JASMINEIt was even risker to bring up the King’s older brother, and I was surprised that these gardeners felt so emboldened.A mere mention of the so-called Usurper was enough to land one in the dungeon and be accused of treason.They needed to be careful.“I heard so,” the girl said, her voice trembling slightly. “They said he was stabbed by his uncle’s silver sword and then was engulfed in flames.”“Why would his uncle do that?” the young man asked, his voice half skeptical and half fearful. “That sounds so… violent. Especially against a family member.“Well, one never knows why,” the old man sighed. “Lord Frank always seemed to be the cruel, strange one in his family. He was never close to his nephew. Maybe he values power more than family.”There was another tense pause and then he spoke again.“We should get to work before the guards come over,” he suggested.“Speaking of which, do you know that Lord Frank hated the fact that his sister married the King?” the woman suddenly said,
JASMINEThe corridor was empty as usual, except for a few guards. As I approached, holding the tray I had taken from the knocked-out maid, the guards barely glanced at me before allowing me to pass. I’d blended in so well that I just appeared to be another palace staff member rather than a competitor of the Luna Selection.I went directly to Anna’s room. I took a short breath and then extended my claws after I knocked on the door.“Come in,” Anna’s voice called from within.I braced myself for whatever was about to happen but didn’t flinch. I pulled open the door and upon entering the brightly-lit chamber, I found Anna alone, sitting on her bed with her head resting against the headboard. Anna looked paler than usual, her eyes closed. Even her thin, mousey brown hair was limp and dull.She didn’t seem to notice it was me at first. As I placed the tray on her bedside table, Anna dismissed me.“You may leave now,” she remarked curtly.But I didn’t leave. Instead, I locked the door behi
JASMINEI froze, but only for the briefest of instances as I absorbed her words.Cousin Jack.It could be no one but the infamous Jack Elrod.My speculation had been confirmed, though I had no idea how he had survived. All in Hescor knew that the War of Princes had ended in death and bloodshed. How had Jack Elrod made it out alive? And why had he suddenly decided to appear and cause all this chaos? It had been a year since his supposed death.Why not stay hidden and far away from this palace?Far from the eyes of Cole Elrod?Anna’s face whitened as she realized she had slipped up. Her eyes grew watery and her frail frame shook.“No, no...I said it wrong,” she stammered, desperately trying to deny it. “I didn’t give him away.”I raised my eyebrow as I studied her closely. She was obviously lying but there was something about her despair that made my heart feel strange.“I didn’t,” she murmured, fear and desperation flooding her features.I felt a sudden pang of sympathy for Anna Crawfo
JASMINEIf the guards and poor Anna Crawford were any indication, the man would surely slam me against the floor and crush my head. He had done it to the guards so easily, and I wasn’t foolish enough to think my skull was any tougher than theirs had been. I knew that there was a strong chance that I was about to die.Regret crashed over me as I pictured my twin sister’s face. The face that was identical to mine. I wouldn’t get to say goodbye, wouldn’t get to tell her that I loved her one last time. I wouldn’t get the chance to tell her how proud I was of her for ruling House Madden so justly compared to our ancestors. She was the greatest leader our House had ever had and I was so happy that she was the one to preside over it.I wished that I had stopped to see her first. Now I wouldn’t have the chance to tell her or the King about the Crawfords.As my lungs screamed, I braced for more pain.I squeezed my eye shut and waited for the sound of my skull scracking. But that moment didn't
EVELYNAs I stared back at the returned Jack Elrod, I felt a pang in my heart and my lower lip trembled. Half of his face was hidden under the mask, but he appeared calm and confident nonetheless.His pearl-white smile sent a shiver down my spine and as hard as I tried to imagine the old face of my former fiance… I couldn’t. There was a sharpness to his canines that scared me, like his fangs hadn’t fully retracted after changing back into his human form. His smile had never been like this before, not when we knew each other.And then there was the matter of his offer…Of course, I wanted to reunite with my family. I wanted to hug my parents and sister again, tell them how much I’d missed them over the past year. Little Emma was probably so big now. I wanted to make up for the time lost more than anything.But I didn’t trust Jack, not even a little bit. An offer to reunite me with the rest of the Caddels surely was enticing but I had to resist.“No,” I heard Cole hiss behind me. I didn’
EVELYNJack laughed, a cold hollow sound. It was cruel, terrible, and if I was capable of flinching, I would have done so. To my horror and fear, I was, still not yet released from this frozen, muted state my former fiance had left me in.Who is this man? I wondered. Who really is this man I used to know? Where is the Jack who was so kind to me, so kind to everyone? It almost feels like another person wearing Jack’s skin, pretending to be him.Cole’s older brother approached him slowly."Very interesting, Cole,” Jack assessed with a cold gaze. “You never seem to learn," I noticed Cole’s wolf form starting to shrink into itself—his excessive blood loss preventing him from maintaining it. I knew he would soon return to his normal form and I ached knowing the weakness in his body would keep him from protecting himself from any potential attacks.I braced myself as my heart pounded in my chest and my stomach twisted as if there were a knife buried deeply in it. It pained me to be so paraly
