(Siena’s POV) The scent hits me before I see him—pine and midnight, sharp and familiar even amid the layered perfumes and alcohol that saturate the air in the bar. It slices through the laughter and music like a blade, striking a part of me I’ve tried so hard to bury.My wolf stirs immediately, he
“Alpha King Raiden,” I greet him formally, my tone smooth and diplomatic. “I understand the SOA preparations are proceeding well. Congratulations on your foundation’s success.” The words are deliberate, calculated to keep the conversation professional. I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing h
(Raiden’s POV)I recognize this mask, this careful distance, all too well.It mirrors the very treatment I once inflicted upon her, unaware or uncaring of its cruelty.The irony burns me, bitter and undeniable, twisting painfully through my chest as she deflects each of my subtle attempts to shift t
"We’ve rerouted delegates through alternate paths. Escorts from neutral territories will accompany them. No region should feel exposed or compromised."I watched the way her amber eyes scanned the room—not once landing on me. Every answer was precise, measured. She hadn’t lost her edge."Excellent.
(Siena’s POV) Raiden’s eyes haunt me long after I walk away.The heat of his jealousy, the raw edge of his questions about Alaric—it clings to me like smoke, unwelcome and suffocating.My wolf, traitorous as always, stirs with restless energy, but I shove her back into the recesses of my mind. She
“Your legacy here remains strong,” comes a quiet voice beside me. I stiffen, my wolf immediately perking up at the familiar scent of pine and midnight. He’s so silent in his approach that I didn’t hear him coming, but now he stands beside me, his presence as steady and unyielding as ever. I gla
(Raiden’s POV) The thought of Siena leaving—finalizing the divorce, severing the last thread of connection between us—sits heavy in my chest. It’s as if the air itself presses down on me, suffocating and unbearable. Horace paces restlessly, his frustration and grief echoing my own. I know I’ve run
(Siena’s POV) Raiden’s words linger long after he speaks them, their weight pressing into the quiet spaces of my mind.His confession—raw, unguarded, and so unlike the man I once knew—stirs emotions I thought I’d buried.For nearly two years, I’ve worked to process the wounds he left behind, to re
Instinct takes over, primal and fierce, yet beneath each attack lies hesitation, reluctance. I lunge forward, jaws snapping, heart twisting painfully as Zion dodges skilfully aside, countering swiftly.Each strike, each blow, shatters more deeply into my conscience.I pin him briefly, my jaws inches
(Raiden's POV)The sky above Windhowl dawns blood-red, as if even the heavens condemn my foolish pride.I stand alone at the edge of the ceremonial grounds, where ancient trees tower solemnly, their branches stretched out like silent judges over today's proceedings.The clearing we chose for the due
How I’ll manage to look at him again, after hearing those words, I’ll never know.Entering his office, I find him already seated, his expression carefully neutral, his eyes guarded. My heart stutters painfully, and my emotions swirl chaotically. Silently, I extend the documents required for my depar
(Siena’s POV)“I've already forgotten about her.”Raiden's cold dismissal echoes through my mind, each word tearing into wounds I thought long healed, forcing my carefully constructed emotional walls to tremble, to fracture, threaten collapse.My legs swiftly carry me into the darkened forest, lungs
How did we come to this, Zion and I? Lifelong friends, now torn apart by jealousy, pride, and my own stubborn denial.Before either of us can speak again, a quiet, faint scent drifts through the open doorway—familiar and hauntingly sweet.Siena.My blood turns to ice in my veins, and my heart plumme
(Raiden's POV)The instant Zion utters Siena's name, something dark and primal explodes to life inside me.I'm standing by the window of my office, staring out at the twilight shadows creeping slowly across Windhowl, when he casually, confidently announces his intentions—words that slice through me
I stare at the compass, my fingers tracing the carvings as Horace stirs again, her emotions a mix of curiosity and reluctant admiration. “May it guide you home,” Raiden says quietly, his voice carrying an undercurrent of something I can’t quite name. “Whatever home means for you now.” His words
(Siena’s POV) I don’t sleep. Raiden’s words replay in my mind over and over, as insistent as the spring rain drumming against the windows of my temporary quarters.I love you, Siena.Not as a political arrangement or a convenient alliance, but for exactly who you are. For years, I longed to he
“My opposition was… personal rather than political.”The confession costs me more deeply than I could have anticipated.Admitting my pettiness, admitting my inability to separate emotion from responsibility—it feels like peeling away a carefully maintained facade, exposing wounds I’ve long worked to