Rebecca’s POV

​The heavy blanket felt warm against my skin, a nice change from the hard stone yard I remembered.

​When I finally opened my eyes, the bright morning sun was filtering through the large windows, casting a golden glow over the massive bedroom. I took a slow, deep breath, blinking against the light. My body felt surprisingly rested, and a strange sensation washed over me.

The crushing, suffocating weight that had been pressing down on my chest for weeks had completely lifted from my shoulders. I felt refreshed and lighter, as if a dark cloud had been removed from my mind.

​My brow furrowed as I looked around the room, taking in the expensive furniture and the massive space. I’m in Kaden’s bed.

​Panic hit my chest as my memories slowly began to return. Images flashed through my mind like scenes from a movie—the burning heat of the afternoon sun, the hot stone burning through my clothes, and the painful cramps that had twisted my stomach until the whole world tilted and I fell into darkness.

​But then, another memory flashed.

​It didn’t feel real. It felt like a vivid, feverish dream. I remembered the sensation of intense, suffocating heat wrapping around my frozen body. I remembered large, powerful arms holding me tight against a hard chest. And then... the slow, deep, and passionate rhythm of a man driving into my body beneath the heavy duvet. I remembered whimpering, begging, and clinging to his shoulders as the pain from my cramps melted away into pure, overwhelming pleasure.

​My eyes widened, and my breath hitched. Alpha Kaden and I... we had sex.

​Before I could even process the shocking realization, the sound of a door clicking open made me flinch. I snapped my head toward the bathroom door, my heart beating fast against my ribs.

​Kaden strode out of the shower, steam billowing into the bedroom behind him. Water droplets glistened on his tan skin, dripping slowly down his muscular torso. A single white towel was wrapped low around his waist, hanging dangerously off his sharp hips. I stared at him, my throat suddenly going dry. Damn. He is fucking hot. There was no denying the raw, dangerous power radiating from him, or how breathtaking he looked with his dark hair damp and messy.

​Catching myself staring, I quickly looked away, my face burning red. I shifted beneath the covers, trying to hide my embarrassment, but as I moved, I pulled the heavy duvet back slightly.

​My heart dropped.

​Right there on the gray sheet was a dark, distinct stain from my monthly flow. My cheeks burned hotter with pure shame. Damn it. A wave of disbelief and anger washed over my embarrassment. This beast actually had sex with me even during my monthly flow? How could he be so shameless?

​As if reading my exact thoughts, Kaden stopped at the foot of the bed. His face was set into his usual cold, unbending mask, but his dark eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made me want to shrink away.

​"You went into heat last night," Kaden said, his voice deep, rough, and flat.

​I blinked, completely surprised. Was he... actually explaining himself to me? The ruthless Alpha King didn’t owe anyone an explanation, let alone a prisoner who was his breeder, yet he had just given me one. He was telling me that my own body’s biological response had triggered the encounter, acting as if it were a clinical necessity rather than the passionate, tender act I faintly remembered.

​He didn’t give me a chance to respond. He simply pointed toward the open door he had just come through. "Go clean up."

​I swallowed hard, my fingers tightly gripping the edge of the duvet. I knew I couldn’t stay hidden under the blankets forever, but the realization of what was about to happen made my stomach twist. Gathering what little courage I had left, I pushed the heavy duvet aside and stood up from the mattress.

​I stood there completely naked before him, my skin bare to the cool morning air. I felt entirely vulnerable, exposed under his sharp, unmoving gaze. I expected him to look at me with disgust, or to bark another cruel order, but he just stood like a statue, his dark eyes tracking the movement of my body.

​"Clean up in my bathroom," he repeated, his voice dropping a pitch, tighter than before.

​I nodded quickly, not trusting my voice, and hurried past him into the spacious, marble-lined bathroom. The warmth of the shower helped wash away the residual heat and the physical reminders of the night before.

​When I finally finished and stepped back out into the bedroom, I paused. The gray, stained sheets had already been changed, replaced with fresh, clean linens. Laid out neatly at the edge of the bed was a simple, plain dress along with the specific hygiene items I needed for my monthly flow.

​I quietly walked over, keeping my eyes down as I quickly put on the clothes and took care of myself. Kaden was already dressed in a dark shirt and pants, sitting in the armchair across the room. He didn’t look up as I moved. His attention seemed entirely fixed on whatever he was looking at on his palmtop, his thumb scrolling through documents with a rigid, focused intensity. The tender man from my feverish memories was completely gone, replaced once again by the cold king who held my life in his hands.

​Kaden finally broke the silence, his voice dropping like ice into the quiet room. "Since you are in your monthly flow, there is no need for me to see you."

​I nodded slowly, keeping my eyes on the floor. At least he had a sense of decency. The thought of being touched again while dealing with my period made my stomach twist, so his cold rejection actually felt like a small blessing.

​"You will be in your room, locked up," he continued, his tone flat and businesslike. "Until your monthly flow is over, then you will resume your duty."

​I let out a quiet sigh of relief, making sure he couldn’t hear it. Well, look at that. At least for the next three to five days, I will be off sex. If only he will keep to his word. Honestly, after everything that happened last night, a few days locked in a quiet room away from his confusing, high-tension energy sounded like heaven.

​Suddenly, the soft clicking sound of his palmtop stopped. He snapped the device shut, the sharp noise making me flinch.

​He stood up from the armchair, his massive frame towering over the room. Before I could even take a step back, he crossed the space between us in a blur. His large hand shot out and grabbed me tightly by the neck.

​I gasped, my eyes flying wide open as a sudden, terrifying anger filled his dark eyes. The calm, robotic King from a few seconds ago was completely gone, replaced by a fierce, wild rage that had his jaw clenching hard.

​"Stay away from my brother," he snarled, his grip tightening just enough to pin me in place. "I will make sure guards guard your room day and night. But if you sneak out to see him, or do anything stupid... I’ll cut off your head. I mean it."

​My eyebrows pulled together, a look of pure confusion washing over my face. His brother? Alpha Kane? Why on earth would I sneak out to see his brother? I barely even knew the guy, and the last time I checked, I was a prisoner locked in a royal fortress. Is there something going on between them that I don’t know about?

​Before I could ask a single question, Kaden released my neck with a rough shove.

​"Get out," he barked, turning his back to me.

​I didn’t wait for him to say it twice. Turning on my heel, I hurried toward the double doors, my mind spinning with a million new questions as the heavy bedroom doors shut behind me.