EVELYNMy father, Steven Caddel, thin and dressed in simple clothing, was followed by Jack and a man with a deep scar on his face. Father’s silver-streaked head was lowered, looking dejected and worried as he entered.Tears rolled down my cheeks at the sight of him and my breath hitched for a moment. I didn’t make a sound, but Father sensed my presence and lifted his head, his eyes widening.Every fiber of my being wanted to run over and hug him tightly, but my knees felt too weak to move.“Steven?” a voice called out and a small sound of pained shock escaped me.My mother’s voice, delicate and kind, called for Father with confusion.Mother.Father didn’t turn to answer my mother, who from the sounds of it, was still outside the door.“Evelyn,” he uttered my name in disbelief. His voice was rough but the tone was unwavering.Seconds later, I saw Mother, who appeared at the door, covering her mouth and crying. Her hazel eyes, the same shade as mine, were enormous and full of tears. In h
EVELYNThe sound of his fragile, tormented voice shattered my heart into a million pieces and for a moment, all I could do was stand there frozen.My breath caught in my throat and it took all of my being to keep tears from spilling down my face.Aiden… my poor dear Aiden… sounding so broken, as if he was giving up entirely, for reasons that I didn’t yet understand.He looked so… lost. So empty.I squatted down and gently touched his face, forcing a calm expression on mine to keep from upsetting him. “What are you talking about, Aiden? Why would you say something like that?”He remained quiet for a moment and I maintained my touch on his cheek.“Aiden we’ve been the best of friends since childhood,” I remind him. “You know that you can trust me with anything. Whatever it is… please let me in.”When he finally met my eyes, tears rolled down his pale cheeks and he placed his hand over mine.“I made a huge mistake,” he whispered, trembling slightly. “It’s all my fault.”“What’s your faul
EVELYNThe scarred man gestured ahead like a gentleman, but his manners were poor, as if he were a dog rather than a wolf.As I approached, his eyes scanned me, his gaze lingering a second too long on my chest before he grinned and whistled.When I stepped into the hall, he closed the door behind him, and I felt utterly disgusted. Still, I said nothing.I kept my distance from him and noticed that he walked with a slight limp. As much as I didn’t want to get to know him, I wondered who he was. He seemed to have a high status here, as I had seen him chatting lightly with Jack during lunch while the rest of us remained quiet. I wondered if he was a supervisor.Or perhaps he was also a... Crawford?Just like Elsa.The scarred man suddenly stopped and turned to look at me. Alarmed, I tensed and crossed my arms over my chest. My eyes studied him warily, steeling myself for the worst.The man simply grinned, as if I was full of myself or something. “You can relax. I might be a little more l
AIDENFor the first time in my entire existence, I felt utterly useless, trapped an injured like an animal, unable to do anything.As I thought of Evelyn, my jaw clenched, and the mere thought of Oakley being in her proximity… it brought me an anger I’d never felt before, an anger that I couldn’t put into words. It was as if my blood had been replaced with lava, threatening to erupt at any moment with my temper.I kept my head lowered, staring as my actual blood streamed down my pale arms. As much as it should have bothered me or made me feel sick, the truth of the matter was that I didn’t care. The pain in my shoulder was intense, but it wasn’t as strong as the pain and shame in my heart.When Oakley had pierced his shoulders with his strange, long claws and forced me to kneel, he had told me that I’d overestimated myself, that I was nothing more than a simple-minded imbecile.As angry as it had made me at the time, the truth was that Oakley was right. If I hadn’t foolishly taken thi
EVELYNI’m glad my brother didn’t force his mark on you. Otherwise, I would have to chop off his head.My breath hitched and a shudder ran through me. I had heard plenty of empty threats before, enough to know that Jack’s words weren’t a lie. He meant every single one of them and I knew whole-heartedly that if Cole had left so much as a nip on me, Jack would have followed through on his promise.When the elder Elrod brother suddenly traced his cold finger along the curve of my neck, I finally realized how dangerous it was to be with Jack alone in his room. I gulped heavily as fear ran through me.While I didn’t think he would hold me down and force me, sinking his canines into the tender skin of my throat, my heart still clenched. He was taller and stronger than me. More powerful. If he truly wanted to hurt me, he could.I wanted to recoil from his touch.I wanted to cry and run.I wanted to return to my parents as soon as possible. I didn’t want to think about anything else. But I c
JASMINETo our disappointment and annoyance, there were very few records about Sylvia, Cole’s mother, in Hescor, even in the Royal Archives.I had heard once that the late King Theodore ordered everything related to Sylvia to be burned, as if he wanted to erase her existence entirely and pretend that she had never been his romantic partner in any capacity. Her very name was forbidden in the presence of the old king.Anyone who even casually mentioned Sylvia could be punished brutally, depending on why her name was being evoked. Sometimes, if Theodore was even in just a slightly poor mood, he would snap and order the devastating torture or execution of the person who dared utter a word about her.If the strange and beautiful sapphire bracelet I found in the river belonged to Sylvia… it could explain why something so precious had been thrown into the river. It would make sense that any physical reminders of her existence would be removed from the palace and cast aside.Though I had to w
JASMINEIt took me a moment to realize it, but my sister was utterly soaked with blood, her face, identical to mine, was nearly as grim as Flynn’s.Her steely gray eyes were serious and calculated as they met mine and I rushed to her at once as my stomach twisted into knots.The metallic smell of blood blew through the quiet room. I hadn’t seen my sister in such a mess in a long time, not since those bloody fights in the arena.“What’s going on?” I asked as fear rose from my belly. I glanced around at everyone before settling on Addison. “Are you okay?”“I’m fine,” Addison assured me. “I promise, Jaz.”“Addison, you’re covered in blood,” I pointed out with a raised brow, remaining composed externally while internally, I was worried about my twin.“This isn’t the first time you’ve seen me bloody, Jasmine,” she rolled her eyes, and the moment she did, I knew that she was okay. Had she been kind, something would have been completely wrong. But no, she was her usual blunt self, which mea
EVELYNA week.There was a week for me to decide my fate.Mine and Cole’s.Or a week to find a way out of this place and save my mate, the Alpha King suspended in a deep slumber that could span for the rest of his life, ending only from his death.But how?How could I save him? How could I save us? This situation felt impossible and the overwhelming pain of it all threatened to cave my chest in.How could I do this?I had no clue. I supposed the only solution was to kill Jack Elrod, but how would I be able to do that? He was stronger, and faster, not to mention possessed powers that I still didn’t understand. He was able to freeze people, and communicate without words… what else was he capable of?Thinking of how difficult everything was, how impossible and how seemingly hopeless my existence felt, I clenched my fists and winced in frustration.Emma suddenly protested with a small yelp, pulling me back to reality.“Evelyn, you’re holding my hand too tightly,” she remarked, her big haz
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