~Malik~ "How is she holding up?" I asked, deliberately avoiding Rhea's gaze. "She is not coping well, Your Majesty," the female warrior replied, her voice heavy with genuine worry. It was unusual to see Rhea so deeply troubled; nothing had seemed to concern her this much since her arri
My beast yearned for her presence, and I could hardly even sleep. I would only toss and turn in bed until dawn. Our connection ran deeper than the mate bond. The beads of tattoos around her waist were the same as mine. I had grown up seeing that tattoo around my waist and had not got an explanation
~Ezinne~ I lay in Malik's large, cold bed in the dark, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Eloise's words kept playing in my head. 'He might be all grown up now, and despite his outward façade, there lingers inside him the wounded soul of a twelve-year-old boy who was deprived of l
“Are you asleep?” His voice broke through the silence, soft and unexpected. My heart stopped for a while, and when it picked up again, I fought to steady my frantic breath. I didn’t respond or turn to face him, because I was afraid it might all turn out to still be a dream. “I didn’t mean t
~Ezinne~ I bolted upright in bed, a scream tearing from my throat, my body drenched in cold sweat, and tears carving wet trails down my cheeks. But before the echo of my terror faded, strong hands captured me, pulling me against a firm chest. The sensation of a powerful heartbeat under my ear
But my feet carried me all the way to my private quarters. I reminded myself that this was necessary—to provide Ezinne with a sense of belonging, as Rhea and everyone else had advised. I needed to reassure her of her safety with me. Even from the hallway, her lavender scent began to torment my libid
~Ezinne~ A sudden chill seeped into my bones, stirring me from the depths of sleep. As I blinked into the shadow-draped room, a tangible absence of warmth enveloped me. I turned my head slowly toward Malik’s side of the bed, where just last night he had held me close. His scent still lingere
I picked up a crossbow, resting against the table, turning it over in my hands. "Kael, you handle these weapons as if they were delicate flowers," I remarked, admiring the meticulous care with which each piece was maintained. Kael chuckled as he took the crossbow from me, his touch gentle. "