MARIGOLD POV

By the time the royal investigator arrived at the villa, I had convinced myself that last night’s kiss had been… a fever dream. An illusion. A by-product of almost dying, because surely, surely, the universe would not curse me with the memory of Alpha Gregor’s mouth and the fact that my traitorous lips had kissed him back.

Unfortunately, the universe was cruel.

Because Gregor kept looking at me.

Not just looking—hovering. His storm-gray eyes flickered to my face every ...