After a night of pheromone-fueled bonding and emotional chaos, Matt returns to his desk—and himself. As L’Tani grapples with guilt and Angelina presses for answers, Matt reframes the moment as something beautiful and instructive. Sandwiches help.
As Matt recovers from his chemically induced collapse, Angelina, T’mari, and the inner circle begin reshaping his world—his bedroom, his political alliances, and his future.
L’tani’s triumph turns instantly to panic when Matt doesn’t wake. As old loyalties clash with new biology, Angelina must decide whether to protect him, punish L’tani, or prepare for the fallout of a moment neither of them fully understood.
Oxana Durneva didn’t run from her past—she outgrew it. Born seventh in a family of thirteen, she stitched her own life from threadbare beginnings to frontline citizenship. Tailor, medic, citizen—she carries quiet precision in both her hands and her heart.
Late on June 3, 2440, in the quiet of the Marmaduke farmhouse, Angelina and Lola Rhea confront long-buried truths about Matt, grief, and unspoken love. Over cold coffee and fading memories, they name the wounds no one else will—and the silent ache Matt still carries beneath his public strength.
Julia welcomes her former sorority sisters to the Marmaduke Freehold—and immediately regrets it. As influencer energy collides with post-collapse pragmatism, Angelina lays down the law, Priya quietly observes, and the house begins testing everyone. Some came to study a culture. They didn’t realize they were stepping into one.
General Leonard arrives at the Freehold, greeted with warmth, history, and a candid briefing on V’ren command, upcoming events, and quiet political strategy.
In a rare private audience, High Lord Matt Marmaduke counsels T’monn and L’tani on trust, alliances, and the power of perception in their new world.
When a local shopkeeper brushes off one of Matt’s staff, Robert delivers a reminder—politely, but with consequences attached.
In the quiet of Matt’s kitchen, T’mari meets Angelina Reyes—part friend, part gatekeeper, and wholly in charge. Over coffee and conversation, belonging begins not with permission, but with an open seat and a shared meal.