Maria.
"Vincent, did you hit your head?" I asked slowly, my voice deliberately measured as I narrowed my eyes at him.
I studied his face carefully, searching for even the slightest sign that he was joking, exaggerating, or simply speaking out of turn.
Because at this point, nothing he was saying was making any sense to me anymore.
Not even the smallest part of it.
Absolutely nothing.
Vincent drew in a deep breath, the kind that suggested patience he clearly thought he needed to maintain. Then he stepped closer toward me, his movements steady and controlled, as though he was carefully choosing every step he took.
His expression did not waver. It remained calm, almost unsettlingly so, especially for someone who had just said something so outrageous.
"Maria, you need to understand that the position of Lycan Princess cannot be left empty."
The moment those words left his mouth, the seriousness in his tone only managed to irritate me further, tightening something in my chest.
