Kaian sat at the dinner table, surrounded by the grandeur of the royal dining hall, but his world felt like it was crumbling. The sparkling crystal chandeliers and polished silverware were lost on him as he stared blankly at his untouched plate. His mind was consumed by a single thought—her. Star. The name felt like a haunting melody, reverberating in his chest and igniting the roaring beast within him.
He couldn’t focus, couldn’t function. The need consumed him, not for food but for something far deeper, his second chance mate. Sleep had become a futile endeavor; every time he closed his eyes, her image danced behind his lids. Her scent, her smile, the skin tingles that sparked when they touched, it was maddening.
Kaian’s family sat around him, their conversation buzzing like distant
