Zarek.
The tavern fell silent. Every breath, every whisper, died under the weight of my presence.
I didn’t waste a second. My hand found Valtira’s wrist, and I pulled her close, leading her through the heavy air toward the door. She stumbled once, catching herself, her hood brushing my arm. My wolf growled beneath my skin, restless and half-mad with the scent of her and the danger that still clung to the room.
When the cold night hit my face, I exhaled slowly, forcing the fire in my chest to dim. I scanned the empty street, every flicker of shadow, every stranger’s glance — but my eyes returned to her, always to her.
She tugged at my hand, light and teasing, her grin playing across her lips like she wasn’t the cause of my anger. “I want to try that delicacy,” she said, nodding toward a
