Dr. Aris trusts in science, not soulmates. After a past rejection left her scarred, she built a life she could control—one of scalpels and sutures. But her control shatters the moment the dying Alpha King storms into her life. Arrogant, powerful, and desperate, Theron is being eaten alive by a mysterious curse. With a single, world-shattering pronouncement, he claims Aris as his mate, forcing a bond she wants no part of. For reasons he refuses to share, he's convinced she is the only one who can save him. Thrust into a royal court where smiles hide daggers, Aris discovers she’s a pawn in a much deadlier game. The curse is not what it seems, and the shadows that haunt the king are now hunting her. Trapped with a man she despises, Aris must unravel a generations-old conspiracy to survive. But what happens when your patient is also your captor? And how do you save a man when every instinct screams to let him die?