The princess and the werewolf

r felt so suffocati

behind her like reminders of how fragile everyone suddenly believed she was. The queen h

ent had neve

he palace grounds. Somewhere in that forest, something had changed. She could feel

le stirr

tle. It pulsed in quiet waves, responding to emotions she didn't fully understand. Fear made it

" her maid, Elira, said

rced smile. "I feel l

half the kingdom is watching you right

that wasn't

n the palace sl

d alive. From the shadows, golden eyes watched her-familiar, intense, unreadable.

," a deep vo

forward-and wo

ened his eyes at

low sleep. His breath came uneven as he sat up

aming," he

en awake, looked shar

could still feel her-confusion, curiosity, a

. "And the marble resp

"Then the longer we wait,

lied. "If the marble fully anchors itself to her, removi

elders warned that if a human carries a wolf m

ing's jaw

le was not merely power-it

heart acce

longer be untouc

ief walk beyond the inner gardens, under heavy guard. She nee

warmth in her chest surged s

g her chest. "Stop," sh

froze. "You

ment," she s

er dreams. Her pulse raced as the marble rea

ng, she took a

ano

u mustn't-" a

ong enough to blind them. Leaves spiraled violently,

elt it

i

d-cloaked, tall, unmistakable. His golden eyes glowed faintly beneat

" she w

they could move, the air warped again. Time se

sed a hand, magic

he comman

collapsed

Every instinct told her to run-bu

al," she s

voice deep and stea

e her flared, not painful-familiar. Lik

manded, though her vo

time since crossing into her world, u

ng five years ago," he sa

hard. "You save

es

... in the fores

rkened. "Yo

lowly. "I ne

etween them, heavy

etly. "But fate has already bound

ing to his presence, its glow warmin

me," she said softly, "why does it

the Wolf Kin

whisper, he replied, "Because

t stirred again. Distant voices ech

cloak tighter. "This is not the time,"

Lyra rea

anis

chest settled, but

o her side, Lyra stared at the pla

ing with absolu

the forest was n

part of h

n't done w