s the marble floors. Seraphina blinked against the brightness, curled beneath satin sheets, a warm arm slung possessive

burned just hours ago. Her body was still humming with the aftershock of the pr

y. Perhaps, for o

asted long in the

ng shattere

rm tightening arou

," she whispered, even

his face. "Nothing is mor

at the penthouse doo

his door this instant or I'll

a bolted

n didn

the h

o the pillow.

blinked. "

lang, and in swept a woman cloaked in midnight blue s

witch," she said, eyes sweeping over Sera

at up, groaning.

twisted into a perfect knot, her posture so rigid it co

. This suite smells like

ian muttered, "That's b

this your idea of preparing for war?

his is my

ore. I'm

hoked. "I'm

d me, child. And if you plan to continue seducing my

d. "She'll nev

egan the e

-

llian's mother livin

nizing hi

a's favorite perfume

ergency family dinn

o murder a woman who had already corrected her three times on how

erves," the Alpha's mother instructed. "Clockwise invit

it her tong

vade your son's h

he replied sweetly. "And don't flatter yourself.

lode

powerful. Dangerous. Mark

er eyes. "Do you hat

verge of either greatness or catastrophe. My son has alwa

closer. "Then m

on't get to make th

eaked open

. "Mother, you're making t

innocent. "

o Seraphina

" she sa

"Come. I need to

er is at seven. No excuses! And tell her to

-

ffice. He closed the door, exhale

ing in the

her is te

ce scared a vampire king i

ow she's here... watching us. Judging us

elt at her feet. "She'll come

think she wan

ened. "Then I

ha threats don't

have to be relen

her fingers into his hair. H

we can make this w

think.

his forehead. "The

ith my mother? That's

-

table was a

in hand, eyes sharp. Killian sat beside Serap

Seraphina. What do you do when you'

e. "I read. I garden. I

of si

an smiled. "At lea

rly choked

your intention

y. "To love him. And maybe r

d. "Well, at least i

axed slight

. The matriarch watched Seraphina like a hawk-but occas

o of them sneaking off aft

on. From fate

-

raphina curled in

's going to

em. But she's mine. A

is chest. "G

pulled h

hecy, and the most terrifying m

lept without magic

angled in the quie

ning was les

and the scent of burned sage-a smell she immed

nly to find Killian alread

n?" she

kitchen!" answered

cross the marble floors. When she entered the kitch

y of chaos. Two terrified-looking house staff bustled around her with trays of in

rms crossed, clearly debatin

Seraphina s

ced up. "Ah. The e

the jab. "What..

akfa

ks like a

the path for conception. We used to drink i

choked.

napped. "I'm

Killian, her voice lo

uttered. "Y

hands on a towel like she was about to deliver judgment. "I'v

blinked.

ssess the two of you. See if what you have

pped betwee

raised a

n't a courtship ball from the Dark

as steady. "We don'

nk. "You might not. B

lse quickened.

nder his breath.

bonded to a witch marked by prophecy.

h dropped. "They t

rch said bluntly. "To their co

counter, knuckles wh

m but cold. "Then let them come. Let them test me, question

died her for a mo

green tonic, as if the conversation had

-

ad become a third pres

le her thoughts raced. The Council. Public scrutiny. The weigh

n't fea

red bur

dow. He hadn't left her side since break

riment," Seraphina muttered. "She thinks I'

's w

he has

took her hands. "Not over

o think your mother doesn't ask for p

unstoppa

n immovabl

what happens whe

ke tea that stinks l

ough the pressure building around th

u," he sai

tuttering. "That's the fir

ean

expect it to come right after your

sincerity before the Council ac

"You always say the m

-

the Matriarch'

like cracked moonstone and fingers that t

ile the Matriarch observe

words, her touch ghostin

uched Killi

bloomed between the

eepened t

inhaled

hat mean?" K

d with ruin. Passion tangled in prophecy. Thi

rowed her eyes. "

