Evangeline's POV

The moon hung low in the night sky, casting a silvery glow over the palace gardens. The air was still, and a sense of quietude reigned as if the world had momentarily stilled its chaotic dance. But within me, turmoil churned, and the weight of an unspoken secret bore down on my heart.

Ryder, my beloved mate and husband, sat beside me on a stone bench, his presence a comforting anchor in the sea of my thoughts. His crimson eyes, usually so intense and commanding, now held a ...