Third Person's POV Outside the grand silhouette of Duskgrave Manor, Kael Vale stood rigid, fists clenched at his sides, amber eyes blazing with fury. His usually aristocratic composure had shattered completely the moment he saw what was happening inside. His voice cracked through the night like a whip. "Open the door! Now!" he roared, storming up to the manor's gate, slamming his fists against it with a madness only shameful desperation could summon. "Lucien, you filthy bastard! Get your hands off my sister!" "You think she'll be happy with a wolf like you? You're cursed-violent-poisoned from bloodline to soul!" Inside the manor, the warmth of golden light spilled down the grand staircase. From behind the heavy oak doors, Mrs. Beck and Mia stepped into view. The two seasoned servants of the Duskgrave household exchanged a knowing glance. They had heard every word Kael shouted. And they were utterly unbothered. Especially after hearing what he'd said about Lucien kissing Riley. "Oh, Matriarch is going to love this," Mia whispered, her eyes twinkling with barely concealed delight. They didn't argue. They didn't open the door. They simply turned and walked away-to deliver this delightful piece of gossip to the old matriarch herself. When Matriarch Duskgrave heard the news, she practically glowed. "Well, finally," she beamed. "I thought that boy would die celibate at this rate. Took him long enough." Back outside, Kael fumed. The door had been slammed in his face, and the silence inside was deafening. He continued yelling obscenities at the second floor, completely forgetting the real reason he had come. Next to him, Theo Hale stood quietly, his sharp eyes fixated not on Kael's tantrum but on Riley's shadow through the window.Riley sometimes responded to Kael's curse words, but most of the time she ignored them. She wasn't reacting at all. Not to the screaming. Not to the accusations. Not even when her name was barked like a curse through the night. It struck Theo with sudden clarity-a hollow thud in his chest. She couldn't hear it. Upstairs, in the softly lit bedroom, Lucien held Riley close. His hand rested firmly at the curve of her waist, not possessive, but grounding-like a silent promise. Riley's body remained tense against his chest, her heart beating wildly as she tried to understand what was happening between them. Her sleep dress clung to her slight frame, and Lucien's heat seeped through every fiber, branding her skin with his scent-cedar, snow, and faint tobacco. That intoxicating blend muddled her thoughts. She whispered a thank you, her voice barely audible, tremulous with uncertainty. Lucien said nothing. Instead, he simply gazed down at her. Not with lust-but with something deeper. Something primal. The shouting outside went unanswered. Lucien knew now-Riley wasn't ignoring it. She was deaf to it. And that realization hit him harder than Kael's insults ever could. His jaw tightened. He drew her closer, as if shielding her from all the noise, all the pain, all the past she had never spoken aloud. He could almost feel the bruises of her memory against his chest. "Lucien..." Riley murmured again, her voice trembling as she pushed at his chest-feeble, uncertain. But Lucien didn't let go.Instead, his lips trailed slowly up the side of her throat, his breath like wildfire skimming her skin. Riley's pulse fluttered wildly beneath his mouth, heat flooding her cheeks until her entire body felt alight. She tried to pull away again. He finally eased his grip-just enough to let her breathe, though his arms remained loosely wrapped around her shoulders. "You should get some sleep," he murmured, his voice a soft command. Riley gave a faint nod and turned toward the window, about to close the curtains when Lucien moved again. In one swift motion, he swept her off her feet and carried her effortlessly to the bed. She didn't struggle. She didn't even protest. Her body simply surrendered to the safety of his arms, though her heart still waged war with itself. Kael's angry voice carried through the walls, a distant echo now. Lucien ignored it completely. He placed a glass of warm milk on the nightstand and handed it to her. Under his gaze, Riley drank every drop. When she handed it back, Lucien gave her a rare smile-crooked, teasing, almost boyish-and then strode back to the window. Kael was still there. Lucien met his gaze, cool and unbothered. Their eyes locked. Kael's face contorted in rage. "She's not well, Lucien. She can't handle-someone like you." Lucien's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. Then, without a word, he yanked the curtain shut, cutting off the outside world. Kael staggered back like the rejection had physically struck him. Inside, Lucien turned back toward the bed.Riley sat tucked beneath the feather-soft duvet, her hands clenched tightly around the edge. Her cheeks were stained a delicate rose, but her eyes never left Lucien's retreating figure. "Lucien..." she called out softly as he neared the door. He paused. Only half of his face was lit by the bedside lamp, the other lost in shadow. His collar was slightly open, revealing a sliver of his collarbone beneath his black shirt. He turned his head toward her. "Yes?" The air between them thickened. Riley swallowed hard, staring at him like he was a puzzle too dangerous to solve. "Why... Why are you being so kind to me?" The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it. But it had been buried inside her chest for too long. Lucien's eyes softened, just a fraction. He crossed the room again and sat on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped beneath his weight, and Riley tensed, breath stilled. He studied her in silence for a moment. Then he said, "Maybe because I see you." Her breath caught. "And maybe," he added, his voice a whisper of something far more dangerous, "I don't like the idea of anyone else trying to break what's already been shattered." Riley didn't reply. She couldn't. Because for the first time, someone hadn't asked her to explain her scars. He had simply stepped into the dark-and sat beside her.