Summer stormed into Dominic's study, her fists clenched at her sides. Dominic, seated at his desk, barely glanced up from the document he was reading."Summer," he acknowledged coolly. "What brings you here so early?"She didn't bother with pleasantries. "Why is there a guard following me?"Dominic raised an eyebrow and finally looked up. "For your protection.""Protection?" Summer scoffed. "I'm a prisoner here, Dominic. Who do you think you're protecting me from? It's not like I can leave."Dominic leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "You tried to escape once. Did you think I'd just let you wander freely after that?""I wasn't trying to escape," she snapped. "I wanted to get some air, to think. And now, everywhere I go, there's someone watching me. I can't even breathe without feeling like I'm being spied on."Dominic's expression didn't change. "That's the point. You're not trusted yet, Summer. You're here because I allow it, not because you have some right
Summer stared at Dominic, disbelief clouding her thoughts. "You really want me to leave?" Her voice was laced with frustration. "After everything, you've been hell-bent on keeping me here, and now you're just going to let me walk out?"Dominic's expression was unreadable as he leaned against his desk, arms folded across his chest. "It's your choice, Summer. I'm not going to force you to stay if you don't want to be here.""Since when?" she shot back. "Since when do you care about what I want? You've kept me in this kingdom like a prisoner, and now you suddenly don't care if I leave?""If you leave, I won't stop you." His voice was calm, almost too calm as if he were restraining himself. "But you should know that if you walk out of here, you're on your own. I won't protect you anymore."Summer blinked, processing his words. "Protect me from what?" She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "From who?""From everything out there," he said, his tone clipped. "You're a werewolf in Lycan
Summer paced in her chamber, replaying the moment with Dominic in her mind. Every time she thought about it, the anger flared up inside her again. She couldn't understand how things had spiraled out of control so quickly and how his calm words had turned into something so intense.A kiss?She stopped pacing, running a hand through her hair in frustration. There had been nothing gentle about it, nothing kind. It had been possessive, aggressive—just like him. And yet, there had been something else, something she didn't want to acknowledge.She shook her head, trying to push the thought away. It didn't matter. What mattered now was figuring out how to deal with this situation. She needed answers.With renewed determination, Summer grabbed her cloak and threw it over her shoulders. She needed to speak to Dominic again. Running away wasn't going to solve anything. She wasn't going to let him kiss her and then pretend like nothing had happened.Her heart pounded as she made her way down the
Davina stood by the large windows in Alan's private chambers, watching the moonlight reflect off the distant lake. Her heart raced as she sensed Alan's presence behind her. She could feel his eyes on her as if his gaze alone could set her skin aflame."You've been quiet tonight," Alan's voice broke through the silence, smooth and deep. There was an edge to it—like he was daring her to respond.Davina turned slowly to face him, her lips curling into a soft smile. "What's there to say?" she asked, her voice lilting, but her eyes held a challenge. "You have everything you wanted, don't you?"Alan's eyes narrowed slightly, his jaw tightening. He stepped closer to her, closing the distance between them until she could feel the heat of his body. "What are you implying, Davina?"She tilted her head, her fingers trailing along the surface of the windowsill as if she were contemplating something deeply. "I'm just wondering if rejecting Summer was worth it. You chose me, but are you satisfied?"
Summer stood in the doorway of Dominic's study, her chest rising and falling rapidly as if she had just sprinted through the entire castle. Her lips trembled slightly, and her eyes flickered with a mix of emotions—fear, frustration, and something else Dominic couldn't quite place.He leaned back in his chair, his jaw tightening as he regarded her carefully. "What is it, Summer?" His voice was calm, though there was a clear edge of impatience.She stepped inside, closing the door behind her, as if she were preparing to say something monumental. "I overheard your conversation with Coleman," she began, her voice soft but firm. "You're meeting with the Elders because of me, aren't you?"Dominic's expression darkened slightly, though he didn't immediately answer."I don't understand why you're going through all this trouble," Summer continued, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "One minute, you're telling me I can leave if I want to, and the next, you're risking everything just t
The tension was palpable as Dominic and Coleman walked through the dense forest, making their way to the meeting ground where the Elders awaited. The sun had barely risen, casting long shadows across the ground, as if the very earth sensed the gravity of the meeting to come.Coleman remained silent by Dominic's side, but his presence was steady, as always. Dominic appreciated the man's loyalty, but today was different. Today, Dominic had to face the Elders of the Lycans—Elder Simon, Elder Antonio, and Elder Philippe. Each one wielded considerable influence, and their word carried weight in the kingdom.As they reached the clearing, the three elders stood in a semicircle, their expressions grave. The oldest of them, Elder Simon, stepped forward first, his white hair gleaming in the morning light. Elder Antonio and Elder Philippe, equally serious, flanked him on either side."Dominic," Elder Simon began, his voice calm but stern, "you know why we've summoned you here."Dominic folded hi
Summer's expression hardened as Dominic delivered his ultimatum. "So that's it?" she scoffed, her eyes blazing. "You want to keep me here as some servant, working away to appease the Elders?"Dominic's face darkened, his jaw tightening. "It's not up for debate, Summer. You're lucky I convinced them to let you stay in the first place. If you're in this kingdom, you'll follow the rules."She crossed her arms defiantly. "So, what is this? A test? Some twisted way of showing me who's in control?""Control?" he snapped, his tone rising. "You think this is about control? I've put everything on the line to keep you here, but you refuse to see reason. This isn't some game, Summer. There are consequences to your presence here.""Consequences for you, or consequences for me?" She shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because it seems like you just want me to bend to your will, doing menial tasks to prove myself."Dominic took a menacing step forward, his voice a low growl. "Enough. This
The morning light filtered into Summer's room, casting a faint warmth across her bed. She took a deep breath, collecting herself before heading to Elara's chamber. There was a slight tension in her shoulders, knowing this day would be anything but ordinary.Arriving at Elara's door, Summer knocked softly."Come in," came Elara's calm voice from within.Pushing open the door, Summer stepped inside, offering Elara a polite nod. Elara looked up, a reserved smile touching her lips."I trust you slept well," Elara remarked, gesturing for Summer to come closer."Yes, thank you," Summer replied, her tone measured."We'll be visiting the seamstress later today," Elara continued, inspecting her nails as she spoke. "There are some preparations that need to be made. Make sure you're ready by midday."Summer nodded in acknowledgment. "I'll be prepared, my lady."Just then, the door opened again, and Jessica strode in, her heels clicking sharply on the polished floor. She stopped in her tracks upo