~ Isabella’s POV

The morning sun poured through the heavy, ornate curtains, warming my skin and painting golden patterns across the plush rug beneath me. I stirred, my body still humming faintly with the power I had embraced the night before. It felt... different, like it had become a part of me now, rooted deep in my veins. Stretching, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror.

It was still me—but there was something else. A quiet authority, an undeniable air of command that hadn’t been there before. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or if I feared what it might mean.

A sharp knock at the...