The drive north was a study in absolute silence, save for the rhythmic, heavy hum of the armored SUV’s engine and the relentless assault of sleet against the reinforced windows.

Serafina Thorne sat perfectly still in the plush leather seat, Kaelen’s heavy, fur-lined trench coat draped over her tre

Serafina placed the heavy leather folder on her lap, her bandaged hand resting hesitantly on the cover. The firelight flickered across the Northern crest, casting long, dancing shadows across the polished mahogany floor of Kaelen’s suite.

"Everything?" Serafina asked, looking up at him. "Elena is

Julian Graves paced the length of his ruined office, his heavy boots crunching over the shattered glass that still littered the floor. The East Wing of the estate was a smoldering, blackened skeleton, a glaring monument to his humiliation. The scent of ash and scorched mahogany hung heavy in the air