EVELYN"Come on, Elsa," I encouraged my friend.We were hurrying toward one of the larger halls in the palace, and Elsa was lagging behind. She caught up without question, and together we hustled to where Mrs. Porter had ordered us to go. It was an important day.Today, the candidates for the Luna Selection would be choosing their personal maids.The past week had been grueling. Although we had never met the ladies in person, our workload had increased due to their demands. They had high standards for accommodations, some requiring blankets of a specific texture while others requested special foods be prepared exclusively for them.We were all exhausted. Many of us many had dark circles beneath their eyes for lacking sleep. Unfortunately, our workload was only going to increase further.Today, the maids and servants the ladies brought from their houses would be dismissed, and they would select a personal maid from the royal palace staff. According to Mr. Barrett and Mrs. Porter, our p
EVELYNThe tension in the room could be sliced by a blade. I stiffened, ready for her to reveal my surname and bring shame upon me in front of all of the maids.To my surprise, a smile formed on Leila’s lovely face.“I choose this one,” she said.Mrs. Porter’s cold eyes widened slightly in shock. She hesitated, and after glancing in my direction, the older woman cleared her throat.“My Lady, perhaps this choice would not be the best,” she advised politely but insistently. “There are other maids who might satisfy your needs much better than her. She is new to palace life and you might require someone more seasoned-”Despite the head maid’s comments, Leila remained smiling, but her tone changed. “Areto challenging my decision, Mrs. Porter?”There was a quiet ferocity in her voice and a shiver ran through me. She was more strong-willed than I’d anticipated. Mrs. Porter’s face paled. “No, My Lady. My apologies for questioning you. My intentions-”“Very well then,” Leila interrupted her,
EVELYNLeila’s sharp words left me completely and utterly speechless.The “fool” she bitterly referred to was unmistakably the King, and I was shocked to hear a competitor in the Luna Selection speak so boldly about Cole. Anger seethed so strongly from her words that I couldn’t find the right response. I didn’t wish to annoy her further, but if someone were to overhear her, things would become dangerous.For both her and me.After a long moment of silence, I spoke up softly, warning her against speaking so freely. “Lady Leila, you shouldn’t refer to His Majesty in such a manner while in the palace.”She shrugged, seeming unconcerned. I was both impressed and terrified by her nonchalance. All were fearful of the Elrod family, but Leila didn’t seem scared or particularly worried about being overheard.Perhaps it was because Cole owed the Hart family a great deal.From what I knew and had learned over the years, Cole had been frail and sickly when he was young. His constant illnesses and
EVELYNLater that night, all the ladies and their maids were invited to a party in the ballroom which would mark the official start of the Luna Selection.It was their first time meeting the Alpha King, and it was impressed upon all by Anastasia Elrod and Mrs. Porter that first impressions always mattered.The ladies were to put all their efforts into looking as attractive and captivating as possible, making it a competition even among the maids. Each of us was instructed to dress and assist the ladies with their hair and makeup.Our candidate needed to win the King’s affection and interest straight away, so we had to do everything possible to help them succeed.Though I had been forced into wearing ugly maid’s uniforms and plain dresses over the past year, I felt I had a certain advantage over the other maids. Back when I was a high-born woman, I loved putting myself together. I was skilled at styling beautiful clothes and when I had access to the proper tools and supplies. However,
EVELYNThe Alpha King entered the room, and for a moment, I was just as in awe of him as everyone else. He looked devastatingly handsome tonight.His golden hair had been perfectly brushed, and his dark eyes didn't seem as predatory as usual. His tall, muscular form was clad in a black shirt and matching pants. His usual gold cloak hung off one shoulder, but it looked freshly pressed. A gold pin with his family's insignia gleamed on the other side of his chest.Leila's brother strode in behind the King and gave her a small nod as he walked past.I tensed as Cole glanced around the room. It had been a week since I'd last seen him in my chambers, and it seemed he had lost interest in me. I hadn’t been summoned to his chambers since, but I couldn't let my guard down.The King frown slightly as he scanned the room. He appeared discontent, as if he were attending a particularly difficult meeting rather than a party to meet his future Luna.As he approached the group of ladies, I lowered my
EVELYNAs the soup was served, Georgina looked the most excited. She whispered sweetly to the King before beginning to drink the soup voraciously.Evelyn noticed a difference in the food being served.While most guests were served seafood soup, Leila received a different type.I frowned at it, wondering if it was a mistake, but Leila accepted the bowl.“I’m allergic to seafood,” she explained politely. “I informed the kitchen in advance.”I nodded and then stepped back in line with the other maids.At the front of the banquet table, Georgina supped happily, and her behavior drew quite a few glares, not only from Skyla but also from Mistress Anastasia.As she ate the soup happily, Anastasia rolled her eyes and gave Georgina a sickly smile.Her turquoise eyes were cat-like and her expression was kind but underscored with meanness.“Had we known Lady Georgina was so hungry, we might have shortened the dance party,” she remarked with a raised auburn eyebrow. She too, had dressed beautiful
