Zephyrine The Lycan Kingdom was larger than I’d pictured, and the hall seemed to stretch endlessly as we walked through it. Even as I disappeared from sight, I could feel Nyroth’s gaze burning into my back. I could already tell he was mad. Not that I cared. The messenger led me through dim corridors, and after a few silent minutes, we stepped into the open night. We crossed an airy courtyard, lit by Golden lanterns, until he pushed open a massive door, revealing a grand, silent hall. “Please,” he said politely, holding the door. I stepped inside. Without another word, he left me alone. The silence was unsettling. I began to wonder why I’d been summoned to a place like this. There was no one in sight.I turned slightly toward the exit but then I paused. There was something ahead, just a few steps away, by the second entrance. Not Apex but someone equally unsettling. I peered closely to see it’s the same man who had emerged from the shadows earlier, the silent executioner. “He’s my bodyguard. Chantel.” Apex’s voice came from behind me, low and smooth. I swallowed hard and turned. He had changed his attires. He is no longer bloodstained and his long hair damp from a bath. His face was clean, sharp, dangerously beautiful. He looked like a king and more than that… he looked like sin. Apex stood close, dangerously too close. His nearness awakened something unholy inside me. Why had he summoned me? He didn’t speak. He Just stared into my face the way he always did without blinking, without shame. Then, slowly, he stepped closer. Deliberate. Intense. His hand lifted toward my cheek, but I looked away just before he could touch me. He paused, hand hovering in midair. His breath fanned across my face, warm and sweet with the scent of blood and flowers. “How do I look?” The question came unexpectedly. I blinked, frowning slightly. He wasn’t joking. His expression was serious, expectant. “Handsome is a small word,” I said truthfully. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. A flicker of relief appears in his eyes. “I’ve never looked into a mirror since I was born,” he confessed. “My sisters say I’m okay. I always thought they were flattering me.” He waited. I sensed there was more so I keep mute. “Am I your type?" I froze. His voice was calm but the question felt like a blade. He is serious. I lowered my gaze and shook my head. “I’m a woman who’s always chased peace. A man like you brings envy… destruction… rivals. I don’t want those. So, no. You are not my type.” His jaw tensed. Then he leaned in closer, unapologetic. “Maybe I can change that.” His gaze didn’t waver. The tension between us thickened, an unspoken promise lurking beneath the surface. “Is that why you summoned me?” I asked and He shook his head slowly. “I have a question.” I waited, silent. “Are you… immortal?” The question struck me sideways.“What?” I frowned. He sighed softly and then lowered his gaze. A small frown creases his eyebrow. He look bothered. Then gently his hand came brushing my arm before guiding me toward a table. His touch was casual, almost careful but firm enough to make my breath catch. Our first physical contact. In one smooth motion, he lifted me onto the table. His hand settled at my waist, steadying me. Possessive. Unnervingly intimate. He leaned forward, placing one hand beside me for balance. “I have a curse,” he said, voice quieter now. “I see how people die when I look into their eyes.” He held my gaze. “But when I stare at you… I see nothing.” My heart skipped. That was his curse? one of them?Suddenly, so much made sense. Why he kept his gaze low. Why he always stared at me so long, searching. Waiting for something that never came. His eyes now were soft, steady. Beautiful. I swallowed hard, wondering, was he drawn to me only because I was unreadable to him? I tried to look away, but my eyes caught the rings on his brow. I inhaled slowly, trembling at the weight of his stare. He leaned in, lips grazing the space near my neck and I stiffened. “A Lycan King shouldn’t bother with a werewolf,” I whispered. “Your father wouldn’t be proud of this… would he?” He paused. Then pulled back, meeting my eyes again with a dangerous softness. “How about I make you a proposal?” I blinked. “Be by my side,” he said. “Until I become the kind of man you’d want.”The world stood still. Did he just asked me out? “I don’t…” “Think about it,” he interrupted gently. “And while you do… keep this in mind no man touches you. I’d go berserk.” I stared at him, breath catching. “That’s a threat, Your Majesty.” “No.” His voice came out like a steel as he shake his head in the negative. “It’s not a threat. It’s a promise.” Just then, the door opened. A young man entered, bowed, and said, “Sire, it’s time for bed.” Time for him to return to the Black Tower. As if he had a curfew. Apex’s eyes never left mine and when that information came, the expression of regret etch his feature. Then he helped me down from the table, his hands lingering at my waist a moment longer than necessary. “You look like a smart woman,” he murmured. “And I love that. A woman like you will make the right decision.” Then he turned, walking away like a man who had just made a vow. A vow I feared would burn us both.