Irina’s POV

His fingers dug into my jaw. Not quite painful. But close.

"What do you mean your wolf can’t?" Nicolas’s voice was sharp. Demanding.

I tried to swallow. My throat felt like sandpaper.

"I mean..." The words stuck. "She can’t come out."

His eyes narrowed. Still black. Still burning with that dangerous rage.

"Explain."

My chest tightened. Speaking felt like pulling glass from my throat.

"The night I turned eighteen," I whispered. "When I was supposed to shift for the first time. Maxim... he rejected me. Right there. In front of everyone."

Nicolas went very still.

"And my wolf—" My voice cracked. "She broke. Something inside her just... shattered."

His grip on my jaw loosened. Just slightly.

"She’s been weak ever since," I continued. Forcing the words out. "She only woke up when I met you. When the mate bond snapped into place. That’s the only time I’ve heard her voice since that night."

Silence stretched between us.

Heavy. Suffocating.

His hand dropped from my face completely.

"You can’t shift," he said. Not a question. A statement.

I shook my head. "No."

"At all?"

"At all."

More silence.

I risked a glance up at him.

His expression was unreadable. Those black eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl.

Then he stood.

I flinched backward. Couldn’t help it.

He didn’t seem to notice. Just moved to the window. Stared out at the darkness.

His shoulders were tense. Rigid. Like every muscle was locked up tight.

I stayed frozen on the bed. Waiting.

For what, I didn’t know.

When he finally spoke, his voice was cold. Flat.

"Starting tomorrow, you’ll eat every meal with me."

I blinked. "What?"

"Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner." He didn’t turn around. "All of them. With me."

My stomach twisted. "I don’t—"

"Your body needs to get stronger." He cut me off. "You’re malnourished. Weak. That ends now."

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

"And if you miss a meal," he continued, his tone dropping lower, "or if you get sick again for no clear reason, I’ll hold your maid responsible."

Ice flooded through my veins.

Sofia. He was threatening Sofia.

"No." The word burst out before I could stop it. "Please, she didn’t do anything—"

"Then don’t give me a reason to punish her." He turned. Those black eyes locked onto mine. "Show up. Eat. Stay healthy."

I nodded quickly. Desperately.

Anything to keep Sofia safe.

Nicolas moved back toward the bed. Slow. Deliberate.

Each step made my heart hammer faster.

He stopped right beside me. Leaned down.

His face was inches from mine.

"And one more thing," he said quietly. His breath ghosted across my lips. "You need to get used to the fact that I’m your mate now. Not him."

His hand found my throat. Not squeezing. Just resting there.

Claiming.

"So I suggest you start accepting that reality very quickly." His voice dropped to something dark. Dangerous. "Because next time—even if you’re crying, even if you’re begging me to stop—I’m going to fuck you anyway."

The words hit like ice water.

My entire body went rigid.

"Do you understand?" His thumb brushed along my pulse point. "I’ve been patient. I’ve held back. But my patience has limits."

I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe.

Could only stare at him with wide, terrified eyes.

"Answer me, Irina." His grip tightened. Just a fraction. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." The word came out broken. Barely audible.

"Good."

He released me.

Stood up.

Straightened his shirt with sharp, angry movements.

Then he walked to the door.

Paused with his hand on the handle.

"Get some rest," he said without looking back. "You’ll need it."

The door opened.

Closed.

And he was gone.

I sat there. Frozen. Shaking.

My hand flew to my throat. Pressed against where his fingers had been.

The skin still burned from his touch.

My heart hammered so hard I thought it might break through my ribs.

*Next time I’m going to fuck you anyway.*

The words echoed in my head. Over and over.

A promise. A threat.

Both.

I pulled my knees to my chest. Wrapped my arms around them.

Made myself as small as possible.

The mate bond hummed weakly. Confused. Uncertain.

My wolf was silent. Hiding deep inside where she’d been for the past year.

Only coming out when absolutely necessary.

I pressed my forehead against my knees.

Every meal. With him. Every single day.

And if I didn’t show up, Sofia would pay the price.

I couldn’t let that happen. Couldn’t let someone else suffer because of me.

Not again.

So I’d go. I’d sit across from him. I’d force food down even when my stomach rebelled.

I’d do whatever it took to survive this.

Just like I’d survived everything else.

The IV line pulled at my arm. Uncomfortable. Restricting.

I wanted to rip it out. Wanted to tear away every reminder of tonight.

But I didn’t move.

Just stayed curled up. Shaking.

Waiting for my heart to slow down.

For the fear to fade.

It didn’t.

Outside, the moon climbed higher. Silver light spilled through the window.

Illuminating the empty room.

Illuminating me.

Alone.

Always alone.

Even with a mate, I was still alone.

My eyes burned. Tears threatened.

I blinked them back. Hard.

Crying wouldn’t help. Wouldn’t change anything.

I’d learned that lesson a long time ago.

So I just sat there. In the darkness. In the silence.

And tried not to think about tomorrow.

About the meals I’d have to endure.

About the moment when his patience finally ran out.

About what would happen when he made good on his promise.

My fingers dug into my arms. Hard enough to leave marks.

But I needed the pain. Needed something to ground me.

To remind me I was still here. Still breathing.

Still surviving.

Even when I didn’t want to be.

The mate bond pulsed. Weak. Insistent.

Reminding me that he was out there. Somewhere in this massive palace.

My mate.

My king.

My nightmare.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

And waited for morning.