A few minutes later, I sat with Adrian at the long dining table in Caspian’s private wing. It felt strange being here again, in this part of the estate—like a ghost brushing against the edge of her former life. But Adrian seemed unfazed. He munched happily on toast while watching the cartoon Caspian
Eva:The room was cold.Everyone and everything within this house was cold. It was colder than I would want to admit. It was not what I was used to. I had lived in peace for a while and now for me to be living in such hostility and such fear was not something that I wanted to find myself growing acc
Giovanni:The board was almost set.Each piece had been placed with careful precision. The pawns moved slowly, unaware of how close they were to the edge. But it wasn’t the pawns I was concerned with now. It was time for the kings to start bleeding.And the knights…It was time for me to be playing
His jaw tightened. “What exactly do you want from me? Speak clearly. You do not need to play games on me, and I believe that you know for a fact that you do not need to pretend something does exist when it does not.”I smiled.“You’ve been watching, haven’t you?” I said. “Waiting. Calculating. Alway
Elias:The silence in my room felt suffocating. Not quiet. Not peaceful. Suffocating.I was now a guest at the Giovanni estate. I knew that I could not just leave in sunlight if anyone saw me, and I knew that others would be spying around, would be looking to find me. I knew better than to give t
She stepped in slowly, cautious, like someone approaching a wild animal. I didn't speak. I didn’t move. She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked down at her feet for a moment before she shook her head as she allowed herself to voice out whatever it was that she was here to say.“You met him
Valerie:The fire crackled softly in the hearth, the only sound accompanying the quiet tension that sat between us like a third presence. I sat in one of the leather chairs across from Caspian’s desk, arms folded, eyes fixed on the papers sprawled in front of him. His jaw was set in that way it alwa
Elias:Eva's words kept playing in my head as I got out of my car.I have been ignoring my phone, my mother has been calling my mate even, but I did not want to respond to them right now. I had a lot more important things to be taken care of. And I knew that eventually they would understand what I w
Caspian:One Year LaterThe breeze was warmer today.Softer.Gentler in a way I hadn’t felt in years.More peaceful and more contenting, More calm and even happier.I stood at the edge of the gardens, the same gardens where so much had been taken from us, and so much had been given back, watching Ad
Valerie:The sun was rising over the horizon, golden streaks splitting the sky wide open, like a promise finally fulfilled.I stood at the highest point of the estate grounds, the wind tugging at my hair, the scent of fresh earth and morning dew wrapping around me like a cloak.It was over.Giovanni
“Impressive,” Giovanni called, his voice carrying easily across the clearing. His smile was cold, razor sharp. “I knew there was more to you, Valerie. I knew it from the second I laid eyes on you. I did say that I had more respect to you than I had for others, but it seems to me that I did not expec
Valerie:The boy's cries ripped through me like claws.My heart raced with each passing moment and I did my best not to harm that child. I did my best not to dirty my hands with his blood, to save him out of this, to get him out of this before the man played the game that I was not willing to handle
Caspian:The air was too still.It was the kind of stillness that came after the fight, when the blood had dried and the bodies were cleared, but before the real danger revealed itself.I didn’t like it. Not one damn bit.Because I knew that stillness was one that only told me that more danger was
Valerie:The earth still smelled of blood.I smelled of blood. People's blood the blood of our enemies the people who had dared invade our territory.The ground beneath our feet was turned upside down. We were going to need to fix that later, but I knew that the vines that worked their way from the
Caspian:The moment my boots hit the dirt at the border, I knew it was going to be a bloodbath.The trees were alive with tension, the air so thick with rage and power it was almost suffocating. All around me, my men stood ready, rows of wolves shifted into their full forms, low growls vibrating th
Valerie:The sound of war drums echoed faintly in the distance.I stood on the balcony of Caspian’s estate, the crisp night air sharp against my skin. Below, the pack was preparing, shadows moving with purpose, weapons flashing under the moonlight, wolves shifting and howling into the night. It wa
Caspian:The great hall buzzed with low conversation, tension coiling in every corner like a living thing. They were all here, my warriors, my council, the elders, even some of the civilians who had asked to stay and fight if it came to it.Ryan was right when he said that the bastard had more enem