THE STRANGER IN THE SHADOWSThe mansion was silent, but not empty.Aidan lay on the cold kitchen tiles, chest rising and falling unevenly, eyes fluttering beneath closed lids. Faint gold scales shimmered across his forearms, fading slowly like sparks dying out, leaving behind only the memory of their heat. The air itself seemed charged, vibrating with the echo of the roar that had shattered his mind.And somewhere beyond the city, someone had sensed it.A figure emerged from the shadows of the alley behind the Frost mansion, unseen, unnoticed, yet watching every window, every corner. Clad in dark clothing that blended seamlessly into the night, the stranger’s eyes glowed faintly red, reflecting the golden pulse that had just erupted from within the house. Aidan’s heartbeat, though he didn’t know it yet, had drawn the attention of a world far older and more dangerous than he could imagine.The stranger’s lips curved into a faint smile. “So… the Dragon King still lives.”Inside the mans

SHADOWS IN THE GALAAidan crouched in the alley across from the Frost mansion, the golden glow within him simmering like molten fire beneath his skin. From here, the gala looked like a glittering kingdom of arrogance and vanity. Crystal chandeliers sparkled, champagne flutes clinked, and the city’s elite laughed as if the world owed them their blissful ignorance.But he knew the truth now. He was not the weak, humiliated man who served at their whim. He was the Dragon King—hidden, restrained, and preparing to awaken. And tonight, the Frosts would see even a fraction of what that meant.The stranger who had trained him in the clearing remained by his side, cloaked in shadows. “Remember,” he said quietly, voice barely audible over the muffled music, “subtlety first. Let them feel it, not see it. Humiliation is most effective when it creeps in unnoticed. Tonight, they will taste fear… unknowingly.”Aidan’s chest heaved. The heartbeat within him pulsed golden, low and steady, a warning an

THE ENEMY AT THE GATEAidan didn’t move.Couldn’t.The echo of the boom outside the mansion gates still vibrated through the hallway walls, like the entire Frost estate had exhaled in fear.Liana stood frozen in front of him, one hand clamped over her mouth, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and dread.“Aidan… what’s… what’s happening outside?” she whispered.Her voice trembled. Not from fear of the sound— but from fear of what she felt inside herself.That warm pulse she sensed earlier. The one she kept instinctively connecting to him.And now, the moment danger arrived… She felt it again.Stronger.Aidan didn’t answer. He kept his head low, shoulders tense, as the stranger’s presence sharpened behind him.“Aidan,” the stranger murmured, “your enemies will not wait politely. They have come because they sensed the change in you. They want confirmation.”Aidan’s brows drew tightly together.“Confirmation of what?”“That the Dragon King lives.”Aidan inhaled sharply.He didn’t

SHADOWSThe garden outside the mansion was cloaked in darkness, but it was not empty.Aidan could feel them—like a whisper through the golden pulse beneath his ribs. The air carried the scent of intent, heavy and sharp, threaded with hunger. Shadows moved just beyond the tree line, silent, deliberate.“They’ve come,” the stranger murmured behind him, voice low and calm, though every muscle in his body tensed. “Not scouts this time. Hunters. And they know where to find you.”Aidan’s jaw tightened. The warning was clear. They had tested him tonight, now they would strike for real.He glanced at Liana, who had followed him to the terrace. Her eyes reflected the pale moonlight, wide and unafraid—yet she trembled ever so slightly.“I… I should go inside,” she whispered, voice quivering. “You shouldn’t… fight alone.”Aidan shook his head slowly, the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Tonight, you stay. You don’t leave.”Her heart skipped. Not from fear. Not entirely. Somethi

THE GATHERING STORMThe dawn had yet to break, and the mansion lay shrouded in the heavy, velvet darkness of early morning. Yet, for all its stillness, the air was electric—charged with anticipation and unspoken threats. Aidan stood on the terrace, gaze sweeping the horizon, the golden pulse beneath his ribs now a steady, insistent rhythm that mirrored the storm forming within him.Beside him, Liana remained silent, her presence a quiet tether amidst the tension. Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated as if trying to absorb every detail of the world now stretching before her. The events of the previous night—the Seeker, the hunters, the golden pulse that had brushed against her like a living thing—had left her shaken, yet inexplicably drawn closer to him.“You’ve drawn attention,” she said finally, voice trembling, almost reverent. “Not just tonight… but from all over. How many are coming for you?”Aidan’s jaw tightened. He did not answer immediately. He let the golden warmth flare subtly