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
JASMINEMy head hurt more than it ever had before.It was as if my world was swirling on its axis and I had an impulse to throw up. My stomach was like a nest of snakes, each coiled around the other tightly. The pain made me wonder if I was dead, but when I opened my eyes, I knew I wasn’t.I wasn’t in a grave. I was in a carriage.It was moving fast on a rocky surface below and it shook violently as it traversed every stone.The sharp rocking of the carriage made the imaginary snakes in my belly twist together further and finally, I couldn’t hold it in further. I was about to retch, but before I could empty the contents of my poor stomach, I realized someone was in the carriage with me.They held a dagger in my direction and it glinted in the pale blue moonlight streaming in through the window.“If you dare throw up, I will slit your throat,” she said, and it took me a few moments to recognize it was Elsa.I didn’t realize it was her immediately because she looked completely different
JASMINEThe coachman laughed.“You’re right,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “But I hope you aren’t trying to go against the Master. We both know that would go poorly for all involved.“I won’t,” Elsa swore. “I wouldn’t ever do that.”The coachman nodded and glanced over at me, lowering his voice as if that would keep me from hearing him. I couldn’t be that surprised. He seemed no older than me, perhaps even younger. He likely had no idea about what the members of House Madden went through when they came of age.The training camp was brutal and intensive but it taught me how to be stealthy. My hearing was better than most, so I was able to hear every single word, no matter how low he whispered.He and Elsa might be assassins and kidnappers but I was not prey.I was a predator.“But there will be a delay if we spend too much time on her,” he said quietly. “It would save a lot of time if we just kill her.”When the coachman turned to look at me over his shoulder, I immediately evened
COLEMrs. Porter arrived shortly after my summons. “Your Majesty,” She said, offering a bow. Her pale blue eyes were filled with fear, and she trembled a little as she straightened up.“Mrs. Porter.” I said, giving her a nochalant smile and gesturing to an empty seat. “Please, tke a seat. We have much to discuss.”“Y-y-yes, Your Majesty,” she stammared obediently. “There is a maid I want to ask you about,” I said. “A young woman by the name of Elsa? I need some information on her. Can you assist me with this, Mrs. Porter?”“Elsa? Elsa Perry?” Mrs. Porter asked with a mix of nervousness and confusion in her voice. “Well... Your Majesty. She is an orphan from House Crawford’s land. She arrived but one month ago,”She retrieved a record book from the pocket of her apron and gestured with it, as if it was a satisfactory contribution to her statement.I raised an eyebrow and scanned her with a look of scrutiny.“That’s it?”Wasn’t that too vague for a proper background record of a royal ma
COLEI eyed Flynn, whose dark-skinned face was contorted into a frown of embarrassment.“Bring your sister in,” I instructed him.Leila Hart rushed into the study in an instant, and Flynn could hardly stop her. “Thank goodness! Why do they keep getting in my way? I said it was urgent.”“Leila!” Flynn muttered under his breath, trying to remind his sister of her manners, but Leila didn’t seem to care. She took a step closer to me and then narrowed her light brown eyes at me.“What is the emergency?” I asked, annoyance blazing through me.“Evelyn is missing!” Leila blurted out, her expression animating. “Well, she hasn’t been herself since this morning. I was worried about her, so I went to check on her after she retired to her room—”“She’s unwell?” I raised an eyebrow, cutting her off. “Did she ask you for retirement to her room? Or did you dismiss her?”Leila rolled those pretty eyes and spoke sharply. “Yes, she asked, and I granted her permission. And I would do it over and over aga
COLEAnger flashed through me.It was a different kind of anger than I’d felt before House Caddel’s betrayal. That anger had been heated and intense, like lava flowing down a volcano, or a forest blaze. It came with reddened vision, sweat, and bared teeth.This anger was far worse. It was ice. Frozen, gripping, stiffening. It still wanted to consume me in its wake, but it came with a numbness that was different than the other kind.As I stared back at Leila Hart, I wished to freeze her out too. I wanted to be distant, detached. I needed to be. Red anger required passion, feelings.I was tired of feelings. I was tired of worrying about my emotions and allowing them to run my life. I was the King now. There was a certain level of detachment I needed to have in order to rule Hescor.In order to rule my subjects.I clenched my fist absently as the tightness in my chest grew.“Have you finished?” I asked her sharply.Despite my harsh tone, Leila didn’t falter. She held my gaze and raised h
EVELYNAfter an evening of fitful crying, locked in Cole’s chamber, I had a terrible dream about him.It was more than a dream.It was a nightmare.My parents were on an execution platform somewhere in Windsburn. The sky was dull, a strange bluish-gray, and the only sound that could be heard was the crash of the waves surrounding the island. They were dressed in the same thin, ragged clothes as the last dream, only this time, they were far more tattered and covered with bits of blood. Their faces were bruised but their expressions were blank and empty.The executioner was holding a long broadsword, ready to behead them. His face was fierce but solemn, as if he knew what had to be done but took little pleasure in it. Beside the executioner was Cole, sitting on a throne that resembled the one from the day of the trial. His night-dark eyes seemed endless, a pair of black pools staring at the executioner and those about to be executed. The Alpha King’s hand was raised, prepared to give