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.
COLEFlynn shook his head without pause, his black braids fanning around him as he did. His mouth drew into a thin line and then he spoke.“I can’t think of a single suspect,” he admitted. “I’m sure villains are out there, Your Majesty, but none immediately come to mind, at least noncapable of this.”“What about Jack?” I asked, earning a look of shock from my Beta.Silence hung heavily in the room, and for the briefest of seconds, I wondered if I’d made a mistake in blurting it out. Still, it was too late to reclaim the sentence, so I had to finish the thought.“What if Jack is indeed alive?” I continued, rolling my shoulders back as a chill rippled through my chest. “If he could manage to save his own life from that wretched fire, he would certainly be capable of something like this.”Flynn widened his dark eyes in disbelief and stared at me as if I were insane.“That… would be impossible,” he said slowly. “Jack Elrod is dead, Your Majesty, as witnessed by many. Unless he was secretl
COLEMr. Barrett arrived in less than five minutes, and as Flynn led him into my study, I watched his chest rise and fall. Breathless, exhaustion painted the head servant’s face, and pity swelled within me. He seemed to have aged significantly over the past few days. White hairs had sprouted from the sides of his head months ago and they appeared to have multiplied.The whim of the Luna Selection had undoubtedly burdened the entire palace, and Lady Georgina’s sudden death was the final blow.Despite this, Mr. Barrett managed to maintain his composure. His lips were stiff and though his jaw was tensed, his posture did not falter or shrink. It was admirable to say the least. Perhaps that was why my father had appointed him as the head servant here. Mr. Barrett had held the position for as long as I could remember and my father trusted the older man deeply.However, for some reason, I did not share that trust. It was nothing personal against him, as I had never witnessed any signs of tre
EVELYNThe next day, the palace was enveloped in gloominess, and the overall atmosphere was tense.The remaining ladies of the Luna Selection were advised by Mistress Anastasia to remain in their rooms and dine alone. The food served to them by the cooks and servants was meticulously examined and the entire kitchen was overseen by a troop of heavily-armed guards bearing the Alpha King’s golden crest on their chests.Anyone who appeared even remotely suspicious would be arrested and interrogated immediately by appointed guards, Mr. Barrett, and Beta Flynn.I heard whispers from the maids that Mr. Barrett had inspected all the servants and chefs involved in the dinner late last night when the rest of the palace was asleep, but nothing seemed to have been found.Perhaps information had been suppressed from spreading. Rumors spread in this place like wildfire, and I’m sure they wanted to keep the blaze contained.When I went to the kitchen to get breakfast for Lady Leila, I noticed Elsa w
EVELYNI suddenly felt a pang of anxiety at Leila’s bluntness. It was as if lightning coursed through me and my hands began to shake. I peered around nervously, suddenly nervous.“Lady Leila,” I reminded her quietly, my eyes darting around us. “I must remind you that here in the garden, we could be overheard by anyone passing by. The hedge may shield us but sound still carries.”Leila’s eyes narrowed and then she shrugged nonchalantly. “Then we shall walk.”I was impressed by her casual air and dutifully followed her as she rose from the bench and ventured away from the pond.We wandered silently as we wove through the garden and then, as we approached a succession of flowering bushes, Leila spoke again.“This palace is a cage,” she uttered, her gaze shifting to the castle beyond us. “Its wall looming above us like bars and stripped bare of sincerity, trust, honesty, and kindness. Its corridors are filled only with endless conspiracies.”A cage. That was often how it felt.A shiny, lov
EVELYNMy heart raced in my chest and against my intuition, I had to know who the voice belonged to. It wasn’t one I recognized but I needed to know if there was an imminent threat to the noble lady I was meant to serve.So, I bravely stepped forward, but to my disdain, Leila followed suit.“Stay back,” I urged but she shook her head. I knew there was no sense in disputing it further, so together, we continued until we spotted a young man in a guard’s uniform. He was tall, with long, inky black hair that hung past his shoulders. He appeared to not be much older than I and to my surprise, he wasn’t alone. Beside him was a petite blonde, and when she turned around, I was shocked to see it was Elsa.As we glanced between them, the guard straightened his posture and studied our faces cautiously.“Who are you?” he demanded, but just as his temper appeared to swell, Elsa tugged on his sleeve. Her doe-like eyes widened innocently and even though his nostrils remained flared, he relaxed his s
EVELYNBefore I could grow too considered by Leila’s warning about Elsa, the sky darkened further and it appeared as if a heavy rainstorm was approaching.“We’d better return inside at once,” I advised, worried about Leila getting caught in bad weather. It was my duty to keep her happy and satisfied and though we’d grown closer, I had to remember my place as a maid.So, I led her back into the palace, and per the instructions given by Mrs. Porter, we went straight back to Leila’s chamber. Just as the door to the room closed behind us, the sound of thunder rang out, and Leila rushed over to the window. She stared out in wonder and for a moment, she appeared like a young girl rather than a highborn lady.“We’re lucky we came inside when we did,” she remarked, turning to face me with a grin. Just as I smiled back, Leila crossed over to her bed and fetched a leatherbound history book from her bedside, a book she told me she’d been reading whenever she was in this room.“I’m well past the
EVELYNLeila clearly had no idea what I was speaking of and I wished I could share in her naivety. Though she was one of the most well-read people I knew, she seemed unaware of the weight her words would carry if the wrong person in this palace were to hear her declaration of travel.See, the werewolves of Hescor could never visit another continent, at least not officially.Any wolf who left Ozora to try to reach Eanica would be considered a deserter, a traitor to this continent and to this kingdom.A deserter wouldn’t survive the treacherous winds and tides of the moonlit sea unless they had a ship large enough to withstand the stormy weather. The sea was cold and unforgiving, and I had heard plenty of ghost stories about wolves who lost their lives trying to travel to Eanica.I set my feather duster down on a nearby table and approached Leila’s bed swiftly. She stared at me in alarm and tugged at one of her dark braids anxiously.“You cannot speak those words aloud,” I repeated, but
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
EVELYNGetting in the way? What way?I felt confused. But the woman didn’t give me time to protest or ask any further questions. She immediately turned to the man in the room and gave him an order.“Keep an eye on her,” she instructed, her voice firm, almost as if it were a command.Out in the street, I’d assumed they were together. They appeared to be around the same age and had spoken about their son. But the way she spoke to him, the way she issued her orders, made me wonder if there was more to their relationship than I had first thought.Of course, I didn’t care too deeply about the dynamics between them.What mattered was that I had been tied to a bed by a pair of strangers, and it seemed they had no intention of letting me go anytime soon.I hadn’t expected the woman to call my bluff and refuse to elaborate, but I couldn’t be trapped in yet another situation.Cole… Jack… and now this?I was tired of being caged.As I covertly struggled against my restraint, I noticed the man gl