AIDEN“The King wants to discipline House Fox? That’s hilarious.” Isaac scoffed. “How could you be sure that the King wants the miners to fight the Lords? He may dislike Housr Fox, but would he really want us miners to go against the authority? I bet not.”“You’re always so pessimistic, Isaac,” Peter said with a small sigh. “We’ll never get anywhere if we’re always timid and hesitant.”Isaac’s mouth drew into a thin line of annoyance .“I’m just a realist! Don’t you understand we’re prisoners? This is rebellion! If you fail, you die. If you win, you die too.”“But if we do nothing, we still die. At least there’s a chance if we fight.” Peter argued.Isaac shook his head and sighed deeply.We had been in this conversation for quite some time, and Peter and Isaac had completely different stances on our next move. As a bystander, I was seated on one of the chairs in Isaac’s hut, arms crossed as the old men deliberated.Ben was beside me, his expression weary as he witnessed this heated deb
EVELYNFor the first time in a very long, long time, I dreamt of my family.But this dream was different from the ones I usually had. Those consisted of pleasant memories, laughter, the first time I had ever held my little sister in my arms… happy things that made my heart ache when I awoke.Occasionally, I dreamt of that dreadful trial day. Those my made my heart hurt in a different way and often elicited anger and tears upon my waking.This one, however, was completely different.This dream was about Windsburn Island, a place I’d never visited, but haunted me often.I saw my father working in the mines, where all exiled to the island worked tirelessly to repay their debt and atone for their crimes. He looked emaciated, so much so that I could hardly recognize him. His eyes were sunken, as were his cheeks, and his skin was paper-white as if he hadn’t seen the sun in months. He worked like a lifeless puppet, sweat streaming down his gaunt face without him having time to wipe it away.
EVELYNI stood there, stunned, and tried not to let my expression betray my thoughts.Sweat broke out on the back of my neck and I felt a surge of emotion as my mind cruelly repeated Melanie’s words. When I noticed that Melanie was watching me closely, I discreetly dug my nails deep into my palm and the slight pain of it somehow helped me maintain my composure.I couldn’t let myself feel anything at all. Not when Melanie’s eyes were upon me.She continued to gloat and lifted her chin arrogantly. “The King also invited Lady Skyla to spend the night with him in his chamber tonight.”My jaw clenched and my lungs started to ache. I had been holding my breath unknowingly as anxiety and surprise sank in. I hated this feeling. I felt… useless.I didn’t want Cole Elrod.Melanie continued to speak, using harsh words to speak poorly about the other ladies, but I blocked out her voice out and turned to look at Anna and Lucy. They were obviously just as taken aback as I’d been, but not in the sam
EVELYNIt was a few minutes before I could even manage to pull myself together enough to stand.Maybe Skyla Fox was lying. Maybe she was just trying to make me miserable. Maybe she heard it wrong or misunderstood it.Aiden couldn’t be dead.Could he?Breathe, Evelyn. You have to breathe. You need to. You have to.I took a few more deep breaths, banishing the images of Aiden from my mind to help steady myself, and straightened up. I wiped the tears from my face, smoothed my hair down, and straightened my gray uniform before heading back to Leila’s chamber.The last thing I wanted to do was attend to her, but I couldn’t just disappear without a word.“What was going on out there?” Leila asked when I entered, still in bed. She appeared less cranky than earlier, but still annoyed. “Why was everyone shouting?”“The King is taking Lady Skyla to visit the House of Fox,” I explained vaguely. “The servants are preparing her things.”Leila frowned, raising a dark eyebrow in confusion as she sa
This chapters contains sexual content intended for individuals 18 years of age or older. Please read at your own risk. EVELYNOnce the door was closed, Cole approached and stood in front of me, his dark eyes trailing over me as if I was something to eat though the rest of his expression was calm.Another step closer and then his finger rested on my shoulder and played with the strap of my slip dress. His fingertips gently brushed against my skin but despite his touch, his expression remained cold and bored, as if he had little interest in me or my body.A stark contrast to the story his eyes told me.“Why have you come tonight, Evelyn?” the golden-haired King asked me, his voice low. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but hadn’t you cried and begged me to let go of you the other day in my study? Interesting that you’re back here unsummoned.”I didn’t answer because I wasn’t good at lying and I was afraid that I might lose my determination if I stared at Cole any longer. He was the Alpha, the
EVELYNAs the sentence escaped me, I began to doubt my plan. I didn’t want to cry, but tears sprang out against my will.I watched as Cole’s face slowly turned cold and his eyes shifted from disbelief to mockery.“So that’s the reason...” he scoffed. “You want to trade information with your body? Don’t you think you’re thinking too highly of yourself?”His voice was filled with contempt. “Was she telling me the truth?” I asked boldly.He suddenly reached out and cupped my chin, raising it up as he stared down at me.“What will you do if I tell you that it’s true?” he demanded. “Are you going to be buried with him? Do you love him so much that you’ll fall to pieces?”“Aiden is my friend,” I managed to say through my trembling.“That’s what you would do for a friend?” Cole sneered. “I didn’t know you were so loyal to friends, Evelyn. Aren't you a traitor?”Tears rolled down my cheeks, blurring my vision and twisting the image of Cole’s face.How many times would I have to bear this?Wh
