I stretched in the honeymoon cottage's kitchen, sunlight streaming through the open windows along with the salt-sweet scent of the sea. Five days into our getaway, and I still couldn't believe we'd managed to escape the palace, the ministers, the endless obligations that came with being queen. Here, with just Theo and the endless horizon, I felt myself unwinding like a tightly coiled spring finally released. My wolf, Artemis, lounged contentedly in my mind, satisfied with our daily runs along the empty beach and the quiet nights spent with our mate. This was freedom – something I hadn't fully appreciated until it had been temporarily granted to us.
"What are you smiling about?" Theo's voice came from behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist as he pressed his lips to the sensitive spot
