Dark shame, undone by the scent of her heat. No tail, no pride, no honor. Finally Hesam is about to prove to himself and everyone else that he deserves a place of prestige in the royal guard. But the dark, hungry part of him wants something more. Beautiful vivacious singer Rosa is too tempting to resist. He longs to taste her. Mark her. Stake his claim. But as a royal guard, he's forbidden to take a mate. And who would want him with his stunted tail? Worst of all, when her heat sends him into a rut, he needs things from this little human he should never want. Can he hold back? What if she discovers his dark side?