Kiara’s POVI’d missed this man. I’d missed him so bad that I nearly gave into my urge to fly into his arms. To have him wrap around me in a hug, kiss my forehead and promise me everything would be okay. I remembered in time his betrayal and it kept me rooted to the spot, staring at him with all the pain and hurt I’d been blocking out for the past few weeks suddenly coming to the surface. He had aged in the little time we’d been apart, his dark hair interspersed with traces of gray. I took in his face greedily, even though I refused to go to him. He had always been my confidant this man. My biggest protector. My closest friend. Mother often complained how much I favored him but I’d been a daddy’s girl since the day I was born and I’d never looked back. That he would sell me out like this made me question. Made me doubt. Made me wonder if he was really the same person I’d known for the past twenty three years. If anyone had told me even a month ago that my father would sell me out to

Kiara’s POVI drew open the curtains the window letting light filter into my room, the golden rays falling directly on the bed where Caden slept. He scrunched his face up in his sleep before simply turning to the other side and pulling the duvet over his face. Amused an undeterred, I marched to the bed, pulling the duvet off him. “Hey. No fair.” He grumbled sleepily. “Yes it is. It’s already past ten AM.” He grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like an insult and then chucked a pillow at me. I laughed, easily dodging it. “Your pillow tricks won’t work on me. Get the hell up.”“Come on mom. Five more minutes.”I let out an exaggerated sigh “Fine.” I said benevolently. I’d had my bath when he slept and even dried my hair. I was almost fully dress when I tried to wake him and he still didn’t budge. Most of my good clothes were abandoned at Ivan’s mansion so all I was left with in my closet were the not so nice ones. I put on a T-shirt over my faded jeans and pulled my hair i

Kiara’s POV“Savez, come on. Keep your hands high enough so you can parry his thrust and block. Otherwise you’ll end up with a slit throat before we’re done here!”I yelled at one of the sparring groups currently battling fiercely on the training ground.The man in question did as I asked, holding his sword a bit higher and parrying his opponent’s next jab way more fluidly.“Good.” I grunted, moving past their group to the next.This pair were clearly still a bit green about the ears. It was clear from the way the awkwardly held their swords, as if it was too big for them. It made their knife clanging lack any power, force or even proper direction.I stepped up to them amused.“Grip it firmly, don’t clutch it like that.” I said helping one of the boys fix his fingers properly.The other mirrored the new position while the one I’d physically corrected flushed bright red. He looked shyly at me from under his lashes and I snorted. He could barely hold his sword up. What made him think he

Kiara’s POVThere was someone in my room and it wasn’t any of the wolves I lived with. I lay completely still, keeping my eyes tightly shut and trying to make sure my breathing remained even.It was night time and everyone in the manor was fast asleep. Except for the intruder. And now me.I tried to think quickly of what I could do to get out of this potentially dangerous situation. My dagger was all the way over on the table at the far end of the room and I silently cursed myself for being so careless with my weapon when I was expecting something like this to happen.The person crept to my bed without making so much as a sound. I felt rather than heard the presence hovering above me. I waited, holding my breath until he came close enough and then I sprung into action.Pulling his hand, I dragged him down to the bed and flipped him before he hit the mattress so that he landed on his back with a grunt. In another moment, my hand was around his throat and I squeezed tightly, ignoring his

Ivan’s POVI stared coolly at Damien and the man stared back. Kiara hovered a few steps away from us, glancing nervously between us both.We were in his immaculately furnished study, having been summoned there by a maid after we had the refreshments Amelia provided. I respected their willingness to at least feed us before engaging in this confrontation. It would have sucked to do this with a headache caused by blood starvation.“Kiara. Leave us.” Damien rumbled lowly and predictably enough, she tried to argue with him, only cutting off when he sent her a glare.I chuckled, glad to see she wasn’t this combative with me alone and watched her with an amused, if slightly hungry gaze as she left the room. I was aware that Damien was watching me watch his daughter, but after missing her for more than forty eight hours, it was hard to let her out of my sight.I hadn’t expected her to give up on witnessing the discussion I was about to have with her father so easily but I needn’t have bothere