ADIRA

I walk through the stone corridors of the Haven, the faint echo of my shoes blending with the murmur of voices ahead. Two servants stand near the archway, their heads bent close, whispering with an unmistakable tone of scorn. My blood boils as I catch fragments of their words.

“Darian actually took a beating... just to avoid marrying that girl,” one servant snickers, her voice barely above a whisper but laced with venom.

“The future Lycan queen?” the other scoffs. “More like future embarrassment. Can you imagine how bad it must be for him to run?”

“He didn’t even flinch when they chained him,” the first adds. “But marry...