By nightfall, Midnight could barely stand.
Every muscle in her body burned from hours of training with Kael. Her control had improved—but only barely. The demon inside her still pushed against every boundary she tried to build around it.
And the mate bond?
That had somehow become worse.
Much worse.
Midnight leaned against one of the stone pillars bordering the training grounds, chest heaving while cold rain soaked through her black tank top.
Kael stood across from her in the snow.
Watching.
Always watching.
“You’re distracted,” he said.
Midnight glared. “I’m exhausted.”
“You’re avoiding the real issue.”
Her stomach tightened instantly.
Unfortunately, she knew exactly what he meant.
The bond.
The closer they became emotionally, the stronger everything inside her grew:
the wo