COLEStriding silently along the corridor, I tried to calm down but to no avail.Sever the mate bond?Where the fuck had Evelyn learnt about this?The very fact that she wanted to fuck me only because she wanted to learn about Aiden’s condition infuriated me.What was she thinking?I had stupidly thought she had started to soften. For a moment, I even thought she was returning to the sweet girl she had used to be, back before this entire mess had started.But it turned out to be another fucking lie.She fooled me once again. She used me, which made me feel like a total idiot. I couldn’t believe she begged me to fuck because of another man.This thought was driving me crazy, making me want to kill. I wanted to rage, throw things, sink my claws into something, and shred it into ribbons, just as I had that dress of hers.She needed discipline. I should have done it earlier, back when she’d first arrived in the palace. I would lock her in my room and fuck her until she had no other though
COLEAddison took another deep breath as Flynn and I waited for her to tell her story. Her gray eyes were uncertain at first, like she didn’t want to follow my orders. Part of me didn’t want to blame her for her hesitation, given this situation with her twin sister, but the other part was the Alpha King. If my brother or his followers were somehow responsible for Jasmine’s disappearance, I couldn’t allow her to withhold information from me or Flynn for that matter. “I understand you don’t trust us, Your Majesty,” Addison said as she glanced at Flynn with a trace of mockery. “The Madden’s hands are always dirty with blood no matter what we do. But I assure you that House Madden is utterly loyal to you, Your Majesty. Because that’s our only choice.”I lifted a brow. “That seems like a poor choice of words given the context of this situation, Addison. Proceed with caution.”“I’m sorry,” she apologized quickly, holding her hands up as if to settle my rising irritation. “I said that inco
EVELYNI love him too, I thought. I had loved him since our first kiss, since the first flutter of my heart, from the first delicate stir of butterflies in my stomach. I loved him even in the moments I hated it—when I cursed him, when I cursed myself for falling into him, for letting the intoxicating euphoria consume me.I wanted to tell him this, but my teeth clenched too tightly around my lip to speak, and the lump in my throat choked my words.“I’m a jerk, Evelyn,” Cole muttered, rubbing his face with a heavy sigh. His back remained to me, still honoring his promise. “I didn’t understand what love was. I spent my life denying I even needed it. There was a hole inside me, and I tried to fill it with anger, with hatred, with indifference. But you… you were the one who showed me what I was really craving. Even when I was terrified of being controlled by Augus, I found some twisted happiness in knowing how hard you tried to save me.”“And how do you know I wasn’t doing it for some othe
EVELYNWe spent the rest of the morning discussing potential resolutions for Augus’s future attack. Mrs. Lance kindly brought us breakfast: scrambled eggs, slices of ham, and nettle tea for Emma, who had woken briefly but fell back asleep after a few sips.Sylvia joined us shortly after checking on Lord Albert and Elsa. She said that while Lord Albert's condition was stable and he was expected to wake soon, Elsa’s state was far more complicated – and less hopeful. Her nervous system had been severely damaged by long-term manipulation of magic, and her desire to recover was minimal.“The effectiveness of healing magic depends on one’s will to live,” Sylvia had said.I found Oakley sitting beside Elsa’s bed when I went to check on her. She lay motionless, pale and unconscious, visibly more emaciated than I’d seen her last. Bruises marred her face and neck like dark, painful flowers.When Oakley heard me approach, he looked up, his face etched with a rare grave expression. I wondered if
EVELYNWhile Cole and I proceeded toward my family's room, Oakley and Sylvia turned right at the staircase, separating from us to check on Lord Albert and Elsa, who had been placed on the other side of the corridor. Sylvia offered to assist them with her healing abilities, and Oakley expressed a reluctance to get involved in any private conversations.I had expected Aiden to follow us, as he seemed as deeply concerned about my family as I was. But instead, he trailed behind Oakley. When our eyes met for a brief moment, he quickly looked away, lowering his head to avoid my silent question.It was clear he was trying to avoid me, even though I hadn’t directly asked anything. His behavior had been distant ever since he awoke from the enchantment. Silent for most of the time, and when he did speak, it was never to me. I had no idea what was going through his mind, but I didn’t have the strength to press him for answers—not when I was so consumed with the anxiety of seeing my family, and w
