SAGE
The night pressed close, quiet in that eerie, fragile way only fear can create. People had turned in early again. They hadn’t left their lives to chance, or information, which was accurate really—vampires couldn’t co in unless invited.
Even with the magic do holding strong over this part of the lycans’ region, the air throbbed with the kind of silence that cos from shared dread. Doors bolted. Curtains drawn. Fires put out early.
The vampires had made sure the entire kingdom slept like prey. Had made sure that rumors of their prowess had gone ahead of them.
It was all according to the plan. Make the kingdom quake in its boots, to the point of surrender, if push ca to shove.
A kingdom, about to be destroyed...
And here I was, strolling beside its king.
Adam walked at my left, hands in his pockets, boots crunching over the stone path, maintaining the sa silence.
His energy brushed against mine, calm and restless all at once—like steady water trembling under a storm’s approach. I could feel him thinking. Feel the words pacing beneath his skin, begging to escape, only for him to clamp down on them each ti.
I didn’t have to look to know his jaw was clenched. Or that his eyes kept darting toward when he thought I wouldn’t notice.
But I did notice.
And of course he wanted sothing. He didn’t drag out into the night because he suddenly wanted moonlit romance.
He wanted answers. He wanted leverage. He wanted —both in ways he liked, and ways he didn’t. He wanted to use too.
I let a soft laugh curl in my mind, dark and amused.
Let him co closer. I thought. Let him try to use . Let him believe he was peeling my walls down.
I would use him in return—use him, enjoy him if needed, let him taste just enough sweetness so that when my plan finally struck, the pain would be catastrophic. Deep. Unforgiving.
A pain that would consu him until he broke or keeled over.
Yes. That was what I would do.
I’d let the king play at hunter, while I sharpened my knives in plain sight.
His arm grazed mine, feather-light, too quick to be called intentional but too obvious to be accidental.
Seriously? My inner voice snorted. What is this—middle school flirting? Are we brushing elbows now like shy teenagers at a bonfire?
I bit down a smirk, eyes straight ahead.
He did it again. A little closer this ti. Testing. A wolf circling.
I let silence spool out between us, rich and humming, until even I grew bored of his theatrics.
"So," I murmured, arching a brow, "did you call out solely to enjoy the pleasure of my company, or are we planning to walk the entire kingdom in silence?"
He inhaled slowly—one of those breaths ant to steady sothing unruly inside. Then he exhaled, his voice low, thoughtful, tugged with honesty.
"I felt like spending ti with you," he said.
I blinked.
He wasn’t lying. I could hear it. Feel it. The sincerity rippled off him in warm, quiet waves.
He continued, voice gentling more with every word. "I don’t understand it, Sage. This...urge. To be around you. To talk to you. To see you."
For a mont, I almost laughed aloud—not mockingly but at the sheer absurdity. King Adam, the untouchable, the controlled, the perfect heir, rambling like so flustered boy confessing a crush.
He turned to look at , his eyes catching the moonlight. And there it was—raw sincerity, open and unguarded in a way I had never seen on him.
My heart gave one strange little lurch, but I strangled it imdiately.
"Sage," he said softly, "you won’t say anything?"
I gave him a slow, sideways smile. Sweet. Poisonous. "Oh, I have sothing to say." I tilted my head. "How’s your fiancée doing?"
His steps faltered.
My smile widened.
He cleared his throat. "Claire... can be changed."
"Changed?" I echoed sweetly. "Like a shirt?"
He didn’t take the bait. His voice remained steady. "It’s you who caught my attention now."
I rolled my eyes to the stars. "Is it because I won the contest? You want to poach my powers? Attempt to control ?"
He stopped walking fully at that, brows pulling together. "No," he said, firm and quick. "That’s not why."
I humd, unconvinced but amused all the sa. My thoughts turned sharp, sassy, wickedly entertained by the way he kept stealing glances at —like he couldn’t help it.
Then his fingers brushed mine.
Before I could pull back, he gently laced our hands together.
The contact sent a bolt of tingling heat up my arm, startling and unwelco. My breath caught, and I almost snatched my hand away—almost. But that would have given him too much satisfaction.
Cold night, I told myself. Just the cold. Nothing more.
I rubbed my free arm, trying to warm the skin, ntally cursing myself for wearing sothing strapless. So much for seducing the man. I’m the one freezing instead.
Adam noticed. "Are you cold?"
Before I could answer—or lie—he shrugged off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.
"Oh," I drawled. "Look at you. Chivalry incarnate."
He smiled.
And damn it... it was still one of the most beautiful smiles I’d seen. The kind that made a person forget he was the most dangerous wolf in the kingdom.
But he didn’t smile often. I’d noticed that, even then. The shadows under his eyes seed carved there permanently, like weight he was born wearing. Maybe that was why this smile felt... rare.
I dragged my eyes forward, forcing my attention anywhere else. Which was when I noticed the path.
Stone. Ancient. Leading downward. The air grew cooler, heavier, and touched with the faint scent of damp earth.
My steps slowed. "The caves?" I said, stopping short.
"Adam..." My voice sharpened, suspicion sliding in like a blade. "Why are you taking to the caves?"
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