted, quick and unreadable, before he reached out and tucked a loose stran
Rhiannon lifted her chin, refusing to back down.She would rather shoot herself in the foot than listen to a single word from this dog-headed capitalistic bastard."You expect me to just sit here and eat," she said, crossing her arms, "after you lied to my brother's face?""I expect you to eat because you fainted hours ago." Theron's voice stayed maddeningly even. "The rest isn't up for discussion.""Everything with you is a command. Not once has it occurred to you to just ask.""Asking implies you'd say yes.""I just might.""You climbed out a window rather than take a glass of water from me." He didn't even spare a glance at her. "Forgive me for not testing my luck twice in one night.""I said no," she spat, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "I am not eating your food, and I am not staying in this absurd fortress a second longer than I have to."Theron released a slow breath through his nose. Without a word, he reached up and loosened his tie, sliding it free with one smooth
The silk sheets and heavy blankets were surprisingly difficult to knot, but Rhiannon’s stubbornness won. She pulled the final knot tight, testing it with her full weight. It held. A relieved smile tugged at her lips.Working quickly, she secured the other end around the thick carved post of the king-sized bed before throwing the makeshift rope through the open window. The blankets unraveled into the darkness below, swaying gently in the icy night breeze.Taking a steadying breath, she climbed onto the wide stone ledge.The winter air bit instantly into her bare skin, sending a shiver racing through her body. She glanced down, and her stomach lurched.Far below, a narrow stone terrace stretched along the side of the mansion before giving way to endless forest. The sheer drop disappeared into darkness, making her head spin.Doubt crept into her mind. One wrong move, and this could end very badly.But the thought of being locked away by an arrogant corporate dictator pushed her forward.
Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction.Somewhere within the endless void, someone was calling out to her.“Rhiannon…”She ran through the pitch-black emptiness, her lungs burning as her footsteps echoed around her. “Who’s there?” she called, her voice trembling. She spun in every direction, desperately searching for whoever was speaking, but there was nothing except endless darkness.Then, without warning, an icy breath brushed against her ear.“He is here.”Rhiannon jerked awake with a sharp gasp.Sweat clung to her forehead as she bolted upright, one hand flying instinctively to her chest. Her heart lurched under her ribs, each beat uneven as she struggled to steady her breathing. The nightmare still lingered, making it difficult to separate dream from reality.She blinked rapidly, her hazel eyes darting around.Her eyes drifted to the man sitting in a leather armchair tucked into the darkest corner of the room. His suit jacket had been discarded over the back of the chair
"Let go of me," Rhiannon breathed, her face burning as she wrenched her wrists from Theron's grip.She snatched her backpack off the podium, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs as she spun on her heel and fled the lecture hall, the doors swinging shut behind her.Behind her, Theron stood still, his hands sliding into his pockets.‘She’s running,’ Acheron growled restlessly inside his mind. ‘Go after her. Bring her back. The human world is too dangerous for her.’‘Patience,’ Theron commanded back, though his own jaw tightened as he listened to her unsteady heartbeat. ‘She is a stubborn little bird. Pull the cage too quickly, and she will break.’Rhiannon burst through the exit doors of the humanities building, welcoming the crisp afternoon air. She took a deep breath, trying to clear the lingering scent of him from her lungs."Rhiannon!"A bright, familiar voice cut through the storm in her head.She turned, her tense expression softening as Julian walked across the lawn toward
The royal meeting room in Astrea City was filled with tension.Prince Bellamy stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his emerald-green eyes following the silver mist rolling over the capital below. Behind him, Gamma Kaelen stood at attention, his knuckles white where they gripped the edge of the strategy table."The High Council is in a frenzy, Prince," Kaelen reported, his usual steady voice carrying an unusual strain. “The entire capital is whispering. The Lycan King’s monthly Berserk phase ended almost as soon as it began. He broke his celestial steel chains under the Pink Moon, fell eerily silent, then vanished across the human border… and somehow, he’s calm.”Bellamy didn't turn around. He knew exactly what the three factions were doing in the shadows. "They believe he finally marked the Saint of Vrykania," Kaelen continued hesitantly, lowering his eyes. "Lady Seraphina's family is already preparing the celebration. But... what do we do about the human girl, Prince?" "We do no
Theron’s hot breath still lingered against her pulse point, sending an erratic, terrifying shiver straight down Rhiannon’s spine.She slammed both palms flat against his chest, pushing against his marble-hard frame with every ounce of strength she possessed. "Get out of my space."Theron didn't ev
Darkness.It was a heavy, pitch-black void, but the echoes of furious voices shattered the silence of her fading consciousness.“Get away from her, Theron! Step back!” “Hold him down! Inject the sedative now!” Bellamy’s voice barked over the sound of heavy iron chains rattling. “Talia, clear the p
“This is an official border-state broadcast from the Oakhaven Department of Civil Safety.”“Due to severe, unpredicted atmospheric drops and localized climate volatility along the eastern frontier, a total dawn-to-dusk curfew is now active for all sectors bordering the sovereign nation of Vrykania.