EVELYNThe air grew chilly as we ran through the forest in our wolf forms. It might have been the morning dew dampening my fur, or perhaps the panic surging through my veins. I forced myself to focus on the solid earth beneath my paws, trying to push away the creeping dread gnawing at the edges of my mind. If I didn’t, the fear that my little sister might already be in the wizard’s grasp would overwhelm me.We slowed as Aiden sniffed the path, tracking the path to the safehouse where my family was being sheltered. Oakley dipped his wolf head low, allowing Sylvia, who had been riding on his back, to dismount. She clutched her chest and leaned against a nearby trunk, taking a deep breath. Her face was pale from the speed of the ride. I wondered if she had ever ridden a werewolf before, even though she had lived in Hescor for so long. But judging by her retching and the greenish tint to her face, it was clear she wasn’t fond of the experience.Oakley joined Aiden, studying the trail as h
EVELYN“But if you’re wondering why Augus…” Sylvia spoke up again, but she quickly paused, frowning as if considering the words she was about to say. Then, with a deep sigh, she added, “I have no idea why you werewolves seem to carry magical blood or what Augus has discovered about it.”I looked at her, pursing my lips. The unease I felt when Augus called werewolves magical weapons lingered in my chest. I didn’t think he had just meant to sneer and degrade us as mere objects.“He found it behind the Chamber of Secrets,” I said.Sylvia’s frown deepened. “How do you know…”I turned my gaze toward the flickering firelight and explained what had happened earlier—how Augus had disguised himself as Seb and tricked us all, how Leila had brought a book with a ruse that only the King of Tiryn could read. My heart ached dully as I recounted the memory. “I think the ruse confirmed Augus’s theory, and that’s probably why he acted so boldly afterward, to prove his suspicions.”I fell silent for a
EVELYNI gazed beyond the campfire. The sky was still dark, as if every single star in the heavens had been wiped from existence, never to return. As if dawn would never come.“Apparently, not everyone in Tiryn supports their King’s ambitions,” Flynn said, tossing more dry twigs into the flames.After we’d escaped the alleyway, we had reunited with Flynn, who’d discovered the trick Augus had played to distract him. Now, hidden behind the thickets in the forest near the House of Fox—guarded by his troop and without any blue-eyed soldiers lurking to catch us off guard—we could finally rest and contemplate our situation. We perched on a pair of logs in a circle, the campfire lighting our faces.The flickering flames illuminated our eyes as we listened to Flynn’s revelation about what he’d learned. In the firelight, everyone’s faces seemed ghostly.I shifted on my perch, stretching my stiff legs when Cole spoke up.“Where’s the informer?” His hand tightened around mine, and a crease forme
EVELYNPerhaps we should keep an eye on Augus, wait for the right moment to strike—surprise him when he’s unprepared. But we were too stunned to act. Jack’s death seemed to stir something in the air around us. The draft that had once been light in the alleyway grew stronger, though, in that moment, I wondered if it was still just a draft.The sky suddenly shrouded in thick clouds, obscuring the moon entirely. A storm seemed imminent—a storm that could hardly be a natural occurrence. I wasn’t sure if it was relevant, but I recalled the time when King Theodore died, and a tempest raged for days, as if the world itself mourned the loss of a monarch.The stomping of footsteps broke the tension. I turned my gaze toward the soldiers. The puppets began marching toward us, their blank faces and eyes gleaming with a sinister flash.“He’s running,” Oakley shouted, pointing at a flicker of blue light moving swiftly in the opposite direction, away from the approaching swarm of soldiers. “Should w
EVELYN“I’m no gambler,” Cole said sharply.Augus snorted. “I’m afraid that’s a gamble you can never refuse, young King.” He stepped back a few paces, muttering a spell under his breath, and the sapphire dagger rose into the air.My body tensed as I grabbed Stephanie’s arm, bracing for the attack. My nerves were on high alert.But instead of the mindless onslaught I expected, the uncontrolled soldiers closed in around Augus, encircling him like a protective wall.Confusion twisted in my gut, but before I could make sense of it, I felt Stephanie’s body stiffen beside me. She pulled away, shrugging off my hand with startling coldness, and rose to her feet.“Stephanie—” I called out, but my words died in my throat when I saw her eyes. There was nothing left in them. Just emptiness. Just like the soldiers.I remembered Augus’s words.What makes you think I didn’t control one of you to lead you here?The realization hit me like a physical blow. Stephanie... she was under his control. A rus
EVELYNThe clouds shielding the moon finally drifted past, and as the silvery light bathed the alley, the blue crystal dagger lodged in Leila’s chest gleamed with a piercing brilliance. Leila’s eyes widened, shock and confusion flooding her features. She looked down at the dagger, watching it being pulling from her chest with an invisible force. Blood seeped through her dress, spreading out in a crimson circle.“Lei!!” Jasmine’s scream tore through the air as she rushed to Leila’s side, pulling her into her arms. Stephanie followed, her movements urgent.At the same time, Cole charged at Augus. Augus, however, was already retreating, vanishing swiftly among the soldiers. He mumbled an incantation, and with a flick of his wrist, more soldiers fell under his control, becoming mindless puppets. Cole struggled to get close, forced to fight his way through the soulless figures that filled the space between them.I gripped Sylvia’s arm, my breath shallow, my chest aching with every inhale.