LUCIEN’S POV

The pull of the bond dragged me through the palace like a rope tied around my ribs, yanking harder with every step.

My heart pounded in my ears, a mix of fear and fury that made my vision tunnel. Adele was close…I could feel it in my bones, her scent wrapping around me like smoke, sweet and intoxicating, laced with that damn heat that drove every instinct wild.

I burst out into the open air, the training grounds sprawled out below me like a battlefield. Warriors sparred under the afternoon sun, shirts discarded, muscles gleaming with sweat. Grunts filled the air. But none of that registered. Not until...