Irina’s POV
His fingers dug into my jaw. Not quite painful. But close.
"What do you an your wolf can’t?" Nicolas’s voice was sharp. Demanding.
I tried to swallow. My throat felt like sandpaper.
"I an..." The words stuck. "She can’t co out."
His eyes narrowed. Still black. Still burning with that dangerous rage.
"Explain."
My chest tightened. Speaking felt like pulling glass from my throat.
"The night I turned eighteen," I whispered. "When I was supposed to shift for the first ti. Maxim... he rejected . Right there. In front of everyone."
Nicolas went very still.
"And my wolf—" My voice cracked. "She broke. Sothing inside her just... shattered."
His grip on my jaw loosened. Just slightly.
"She’s been weak ever since," I continued. Forcing the words out. "She only woke up when I t you. When the mate bond snapped into place. That’s the only ti I’ve heard her voice since that night."
Silence stretched between us.
Heavy. Suffocating.
His hand dropped from my face completely.
"You can’t shift," he said. Not a question. A statent.
I shook my head. "No."
"At all?"
"At all."
More silence.
I risked a glance up at him.
His expression was unreadable. Those black eyes fixed on with an intensity that made my skin crawl.
Then he stood.
I flinched backward. Couldn’t help it.
He didn’t seem to notice. Just moved to the window. Stared out at the darkness.
His shoulders were tense. Rigid. Like every muscle was locked up tight.
I stayed frozen on the bed. Waiting.
For what, I didn’t know.
When he finally spoke, his voice was cold. Flat.
"Starting tomorrow, you’ll eat every al with ."
I blinked. "What?"
"Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner." He didn’t turn around. "All of them. With ."
My stomach twisted. "I don’t—"
"Your body needs to get stronger." He cut off. "You’re malnourished. Weak. That ends now."
I opened my mouth. Closed it.
"And if you miss a al," he continued, his tone dropping lower, "or if you get sick again for no clear reason, I’ll hold your maid responsible."
Ice flooded through my veins.
Sofia. He was threatening Sofia.
"No." The word burst out before I could stop it. "Please, she didn’t do anything—"
"Then don’t give a reason to punish her." He turned. Those black eyes locked onto mine. "Show up. Eat. Stay healthy."
I nodded quickly. Desperately.
Anything to keep Sofia safe.
Nicolas moved back toward the bed. Slow. Deliberate.
Each step made my heart hamr faster.
He stopped right beside . Leaned down.
His face was inches from mine.
"And one more thing," he said quietly. His breath ghosted across my lips. "You need to get used to the fact that I’m your mate now. Not him."
His hand found my throat. Not squeezing. Just resting there.
Claiming.
"So I suggest you start accepting that reality very quickly." His voice dropped to sothing dark. Dangerous. "Because next ti—even if you’re crying, even if you’re begging to stop—I’m going to fuck you anyway."
The words hit like ice water.
My entire body went rigid.
"Do you understand?" His thumb brushed along my pulse point. "I’ve been patient. I’ve held back. But my patience has limits."
I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe.
Could only stare at him with wide, terrified eyes.
"Answer , Irina." His grip tightened. Just a fraction. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." The word ca out broken. Barely audible.
"Good."
He released .
Stood up.
Straightened his shirt with sharp, angry movents.
Then he walked to the door.
Paused with his hand on the handle.
"Get so rest," he said without looking back. "You’ll need it."
The door opened.
Closed.
And he was gone.
I sat there. Frozen. Shaking.
My hand flew to my throat. Pressed against where his fingers had been.
The skin still burned from his touch.
My heart hamred so hard I thought it might break through my ribs.
*Next ti I’m going to fuck you anyway.*
The words echoed in my head. Over and over.
A promise. A threat.
Both.
I pulled my knees to my chest. Wrapped my arms around them.
Made myself as small as possible.
The mate bond humd weakly. Confused. Uncertain.
My wolf was silent. Hiding deep inside where she’d been for the past year.
Only coming out when absolutely necessary.
I pressed my forehead against my knees.
Every al. With him. Every single day.
And if I didn’t show up, Sofia would pay the price.
I couldn’t let that happen. Couldn’t let soone else suffer because of .
Not again.
So I’d go. I’d sit across from him. I’d force food down even when my stomach rebelled.
I’d do whatever it took to survive this.
Just like I’d survived everything else.
The IV line pulled at my arm. Uncomfortable. Restricting.
I wanted to rip it out. Wanted to tear away every reminder of tonight.
But I didn’t move.
Just stayed curled up. Shaking.
Waiting for my heart to slow down.
For the fear to fade.
It didn’t.
Outside, the moon climbed higher. Silver light spilled through the window.
Illuminating the empty room.
Illuminating .
Alone.
Always alone.
Even with a mate, I was still alone.
My eyes burned. Tears threatened.
I blinked them back. Hard.
Crying wouldn’t help. Wouldn’t change anything.
I’d learned that lesson a long ti ago.
So I just sat there. In the darkness. In the silence.
And tried not to think about tomorrow.
About the als I’d have to endure.
About the mont when his patience finally ran out.
About what would happen when he made good on his promise.
My fingers dug into my arms. Hard enough to leave marks.
But I needed the pain. Needed sothing to ground .
To remind I was still here. Still breathing.
Still surviving.
Even when I didn’t want to be.
The mate bond pulsed. Weak. Insistent.
Reminding that he was out there. Sowhere in this massive palace.
My mate.
My king.
My nightmare.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
And waited for morning.
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