A fierce princess. A deadly secret. A forbidden love that could destroy a kingdom.

Princess Alecia Zialni is no damsel in distress. Haunted by the brutal murder of her first love, she disguises herself as a man to hunt down his killers—breaking every rule of the court, and risking all to avenge the only person she’s ever loved.

But her dangerous double life is about to be exposed.

When she’s rescued by the brooding and battle-hardened Captain Vard Anton, Alecia is furious—and undeniably intrigued. Assigned as her new bodyguard, Vard is a man of few words, dangerous instincts… and a beast lurking beneath the surface. Literally. A shapeshifter bound by magic and duty, Vard is the last man she should want.

Yet the more they fight their attraction, the hotter it burns.

As Alecia is forced into an arranged marriage with a ruthless noble, the pull between her and Vard becomes impossible to deny. But Vard’s deadly secret could cost them both everything—even as treachery brews within the palace walls.

Can a warrior princess and a cursed protector defy fate, or will love be their downfall?