Mag-log inThe next morning everything went to shit. Literary. I sat up, pulled on one of Xavier's silk shirts, and walked into the main living area barefoot. Mrs. Gable had already set coffee on the counter. She didn't meet my eyes.Kaelen arrived ten minutes later. He didn't bother with greetings. He simply placed a small evidence bag on the marble island."Found this morning," Kaelen said grimly. "Inside the clinic's medicine fridge. Behind the antibiotics. After our security was already in place."The air left my lungs.My father wasn't just watching anymore. Oh fuck!I picked up the bag. The metal felt heavier than it should have."He's sending a message," I said."Yes," Kaelen answered. "And he's not finished."Xavier walked in from the hallway, already dressed in black, sleeves rolled to the elbows. He looked at the pin, then at me. His violet eyes were unreadable."You're not going to the clinic today."It wasn't a suggestion."You don't get to decide that.""I do." He took the evidence
The Holloway pin still lay on the study desk.Small. Gleaming. And unmistakable.I stared at it until my jaw clenched. "This isn't a warning anymore."Xavier stood across the desk, arms crossed. "No. It's a declaration."Kaelen had just finished giving his report. The unmarked car that had been staking out the clinic was found abandoned in a back alley. On its dashboard sat only one object: the Holloway family pin that my father's men always used to wear.I immediately grabbed my jacket. "I'm going to the clinic."Xavier didn't move. "With a full security detail. Not alone.""The clinic isn't your territory.""Your father's men just left a mark at its front door," he replied flatly. "You go with my team, or you don't go at all."We stared at each other for a long moment until Brie, who was standing near the door, gave a small cough."If I may," she said carefully, "I'll come too. There's some medical stock I need to recount."Xa
The air inside the study still felt hot when Xavier spoke againI stood near the bookshelf with the sweater I had just pulled back over my body, the necklace around my throat feeling heavier than before. My body still held the lingering tremors, but Xavier’s face had returned to a flat mask. As if just minutes ago, he hadn't pressed me between the wood and his ragged breaths."Starting tonight, the rules change," he said.I stared at him. "We just—""I know what just happened." His voice was cold, crisp, completely devoid of lust. "And precisely because of that, I won't let the same vulnerability be exposed twice."He walked over to the desk, picked up a tablet, and slid it toward me. A short list was already displayed on the screen."You do not leave the penthouse without security. Visits to the clinic must be pre-approved. Every contact with Matias is to be reported. No side channels. No unilateral decisions."I let out a short, sharp laugh. "So now I'm a prisoner you get to kiss wh
Mrs. Gable then led Brie down the dimly lit corridor. Their footsteps slowly faded into the distance until, a few minutes later, the housekeeper returned alone to the main room.“Damn,” she whispered, her breath ragged right next to my ear. “The Lycan prince dotes on you this much, yet your brain is still thinking about running back to The Pit?”I hadn’t even had a chance to respond.Hadn’t had time to push her away, to voice a denial, or to shout the fact that our relationship wasn’t just about being “doted on.”Not enough time.Because that cold, baritone voice cut in from the direction of the main room. Flat. Absolute. Leaving no room for repetition.“Ravenna. Brie.”We both turned in unison.Xavier stood tall at the end of the corridor, one hand casually tucked into his trouser pocket. His handsome face was completely unreadable.“To my study. Now.”***We followed Xavier down the quiet corridor. The study door opened silently. Inside, a desk lamp cast a warm glow, bookshelves tow
I couldn't sleep. The room was too quiet. The sheets were too clean. The necklace around my neck felt too real every time I turned over. Whenever I closed my eyes, it wasn't just Xavier's face that appeared, but also the clinic, the black car without license plates, and the smile of my father's confidant from the recording. It was past two in the morning. I got up, put on the loose sweater I'd left on the chair, and slipped out silently. The corridor lights were dim. At the far end of the hall, a small light glowed from a room near the kitchen. I followed the light and found Mrs. Gable sitting at a small table with a deck of cards in her hands. A steaming cup of tea sat beside her. She turned her head, unsurprised. "Can't sleep?" she asked. I nodded. "My mind is too crowded." Mrs. Gable pulled out the chair opposite her with the toe of her shoe. "Sit. I'm losing to myself. I need an opponent." I sat down. She dealt the cards with quick, deft movements. "Casual poker
I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel loosely wrapped around me, my breathing still uneven.Xavier was already waiting in the room. He stood by the window, still wearing a dark robe, with the city of Vanguard spread out behind him like a map he owned. His eyes immediately locked onto the necklace around my neck, then dropped to the edge of the towel, before returning to my face."That was quick," he said flatly."You were the one who told me not to take too long."He didn't smile. "Good. Then let's begin."I stiffened. "Begin what?"Xavier stepped closer. His pace wasn't hurried, yet with every bit of distance he closed, my chest felt tighter. "You're wearing that mark again because you need my protection. You agreed to any terms, as long as the clinic stayed safe. Tonight, we make sure you understand what that means."I glared at him. "I'm already wearing it. What else do you want?""Obedience that doesn't just surface when you're afraid







