Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 31 - Chapitre 40

I force myself to smile as I accept the fresh roses Knox has delivered to my door, their crimson petals still damp with morning dew. The scent is overwhelming—sweet and cloying in a way that makes my stomach turn. But I cradle them carefully, letting appreciation soften my features as I breathe in their fragrance."They're beautiful," I murmur, glancing up at Knox through my lashes. The hope that flickers in his green eyes makes something twist in my chest, but I push the feeling down. "Thank you."His face lights up like I've just handed him the crown jewels. "I thought you might like the red ones better than the white," he says, stepping closer until his cedar and storm rain scent mingles with the roses. "They reminded me of your training leathers."The detail shouldn't touch me, but it does. He's been payin

The kiss lingers on my lips like a brand, Knox's taste still flooding my senses. My wolf practically purrs with satisfaction, every nerve ending singing from the contact with our mate. The primal satisfaction radiating through my body makes me want to scream.How can my body betray me like this?Knox's thumb traces my cheek with devastating tenderness, his green eyes soft with an emotion that makes my chest ache. Before I can step away, before I can rebuild the walls that keep crumbling around him, he leans down for another kiss.This one starts gentle—a soft brush of lips that should be easy to endure. But the moment our mouths connect, something ignites between us. The kiss deepens, his hand sliding to cup the back of my neck, and my treacherous body melts into him like I'm starving for his touch.Being kissed by one's mate is inherently blissful—every werewolf knows this. The Moon Goddess designed us to crave our other half, to find completion in their embrace. But knowing the scie

KNOXThe clang of steel against steel echoes through the castle corridors as I make my way toward the family meeting, the sound of ongoing preparations for the binding ceremony filling every corner of our home. Servants rush past carrying armfuls of white silk and winter roses, their faces flushed with the constant activity that's consumed the castle since our engagement announcement. The scent of pine and cinnamon drifts from the great hall where workers have been planning the altar construction, mixing with the underlying tension that's been building all week.The ceremony preparations are moving forward steadily, though we still have time before the winter solstice. Still, the reality of what's coming makes Liam practically purr with satisfaction every time I think about it."Soon," he rumbles contentedly. "Soon she'll bear our mark, and there will be no more uncertainty."I push his voice aside, unwilling to admit how much I agree with him. A Crown Prince doesn't get giddy about h

The thought should make me turn around, should send me fleeing back to my chambers where I can maintain the safe distance that protects us both. But standing here, seeing the genuine concern in his green eyes, feeling the warmth radiating from his skin—it makes Jax's cold commands feel like poison in my veins.I'm so tired of being a weapon. So tired of calculating every move, every word, every breath around this man who looks at me like I'm something precious. For just one moment, I want to forget the mission, forget the nightmares, forget everything except the way Knox makes me feel when his walls are down and mine haven't been rebuilt yet.Just once, I tell myself desperately. Just once, let me feel something real instead of this endless guilt. I step forward and press my lips to his.Knox freezes for a heartbeat, clearly caught off guard by my sudden aggression. But then his arms come around me, pulling me closer as he responds to the kiss with a hunger that matches my own. His sk

KNOXDad's study feels different when we arrive—charged with an energy that makes my skin crawl. The familiar scent of blackberry tea and old books is overpowered by something else, something that tastes like copper and shadows. Candles flicker despite the absence of any breeze, casting dancing shadows across the walls lined with ancient tomes.But it's not just Dad waiting for us. A woman I vaguely recognize sits in one of the leather chairs facing his desk, her silver hair braided with small bones and feathers. She's elderly but moves with the fluid grace of someone far younger, her dark eyes sharp with intelligence.Elder Lina. I've seen her at various ceremonies over the years, always hovering at the edges, speaking in whispers to other pack elders. But I've never known much about her background beyond her role in castle rituals."Knox, Noah, Astor," Dad greets us with unusual formality. His face looks more haggard than when we last spoke about the white wolf. "Thank you for comin