ring at Seraphina. "It's

-

d tugging her hair back. Below, the city glitte

oined her

raphina said softly. "In

. In survival. And she s

a

nd. "And I've never w

e as thunder rumbled

-

, the Council

ot quite a trial. B

anted to

ina re

, they should look me in

from the dining room, sipping tea w

to wear whi

raised a b

Innocence. U

e of thos

woman said, "is exactl

-

as carved from obs

surrounded a glo

into the center,

side her, dresse

her past. Her power. The mark on he

ked abo

ed about

ould kneel if it me

s voice ne

te itself. And even then, it

nce fo

We will consider the union... pro

ere di

ntact. U

-

nthouse, the M

"You're not exiled

You're enjoying t

ked. "A

orward. "We're stro

odded. "Perhaps. But strength isn't always

er gaze. "Good.

pa

Matriar

al thi

-

ieted and the storm had rolled through,

to run?" h

w. "Only if you'r

he world to

it doesn't c

aphina felt something shift. N

n her

time, she didn

elt c

, matriarch, and fate-that she was worthy of the

pped, but the af

had been polished clean. But inside the penthouse, the air was heavy with someth

beneath her ear. She traced a finger across the scar just under his

get this one?

Before I became Alpha. The old Alpha sent us into a blood feud

"You never ta

n. Angry. Reckless. Dead behind

meet his gaze. "I'm not

. You're the reason I

ed, softly, "What if they're right, Kil

ly above her head, his weight both anchoring and

neath him. "You always

ow the truth w

ut filled with understanding-a quiet, burning promise made flesh. There were no sh

ushed, her fingers tangled in his hair,

murmured against her skin, "Good. B

-

as never bu

ng, Killian re

ea by the window. From the stiff line of his shoulders and

she asked on

atta

ed midair. "

the Crescent Valley Outpost

ic inside her stir. "T

Now it's

dy moving. "I'm

hook his

u dare,"

u show up at an outpost still loyal to the Old Guard, they

a th

ides. "Not to me. Not to us. But to them? Yes. A

't sit in this penthouse while

u to sit. I'm aski

r w

w, toward the rising smoke i

-

ina to the rooftop garden. A strange meeting

g black roses, their petal

into battle," the Matriarch

wait for blood to c

pped a stem. "You

ho

r. "She had your fire. Your recklessness.

studied he

se. "But it

ce as the wind swep

eside my son... you need to understand what that means. Being L

e lost more than you know. B

when the council turns on you-and they wi

t wi

to survive t

-

nforcers to handle the attack. Seraphina stood

t ungu

ustle be

be out here,"

tu

shadow, and the man who'd once served as

you vanishe

yes were strange-amber, half f

r w

rophecy than even Killian knows. The mark

pine stiffene

eyond the Alpha bloodlines. There'

eyes. "Why are yo

is coat and handed her a small obsidian pendant carved wi

t, the stone warm in her

ith a half-smile. "And you, Seraphi

-

rcle the northern borders, Seraphina stood in her white robe, ob

ted to t

d give t

Alpha's Matri

sn't one of peace. It was tension-taut, electric, and barely restrained. The k

ed into the shadows again. She clutched the obsidian pendant, now pulsing f

ughts and emotions-fear, longing, hunger, rage. Magic still clung to her skin like smoke. The remnan

er... but something els

the door to the r

, breathless. "My Lady

sed a brow. "

She insisted. Said it

yes catching glints of starlight. She entered the lounge to find a woman seated by the fireplace-tall,

. You're the girl w

linked. "An

r's side. Which makes me a proble

m not in the business of man

ou already. But let me ask-

na said

when you threaten that legacy... well." She drew closer, fingers b

passed in

ssages came only through encrypt

the

ad them under moonlight like prayers. But e

had gone qui

he Citadel Tower. Few remembered they existed, fewer dared ent

bowed but di

e Firstbloods. She read by flame, the pages brittle and in

flame, the cursed bride shall rise... bearin

dant glowed fain

st bonded. Sh

burning. Killian stood on a battlefield, shirtless, wounded, eyes wil

n she h

na

eam

his

ed in sweat. The pendant

s had turned the

he Matriarch t

essed in mourning black

m. "Killian's gone dark. The council's in hiding. And t

es in silence before it strikes. They are buying t

hina challenged. "Trimming rose

yes blazed. "You

I'm remembering who I am.

