EVELYNI woke up to a gentle knock on the door. My vision was blurred but I sat up quickly and ran my hand through my hair to smooth it down.I didn’t remember falling asleep.Another knock rang out, and after I managed a soft reply of “Come in!”, the door opened to reveal a servant holding a silver tray.Max held the door open and the servant approached the nightstand with the food.Breakfast food.I frowned.“What time is it?” I asked him as I stifled a yawn. I was still so unbelievably tired and my entire body ached with it.“It’s well past dawn, my lady,” the servant replied politely as he placed the tray down. My eyes glanced at the window to the left of me. The curtains were only half-drawn, so I could see the sun burning brightly in the colorful sky.Morning.It was strange that I had slept so late. I wasn’t normally allowed to sleep so long and I was surprised that I hadn’t been awoken by Cole or anyone else. We were here on business, after all.I noticed the servant was loo
EVELYNI hadn’t run for a long time.My wolf body was ecstatic as I ran through the forest, following Cole closely.House Fox was separated from the nearest city by a small forest, so it wasn’t a long run, but it was still exhilarating.I caught sight of our reflections in a passing stream as we rushed past. Much smaller than Cole, my fur was a rich, chocolate brown with streaks of black, though my eyes were still the same shade. My limbs were long, just like my human ones, and though I was slender, my muscles were still as powerful as ever.Unsurprisingly, Cole was just as beautiful in this form as he was in his human one. His fur was the color of burnished gold and he was tall, sleek, and fast. His dark eyes were mischievous as he panted at me from the other side of the stream.“You’re slow,” he barked at me in wolf speak. “Pick up the pace. Unless you can’t-”I didn’t let him finish. I lunged forward and leaped over the stream in an easy bound. Though my muscles strained a little
EVELYNThe house Cole and I were escorted into was quite lovely, far nicer than I’d expected.It wasn’t exactly big, but it seemed cozy. It was full of tall windows that let in a ton of light, and all of the furnishings were comfortable and homey. A meek servant, a tiny dark-haired woman, led us through the house. Silently, she guided us to the second floor and stopped in front of a wooden door. She knocked politely, pausing for a moment until a voice within answered.“Come in!”The servant straightened her posture before opening the door for us. She stood aside and gestured for us to enter.It appeared to be a lounging room. There was a sofa, an oversized chair, and a blazing fireplace that filled the room with warmth. A huge, plush rug spanned the reddish brown floors and the walls were a nice shade of soft ivory.Inside the room, four people were present. A tall man with slicked-back chestnut hair stood in front of the couch where a woman with thick curly black hair sat with a nap
EVELYNIt was no secret that werewolves worshipped power.Hescor was believed to be a mostly peaceful place with a variety of different people but there was no use denying the truth. Those without significant strength or a noble lineage would find it nearly impossible to achieve a respectable status in this country.Wolves without significant status were known as Omegas.In the past, some Omegas were forced into slavery. Those slaves’ sole purpose was to serve high-born families and nothing more. They were treated as if they weren’t wolves at all.Like filth.King Theodore had abolished slavery entirely upon ascending the throne, so I had only heard of it in old stories.In these stories, Omega slaves were branded with cross marks by tools made of silver. The location of the brand indicated their "usage."If I remembered correctly, those with marks behind their ears were sex slaves.They were marked in such a hidden location because those who purchased sex slaves preferred not to be
COLEI stood by the window, looking down at Evelyn sitting on the lawn.Her hands were folded in her lap and a gentle breeze kissed her cheeks and blew her long dark hair softly. Even from here, I could see a glimmer of happiness in her large hazel eyes.Samuel’s son and daughter were running around her, and she watched them with a soft smile. There was a faint flush of color in her cheeks and it made my heart ache to see her look so… content. Envious, almost.Not too long ago, I had envisioned this very scene, planned for it. When I had planned to elope with her, I had imagined a peaceful small town where we could live away from the crowds and chaos. A place where no one could find us. We would have a couple of pups, and we would sit together, watching them laugh and run freely.I could picture the children so easily- one with Evelyn’s eyes and my gold hair. Perhaps even the opposite- a pup with night-dark eyes to match the black of her hair.Regardless of the combination of features,
EVELYNMaria blinked at me like I’d grown a second head. In her lap, Daisy did the same, only her expression seemed even more shocked. I suddenly felt self-conscious and wondered if it was a stupid question to bring up.“I don’t know,” Maria admitted thoughtfully. “I… would have known if Sam had rejected me back then. But then again, my husband told me that even the idea of rejection was part of the moon’s test, to see how determined the fated mates could be-”“Nothing can tear fated mates apart!” Daisy said firmly, pouting at me as if I had uttered a ridiculous question. Her big eyes narrowed at me and I could tell she felt the urge to stick her tongue out in my direction.I knew it because that’s precisely what I would have done at her age too. I had been a daring little girl once too.I opened my mouth to speak but before I could, Daisy turned her attention back to her mother.“Will I find a fated mate, Mommy?” she wondered, her little brow furrowing as if what I’d said got under h
EVELYNThe Alpha King raised a golden eyebrow at me and for a moment, we were frozen. I searched his expression, trying to understand what he was thinking about, but before I could enquire further, he smirked and shook his head.“I thought you knew,” Cole remarked and then he looked away. “You called my name, you apologized, and then you pretended to forget it, believing it was your dear Aiden who saved you.”“Of course, I didn’t know,” I said as the heat of embarrassment ran through me. “You… I was told that Aiden was the one-”“Sure,” he cut me off with another snort. I wasn’t certain why he was acting so strangely. Was he embarrassed? Trying to save face? Or… or was he vexed? Annoyed about this conversation? Annoyed that I’d overheard his conversations?I didn’t care.“And what about the punishment for the Caddels?” I asked boldly. “Was all of that true as well?” Cole frowned. “What?”Anger swelled within me. Was he faking these reactions or did he truly not remember his conversati
EVELYN“Thank you,” the girl stumbled over her words as we rushed away. The village market had grown busy with movement, but we’d managed to slip away mostly undetected thanks to Cole. His wolf form had been so distracting that we’d gotten away without being pursued by House Fox’s guards.While the girl was far less scared than she’d been earlier, there was still fear in her large eyes and her lower lip trembled as she shrank into herself.“There’s no need to thank me,” I said with a shake of my head. “Truly. Tell me, honey, where do you live?”The girl was quiet for a moment. “I… don’t have a home or a family, but I usually stay in a small alley. I have a few friends there.”“Let’s get you there then,” I said. I was sad that the poor young lady didn’t have a permanent place to go and get herself cleaned up and safe, but there wasn’t much I could do about it.The most important thing was getting her far away from those wretched guards, even if her destination was merely an alleyway.A
EVELYNMrs. Lance had been lying. I didn’t know why. But there were only two reasons people lied—out of fear or as part of a calculated scheme. And I didn’t think Mrs. Lance feared us.I charged up the stairs, two steps at a time. then sprinted down the corridor. Kicking open Emma’s door, I was thankful that my instincts had pushed me to act.A tall, muscular figure, draped in a black cape stood at Emma’s bedside, his hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries into low whimpers.Rage ignited in my chest.“Get away from her!” I snarled, extending my claws and lashing out at the figure without hesitation.The man staggered back, startled by my sudden movement. His motion was slow, clumsy, and clearly not skilled in combat. He barely managed to dodge my first strike, and as I slashed again, he toppled to the floor, struggling to rise.“Evelyn!” Emma cried, and I rushed to scoop her into my arms. At that moment, Oakley burst through the doorway, breathless. His confused expression qu
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