The headline was accompanied by a grainy photo of Lola and me walking in the palace gardens, her mate mark clearly visible despite the distance. The article detailed our "whirlwind romance" with dramatic flair, highlighting Lola's connection to Lord Humphreys and speculating about the political implications of the union. Anonymous sources claimed the mating was "a strategic move to neutralize opposition" and "a calculated political alliance disguised as fate."
Cold fury washed through me as I scrolled through the article. Leon growled, his anger bleeding into my consciousness with enough force to make my hands shake. ‘Protect mate,’ he snarled. ‘Find who hurt mate.’
I was already moving, phone clutched in my hand as I strode through the palace corridors toward our quarters. Staff scatter
