EVELYNI would never forget that day—the day of my trial, when my life fell apart. The man I loved sat on the throne, declaring my doom. Pain shot through me like lightning as I was forced to kneel, bowing my head before him. His familiar dark eyes stared into my soul with contempt and hatred.Tears welled up in my eyes.“Evelyn Caddel, as the Alpha King of Hescor, I hereby pronounce you and your family guilty of treason. Your noble titles shall be revoked, your lands confiscated, and your honor erased. You shall endure the harshest punishments under the law of Hescor.”Then, he reached out, cupping my chin, and lowered his voice into a chilling whisper. “I told you—you’d regret choosing the wrong man, Evelyn.”***"It's a lovely day," Elsa said, spreading her arms out and facing the sun streaming in through the window. "A shame we have to spend in the palace."I laughed at that, pulling the cart down the hallway."There are worse things.""Like what?"Humiliation. Hopelessness. Tortur
EVELYNNo one in the entire courtyard dared speak on the subject, but no one could ever forget Jack or the fierce, brutal struggle between the two princes.The violence, heartbreak, and bloodshed.No one wanted to relive it.After a long, tense silence, Anastasia finally spoke.“You must be exhausted. I’ve prepared a welcoming banquet for you this evening. Perhaps you should get some rest after your long journey.”The Alpha King did not respond, but I saw his boots move forward as he presumably walked toward the palace.As his footsteps grew distant, I raised my eyes.He continued up the steps of the marble staircase leading to the palace. As he ascended, he waved a hand and called Mr. Barrett over. The head servant moved swiftly, and after a quiet exchange, Cole turned toward us, his gaze meeting mine.My heart raced.Mr. Barrett glanced at me as well and then nodded.Cole tensed his jaw, then walked into the palace, followed by the Beta and the King’s Guard. After they disappeared th
EVELYNI stopped. I knew I should have simply walked out the room. Normally, I tolerated remarks like that without pause, but today… I just couldn’t accept it. Agitation flooded through me.I walked straight toward Melanie, and her rosy cheeks went pale as she gulped in surprise. Panic painted her expression as I stopped in front of her and stared into her eyes coldly.“What—what are you—” she began to say, but I cut her off before she could finish her statement.“Mr. Barrett is outside of this room,” I said harshly. “What do you think he would do if he heard you all gossiping about the King and his private affairs? Do you think he would be pleased to hear your insults?”All around me, the others stiffened at once.As Melanie’s lower lip quivered, I leaned in closer and spoke just low enough for her to hear.“You should mind your tongue if you don’t want to lose it,” I threatened.The maid grew even paler, surprised by my growl. Her eyes glanced at the door, as if checking to see if Mr
EVELYNMy heart flinched when Aiden called me “Eve”, my old nickname. My expression softened for a brief second and I nearly gave in to a smile.But I couldn’t allow him to speak to me like that, especially not here in the Alpha King’s domain. It was too risky, too familiar.Even if I wanted to be, I wasn’t that girl anymore.“I’m a maid of the royal palace,” I reminded him, carefully slipping from his gaze as I spoke. “And it’s only proper for a maid to greet the King’s Guard with respect.”Aiden’s brow furrowed.“You shouldn’t call me by a nickname.” I glanced around. “Especially not here. Speaking to a lowly maid like that would threaten and demean your reputation, Sir.”He ran a hand through his thick copper hair and then uttered a small sigh. “I don’t care about my reputation.”I wasn’t sure if his words were true. I straightened my posture and made my expression as neutral as possible.“I must leave,” I managed. “The King isn’t fond of waiting in his chamber alone. It was a pleas
I have no idea how long he had been here. I quickly pulled away from Aiden and bowed to the Alpha King. “Your Majesty.”Beside me, Aiden straightened, stamped his chest, and bowed his head as well.Cole’s dark eyes flickered between us before he stepped closer. A shiver ran through me, and for a moment, I felt like prey cornered by a dangerous predator.“Did you not hear my question?” he asked, his deep voice colder than before.I kept my head lowered and conjured an answer. “I accidentally tripped and nearly fell over. Sir Moran helped steady me before I could collapse.”He studied me before he spoke. “Where is Mr. Barrett? Didn’t I instruct him to escort you to my chamber?”“Mr. Barrett had an emergency to handle, Your Majesty. I told him I could manage on my own. It isn’t his fault.”Cole snorted and rolled his eyes. “It seems you weren’t, in fact, able to manage yourself.”Without another word, he took my arm and pulled me toward him, then led me toward his chamber.I struggled to
EVELYNAs much as I wanted to remove these memories out of my mind, I could recall them vividly, every detail clear.Not long after Cole and I discovered the mate bond between us, King Theodore died in the forest, attacked by two bears while hunting alone. The bears tore the great King to pieces. Then, the day after the sorrowful funeral, my father told me that he would betroth me to the crown prince, Jack Elrod, who would soon assume the throne.I never understood why. Father wasn’t someone who craved power, but he insisted that I should marry the soon-to-be King to show our loyalty. Even the fact that Cole and I were fated mates didn’t change his mind. On the contrary, after he learned of it, he decided that I should never meet Cole again before the engagement party.I protested. I cried, kicked, and refused to eat, like I had always done when things were going against my will. It didn’t work that time. I was grounded.But I still held hope. Maybe I shouldn’t have, so the rest of wh
EVELYNThe King left the chamber for his study, and I was free from the ordeal.Instead of going to the kitchen as requested, I went straight to my bedroom, moving quickly to avoid alerting Mrs. Porter. If the head maid discovered I was planning to hide in my room rather than move on to my next task, I would be dead meat.As I approached my bedroom, I noticed a figure lingering in the corridor. It was Elsa. The young maid stared at the floor, looking dejected.I stopped and considered my next move for a moment, unsure of what to do.After the encounter in the maid’s quarters, I had no idea why she was here. Our budding friendship was likely over. Like every friend I had tried to make in the palace, Elsa probably loathed me now.Elsa heard my footsteps and looked up, her expression unreadable as she met my gaze. Once I stood before her, her soft pink lips drew into a thin line.“We need to talk, Evelyn,” she said bluntly.Against my better judgment, I decided to let her into my room.I
EVELYNThe welcome banquet was very large, far grander than I could have imagined.The hall was filled to the brim with the Alpha King’s honored guests. As my eyes swept over the room, I struggled to count the number of attendees. I guessed this affair was as big as the banquet when Cole Elrod was crowned King, though I hadn’t been present for that event.The last banquet I’d attended was my engagement party, which Cole had ruined completely.All around me, trays were being passed around the room. The banquet had not yet formally begun. Guests were being served hors d’oeuvres and refreshments until the Alpha King’s arrival. Cole seemed to be taking his time, so everyone waited patiently.While I carried a tray filled with glasses of wine past the main banquet table, I noticed a few special guests: Lord Marcel Fox and his two daughters, Skyla and Ophelia.They were seated next to Mistress Anastasia. The two young women chatted eagerly with the Dowager Queen, who responded with a smile.
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