Serenya's POV
I close the door and lock it.
My hands shake so bad I almost drop the key. The corridor outside is quiet, but I can still hear Alpha Veyra’s voice echoing in my head.
My chest hurts with every breath, and at the same time the ring burns. It starts as a sting at first, then it feels like fire crawling through my veins. I grab my wrist, trying to pull it off, but the metal bites harder. My knees buckle. I slam my hand against the wall, force the ring loose, and it slips free with a faint click. It hits the wooden floor and rolls under the small table.
Air rushes out of me. The magic breaks. I feel it shatter through my body — the borrowed face melting away, the false tone of my skin fading. I try to hold onto the illusion, but it’s gone. What’s left is me: the pale skin,