EVELYNI couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. My eyes locked with Elsa’s, who looked equally as shocked by this sudden outburst. This was a severe betrayal, one that there was no coming back from.Melanie had never been an honorable woman, but this was on another level entirely. I was no friend of Jessica’s, but I was prepared to fight on her behalf just off principle.“No!” Jessica shrieked; her voice filled with frenzy as she bared her teeth at Melanie. She appeared more like a wild animal than a woman and for a moment, I wondered if she would shift into her second form and pounce on her now likely former friend. “You’re the liar! You’re a nasty bitch! Who supported you every time you slandered Evelyn-”Cole’s jaw tightened as his brows furrowed further. He glanced at me with a look of anger and confusion, unsure of my part in this, and I stiffened and quickly dropped my gaze. I was embarrassed to be mentioned in front of all these people, and I silently cursed Jessica for bringing
COLEAfter the so-called party concluded, I retired to my chambers and stood alone in my study, shrouded in darkness. In the haste of the moment, I hadn’t bothered to light a candle. Only the dim light of the cloud-obscured moon was visible through the window and the air felt stagnant and thick.When I closed my eyes, the image of the poor dead girl appeared in my mind. Her pale skin, splattered with thick red blood. Her stormy blue eyes, wide and bloodshot as they stared up at me from the floor.That smile.That dreadful, terrible smile that remained plastered on her lips even after she’d departed from this world.Although my Guards had apprehended her personal maid for questioning, it was merely a façade.I knew the truth, though I couldn’t reveal it to those in the ballroom.The real target was me.Someone wanted to kill me or at least intimidate me. I didn’t know why but it didn’t matter much to me as I stared out at the vast and gloomy night sky.Georgina had died because of me.
EVELYNThe next page contained two detailed sketches. The first depicted a monstrous figure labeled The First Alpha of the Werewolves, Alpha Elrod—a nightmarish fusion of man and wolf. His expression twisted in eternal agony, his heart pierced by a silver dagger.The second sketch, in stark contrast, portrayed his daughter, Moon. The artist had been far more merciful in painting her. Unlike her father, she was drawn with an ethereal beauty—her features fierce yet strangely soft. Cascading hair framed her delicate face, resting elegantly on her shoulder, and she wore a dress woven of moonflowers. Though faded with time, her features carried an eerie familiarity, strikingly similar to the woman in my dream.My fingers traced the contours of her face, almost as if moving of their own will. For a moment, it felt as though she were gazing back at me, whispering something just beyond my grasp.But truth isn’t always comforting. Sometimes, it is agonizing. Horrible. Sometimes, you wish you h
EVELYNIt was well past noon when I finally had a moment to stretch my overworked body. I devoured a sandwich and drained a full cup of strong tea that the servant had brought me before I finished reading the last three petitioning papers on my desk.One might assume that being a queen promised endless luxury, unchallenged authority, and an insouciant existence. But in reality, this had been my daily routine ever since I was crowned the Queen of Hescor three months ago—gorging down cold sandwiches and fueling myself with cups of strong tea between work breaks. Still, even that was preferable to enduring extravagant banquets filled with pompous lords and prying officials.I pushed the tray aside and reached for the two letters on the cabinet. Both bore an indication of the sender—a seal at the corner of the envelopes—marking them as messages from Tiryn. I pried the first one open and pulled out the folded parchment—it was from Leila.Over the past months, Leila had sent me five letters
EVELYNIf storms were made of reporting sheets, endless queues of petitioners, and nagging lords filled with complaints and unrealistic pleas, then my life after the coronation could only be described as stormy.I rubbed my temples as I put down yet another ridiculous petition—this one requesting justice for a missing kitten. According to the petitioner, the kitten had disappeared while he was visiting the main market of Halian, and he suspected that a human foreigner had used some “nasty” trick to steal it away.Thanks to the Ozora-Eanica Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation—signed by Hescor, Tiryn, and the two other werewolf nations of Eanica half a month ago—the number of foreigners traveling from Eanica to Ozora had been steadily rising. Though other nations remained cautious, Cole and I were expecting to receive their diplomats in the coming weeks. Tiryn’s example had piqued their interest, and they were beginning to see the great potential in establishing trade and dip
