The ball lingered in the castle halls like the echo of a hymn. The music had faded, the nobles had dispersed with their wine-flushed smiles and careful farewells, yet the golden sheen of triumph still clung to the night.
Heiko and River stood together at the center of the emptied ballroom, his strong arm curled protectively around her waist. For once, the warrior’s usual sternness softened into something lighter, almost disbelief. He had fought on countless battlefields, but none had left him with this feeling: victory without bloodshed.
And River, his Omega, his mate, had been the jewel of it all.
Before they could even share their private relief, a familiar voice cut through the silence:
“Well done, both of you.”
River’s head turned, and her heart leapt as her eyes landed on Alia, H
