Riley – POV
I should be getting ready. I know what’s coming tonight. But instead, I sink into the bath, the water cool against my skin, the wine in my hand only half-finished. The scent of essential oils lingers in the air, but it does nothing to ease the tension coiling inside me. The silence before the storm is suffocating.
“Riley, my abilities will weaken when the mating haze begins. Be ready,” Fifi’s voice pierces through my thoughts, low and urgent.
Her words settle like a chill in my bones. I’m still not fully used to her voice—or the magic that comes with it—but I’ve learned to adapt. I don’t have a choice.
“I need to tell you something,” Fifi says again, her tone sharp, almost strained. There’s an edge to it I can’t ignore.
I shift slightly, my pulse quickening. “What is it?”
