LOGINAs I stepped into the house, the irritation finally rose—sharp and clear—cutting through the tangle of other emotions.That beast.She had actually wanted to attack me. What had I ever done to her except love the same man she still refused to let go? The fear was fading, but the questions she left behind lingered like bruises: about Lucian’s past, the depth of what he had once felt for her, and whether the feelings Aries had spoken of would ever be enough to make me more than a temporary stand-in in his heart.The thoughts kept circling, each one heavier than the last.What had really happened between Lucian and Valeria? He must have loved her fiercely—perhaps more than anything, more than he could ever love me. The idea settled in my chest like a cold stone. I wished, with a quiet, aching desperation, that he had been only mine from the start. That I had been his first and his last. But that woman had claimed his heart long before I arrived, and the knowledge of it left a hollow I di
I studied her for a long moment, drawing in a slow, steady breath to calm myself. My heart was still racing from everything she had said, but beneath the fear, something stronger had begun to rise—something that felt like quiet resolve.“Valeria,” I said, my voice softer than I expected yet clear, “I don’t know what’s going to happen between me and Lucian. The truth is… I really don’t care. I just want to enjoy being with him—every minute, every second of my life. So if you actually think telling me all of this is going to stop me from being with him, then you should think again. Because I love him. And I’m not going anywhere.”I turned toward the front door of the house, my pulse thudding in my ears. The words had cost me something, but they had also freed something. I had only taken two steps when her voice cracked through the air like a whip.“You little slut!”Before I could fully process the words she was already running at me. The shove came hard and sudden, full of raw fury. I
The moment Zita left the kitchen, one of the maids stepped inside and offered a polite smile.“Good morning, Madam.”“Good morning…” I paused, realizing I didn’t know her name. “What’s your name?”“Sara.”“Hi, Sara. You can just call me Eleanor. We might even be the same age, you know. Which means we could be good friends. What do you think?”She smiled, a little surprised but genuine. “Alright.”“Good.” I glanced toward the doorway. “I have to go.”I followed the path Zita had taken toward the patio, my heart already beating faster than it should have been for such a simple morning. Through the glass door I watched her carefully set the coffee down in front of Lucian. He looked up, said something I couldn’t hear, then turned his head—and saw me.His smile was slow and warm and completely devastating.For a second the entire world narrowed to those eyes. Heat rushed through my body so fast I forgot how to breathe. My fingers tightened around the edge of my dress. I spun away from the
I slipped Lucian’s robe from my shoulders with careful hands and laid it gently across the bed, smoothing the soft fabric one last time as if I could leave a piece of my heart folded inside his scent. Then I walked straight into the bathroom, the cool floor tiles grounding me for a moment.As I brushed my teeth I caught my own reflection in the vanity mirror and immediately felt heat rise in my cheeks until they burned. Oh, Lucian was so handsome. So unbearably, devastatingly sexy. The memory of his eyes on me last night, the way his hands had held me like he never intended to let go, made my stomach flip. I didn’t think I could ever let anyone else have him. The very idea made something fierce and possessive twist hard inside my chest. And the thought of him dying… Shit. A full-body shiver ran through me, cold enough to raise goosebumps along my arms. I had planned to tell him about the vision, about the war and the way he died in my arms, but we were always surrounded by some
Eleanor POV I woke slowly in Lucian’s strong arms, my head resting on the solid warmth of his chest, one of his heavy arms draped protectively around me. It was the best feeling I had ever known—safe, wanted, completely held. I tilted my face up just enough to look at him. His handsome features were utterly peaceful, relaxed in a way I had rarely seen. Soft morning light touched the sharp line of his jaw and the gentle curve of his mouth. For a long moment I simply watched him breathe, my heart swelling so full it almost hurt. A quiet, helpless smile spread across my lips as the memories of last night washed over me in warm waves. I had finally embraced who I was. I had transformed. And then I had given myself to him—completely, without holding a single piece of myself back. A silent laugh of pure joy fluttered through my chest. I rested my head against him again, listening to the steady, powerful beat of his heart beneath my ear, and wished with everything I had that the moment
I didn't have the slightest happiness seeing Alpha Magnus standing on my patio this early in the morning.The sight of him immediately tightened something cold and unwelcome in my chest. Me and Aries exchanged a quick, wary glance before looking back at the older man approaching with two bodyguards at his heels.He and his daughter had been getting increasingly irritating lately. They were always hovering around the edges of my life, constantly pushing their expectations onto me and reminding me of a future built on duty rather than choice—a future I no longer wanted.I stood as he reached us, every muscle already braced.“Alpha Magnus,” I said, keeping my voice even though irritation simmered just beneath the surface. “What brings you to my home so early this morning?”He gave me a warm smile, though something about it felt deliberate, as if he already knew exactly what he wanted from this visit.“Oh, Lucian. Can’t I visit your humble home anymore? After all, I was a very good friend







