In his past life, Evan was meek, starved for affection, and trapped in a toxic web of humiliation that ultimately ended in a fatal accident on the day of his abuser's wedding. Reborn back to the night his nightmare reached its peak, Evan resolves to take back control and escape. But as he scales the walls to freedom, he literally drops into the arms of Christian—a scheming, possessively protective heir with hidden motives. When Christian offers a fake marriage for mutual gain, Evan agrees, unaware that Christian's idea of a "fake" marriage is a very real, deeply passionate commitment.

Locked inside my own lab's radiation chamber, I listened as my husband sold my life's work to foreign spies. He and my protégé left me to burn, planning to frame my death as a tragic accident. But they forgot I designed the lab's explosive failsafes. I survived the fire. Now, framed as a terrorist and disowned by my family, I'm partnering with a ruthless federal agent to expose their lies. They wanted my billion-dollar prototype? Instead, I'll give them absolute hell.

To prevent the tragic fall of her country, Princess Evelyn of Anyang is forced into a political marriage with Arthur, the ruthless, iron-fisted general of the rival Great Da empire. Renowned for her breathtaking beauty and legendary frailness—coughing thrice every three steps and forever bound to medicine jars—Evelyn is widely believed to be a sacrificial lamb walking straight into a tiger's den. Everyone expects her to perish quickly under the brutal general's thumb. Yet, against all odds, the sickly princess not only blossoms under his care, recovering her health, but eventually astounds the court with a rounded belly, glowing like a pampered peony. Arthur, the most formidable commander in Da, feared even by the emperor, finds himself utterly powerless against his sharp-tongued, delicate bride. Unable to win in a war of words against her frail yet fiercely witty wife, the powerful general must resort to a different battlefield: pampering her beyond measure.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows through the human town's market square as I wandered between the stalls, breathing in the mingled scents of fresh bread and blooming flowers. Here, among humans who knew nothing of pack hierarchies or mate bonds, I could pretend to be just another woman selecting roses for her dining table. My fingers traced the velvet petals of a deep crimson rose, and for a moment, I allowed myself to imagine Ethan's face when he saw them on our table tonight. Three years together, and I still hoped for those rare moments when his cold facade would crack, revealing glimpses of the mate bond I believed lay dormant beneath. "Beautiful choice," the elderly vendor said, her weathered hands wrapping the stems in brown paper. "Someone special?" "My mate," I replied softly, the word still sending a flutter through my chest despite everything. The woman's knowing smile faltered as a chill swept through the warm evening air. The market sounds—haggling voices, children's laughter, the clink of coins—seemed to dim as four figures materialized from the crowd. Victoria Taylor stood at their center, her blonde hair catching the dying light like spun gold. Three Delta wolves flanked her, their presence turning the peaceful market into a hunting ground.