LOGINThere was something about Marcov I simply couldn’t stand.Of course, the fact that he was a paid killer topped that list — that alone was reason enough to keep my distance — but there was something else, something deeper and harder to name. It was in the way he carried himself, coiled and quiet, as though every muscle in his body was a fuse waiting to be lit. Even when he smiled, it never reached his eyes.I watched him from across the room. The low light of the chamber flickered against the metal detailing of his coat, glinting in time with the slow rise and fall of his breath. He sat beside Zinnia, his posture straight and unnervingly still, eyes fixed on something unseen. Every now and then, I thought I caught a flicker of worry ghost across his face — the faintest tightening of his jaw, a shadow in his gaze — but he would smooth it away almost instantly, as if even his emotions needed to be disciplined.I hoped she would make it through. Gods, I hoped she would.I had arrived at t
I was lost in one of my favorite dreams when the pounding on the front door shattered the calm. The echo ripped through the small cabin, and both Enrickio and I startled.He was on his feet in an instant, body tense, the low hiss in his throat a warning to whatever dared disturb us. His stance was so instinctive, so protective, that for a heartbeat I believed the danger was real.Then the door swung open.Marcov strolled into the sitting room as though he owned the place. With a casual flick of his wrist, Enrickio disappeared — gone in a shimmer of dreamlight.The ache that followed was all too familiar, that sharp tug of sadness every time I remembered: he wasn’t real. He has not been for a very long time.“Hi, Mamma.” Marcov’s smile curved, but it did not reach his eyes. It never did.“You’re lucky I wasn’t your mamma,” I said, forcing a thin smile to cover the sudden twist of pain.“Maybe I’d have turned out different if you were.” His tone tried for mockery, but the honesty beneat
“Baby?” His voice was low, rough around the edges, still heavy with sleep and something else—something that made my pulse quicken.I was still floating, my body spent and languid from the night we’d devoured each other. Slowly, I turned my head, meeting the blaze of his blue eyes—eyes that seemed to see straight through me.A slow, wicked grin curved his lips as his finger traced lazy patterns down my bare back. Goosebumps bloomed wherever he touched, following his path like a trail of fire. He watched them rise with quiet fascination, his expression half wonder, half triumph.He was silent for a moment, just breathing me in. Then again, softly—“Baby?”“Mm?” I murmured, my voice a sleepy purr, inviting, daring him to go on.“You never answered my question.”I blinked, a teasing smile tugging at my mouth. “Which one?”He shook his head, that grin of his widening, eyes bright with mischief and something heartbreakingly sincere.“Run away with me.”Those four words shattered the dream I
As my eyes fluttered open, the world slowly swam back into focus—and with it came an overwhelming wave of relief. Familiar faces filled my blurred vision, faces I had longed for in every waking moment away from home. My babies were nestled close to the bed, their small bodies pressed against the mattress as if afraid I might vanish again. My mother and father sat in chairs pulled tight to my bedside, their postures weary but alert, hands clasped together as though holding each other up.The worry etched into their expressions melted the moment our eyes met, replaced by tears of relief that shimmered like sunlight after a storm. I breathed in shakily, my chest aching with gratitude. I was home. I was home—and I silently thanked Draco for bringing me back where I belonged.Mom’s face crumpled as she leaned forward, wrapping me in her arms, pressing the twins into my side. Their warmth, their scent—the pure, living weight of them—filled every hollow space inside me. It was the best medic
I nearly cried when I finally saw the island appear on the horizon, blurred slightly by the sting of salt and exhaustion in my eyes. Relief crashed over me like a wave — sharp, sudden, almost disorienting. My body was screaming. Every muscle ached, my legs were stiff and cramping, and my back felt like it had been locked in place for days. I hadn’t expected the pain to be this intense. Just sitting still, hour after hour, had become a kind of quiet torture. I kept thinking about how easy it could have been, if I could just shift. How natural it would have been but no – we couldn’t wait for my strength to be replenished.But worse than the physical pain was the relentless worry gnawing at me. I couldn’t stop thinking about the eggs — so delicate, so vulnerable — and even more, about my own children. If I’d known this trip would drag out this long, I would’ve at least prepared them better. I would’ve held them tighter, said something more… something to let them know I was coming back, e
We flew in silence for a couple of hours before Scales spoke.‘Why are you still angry with her?’‘You know.’ I huffed‘I think your being stupid.’ He declared‘What! Why? Wouldn’t you be mad if you received an ultimatum like that?’He was quiet for a moment; I could sense that he was thinking. I was confident that I knew what his answer would be, and I started to relax but he surprised me with an unexpected answer instead.‘Honestly, no I wouldn’t. Maybe before I met Mira, I would understand your point but since I have met her, have been with her and we completed the mate bond I don’t…’‘It is your secret she wanted me to tell her!’ I interrupted him.‘No need to get al agitated, I am well aware, but she was not. You also left her before thus I could understand the fear she felt, knowing that you had a secret that you did not trust her enough to share it with her.’‘Now you’re a relationship expert?’ I asked rhetorically; the sarcasm was clear in my tone.‘I believe my questi







