The fire in the hearth had burned down to embers by the time Seraphina stirred. Her body ached in places she had never known could ache, her lips still swollen from Kael’s merciless kisses. For a heartbeat, she thought it had been a nightmare. But the heavy arm draped over her waist, the warmth of his body pressed into her back, and the mark of his teeth faint on her collarbone told her it had all been real.

Her heart twisted with rage. She wanted to scream, to claw at his skin, to curse the gods for binding her to this man. Instead, she lay still, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against her spine. His breath was steady, as if he slept like a king who had taken everything he wanted and would never fear consequence.

Her dagger was gone. The memory of it slipping from her fingers haunted her more than his touch. She had sworn she would never bow to him, never yield but her body had betrayed her.

“You’re awake.”

His voice rumbled low against her ear, dragging her from her thoughts. He wasn’t asleep at all. Slowly, he shifted, his hand sliding from her waist to her stomach, pulling her back flush against him.

“Get off me,” she spat, her voice sharp even though it cracked.

Kael chuckled, deep and unbothered. “Such venom, even after you melted beneath me last night.”

Her cheeks flamed, though anger burned hotter than shame. She shoved at his arm, but he didn’t budge. His strength was a cage around her, his presence a constant reminder of how helpless she was.

“You will pay for this,” she hissed, her hazel eyes flashing as she twisted in his grip to face him.

Kael only smiled. Gods, that smile it was all wolf and storm, dangerous and confident. “Perhaps,” he said, brushing a strand of her hair from her face with infuriating tenderness. “But until then, you are mine. And I intend to enjoy every moment of it.”

Her breath caught when his fingers grazed her lips, her body betraying her again with a shiver she prayed he hadn’t noticed. But his smirk told her he had.

“You hate me,” he murmured, leaning closer, his mouth a whisper from hers. “But hatred can burn just as hot as desire. You’ll learn that soon enough.”

Before she could spit another curse at him, the heavy doors to their chamber creaked open. A guard bowed low, his voice tense. “Your Majesty, the council requests your presence. Urgently.”

Kael’s eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, storm-gray and unreadable. Then he rose from the bed, his tall frame casting shadows across the chamber. He dressed swiftly in dark armor, every piece sliding into place with practiced ease.

Seraphina sat up, clutching the sheets around her, watching him with narrowed eyes. He looked every inch a king of shadows commanding, ruthless, untouchable.

Before leaving, he turned back to her. “Wash. Dress. When I return, you will stand at my side before the court. Let them see their new queen.” His gaze dropped deliberately to her throat, to the faint mark his teeth had left. His smirk widened. “And let them see exactly who you belong to.”

Her chest heaved with fury as the doors shut behind him. She pressed her trembling fingers to the mark on her skin, rage and shame swirling like fire in her veins.

“I will kill you, Kael,” she whispered into the empty room, her voice breaking with hatred and something far more dangerous. “Even if it destroys me.”