"Then stop dancing i

eathed hard.

f troop loyalties. And I want every enforcer who

na yet," the M

right of bond. By mark of proph

onial armor-silver and crimson, etched with flame sigils.

Court g

ppled. Doub

forward and said

n is no

from one of the old crones. "

Because our bond still sings. And because I would know if he

ired. "Even if he lives, what

think we're scattered. But

Crescent Pack. Her magic flared-not in rage, but in

y one...

into the gates, half-mad with fever.

an's crest. A

il moves to crown a new Alpha-wit

's heart

o the old ways. They've promised protection f

to the fire.

ey're using him as proof-t

to the Matriarc

the older wo

a said. "And it

om turned

ces formed in hours that

ll loyal-armed themselves un

ded incantations. Her will bent steel. Her presence compelled silen

erpaths. The Blood Gates. The ancient

bow," he said one night as they

asked. "What if t

mind him who he is. The Alpha who

osed h

e her d

awn. Cloaked.

Matriar

nto a trap," the

kno

why go

aphina said, touching her he

ed through rebel wards. Her magic maske

the Iron Bastion-prison

ised h

tes explod

Guards scramble

ls scorched in her wake. She found

ehind

ll

. But alive. Eye

apped up as

aphi

eak. Just rai

s melted

forward. I

I tho

im hard. The

e're still

've summoned something. An an

ha

hamber shook. A scream-inhuman, a

ina wh

shadows, a fi

a

a

ing older.

wed like sun

hispered

ri

anguid, predatory. Its skin shimmered like obsidian dusted in starlight, a shift

angling her body between

s mark," it whispered, voice sliding over her skin like

still fierce. "It's a Revenant," he raspe

beasts who'd defied death, corrupted by time and ancient ma

se-int

ssing the shadows beyond the chamber, f

released. The curse in your blood... is a ke

didn't bind it. They

hot against her skin. The prophecy-the cursed bride shall

mark. A p

ent. Something dangerous. A

orward. Its form flickered-wolf, woman, beast, shadow.

ward Seraphina's chest. Th

rowled. "

she who first defied fate. The first cursed Alpha b

er arms-uncontrolled, wild, alive. A scream c

she hissed. "And I wi

inked slowly. "

ot with fire-but with silence. The kin

collapsed

her, shaking.

It's inside m

have to l

agic. Seraphina's powers lit their way-sometimes torch, s

arely stand, bu

ast. "They tried. Mind spells.

ugh to kiss his brow

around hers. "And y

ide ruins north of the city. The Mat

said without preamble, e

aphina said. "And no

oss her palm, letting the blood drip onto the ston

art pounded. "

hed into the stone floor. "The only thing that can trap a R

e to bind i

said. "I want you to

e asking her to ascend

oice," the Matriarch s

tepped into

ithin her fl

er-but the circle pul

ike lightning-herself in chains, in crowns, in fire. A woman of old,

st curs

life. Her pa

t just as Seraphina, but as som

o golden fire. The sky

am echoed ac

died down, she s

an

h bowed her

ice was soft

ed to hi

re no longer en

ld. No

n-like the pendant

she said. But

rd. Touched her cheek

e to destroy the pack. They cursed me... to save

ind h

dant sh

ed-pain bloomi

hit the stone. Blood spilled

.. her sh

its

-taller, darker, with e

's voice fil

ri

ed and stood

ve to go t

tilted its he

lun

aphina s

ain that burst

as f

d. Not

bl

Pure.

hurling it back with a scream

ce fo

ody hit the f

o her side, but

o, no,

ocking her bod

he Matriarch'

not bre

his head, lips

whispered. "Co

ose. The s

th

ody a

ope

glowed-no

si

ga

e echoed wit

saw

blinked.

real name. Its f

rch whispe

hina

inted

They've already

roze. "Wh

words w

etonated i

illian. They're trying to replac

light fl

w behind

within the nig

t of w

hing far mor

hing

them