EVELYNCole’s words echoed in the tense air.I don’t know where you learned it. But it seems you’ve somehow mastered dark magic.It was a terrifying thought but as I remained pinned against the brick wall, unable to speak, I knew Cole was right. This was more than mere wolf strength and progress. No, this was something else entirely, something wicked, twisted, and illegal in this land. Magic in Ozora was long since outlawed.How did Jack manage to learn such dark arts?And how long had this power been present within him? During the War of Princes? Just after?A million questions ran through me as I tried to understand what was happening. I tried to growl but I was still mute, unable to utter a single word or sound. It was pure agony. I could feel the sensation of forming words and yet I couldn’t utter a single noise. My throat hurt from the effort and the sensation of my wrists caught somehow against the brick wall only made it so much worse.Knowing I was powerless, I fixed my gaze a
JASMINEFlynn wiped his face and let out a heavy sigh, while Leila watched me intently, as if seeking support for her wild theory. I had been following her words closely, but her last theory didn’t sit well with me.Magic... that was beyond imagination.I grimaced at the very idea and then spoke. "That’s a bold speculation, Leila, one I’m not sure about.”"Ah, you don’t believe me," Leila huffed, her golden brown eyes narrowing in irritation.. "What about the mind-linking, Jasmine? You saw it yourself-""But that’s because of the potion the coachman said they took," I replied patiently, though I was anything but."Exactly!" Flynn’s sister said, staring at me intently. "Magic doesn’t just come out of thin air. People without a magical lineage need substrates to perform sorcery. That’s how magic sometimes works. Or can you offer another explanation?"She glanced between me and Flynn, a dark, arched eyebrow raised as if to challenge the Beta and I. Flynn absently ran a hand through his th
EVELYN“Madam, please show your pass,” the guard said. His tone was clipped as he stepped into our path. His dark eyes studied us, sharp and unyielding. Beneath his professionalism, there was a flicker of annoyance and impatience, but it was clear he was just doing his job.Still, my heart quickened.I held Sylvia’s arm and lifted my veil, letting the sheer fabric slide back with a deliberate grace. I smiled softly as my gaze met the guard’s, my expression carefully crafted to appear harmless and innocent, even vulnerable – and, in a way, appealing, as Sylvia had suggested. She said that males were predicable, especially the male wolves, and that a well-timed smile by a beautiful lady could work wonders in situations like this, though I doubted it.But I still did.I’d do anything she said.Anything to get into the House of Fox and help Cole.While I played the role of a tender lady, Sylvia took a different strategy. She exhaled sharply as her features twisted into an irritated frown.
Marcel nodded dutifully, though part of him wanted to widen his eyes and shake his head.Two days. Two days until the King of Tiryn arrived. Everything was progressing so quickly, and it seemed that he was struggling to keep up. Between managing his household, his men, and his troublesome daughter… he was overwhelmed. His mind was on the verge of breaking, but he dared not to show it, not to Jack Elrod. No, he had to keep a level head if he was to succeed.“I’ll do my best,” he promised. “I’ve ordered the guards to search the entire city. I believe the girl won’t have anywhere to hide. They’ll surely catch her before dawn. Beside…” Marcel lowered his voice so only the two of them could hear. “The troops are all ready, Your Highness.”Jack nodded, his dark eyes studying Marcel with an intensity that made him uneasy. After a long pause, Jack tilted his head, narrowing his eyes slightly. “You’re holding something back, Lord Fox. What is it?”Marcel hesitated, but only for a moment. There
SKYLA“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” Marcel Fox growled at his daughter, his eyes flashing with anger as he slammed a cup against the wall. The fine porcelain shattered into pieces, and the sound filled the room.Skyla lowered her head and pouted. She didn’t understand why her father was so angry, but she chose not to argue. Nothing good would come of retort to her father’s scolding. Historically, when this had happened in the past, Skyla always emerged from the situation without her dignity intact.“Look at yourself, Skyla,” he snarled, his hands gesturing at her as his lip curled back in disgust. “You’re dressed like a whore. What kind of King would like a whore?”Skyla winced at the comment, her cheeks heating in embarrassment at the insult. Still, she remained silent.“How many times have I told you to behave properly?” Marcel continued, his nostrils flaring. “Have you ever given a fuck about what I’ve said at all? I told you not to act on your own. Not only is it dangerous,