EVELYN“You don’t believe us, do you?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them, sharper than I had intended. “You don’t believe in our determination.”Oakley studied me for a long moment before a grin flickered across his face, his usual cavalier attitude returning. “Let’s just say I’m afraid. Or maybe I’m tired of fighting for myself. Time to seek something else in life, isn’t it? Perhaps an exotic beauty in a foreign land. I hear some human girls have a particular taste for fluffy animals—”“Don’t change the subject,” I cut him off, glowering. “You’re not someone who scares easily.”“I wasn’t,” he admitted, inhaling deeply. “But I am now.” His smirk faded, replaced by a hardened expression. “Her husband has erased her past to give her a new life, a paradise of his own making. And I won’t be the one to destroy it.”It took me a moment to understand who he meant. Maria.“I saw her three days ago,” Oakley continued. “I imagined she’d be suffering under the hand of some lord, a
EVELYNI had never known there was a secret room attached to the Alpha’s Study, hidden behind the towering bookshelves that lined the wall opposite the long marble desk. A concealed passageway linked the two, its entrance masked by books that Cole now pushed aside. He twisted a small, inconspicuous knob, and the hidden door clicked open.I followed him inside, ducking low as we maneuvered through the narrow, dark passage. When he opened another door at the end, we stepped into a small chamber. It was even tinier than the room I had once lived in as a maid, furnished only with a round desk, a few chairs, and a cabinet against the wall.Despite its minimalism, the chamber exuded opulence. The desk was inlaid with jade, and each chair gleamed with embedded gemstones that caught even the faintest light.Clearly, this space had been intended for secret meetings—perhaps even assignations. Against one wall sat a low love seat, large enough for one person to rest comfortably. Or two, if they
EVELYNSkyla blinked.For the first time since I had stepped into her cell, she looked truly caught off guard. Her lips parted slightly as if to form words, but no sound came out.I could understand why she was so shocked. According to the traditional Hescorian law of crime and punishment, as the heir of a rebellious Great Lord, she would be sentenced to death. If not death, it would be a life-long sentence of heavy labor and exile – just like the punishment my family had received.Personally, I wanted her to suffer that fate. I had no intention of showing her mercy – mercy she neither deserved nor ever would. But as the future queen of Hescor, I couldn’t. I couldn’t let my personal hatred dictate justice. I was determined to change Hescor’s wretched, severe penal system, and I wouldn’t allow myself to become a hypocrite in the process.Collective punishment had a long history in Hescor. It’d be difficult to abolish, as many lords firmly supported it, or so I had been told.I recalled
EVELYN“So he punished him—made him kneel on the cold stone floor of the Great Hall, day and night, with the servants as witnesses. He kept him there until he was exhausted, starving, and on the verge of collapse,” Stephanie said. “And still, Jack never gave him an answer. He only said it was a girl from a dream. That was all. In the end, Father had no choice but to give up. But before he did, he tore the painting to shreds and warned Jack—if he ever dreamed of that girl again… he would find her, dig her out, and destroy her.”A shiver ran down my spine.I could almost see King Theodore’s looming figure, feel his hands closing around me, tearing me apart as he had done to that painting.I felt paralyzed by Stephanie’s words. And angry. Why was she telling me this? What did she expect from me? This had nothing to do with me, did it? It wasn’t my fault Jack had drawn a picture of me.And yet, beyond the anger, there was something else. A deep, inevitable sorrow.I didn’t know why.I tri
EVELYNI searched Stephanie’s chestnut-brown eyes with scrutiny, trying to make sense of her words. I was relieved she wasn’t lying, but I couldn’t understand why she had bothered making such a request after everything that had happened.Her expression remained composed, as if she saw no issue with her decision. But even at my most optimistic—even if Cole ever found an excuse to forgive his brother—Stephanie’s request to move Jack’s body to the Royal Crypt was absurd.Crypts held deep significance for every noble family in Hescor, and the Royal Crypt was the most sacred of them all, reserved for the royal bloodline. The people of Hescor believed it was a resting place only for revered monarchs who had contributed to the kingdom, rulers whose legacies were honored by both history and the people. Only the purest souls were meant to be laid to rest there. Of course, that was an exaggeration—one could hardly call King Theodore a saint, considering his debauched ways in his later years.As
EVELYN“Sometimes, I can’t tell if you’re supporting me or siding with those who oppose my ascension,” I muttered, lifting my head from the stack of documents to glower at Flynn. Across the room, he met my gaze steadily, unfazed.“Why don’t you go bother your King instead?” I snapped. “If anyone’s to blame for my ignorance of these documents, it’s him! If he hadn’t—” I bit off the words, heat crawling up my face as memory surged forward, unbidden and all too vivid.Cole had been unbearably possessive last night after I returned from my conversation with Aiden by the river. He had exhausted me until dawn – until the first golden rays of sunlight spilled over the horizon, peering into the room to find our bodies tangled in the damp sheets.Flynn arched a brow but returned his attention to the report in his hands. “I’ll remind him to exercise restraint,” he said coolly. “He shouldn’t wear you out when your schedule is this full.” Then, without a hint of emotion, he added, “Tell your maid