THE SCENT OF TREASON

THE NORTHERN ESTATE

The heat of the magical blue fire licked at my back as Kaelen practically dragged me toward the private elevator. My boots stumbled over the scorched mahogany, but his iron grip on my waist kept me upright. The penthouse was burning, consuming the evidence of a murdered prince, but the smoke alarms remained completely silent. His magic had sealed the room, isolating the destruction.

When the elevator doors slid open, Kaelen pushed me inside. The polished metal walls reflected my terrified, ash smudged face and the towering, lethal predator standing right behind me.

Look away, I told myself. Do not provoke him.

But my eyes met his in the reflection. The golden glow in his irises was fading, slowly giving way to a stormy, glacial gray. He was wrestling his inner beast back into a cage, regaining the cold control that made him the most feared Alpha in the city.

What is your name? he asked. The question was soft, yet it bounced off the metal walls like a physical command.

Nalia, I whispered. Lying to him was a death sentence. He would smell the deceit the moment the false syllables left my tongue.

Nalia. He tested the name, rolling it over his tongue as if savoring the taste. A human tied to the magical underworld. Who holds your debt, Nalia? Who sent you to clean up a royal execution?

My throat tightened. If I exposed the coven, the witches would activate the blood curse they held over my little sister. They would drain her life force before the sun even rose. I had to give him something, a sliver of truth to satisfy his senses, without signing my sister away.

A broker, I answered, keeping my voice as steady as I could. I do not know their real names. I get a text with a location, an entry code, and a payout amount. I ask no questions. I just clean.

Kaelen leaned closer, his chest brushing against my shoulder blades. The elevator descended in a dizzying rush, but the real gravity in the small space came entirely from him. He inhaled deeply, drawing my scent into his lungs.

You are terrified, he noted, his voice dropping into a dark, hypnotic register. But you are not lying about the broker. How very convenient.

The doors chimed and slid open to the underground parking garage. Two massive, armored SUVs idled in the shadows. Four guards flanked the vehicles, their bodies rigid, their eyes scanning the perimeter. The moment Kaelen stepped out of the elevator with me in tow, the guards stiffened. I could practically feel the shift in the air as their canine instincts flared, smelling their dead prince on my clothes and the dominant, possessive scent their Alpha had just smeared all over me.

My King, the closest guard said, bowing his head respectfully while his eyes tracked me with sheer hostility. Where is the Crown Prince?

Dead, Kaelen replied. His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather, but the word sent a violent shockwave through the garage. The guards bared their teeth, their eyes flashing to a predatory yellow. A low chorus of growls echoed off the concrete pillars.

And the human? the guard snarled, taking a step toward me.

Before the guard's foot could even touch the pavement, Kaelen moved. It was a blur of violence too fast for human eyes to track. One second Kaelen was standing beside me, and the next, he had the massive guard pinned against the concrete pillar by his throat. The stone cracked under the impact.

The human is mine, Kaelen roared, his voice layered with the monstrous, echoing dominance of his wolf. She is under my protection. If any of you bare your teeth at her again, I will tear your throats out myself. Do you understand?

The choked guard frantically nodded, his face turning an alarming shade of purple. Kaelen dropped him, turning back to the vehicle. He opened the heavy, armored rear door and gestured for me to get inside.

I scrambled into the leather backseat, pressing myself as far into the corner as possible. Kaelen slid in beside me, his large frame taking up most of the space. The doors locked with a heavy thud, trapping me in the dark, climate controlled cabin.

The convoy sped out of the garage, leaving the burning penthouse behind. I stared out the tinted window as the city lights blurred into neon streaks. I had escaped the coven for the night, but I had traded one prison for a far more dangerous cage.

Where are we going? I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to hide it.

Kaelen turned his head, his glacial eyes locking onto mine in the shadows of the backseat.

We are going to my estate, he said softly, a dark promise bleeding into his words. You are the only witness to my brother's murder, Nalia. And until I find out exactly who ordered the strike, you are not leaving my side. Not for a single second.