Caspian:There was something about the quiet these days that didn’t feel as empty as it used to.The villa was warm. Peaceful. The fire crackled in the hearth of the living room, and for once, I wasn’t pacing or reading reports or preparing for war. Though many things needed taking care of, I knew t
Valerie:I didn’t know what had shifted exactly.Maybe it was time. Maybe it was the way things had played out. Or maybe it was the fact that for the first time in years, Caspian and I weren’t at war with each other. Not in words, not in glances. Not in silence.We were just… here. Together.It was
Caspian:I didn’t sleep.Not because I couldn’t. But because I wouldn’t. Not tonight.There was a lot on my mind for me to think about going to bed. And deep down, I had wished that she stayed with me.Valerie’s hand had slipped from mine hours ago. She’d gone to bed, insisting she needed to rest, b
“I want every patrol doubled,” I growled. “I want guards on every villa, including this one. Especially this one.”Mateo didn’t question it. He just nodded.But I wasn’t done.“Find Elias. I don’t care how. I don’t care if you have to drag his wolf through the dirt. I want to know what the fuck he’s
Valerie:I slammed the spoon back into the sink, the water splashing up over my hands and wrists.I wasn’t angry at Caspian. No. I was furious.He did not have the right to accuse my brother of this way. He did not have the right to look at my brother as a traitor, not after everything, nor after h
“Valerie… we followed him.” He said, looking away from me. “He's been acting strange lately. There are men who have disappeared. We have to follow him.”My heart sank. “Followed him? Men who disappeared, What the hell are you talking about?”“We wanted to make sure everything was safe. Just in case.
Caspian:She was quiet.Not the kind of quiet that came with peace, but the kind that throbbed like a wound beneath the surface. One that I could tell on you meant chaos was on the way. One that I knew she was doing her best to try and keep controlled.Valerie hadn’t spoken a word to me since this m
“No,” I agreed. “It’s intentional. Whatever it is that they have in mind, it is intentional.”I crossed the room and poured myself a glass of whiskey, letting the burn cut through the tension in my chest. I didn’t like this. I didn’t like playing a game I couldn’t see all the pieces of.And I hated
Valerie:The wind around us started to shift. I could feel it and see it and the trees that were around us. I walked along the forest path with Adrian by my side, his little hand tucked securely in mine. I wanted him to try and explore his power. I wanted him to allow himself to give in to what it i
Caspian:The air in the pack was… different now.And though I knew that everyone wanted to deny it or ignore it, they could. Not everything was just someone's complicated.It was not tense, not completely. But not calm either. It was something in between, like the pause before a storm, or the breath
Eva:“You’ve lost control,” I snapped, pacing the edge of the study, my heels echoing with every angry step. “You said you had everything in place. You said everything would go as planned. And yet here we are, Valerie’s alive, Caspian is stronger than ever, and now Adrian sees him as a father.”Giov
Valerie:The kitchen was filled with the soft clinking of cutlery and the warm scent of cinnamon and honey. I moved slowly, careful not to burn the toast, careful not to look too long at Caspian as he stood by the counter watching me, arms folded across his chest like he was still processing everyth
Caspian:The scent of lavender and warm vanilla filled the villa, her scent, and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, it wasn’t just lingering in my memory. It was alive. It was here. She was here. She was by my side and rather than this villa feeling like a place that I was living in, i
Valerie:The sunlight slipped past the sheer curtains, golden and gentle, warming my cheek before I even opened my eyes. I felt the weight of the sheets tangled around my legs, the delicious soreness in my limbs, and the steady warmth radiating from the body beside mine.Caspian.I didn’t need to lo
The kiss deepened. Her mouth parted, and I took it, claiming her like I’d never stopped wanting to. My hand slipped into her hair, and she moaned against me, arching into my touch.“Valerie…” I breathed, my lips brushing hers.Her eyes met mine, dark with heat. “Don’t ask.”I hesitated.“Are you sur
Caspian:The living room was quiet except for Adrian’s excited voice as he recounted a story about something he had seen near the garden, something about a glowing butterfly, and how he thought it might be magical.How much I wanted to explain to him that he was the one who was magical, that the but
Valerie:I told myself I wouldn’t break.I told myself I’d hold it together, for Adrian, for the pack, for everyone who still believed in me.I told myself that I needed to stand strong, that I should not afford allowing myself to fall.But it was getting harder.With each passing moment, I found it