EVELYNI stiffened in surprise. I knew that voice.“Lord Marcel, I believe in your fealty,” I heard Cole sigh from within. “But I do hope you read through this ledger so you can clarify the difference between the two sets of accounts to me. Please do take your time. I’m quite curious to hear your explanation.”Intrigue flooded through me but before the conversation could continue any further, Flynn knocked on the door in some sort of code.Cole called out to him from within. “Come in.”I took a deep breath and we entered the room as Marcel Fox exited. The dowager queen’s slimy brother was carrying two sets of books under his arm. His thin face was red from the argument, and he didn’t even glance at me as I walked past him.He quickly strode out before Flynn closed the door, and I saw Cole lean back in his chair. He exhaled sharply and then closed his eyes as he rubbed his temples.“I hope you bring good news, Flynn,” he said, not yet noticing me beside the Beta.“I’m afraid not, Your
EVELYNIt was said among our kind that werewolves could only be marked once. It was a sign of possession and ownership- one claiming the other and showing the rest of the world that the object of their mark was theirs and theirs alone.Of course, marking isn’t always one-sided. Mates marked each other to complete and solidify their bond. That’s what my parents had done when they found each other. But for the Alpha King… things were different.No one was allowed to mark the King, not even his Queen. The King was not meant to be possessed by anyone.However, he could mark as many she-wolves as he wanted.Cole’s words struck me like lightning and for a moment, I was completely paralyzed. The intensity of his obsidian eyes showed that he meant every word he said, and as he stared through me, I had an impulse to submit, stronger than I’d ever felt before.It was more than just desire. It was an animalistic need for him to mark me, to make me his, so that I could be relieved of any other th
EVELYNShock shuddered through me and I stifled a heavy gulp as a lump formed in my throat.Had he read my mind?How did Cole know I harbored such a foolish dream, that all I’d fantasized about since the Luna Selection was announced was my freedom?It didn’t matter. What he said was the last nail in my coffin.There would be no end to her suffering, even when he chose his Luna. There was no way out. I’d rot and die in this damned palace. A chill ran through me at the very thought and I wanted to cry, to scream, to challenge him.If he wanted to kill me, what was he waiting for?But despite my anger and devastation toward him and my situation, I felt rooted to the floor. She couldn’t move or speak, even when I was filled with such intense emotions.Maybe Cole was right. I was indeed a coward. I had been always hidden under the wings of my family like a helpless chick, always waiting for someone or something to rescue me from my ill fate. But there was no rescue coming for me.I was tra
EVELYNLeila remained silent but her expression was even more amazed, sad even. I took a breath and then continued, a strange sadness appearing in me too.“I thought he was joking,” I admitted. “My father tended to joke about me and the princes but this time… it was real. He had engaged me to Jack behind my back and then confined me to our home. He made sure I couldn’t escape the house until the engagement party. I was desperate to get away and couldn’t believe what was happening to me. Father had never been like this before. He had always spoiled me and fulfilled my wishes, but this time, he became unyielding. Not even her mother could persuade him. He insisted that this was for the House of Caddel and for the royal family. Even the fact that we were fated mates didn’t change his mind.”My lower lip trembled, and I glanced down at the comforter. “I had no choice. I had to give up my affection for Cole, even though I didn’t want to. It was agony but I had no choice but to do what my f
COLE“You’ve been interfering too much with matters concerning Evelyn lately,” I growled at Flynn once we were alone. He’d returned from escorting her to her room and now that it was just my Beta and I, I had some choice words for him.“Begging your pardon, Your Majesty,” he replied without missing a beat, his face utterly unreadable. “I did not mean to interfere-”“It seems like you care for her very much,” I interrupted him before he could finish. My temper rose with every second of his presence and soon, I began to feel out of control. “Is it out of guilt for having killed her brother?”I watched Flynn’s face twitch slightly in misery, but it was only a fleeting expression. He rarely allowed his face to betray his inner thoughts but it was clear that I’d struck a nerve. Part of me wanted to take the words back but I couldn’t stop myself, not when he’d interrupted my confrontation with Evelyn.Still, mentioning Conner was a low blow. The pair had been friends… we all had been friend
COLEThirty minutes after the maid relayed my stepmother’s message, I strode into the room, dressed fashionably in dinner attire, and was greeted with laughter.Anastasia and Skyla were seated closely at the table, giggling about something among themselves. It annoyed me to see them so cheerful on such a horrid day but I chose not to reprimand them for their inappropriate laughter.I had to play along.“What’s so funny?” I asked casually as I walked to the empty seat at the head of the table and sat down.We were in a small dining room not far from Anastasia’s chamber. On days when there was no banquet or dinner party, my stepmother preferred dining here.It wasn’t that she disliked the grand dining room, which was more befitting of her status… but rather, that she detested it completely.There were rumors spreading around the palace. King Theodore, my father, had flirted with Anastasia’s maid during their meals and summoned a few maids to the dining room for his amusement after drink
AIDENThe weather in Windsburn was notoriously unpredictable. A week had passed since I arrived on the desolate prisoner’s island, and even after seven long days, I still couldn’t discern any pattern in its ever-changing climate.As I made my way to the mine pits, I paused and looked up at the sky. Just an hour ago, it had been pouring rain, but now the sun blazed fiercely.The sudden heat against my skin made it difficult for him to keep his eyes open; it was scorching. While my long-sleeved shirt was a bit heavy in this weather, it kept my skin protected from the rays. The last thing I needed on this mission was a debilitating sunburn.Thus far, the investigation the King had tasked me with completing had gone nowhere. I had found no evidence of the Fox family’s crimes and with every passing day, I grew more frustrated.It seemed that the cunning family had gone to great lengths to conceal their wrongdoings, but I couldn’t yet give up.I was staying in the administrative castle, wh
AIDENI stared back at him in surprise, shocked and unsure of my next words.A death zone?I was anxious to hear his explanation and dreaded the following investigation that now certainly had to happen.Windsburn Island was mainly for condemned prisoners, but it was not meant to be as bad as he implied. His grave expression told me that there was truth in his warnings, but I had to find out what was happening here, personal safety or not. I was the King’s Guard.My mission was to keep the Alpha King safe from potential enemies, and if the old man’s words were true…The Foxes themselves could be enemies.“My name is Aiden,” I introduced myself, wishing at once I had provided a different name to further my disguise.Thankfully, my given name was fairly common, so I knew it wouldn’t amass any suspicion, and since most knew me as Sir Moran, it seemed like my choice would be just fine.The old man studied me for a moment, surprised at my response, and his thick eyebrows creased for a momen