Marianna never thought her life would be traded for a contract. Forced to marry a man she has never met to repay her family’s crushing debt, she prepares herself for a loveless, miserable life. But nothing could have prepared her for Jacob Arlington—the elusive, powerful heir every woman in society dreams of. Handsome, composed, and utterly unreadable, Jacob gives her everything she expected in a husband except affection.

Beneath his flawless charm lies something darker. A secret that makes him keep everyone at a distance. Strange noises echo through his mansion at night, and Marianna catches glimpses of eyes gleaming in the dark, of claw marks where none should be. Her curiosity turns to fear, then to compassion, as she begins to unravel the truth—Jacob is not entirely human.

Yet even when the beast within him threatens to destroy everything, Marianna finds herself drawn closer. Their bond deepens in the quiet moments between storms, where touch replaces words and danger feels like destiny.

Can Marianna learn to love the man and the monster? Or will Jacob’s secret consume them both before love has a chance to tame the beast?