And for a heartbeat, neither of us moved.
I was close now. Too close.
Twenty feet. Maybe less.
Close enough to see the shock in her eyes. The sweat on her skin. The rapid rise and fall of her chest.
Close enough to scent her.
Exertion. Adrenaline. Something earthy and alive underneath.
Dmitri was at her side in an instant. "Are you hurt?" He glanced at the boulder before looking back at her, his brows drawn with concern. I watched him reach for her head, wanting to stroke her hair to soothe her, like it was instinct.
But he caught my eye—and I saw the exact moment he decided against it.
Lilith was still staring down at her hand, eyes wide with astonishment. "I did that?" she whispered, her voice still hoarse with exhaustion.
"Look at me," I murmured.
She couldn’t look away as the glow of her mark began to wane. Her body shook, nerves rioting beneath her skin. I pinched her chin gently, tilting her face up so her eyes met mine.
Her skin burned against my fingertips like a furnace, but letting go wasn’t an option.
I gestured to the cracked wall. "This is what you’re capable of if you stop fighting your soul and let instinct take control. All you have to do now is command the power you know lies dormant—waiting for you to tap into it. Wield it like a whip, a sword, or a shield. Whatever will preserve you."
Her eyes never wavered, golden swirls exploding with bright orbs as though her understanding of reality had shifted once again.
"You just showed that you have what it takes to win this duel—and every other challenge you’ll face on your path to ascension. Tap into it. Command it. Make it yours."
She nodded. "You will teach me." It came out as a question.
"Dmitri will teach you. I will only be a witness."
The intoxicating light in her eyes dimmed—with disappointment. Something flickered there... hurt?
Don’t make this harder than it already is, I thought. Than it already is.
I let go of her chin hesitantly. Her warmth left me, and the cold returned.
I caught the slight narrowing of Dmitri’s eyes. I supposed the wariness was mutual. We’d see where that would lead.
"Get some rest," I muttered. I needed to leave—to dispel this ravenous hunger somewhere else. I’d already made arrangements. "Training continues tomorrow. Same time."
I stepped away, nodding to Dmitri, who reacted in kind.
I was already out the door when it finally hit me.
I stopped dead in my tracks, my breath catching as I looked down at my hand—the two fingers that had touched Lilith. I had felt her warmth. It had seeped into my skin, heat.
My brows furrowed, confusion churning in my head. That made no sense. Unless—
I pushed out my dark art, and instantly it answered. The ground around me frosted over.
I still had it. It hadn’t gone anywhere. But I shouldn’t be able to feel warmth. My cold was impervious to everything—nothing could make it falter.
I let out a low groan. The rut was truly driving me insane. I had to deal with it—quickly.
I made my way down to the lowest floor.
When I woke, sluggish as hell, nothing hurt. I blinked, bracing myself for pain—but there was none. My body felt fine.
Experimentally, I flexed my arms and legs as I swung out of bed, but there wasn’t a single ache. No soreness. No tension from strained muscles.
I looked down at the Lunar Crest on my wrist.
It glowed faintly—soft silver-blue light pulsing like a heartbeat.
Had it always done that?
My stomach growled, loud enough to echo in the quiet room.
Six hours of training, and then I’d collapsed into bed without eating. Now it was— I squinted at the clock on the nightstand—nearly midnight.
No wonder I was starving.
I slipped out of bed, padding barefoot into the hallway. The mansion was quiet at night. Almost eerie. Just the hum of climate control and my own footsteps on cold tile.
Somehow, despite the endless expanse of the mansion, I knew Vladimir wasn’t home. My chest tightened involuntarily. I still couldn’t wrap my head around his recent attitude. I had no idea what he was thinking. The rıghtful source is novel·fire·net
But maybe that was what made the High Alpha such an enigma.
I stopped at the landing that led to the kitchen.
On the counter sat a covered plate.
I approached slowly, like it might vanish if I moved too fast.
And my mouth watered.
Rice—but not the plain white rice I’d grown up with. This was golden and fragrant, each grain plump and separate. Beans that looked like jewels—deep burgundy, tender and vibrant. Seasoned meat, peppered and charred at the edges, alongside roasted vegetables gleaming with olive oil and herbs.
It looked like heaven.
"Is this... for me?" I whispered to the empty kitchen.
No answer. But it was still warm.
Someone had left it here.
I didn’t question it. I just grabbed a fork and dug in.
The flavors exploded on my tongue. Rich. Savory. Perfect. The rice buttery, the beans creamy, the meat tender enough to fall apart.
I ate like I hadn’t seen food in days.
And as I ate, my mind wandered.
The Moonstone Masquerade.
Vladimir’s announcement at breakfast still rattled in my head.
"Lilith will be my companion to the Moonstone Masquerade."
To a high-society event.
Powerful ones. Rich ones. The kind who’d take one look at me and know I didn’t belong. Veronique would be there—his former Beta. The woman who’d interrupted our wedding. The woman who wanted to challenge me for—
The rice went down wrong. I coughed, eyes watering, hand flying to my throat—
A cup of water appeared in front of me.
I grabbed it, drank, gasped for air.
Me and choking, I thought miserably. What is wrong with me?
"You need to slow down when you eat."
I jumped, whipping around.
Dmitri stood a few feet away, arms crossed, expression somewhere between amused and concerned.