Natalie POV
The midnight watch brought with it a shift in the mountain air, a deep, crystalline freeze that caused the heavy stone walls of the black wing to groan under the sheer drop in temperature. Outside, the winter gale howled like a chorus of dying rogues against the high turret windows, plastering the thick glass panes with layers of opaque, white frost. Yet, within the perimeter of the grand suite, the climate remained entirely unchanged, locked under the dense, suffocating weight of the Alpha King’s territorial resonance.
I remained pinned against Richard’s massive frame, my head resting over the heavy pulse point of his throat.
The rich fragrance of cinnamon and bitter chocolate had settled into a thick, intoxicating haze that completely insulated my senses, making the distan
