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I glance at Eviana – curled up, so small and vulnerable despite her sharp edges. She doesn’t even realise she’s already remaking all of us.

And I know Xar’s right.

We’ll fight for her. Even if it means fightingher. Because whether she believes it or not, Eviana is ours to protect.

No matter how long it takes her to believe it.

EVIANA

Iwake slowly, the sound of the storm still howling outside, pressing against the windows like a force I can’t escape. My head throbs, the kind of headache that makes every small movement feel like an assault. I blink a few times, my vision blurry, trying to adjust to the dim light in the room.

There’s a weight across my body, a soft pressure that feels…comfortable. Unfamiliar, but welcome. My limbs feel heavy, like I’ve been wrapped in something warm, something safe. I inhale deeply, seeking the source of the comfort that seems to envelop me.

The scent hits me first – soothing, inviting, intoxicating. Something sweet like vanilla but not quite, and toasted, along with soft cashmeran, and a touch of cardamom. It’s like beingwrapped in a soft, heavy blanket by a fire, the kind of warmth that seeps into your bones and makes you forget the world outside. The subtle sweetness settles in my chest, while the rich, musky cashmeran grounds me. The cardamom adds just enough spice to keep me anchored in this moment. It’s everything I didn’t know I needed.

For a moment, I let myself relax into it, the tension that’s been coiling in my body slowly unwinding. It feels like I’ve never been this comfortable, never been this…at peace. My thoughts are clouded, hazy, like I could just let go and drift back into sleep, let the warmth carry me away.

But then, my body goes rigid.

I freeze.

No.

The scent isn’t just comforting. It’s…wrong. This isn’t the neutral, sterile air I’m used to. The scent is too strong. Too alive. Too personal.

And then, it hits me –the smell is coming from an alpha.

I blink hard, trying to clear the fog in my brain. It takes a moment for the pieces to fall into place, but when they do, it’s like a punch to the gut.

Xar. I smelt him yesterday in the attic.

I’m not alone.

I gasp, my heart suddenly slamming against my ribs, and the room spins. The panic surges up my throat like bile, thick and hot, choking me. I sit up, my body jerking away from the warmth that surrounds me, as though the very idea of being this close to him makes the air too thick to breathe.

I shouldn’t be able to smell this.

I’m not supposed to be able to smellanythingat all. The scent neutraliser is supposed to block it, keep everything – everyone – in check. My suppressants are meant tosuppressmy sense of smell, goddamn it! But there’s no hum. No faint background buzz of the machine running through the house.

I can’t hear the hum.

The silence feels like a weight pressing down on me, heavier than the blankets, heavier than Xar’s arm that was resting around me.

I feel trapped.

I freak out even more, and my breathing becomes shallow, erratic. The panic is clawing at my chest, and I can’t stop it. I push at the blankets, trying to stand, to move away from him, but my limbs feel sluggish, like they belong to someone else. My body betrays me, reluctant to leave the warmth, the comfort that I don’t deserve.

However the reality of the situation is too much to ignore. I need to get away. I need to be alone. The thought of being so close to Xar, with his alpha scent wrapping around me, sends waves of heat through my skin and my own body’s reaction to him is confusing me as much as being able to smell him is.

But before I can do anything, I feel the shift beside me. His body stirs. His scent floods the air more intensely, like it’s pulling at my every nerve, grounding me in a way that makes my head spin.

“Eviana?”

His voice is low, groggy with sleep, but even that makes my pulse race. His hand, warm and steady, gently brushes a stray lock of hair from my face, his touch sending a shock of warmth through me. My body reacts before my mind can, and my skin tingles under his fingers. I want to pull away, to put distance between us, but I can’t.

My heart is hammering in my chest, my breath coming too fast, too shallow.No, no, no,I think, desperately trying to push down the feeling building in my stomach. I can’t breathe. I feel lightheaded, like I’m going to suffocate in my own skin.

And then I hear the sound of footsteps – quick, urgent.