"Patience"

Vincent's POV

The scent of roasted venison and aged wine filled the dining hall, but it might as well have been ash on my tongue.

Across from me, Aurora sat with perfect poise, slicing into her meal with slow, deliberate movements, as if savoring every bite. The candlelight bathed her pale hair in a soft glow, turning it into a halo.

She was beautiful. My mate. The one the Moon Goddess had chosen for me as a second chance mate.

And yet—

I barely resisted the urge to sneer.

Atlas.

That bastard had gotten even stronger. Not only stronger but won—cutting through enemy ranks, his bloodlust unchecked, his power undeniable.

What would have cost us almost a year or years of battle, he ended in less than three months. I had watched him revel in war, had seen the fire in his eyes as he fought alongside his men, carving a path through Kaius' forces as if they were nothing more than weeds in his way.

And then he had looked at me.