SKYLACole frowned, a crease forming between his lips as he stared at Skyla in confusion.“Evelyn?” he repeated, his dark gold brows furrowing further. “What does this have to do with her? She… she was sent to Windsburn Island long ago. Why bring her up now?”Skyla’s eyes widened.What was Cole talking about? Evelyn being sent to Windsburn?She was confused because Cole didn’t seem to be joking or trying to change the subject. It seemed as if his memory had been fragmented -just like when Cole woke up and believed she had been diligently taking care of him during his illness, while she had done nothing of the sort.Was that why her father had warned her never to bring up the past in front of Cole?Panic flooded Skyla. She realized she had just made a critical mistake. She wished she could take back the words she’d let slip.Skyla pressed her lips tightly together as she watched Cole’s reaction.Cole brought his hand up, rubbing at his temples as if trying to ward off an oncoming heada
SKYLASkyla Fox and Melanie quietly walked through the corridors before they arrived at the King’s room.Stationed outside of the room was Max, the diligent guard, standing proudly in his post, ready to prevent any unauthorized entry. None had bothered yet this evening, so when he noticed Skyla and her maid, he frowned. A strong instinct in his gut urged him to keep them away – he was certain they were up to no good.As they approached, he raised a hand and stopped them. The ladies appeared irritated by the interruption.“The King is very tired,” Max said firmly, his tone carrying an authoritative edge. “What are you here for, Lady Skyla?”Melanie spoke up, shooting him an annoyed expression. Her blue eyes flashed as she scolded him, her jaw clenched. “What an idiot you are! It’s their engagement night! What could the lady possibly want? Don’t be a fool. Just open the door and let her in!”Max’s cheeks flushed as he realized the meaning behind her words. He glanced at Skyla, who wore
MELANIEThe House of Fox had never been as glamorous and cheerful as it had been tonight.The party celebrating the engagement between the Alpha King and Lady Skyla lasted late into the night, and as the moon rose high in the sky, the guests reluctantly began to leave, satisfied with the countless glasses they had drunk and the many dances they had shared.In the privacy of her bedchamber, Skyla rubbed fragrant lotion into her shin, massaging the sore muscle while her maid Melanie removed her corset.“It was so tiring to dance with so many gentlemen tonight,” she complained with a small sigh. “It felt as though the line of them would never end.”Melanie, ever the dutiful maid, fawned over her as always.“You were stunning this evening, Lady Skyla,” she complimented. “All the men were so captivated by your beauty and grace.”Skyla raised her chin, a chuckled escaping her lips. “They were, weren’t they? Not that it matters, of course. It’s a pity I didn’t get to dance more with Cole. I
OAKLEYSilence hung in the air as Oakley and Elsa stared back at Frank Crawford.Kill them both. Had they heard him correctly? He’d been so casual, so unbothered when he’d uttered the sentence that it was almost laughable.Oakley spoke first, his eyes regarding the older man with caution. “What?”Frank glared at Oakley. “You heard me. Kill them both. It seems you need to work on your hearing, lad, and your composure. I can see that look on your face, and I’m not too pleased by it.”“Do we need to consult with Master before we execute the prisoners?” Oakley asked.Frank lifted a brow. The older man found it downright unpleasant that Oakley, of all people, seemed to object to his decision. Normally, this young man was more than obedient – sometimes even easier to manipulate than Elsa. Yet today, he dared to question him. Frank found this defiance deeply irksome. He fought the urge to grimace; he refused to give Oakley the satisfaction. To Frank, this low-born man was far too insignific
ADDISONOakley walked over, an eyebrow raised as he squatted down to examine Addison. His eyes trailed over her with an air of detached assessment before his lips curled into an amused smirk.“This poor lady is going to die if you don’t remove your claws,” he remarked, glancing at Elsa.Elsa shot him a glare. “This isn’t any of your business, Oakley. Back up and stay the fuck away.”“I can’t,” Oakley said with mock regret. “The lady’s an important hostage to Mr. Crawford. If she dies, we’d both be in trouble.”Elsa rolled her eyes and scoffed. “She’s not important at all. Frank just keeps her for fun. You know it better than I do.”She turned back to Addison, but before she could make another move, Oakley grabbed her wrist. His grip was iron-strong, startlingly so for someone with a limping gait and a body marred by scars.Addison’s eyes widened as she felt the power in his hand—a strength that seemed unnatural for a man with his appearance.Elsa, too, was acutely aware of his hold. S
ADDISONThe blade of the sharp dagger gleamed under the moonlight streaming through the half window above Addison. Elsa’s teeth were gritted, and gone was the doe-eyed, innocent-looking girl who had once worked as a maid in the palace.In her place stood the face of a fierce fighter and killer.“You should die,” Elsa spat out with hatred, her brown eyes flashing with the utterance. “Every Madden deserves to die for what they’ve done.”Addison didn’t move – not out of fear but out of survival. She looked at Elsa while her hand cautiously searched behind her, trying to find anything that might be useful.Unfortunately, there was nothing to be found. The silver-lined cell was bare. All that lay behind her was sand.There was nothing in the silver-lined cell that would help her escape, not a single little thing. All that was behind her was sand. She supposed she could use her claws, but she needed to bide her time—any wrong move, and Elsa could slit her throat in an instant.It could all