sia

hall, carrying a bone-chilling coldness

inst my chest. My lungs were being squeezed tight,

blood pooling in my mouth. My bra

ight now was a tactical error. The royal survival code pounded in my head: endure, calculat

th grip on the oak banister. My fingers

ontact with his glowing, blood-red stare. I let my shoulders slump

scoff. The suffocating pressure in

ed loudly, dragging oxygen into their lungs as t

ge of the landing. I pressed my back against the w

around Valentina's waist and marched toward the stairs. He walke

entina suddenly shifted her weight. She leaned into

nocked me off balance. My heel slipped on the edge of the carpet. I stumbled back

didn't check to see if I had fallen. H

I stood perfectly still, wat

the one located directly next to our master bedroom.

eavy iron door slammed shut. The three-year sentence I had serv

site direction, heading straight for my pr

turned the deadbolt. The heavy click of the l

leather sofa in the center of the room and colla

ed the hours away. Outside the window, the bright afternoon sun slow

the territory flickered on, casti

's immediate fatigue had passed

over to the wall panel, hitting the switch

ng grate. But it wasn't the crisp, clean sc

perfume poured out of the vent. The central syste

led. I slapped my hand ove

the control panel, shutt

al violation. A werewolf's scent marks their territory. Smell

ahogany desk. I pressed the

ow over my pale, cold face. I typed in the encrypted

mouse, navigating straight to the

ding for someone else