Chapter 1

The moment my mother knew I was done with Kaelan, she started arranging the union.

I had just pulled myself from the vault’s recovery pool. The Silver Bell poison still slithered through my veins. Every inch of my skin ached.

My mother’s voice detonated in my mind—blood-telepathy. Plans for the blood bond flooded my consciousness. The venue, the guest list, the ritual. Every detail, flawless and immediate.

"The union with the Obsidian Throne is set. Three days from now, on the night of the Blood Moon." Her tone was absolute. "My dearest Rosalie, someone who truly wants an eternity with you wouldn't make you wait a century. Kaelan is just using your family's influence to secure his new little Covenant. It's time to wake up, my daughter."

I closed my eyes, feeling the last of the poison fade.

She was right. I waited a century for him.

Countless promises. Countless delays.

It was always so clear to everyone else.

"I agree."

The words brought a relief I'd never known.

My mother was silent for a few seconds. Then, I felt her exhale. "I'll arrange everything. You just need to—"

"Rosalie?"

A familiar voice cut through the silence behind me.

I spun around. Kaelan materialized from a swirl of black mist, his crimson eyes filled with confusion and suspicion.

"Who were you talking to?" He frowned, stepping closer. "I heard the words 'blood bond ceremony'."

I severed the connection with my mother.

"Nothing important."

"Don't lie to me." Kaelan gripped my wrist. His touch was light, but his grip was iron.

"Your emotions are a whirlwind. I can feel them."

I looked at him. At the face I had stared at for a century.

The high bridge of his nose, the thin lips, the red eyes that gleamed in the moonlight.

His cold arm wrapped around my waist. He tried to press into my thoughts. I slammed my mind shut.

He tried to force his way in, but his phone rang.

The night was too quiet. I could clearly hear the woman's fragile, panicked voice.

“Kaelan, I just left the office. I think a rival clan is following me! What do I do? I’m so scared. I’ve been circling the parking garage, but I can’t shake them!”

Kaelan’s protective instincts ignited. His red eyes flashed with danger.

"What? Where are you? Don't be afraid. Find somewhere safe. I'm on my way."

He hung up, the blood bond ceremony completely forgotten.

"Rosa, I have to go."

"Go," I cut him off calmly. "She needs you."

"It's not what you think. She's just—"

"Kaelan," I met his gaze. "Go save your human assistant."

His pupils constricted.

He left me alone again, dissolving into black mist and vanishing into the night to rescue his human.

But he was forgetting one crucial thing. In this dark world of bloodline and power, my family’s ancient name was the only reason he had a throne at all.

After he left, I contacted my Aunt Elara, who manages our family's affairs in Europe, to say my goodbyes.

My parents had left New York centuries ago to claim new territory, and I was left in my aunt's care.

Kaelan's Covenant was next door. That's how we met.

Later, my aunt followed her own mate to the Vatican and sold her manor in New York. I didn't want to disturb her new life, so I moved in with Kaelan.

I never thought I'd be there for a century.

When my aunt heard I was getting married, she gasped.

"Finally! Did that bastard Kaelan finally come to his senses? I told you! A century together! Sometimes you have to push a man to make him appreciate what he has—"

"It's not Kaelan," I said flatly.

The image of my aunt froze.

"Not Kaelan? Then who?"

"The lord of the Obsidian Throne. Damien. An arranged union."

"But you and Kaelan—"

"It's been a century, Aunt Elara," I interrupted, my voice devoid of emotion. "He never once offered me a true blood bond. That says enough about my place in his heart."

My aunt's shock turned to fury. "That ungrateful—"

"This is my choice," I said. "I want an eternal partner. Not an opportunist who sees me as a stepping stone to power."

After the call, I sent a message to my family, requesting a shipment of rare art as a farewell gift for my aunt.

As night fell completely, the roar of an armored truck shattered the manor's silence.

I dragged my suitcase toward the main gate, counting down the hours to my new life.

Three days left.

I had the butler open the gate. I never expected to see Kaelan standing there when it swung open.