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“I never intended to marry you, Aria,” I say wearily. “It was your father pushing for it, not me. I told you repeatedly, even as teenagers, that I wasn’t interested.”

“You’re lying!” she screams, her hands curling into fists. “She has poisoned you against me! She is nothing—a scientist, a human—”

She lunges suddenly, not at me but at Maya, claws extended toward my mate’s throat. I rise to intercept, but Maya is faster—astonishingly fast for one so newly turned.

A ripple of energy surges through the room as Maya shifts, her human form melting away in a blur of motion. In her place stands a wolf—smaller than mine but no less formidable, her fur a rich auburn that catches the light like fire. She meets Aria’s attack with teeth bared, slamming the woman to the floor with surprising strength.

Aria sprawls on her back, eyes wide with shock. “Impossible,” she gasps.

Maya shifts back to her human form, standing over Aria with cold fury in her eyes. “I’m going to make you pay for my mother’s death,” she says, her voice steady despite the rage I can feel pulsing through our bond. “The best revenge would be for you to die the same way she did—surrounded by flames, choking on smoke, terrified and alone.”

I move to Maya’s side and place a hand on her shoulder. “Guards!” I call.

Two palace guards rush in, already summoned by the commotion.

“Take Lady Aria to the prison cells,” I order them. “She is to stand trial for murder, attempted murder, and treason.”

“You can’t do this!” Aria shrieks as they pull her to her feet. “I am of noble blood! My father will—”

“Your father has disowned you,” I interrupt her coldly. “The evidence of your crimes has been presented to him. He has chosen to save himself rather than face punishment alongside you.”

Aria’s face crumples, reality finally crashing down on her. “Griffin, please—”

“Take her away,” I tell the guards, turning my back to her. The door closes behind them, cutting off her desperate pleas.

When we’re alone, Maya turns to me, her eyes troubled. “Do you think my punishment is too cruel? Burning her alive?”

I pull her into my arms, feeling her tremble slightly against me. “I would do something worse,” I admit. “Far worse.”

She tucks her head under my chin, and I breathe in her scent—still lavender, but wilder now, with an earthy richness that calls to my wolf. “I never thought I could be this angry,” she murmurs. “This...vengeful.”

“It’s the wolf in you,” I explain gently. “Our emotions run deeper, stronger. You’ll learn to control them with time.”

“Will I?” She pulls back slightly, looking up at me with uncertainty in her eyes. “Sometimes I don’t recognize myself anymore, Griffin. What if I lose who I am in this transformation?”

“You won’t,” I promise, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re still Maya—brilliant, compassionate, fierce. The wolf hasn’t changed your soul, only your form.”

“But if it has?” she persists. “What if I become someone else?”

“Then, I’ll love that person, too,” I say simply. “Because she’ll still be you, at her core. And you’re my mate, in any form you take.”

A small smile touches her lips. She leans forward, wrapping her arms around my neck. “So, what happens now?”

My lips curve at the teasing tone in her voice. “Now?” I hoist her up and sit her on my desk.

“You know, once the mating ceremony is over.”

“You mean at night?” I reach for the button of her blouse, toying with it. “Depends. It’s not going to be the full moon, but mated couples usually lock themselves in their chambers for days. We’ll have to see how much stamina you have in you.”

There’s a competitive gleam in her eyes. “I can outlast you any day, wolf king.”

“Can you now?” I press my lips to the corner of her mouth. “You’ve been making me wait till the mating ceremony, so I have every intention of tiring you out.”

Her laugh is husky. “Bring it on.”

Anticipation burns within me.

But not yet. Not tonight.