My hands press to my cheeks, feeling the heat there. The memory of Seth’s mouth on mine, his hands claiming every inch of me, the way he bent me over that desk and—
Heat floods my core all over again. My wolf rumbles with satisfaction, still drunk on his scent, on the way he worshipped and dominated me in equal measure.
I hope he doesn’t get in trouble for bringing me here. If Zane finds out, I won’t be able to continue the ruse. It’s just that—
My heart flutters in my chest.
Seth wants to protect me. My mate brought me here because he wants me to be safe.
I was never good at holding grudges, especially in the face of such sincerity. And Seth and I are bound for life. What’s the point of fighting this anymore? His attitude has changed completely. Even before he gave me the mating mark, he was always watching me with Zane and finding reasons to come to the healers’ compound. I always ignored him.
I notice one of his discarded shirts among the sofa cushions and pick it up, smiling to myself. I know which battles to fight and which I’ve lost. And I’ve clearly lost the battle against Seth Rowan. But I’m going to make sure he earns me back, bit by bit. I don’t plan on making this easy for him.
The mate bond hums contentedly under my skin,warm and satisfied in a way that feels right. Natural. Like coming home after being lost for a long, long time.
My fingers drift to my neck, tracing the mark he left there. His claim. His brand.
Mine.
The word echoes in my mind, and this time there’s no fear attached to it. Just a quiet certainty that settles deep in my bones.
This is where I’m meant to be.
Maybe this can work. Maybe we can work.
The thought should terrify me, but instead, it fills me with something that feels dangerously close to hope.
I sink deeperinto the sofa, my body still humming from everything Seth did to me last night. The mate bond purrs contentedly under my skin, warm and satisfied in a way that makes me want to curl up and sleep for hours.
But reality intrudes when my eyes catch the clock on the mantle. I jump to my feet, panic flooding through me. “Oh no. No, no, no.”
My shift! I’m supposed to be at the infirmary in twenty minutes. I grab my bag from where I dropped it near the door and rush into Seth’s bedroom, searching for a private place to change.
The bathroom is enormous—all marble and polished fixtures that gleam in the afternoon light. I lock the door behind me, yank open my bag, and pull out my healer’s robes.
I change quickly, the familiar weight of my uniform calming me somewhat. But even freshly dressed, I can’t erase the feeling of Seth’s hands on my skin, his mouth on mine, the way he claimed me over and over.
Focus, Selene.
I’m fastening the last button when Zane’s request about the Queen replays in my mind.
“The next time you have one of those lunches scheduled, you should tell me. We could meet up afterward.”
My fingers pause. I should tell Astra. Not because it’s urgent—Zane can’t do anything without me facilitating it—but because she deserves to know. She should be aware, prepared.
I glance at the clock again. If I hurry, I can stop by her chambers on the way to my shift. Just a quick warning, and then I’ll go to work.
Decision made, I grab my bag and slip out of Seth’s quarters.
The palace corridors are busy with afternoon activity—servants carrying linens, guards changing shifts, nobles drifting toward the dining halls. I weave through them, my healer’s robes granting me passage without inquiry.
When I reach Astra’s chambers, the guards straighten at my approach.
“I need to see the Queen,” I say. “Just for a moment.”
The taller guard shakes his head. “Her Majesty isn’t receiving visitors. She’s unwell.”
Concern flickers through me. “That’s exactly why I should see her. I’m a healer.”
