EVELYNMuch to my dismay and agitation, Elsa didn’t come to see me the next day, or the day after that.The only person I encountered in this strange place was Crystal, the veiled girl who brought me food for every meal. She was quiet but attentive, insisting that I needed sustenance while I was chained to the bed. I supposed it was sort of kind, but my wild temper made it hard for me to appreciate kindness while being held hostage here against my will.Each time she arrived in the room, I used different approaches of wit to try and convince Crystal to uncuff my other hand so she could walk around, promising that I wouldn’t escape, but it was of no use. She was unwilling to budge, offering only to feed me and make sure I was drinking water.Crystal didn’t seem vexed by my flaring ill temper at all. She simply accepted it, unflinching. I was a bit like a feral animal, a trapped one.Eventually, I felt guilty when I spilled soup or porridge on Crystal’s clothes, forcing her to repeat he
EVELYNA price. Was that what Cole meant when he said Jack had sold himself? Priced himself?My mind fell to him at once, his dark eyes and contrasting golden hair haunting me with every passing second. As I thought of Cole so endearingly, I couldn’t help but feel the pain.We had been separated and the idea of him being hurt by Jack and hidden away in some capacity by House Fox filled me with an almost insurmountable grief. Not knowing where he was, and what state he was presently in… it made my heart feel as if it was shattering into a million pieces at once. It was hard to know that he was alone and incapacitated.Still, I recentered with deep, disciplined breaths, my shoulders rolling back and releasing. Despite the amount of control it required, I managed not to dwell on sorrow and fear.Cole was still alive, and all I needed to do was find out Jack’s plot and get out of here.I was determined to fight back.Determined to return to Cole.In my current state, I didn’t want to thi
EVELYNCrystal sputtered at the sudden action, her breathing growing sparse while her chest heaved. I applied enough pressure to be uncomfortable but not enough to truly injure her. At most, my hold would enact some bruising or otherwise.“I don’t know what to do,” the young girl whispered, and she avoided making contact with my eyes.“You know what to do,” I countered calmly, hand applying a bit more pressure as I stared past the veil into her terrified eyes. “Or at least you better. If not, you’re going to die. I promise it.”I wasn’t the kind of person to make such demands and inflict pain. For the past year, I’d lived as meek Evelyn Caddel, a maid in the royal palace known for sharing the same bed as the Alpha King.But as I gazed at Crystal, my hand wrapped around her throat, my eyes narrowed and focused, I realized I wasn’t Evelyn. I was Eva. I was ruthless, brave, and powerful, and I wouldn’t accept any of Crystal’s vague statements.Just as I pondered my next move and the next
EVELYNPanic flooded through me and I wanted to run away but I found my body unable to move. My head swam with dizziness as my heart pounded in my chest.I wondered if I was on the verge of passing out. I tried to concentrate on staying awake, my claws sinking further into my thigh. The effort was painful, but I needed to be coherent enough to understand what was going on.The strange man’s thumb pressed against my lower lip, prying my mouth open. I felt the edge of a bowl against my lip. Before I could think straight, cold liquid poured into my mouth. I felt horror, but I was unable to make a sound or movement.What was he giving me? Was I being drugged yet again?Or worse…My stomach revolted at once and I was on the verge of throwing up when I tasted the bitterness of the potion. It twisted into knots and my mouth flooded with saliva. I nearly retched all over myself from sheer disgust, but I managed to hold it in, knowing that it would only make this terrible and dangerous situati
EVELYNElsa didn’t answer me at first. Her brown eyes fell to the ground, and she seemed a million miles away, as if lost in memory.“Since you’re not unconscious and you’re actively able to speak to me, you must have heard my real name. Is that what you’re asking about?”I nodded.Elsa paused and after a deep breath, she turned to face me, her expression grave but almost concerned as her eyes trailed over me.“My last name is Crawford,” she confirmed. “My father was one of the nephews of the former Lord Crawford.”Before she continued, she lit a lamplight, and when it lit up, I could see that her pretty face appeared paler than usual.“I shared the same happy life as you once had,” she mentioned. “Wealthy and carefree. Back then I had been so stupid and naive. I had thought my happiness would last forever… until that day came.”Then she fell into silence, her shoulders sinking as she hung her head a little.I fought the urge to throw my arms around my former friend. While it was true
JASMINEAs the sun bore down on my face, I yawned in the royal palace’s expansive garden. My eye struggled a little in the impressively bright light and I winced before blocking the sun out with my hand.My wound had healed quickly with the help of the royal healer, and now that it was better, I was allowed to stroll in the garden to get some fresh air. It was a relief after lying in bed for two days, and after taking a bath, I felt better than I had.Still, I didn’t particularly enjoy strolling in the garden, especially on a chilly morning like this, and I was dressed too thinly for the weather. The cold breeze brushed against my bare shoulders, making me shiver despite the brutal sun. But there was a reason I walked there every so often, a reason I would never admit to anyone in the world: I wanted to meet Flynn.The loyal Beta Flynn had only stayed in my room for less than a day because he was too busy. As soon as he deemed me healed and out of immediate danger, he left for other b
JASMINE“Would you take a walk with me along the river?” Flynn asked softly, offering me a soft but casual expression.I paused but only for a moment before I nodded in response. “Sure. I would love to.”It wasn’t a lie. I had never found the royal palace and the garden so pleasant to stay in. There was so much drama, so much tension within the palace walls, given the Luna Selection and the overbearing eyes of the Alpha King’s stepmother.Anastasia had made the palace feel unsafe and unwelcoming. Had I not been expected to stay here and complete the competition at my sister Addison’s urging, I would have dropped out of the Selection entirely, leaving all of this pageantry and weirdness aside.But something was keeping me here, other than the research about Jack Elrod’s mysterious return, magic, and everything else.I wasn’t ready to admit it, but I couldn’t deny my attraction to Flynn. His coat had a soothing scent, almost herby. It was nice to smell, and I tried not to make my sniffs
JASMINEFlynn looked visibly relieved when I opened my eyes. His gaze softened and his sharp jaw unclenched.“Jasmine,” he sighed. I didn’t know if he could tell I’d allowed him to save me, but to my surprise, the Beta merely pulled me up off the grass and hugged me tightly.His scent enveloped me.“Are you alright?” he asked as he pulled me away, his eyes falling to my side. “How is your wound? Was it ripped open again? Do I need to find a healer? Or get you-”“I’m alright,” I assured him softly, an appreciative and sympathetic smile on my lips as I gazed up at him. My heart raced in my chest and for a moment, everything else faded away. It was only us, locked in this moment together and I didn’t know if there was anywhere else I would have rather been.Flynn Hart was a kind man, kinder than I’d ever thought possible.“Why did you suddenly dive under the water?” he asked me with furrowed brows, his tone laced with concern. “That was really dangerous. The water could have pulled you u