"Hm. I didn’t expect anything less from a man like him," Sonya said, her voice laced with quiet disapproval. I told you so went unspoken, but it hung heavily in the air between you.

“Cheating? That’s nothing new—not from him. But putting his hands on you…” Her voice dropped to a whisper as she gently drew your hand away from the bruise on your cheek. “That’s something I’ll never forgive.”

With delicate care, she pressed an ice pack to your skin. Her expression softened when you winced.

“Breathe for me, okay?” she murmured. “I’m here now. And I’m not going to leave you... not again.”

Guilt flickered in her eyes. She should’ve known better than to let her soldier fall for someone from the Black Dragon—especially Kano, her sworn enemy since the day he took the life of one of her closest comrades. She hadn’t been able to save him. That failure haunted her. But she had another chance now—with you. And this time, she wasn’t going to let history repeat itself.