MasukKatlyn I lowered myself into the empty chair beside Lukas at the head of the enormous dining pavilion while trying my absolute best to ignore the countless curious eyes secretly following every movement I made. The atmosphere somehow felt considerably heavier than it had only moments earlier. Even the servants carrying steaming dishes seemed noticeably quieter while arranging everything across the enormous dining table. For several brief moments, nobody said anything. Then Caleb leaned closer toward Lukas before whispering something into his ear. I couldn’t hear a single word. Well, I didn’t need to. The change in Lukas happened so quickly. The relaxed expression resting upon his handsome face disappeared. Every trace of warmth vanished from his golden eyes. His jaw tightened noticeably. The muscles beneath his cheek flexed once. Then another time. Even his shoulders s
Lukas The afternoon sun stretched across the enormous training courtyard while I stood inside the center of the sparring ring with Gamma Valeria, reviewing the latest western border patrol schedules spread across the wooden tactical table between us. Several captains waited nearby for additional instructions, but everyone wisely remained silent while Valeria updated me on the increasing movements reported near the western territories over the past several days. “The scouts have doubled their patrol rotations exactly as you instructed,” Valeria informed me calmly while pointing toward one section of the detailed map. “However, several unfamiliar tracks appeared along the northern ridge shortly before dawn, and none of our patrol leaders have successfully identified their origin.” I lowered my eyes toward the marked locations before considering every possibility. “Increase surveillance throughout the entire western sector immediately, but do not engage anyone unless they cros
Katlyn “Lunch is being served inside the lower pavilion.”The cheerful announcement interrupted the uncomfortable silence hanging between Thalira and me, although neither of us bothered looking away from each other right away.For several long moments, our eyes remained locked together while the invisible battle between us continued without another spoken word.Eventually, Anya let out a dramatic sigh before walking directly between us.“That is enough glaring for one afternoon.”Without waiting for either of us to answer, she reached toward Thalira before gently but firmly guiding her out. “I believe you have somewhere else you should be right now.”Thalira’s narrowed gray eyes remained fixed entirely upon me while she reluctantly allowed Anya to usher her toward the hallway.Just before stepping outside the room, she paused briefly before looking directly into my eyes one final time.“This conversation is far from over, little human.”Without giving me the opportunity to answer he
Katlyn The enormous bedroom somehow felt even lonelier after Lukas finally left to meet his mother.I remained standing in the very center of the room while slowly looking around at everything surrounding me, allowing my eyes to take in every breathtaking detail decorating the enormous space.The luxurious furniture looked as though it belonged inside a royal palace instead of an ordinary bedroom. The enormous bed occupied nearly an entire section of the room beneath an intricately carved canopy, while antique paintings hung elegantly across the stone walls beside towering windows that overlooked endless mountains disappearing into the horizon. Everything looked absolutely breathtaking.I released one long, defeated breath before finally making up my mind. There was absolutely no way I intended to spend the next several days sharing a bedroom with Lukas.Not after barely managing to convince myself that whatever existed between us remained nothing more than a carefully negotiated
Lukas My mother opened her mouth as though she intended to continue the conversation.But I had already heard enough.Without giving her another opportunity to speak, I reached for Katlyn’s hand and firmly intertwined our fingers together.Every pair of eyes inside the courtyard followed the movement. Then I looked directly at my mother without the slightest hesitation.“You know what. I have changed my mind.” The words left my mouth with complete certainty. “Whether you approve of her or not no longer matters.”I tightened my hold around Katlyn’s hand before continuing.“My woman is here to stay, Mother. I will not allow anyone, including my own family, to treat her as though she is beneath them.”I turned away from my mother without waiting for a response. Then I gently guided Katlyn toward the enormous staircase leading deeper inside the estate.She remained surprisingly quiet while following beside me. I could feel dozens of curious stares following us from behind.But I did not
Katlyn The journey from the private runway continued as the long convoy of black SUVs disappeared deeper into the heart of the Silverclaw territory.I remained seated beside Lukas in complete silence while the endless landscape slowly unfolded beyond the tinted windows.Towering ancient pine trees stretched endlessly in every direction.Their enormous branches intertwined high above the narrow mountain roads, creating thick canopies that allowed only scattered beams of sunlight to reach the forest floor.Everything surrounding us looked untouched by modern civilization.I had spent countless nights writing about hidden supernatural territories tucked deep inside forgotten mountains where ordinary humans could never accidentally wander.Back then those places only existed inside my imagination.Now I was driving directly through one.Nearly forty minutes later, the dense forest finally began opening gradually.Then the enormous stone walls appeared.My entire body instinctively leaned
Katlyn Run Katlyn. Run. Suddenly, another movement appeared beside the tree line.Lukas calmly stepped out in his human form while the massive wolf retreated deeper into the forest without a single sound.I gasped loudly and instinctively took several steps backward.“How did you even know that I
LucasMy mate was exhausting.Brilliant, stubborn, reckless, impossible, and completely exhausting.The GPS tracker embedded inside her phone had been one of the best decisions I had ever made.It was also the reason I currently sat inside the back seat of my vehicle watching a live surveillance fe
Katlyn “This is not something I can explain properly right now, and I know it sounds sudden, but I have to leave first tomorrow. I have already booked my flight, and as soon as I settle everything, the rest of you will have to follow me too.”The living room fell into complete silence. My father’s
KatlynFor several long seconds, I simply stared at him.My brain refused to process what I had just heard.Marriage?Marriage?Of all the things I expected to come out of Lukas’s mouth this morning, that certainly was not one of them.I searched his face, waiting for some sign that this was a joke







