SP

wild clawed at the inside of my chest, desperate to break free,

the man my wolf had apparently dec

rong with you?" I w

ped my elbow. "You

he lie came o

mething to the guard beside him. The guard n

lammed against my ribs. Mine. I near

make a billionaire Alpha her entire world. I had survived knives, bullet

e a handsome man had walked into a courtyard. Especially n

rough clenched tee

arm. "Of course

legs refused to cooperate.

again, and the railing

hands. "Miss, you'r

staring a

from the balcony. The moment we crossed the doorway, the scent wea

d me onto a nearby chair.

N

glowing, and you c

had done nothing wrong. She was only trying to help. I forced my

ll?" She w

trying to calm the frantic beating beneat

't explain

ully, you must not tell an

. "Not Mada

no idea how I would keep this secret.

covered the truth about my wo

mily had made certain that the world would never asso

hine Bryt, the missing bride. I could not

oice called from outside. "Master Drave

cold. "Tell hi

miss." The g

he door. "Did

, m

ed anything, I needed to discover h

ified. "But he

he door and found a tall gu

way,

y expression neutral while my thoughts raced.

ed once. "Enter

rolled to his elbows. A glass of water sat beside a stack of documents. He d

it

fer st

His eyes moved

instinct screamed at me to get away from him, the

head. "Are you

N

r pale on the bal

It was one of my litt

d to make sure you weren't abou

ent. "I'm perfectly fine, L

nervous,"

own for less than a day. Forgive

. "You're not the only one ente

difficult to believe."

hy

y comfortable telling

h. "Would you prefer a husband

who didn't treat me like a

nt, neither of us spoke, then Kael p

in my body te

something, and I'd rather

t strengthened. My wolf surged so violently t

ced. "Wha

thi

en I clearly asked y

Perhaps you're more inti

ng." The words struck me like

eryone has something

eyes at me. "Kae

s name in that low voice made the strange warmth spread thro

king the name sound as

me closel

e desk and stopped

ters, business associates, politicians, and members of both famil

derst

ke a scene, they won't bla

ide. "Then perhaps you should stop speakin

You really don't

enjoy telling m

uth, my wolf went utterly

nyone asks a question you don't w

o rescue me from or

ou from saying something r

ld both pray

desk and picked up a

told twice, I turn

aphi

ze. "

ng moment. "Get some sleep.

me laugh, everything

the urge to run. Liora was waiting exactly where I'd lef

d he ask about you

N

ou looked ill?" S

nodded

. "What did y

I was

u were glowing like a p

reminding me."

uth, then lowered them. "I'm sor

ssion slipped out be

h containing Seraphine's ring. I needed something ordinary to foc

nger. It fit perfectly. I stared at the silve

I will marry Kael Draven, smile for the cameras, and k

me. Seraphine's face, Vespera's secrets and a wolf

d survived far worse than a wedding. But as I climbed into

let me pretend when I sto