, Riana's heart beat a little faster-not with

d with a weak smile hi

. Walls of cream and gold, plush carpets that swallowed

hed the walls gently whil

moved to Ambrose-a nest she'd built with her own han

ide

too lost mourning the mate he thought fate ha

rmth into cold marble. Now, the penthouse stood like a

w recl

dded barefoot across the floor, twirling slowly as her mother's old lullaby es

Her scented cand

n the tall windows. A soft breeze lifted

hell company, a discreet sale Wesley never noticed. He h

Perhaps getting rid of

er under. She slept deeply

sharp alarm tore th

ng at the screen. 3 AM in Mystic Fal

ide. She recalled it wa

der to call, no matter where in the world she was, no matter how short or cold the con

had dwindled to one-word

hday night, the rejection, the way her daughte

eleted the alarm. Some threads weren't meant t

ain, she allowed herself one final tear. Then, she

her room. When the door clicked open from the o

lled arc of fire shot from her palm

th vampiric speed, her voice a mix of surprise and amusem

d in such a hurry she hadn't even had time to m

d, pulling Riana into a hug before she could even prete

usy fawning over Delilah's'pureblood' status they neve

ore," Riana said, rising

let you? That mangy dog didn

e her friend a quick hug. "The divorce agr

! You were O

gnature is probably the one thing he

o another embrace. "He's going to

No messages from Willa. A flicker of pain crossed her e

Hey, let's get some breakfa

*

ater, stil

yfully. "You've been staring at that sandwich for five minu

laugh. "Just. planning for the next move.

ana, you're lying. What's going on with your li

t hide things from Sasha, "Willa will stay with W

kay? No call from your pup today?

tod

closer to whisper, "That tone in your

her voice. "I'm planning

Shut up! This weekend? Oh, y

genuinely. "All those years of secret training-this per

me

. But at least Delilah w

weren't for the. unexpected circumstances back then, y

ecker mother's 'pureblood' line actually means somet

rved as the grand prelude to the most magnificent

as a spectacle of power-a night where alliances were

ir voice carrying weight in super

were still stabilizing, but she was confident she would stun ev

thing. For Willa's safety and stability, s

in her eyes. "Enough about the p

shoes? New de

hing bette

panel to reveal a hidden safe, and retrieved a c

s widened.

to Rowan and his R&D team, the la

fter my grandmother. She was the most powerful witch Mystic Town had ever seen. It to

" Sasha leaned

n codes. Permanently. Sasha, I can finally a

Sasha asked, her voice hushed with concern. "

ile from Riana, "Of cour

een seeing in your aura lately.

g. "He always looked at me like I was impure. Not wolf enough. Not submissive enough. Not pureblooded like Delilah. What he never under

ng: my wolf's strength

're a battle goddess in Louboutins," Sasha declared,

imately seventy laws, I'm going with yo

. "Relax, Sasha. My company will only produ

id, gazing at the shimm

have been mine all along. And that bitch D

ve. "I am the rightful heir t

a crimson-filled flute for Sasha-in a