(Kieran POV)
The moon reached its zenith as Catherine's words echoed in my mind—take me somewhere private—and something fundamental snapped inside my chest like a chain pulled beyond its breaking point. The careful control I'd maintained for weeks, the human facade that had governed every interaction since her arrival, crumbled under the weight of her invitation and the silver light that called to everything wild in my nature.
My hands began to shake first—subtle tremors that made holding her properly during our dance increasingly difficult. The trembling spread up my arms as bones began to ache with the familiar pressure of impending transformation, as muscles prepared to reshape themselves whether I willed it or not.
"Catherine," I managed, my voice already rougher than human speech s
