Chapter 172 The moon hung at its very peak by the time Kira slipped out of the hall, spilling pale silver light across the palace grounds. She stopped just past the doors and scanned the open space. Guests loitered here and there in little clusters, drinks in hand, laughter drifting
Chapter 171 The ceremony had melted into celebration, and the great hall was alive with it. Derek and Kira moved through the crowd together, greeting guest after guest, accepting bows and congratulations. Waiters drifted between the clusters of finery with golden trays of drinks held high. People chatted and laughed,
Chapter 170 Inside Kai’s room in the main mansion, Jessica still held his hand, her eyes fixed on his face. The tangle of tubes that had run him to the ECMO machine were gone now. They had been removed early that morning, once Dr Lorenzo confirmed that his heart had
Chapter 169 The Grand Hall of Dravengard had been transformed into something out of a fairy tale. Kira had not expected anything like it. She had braced herself for something formal, something stiff and ceremonial, but not this. The great hall had been transformed entirely. Banners in the deep colours
Chapter 168 Kira stared at the photographs in her trembling hand, her eyes growing wider with each passing second. The first one showed her and Lydia sitting across from each other at a small café table, leaning forward like two women sharing the world’s most dangerous secret. And two more
Chapter 167 An Hour Earlier p> “How does that bastard still have the nerve to go ahead with the coronation? After everything p> Crane paced the length of his room, like a man who had swallowed a hornet’s nest. Brian sat slumped in an armchair, watching his father’s frantic pacing
Chapter 166 The Day of the Coronation The sun was almost going down when Angelica and Dr Lorenzo stepped into Kai’s bedroom to check on him. There was a girl asleep at his bedside, her head resting on the edge of the mattress, his hand held between both of hers.
Chapter 165 As they sat inside the tub, the warm water lapping gently around them, Derek reached for the bottle and poured wine into another glass. Kira watched him do it and lifted an eyebrow. “You already have two glasses available. Were you expecting me p> He handed her the
Chapter 164 Jessica could barely wait for the car to roll to a stop before she had the door open. She was out and running before the wheels had fully stopped turning, up the path toward the main house, her bag forgotten on the back seat. Kira was waiting for
Chapter 163 Kira walked down the corridor of the medical centre holding Maya’s hand, the little girl skipping along beside her. She seemed all happy and more bubbly after Kira had given her a grand tour of the estate. Kira found herself smiling at the girl’s happiness. They had come
Chapter 162 Derek walked into court flanked by Declan, Connor and some Gammas. The hall rose as one. The elder wolves, the gathered officials, every figure in the room got to their feet and bowed as he crossed to the front and lowered himself into his chair, and gestured for
Chapter 161 By the time they finished training, the sun had climbed high and Kira’s muscles ached in places she hadn’t known she owned. As they walked back toward the main mansion together, Kira noticed the palace staff bustling around everywhere. The grounds had transformed. Staff moved everywhere, hanging long
Chapter 160 Kira stood beside Kai’s bed and absorbed the hostility radiating off Kai’s mum. She was shocked by how blunt the woman was. She hadn’t even tried to be diplomatic. No civility. Just a flat, cold instruction to get out, before Kira had managed more than half a sentence.
Chapter 159 Kira stirred and slowly opened her eyes. The first sight that greeted her was Derek. His figure was emerging from the closet, his muscles defined beneath the snug fit of workout shorts and a t-shirt. He looked ready to take on the world, or at least beat it
Chapter 158 Derek was still speaking when he looked down and realised Kira had fallen asleep against his chest. Her breathing had gone slow and even, her hand still loosely curled in the front of his shirt. A small, tired smile tugged at his lips. He slowly laid her down
Chapter 157 Derek, Nana and Declan stood outside the room, waiting with bated breaths. The silence between them thick enough to choke on. Nana had her head resting against Derek’s chest, tears slipping down her cheeks, as she whispered continuous prayers under her breath. Derek held her with one arm,
Chapter 156 Back inside the palace living room, Kira paced back and forth, past the window, pausing to look out into the black, then turning and starting again. She could hear the howls of lycans from a distance. She caught her reflection on the window, looking back at her, pale
Chapter 155 “What?” Kira spun around, her eyes darting toward the windows, the doors, the dark beyond them. “How did they get in here p> Derek turned sharply and grabbed Kira’s hand. “Come with me.” His voice was calm but urgent. He crossed to a cabinet against the far wall,
Chapter 154 Kira quickly scrambled off Derek, doing her best to keep her face neutral even as her cheeks burned. He sat up with a smug little smile that made her want to smack him and kiss him at the same time. “Who said anything about love?” she muttered, smoothing
Chapter 153 Derek was halfway through a stack of the security border reports when he heard the front door of the mansion open. He recognised the footsteps immediately. He would have recognised them anywhere by now. And that intoxicating scent that followed it was like none other. As her footsteps