ynn

suffocating wall of heat betwee

Down in the open kitchen, two young maidservants were frantically wiping steaming bro

d here?" Clin

ght of his Alpha presence made both maids

clutching a rag. "We were... we were t

of burnt fat and sour mea

Ryan estate's monthly provisions. They were sending low-grade, tough game meat that wa

id quietly, stepping up b

yes, but he didn't stop me either. He turned and walked down to

maids backed away nervously, unsure of whether to trea

prep to me," I told t

d twice; they practically

from old bucks and full of stringy sinew. If cooked poorly, it would taste like

to keep hidden in my coat, I pulled out a handful

h the flat side of a heavy kitchen cleaver. When the water reached a rolling simmer, I added the herbs first

ompletely replaced by a warm, deeply soothing aroma. It smelled l

reduce the flame, the k

, her arms crossed,

ainst the counter. "Did my brother realize you were

, not bothering to glance in her direction. "If

and marched straight toward the stove. "Who knows what kin

ng to shove the scalding

ed, it would splash directl

rist, I brought the wooden handle of the lad

ck echoed i

ance of the herbs is delicate. You ruin thi

yes flashing yellow as her Beta temper

ernails lengthening into jagged

arl

itchen doorway, carrying the absolute,

om felt like it t

ined from her face in an instant, and her knees slammed into the hard ti

eyes glowing like molten gold, pure l

lene choked out, fighting against

stood directly between us

hook the copper pans hanging from the ceiling. "She is the woman I acknowledged in my

essure just enough

tears of humiliated terror spilling down her cheek

hat followed

e, scanning my face and arms t

simply, before turning on

armth settling in my chest. In my past life, no on

flame, and ladled the steaming br

w this family what