The Great Hall of Justice loomed around me, its ancient stone walls seeming to pulse with the weight of centuries of werewolf law. I was honestly surprised it had taken this long for me to enter it, but then, most debates were just held in the council chambers. The Hall was only ever opened up when
“The woman—the Ravencrest person who gave me the information—told me it would distract everyone from the actual report. It would become a whole political issue and people would focus on that instead of on what the report said about Luna Olivia. That made sense to me, so I pretended I’d done the rese
I rubbed my eyes, bent over yet another dusty old book with writing too small to for comfort. This section of the library was rarely used and it showed, but there was nowhere else I could find more about Eclipse’s history with Ravencrest.Rita’s testimony brought up a thousand questions. We couldn’t
We were Mates, after all. We weren’t going anywhere.Elroy didn’t speak again until we were sitting at our dining table, the gentle clink of silverware against fine china filled the dining room as we settled into our meal. The flickering candlelight cast a warm glow across the table, softening the e
My heart raced as I stared at the blank television screen, hands clammy with nervous sweat. Any moment now, Ines would appear, ready to reveal the painful truths that had been kept hidden for so long. Beside me on the plush sofa, Elroy's leg bounced with barely contained anxiety.We were both terrif
It wasn’t any easier to listen to the second time around.“I always thought Pete was just stoic,” Ines's voice quavered as she began her story, “maybe a little socially stunted at worst. I didn’t think he was bad.”She explained how she’d always been told it was her duty to get married and give a ma
Elroy's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with a mixture of concern and anger. "Olivia," he said softly, taking my hands in his. "You're safe now. He can't hurt you anymore."I shook my head, the dread spreading through me like poison. "But don't you see? If it could happen to me - an Alpha woman who
A thunderous pounding on the door jolted me from Elroy's embrace. My stomach flipped unpleasantly; we’d known the council would move fast, but I’d thought we’d at least get through the first commercial break before they rattled our door.I locked eyes with my Mate, a grim and wordless conversation p
Olivia POVElroy left with a thousand soldiers the next morning, half on horseback and half in their wolf forms. I supposed I should be curious about the battle strategy, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t bring myself to care.A part of me knew I wasn’t defeated, that I would still fight for wolves’ rights a
She held up a hand. “I said I had to ask. I didn’t say I give him any credit. Officially, I am asking if you’re denying his claims.”“Of course I am!” I threw up my hands. “It’s all just some lie he’s made up to cause trouble.”I put my hands down. “Think about it, if I had someone from my past I lo
Olivia POVRefusing to follow behind Elroy like a naughty child, I swept out of the room ahead of him, though I took care to dismiss Jordan gently. She, like most of the wolves in the room who didn’t fight, looked shaken but still present in the moment. I trusted they could all take care of themselv
He looked at me and then bowed deeply, making several people gasp.“Come with me, Lady Olivia,” he urged, looking up with his hand stretched toward me. “I have gathered an army of Rogue werewolves who call me their king. Come with me and rule them by my side.”I was about to demand just what sort of
Olivia POV“He seems to know you,” Elroy said, and there was some accusation in his tone.“I promise I have no idea—”“Alphas! Betas! Omegas! And ladies and gentlemen!” the man said, his voice easily reaching over the chamber music to every corner of the room.Elroy signaled for the music to stop, a
Olivia POVI had always admired blood woods. Unlike the rather ugly bloodwood trees of southern Africa (so named because they seemed to “bleed” red sap when cut), blood woods’ deep scarlet color, elegantly twisted trunk, and thickly canopied dark green leaves made them a delightful focal point of an
But Jordan was right. What Ines and the others had described was a caste system in all but name.“People aren’t going to like our using that word,” I muttered.“People aren’t going to like a lot of things,” Fay said.“Yes, but there’s a knee-jerk reaction to the term ‘caste.’” I knew we were all thi
Olivia POVI had no idea what to say. I needed to do so many things, but right now I needed this man to continue to be the kind, playful husband he was being. My whole body seemed to light up inside from his touch, and all I wanted was for him to keep smiling and be happy.“Do you mean that?” I aske
“Jordan,” I said, “I think it’s time to hold a banquet.”The low light of my bedside lamp lay across Elroy's face, casting a warm glow on his furrowed brow as we settled down to sleep. It was hard to believe that I’d once been so reluctant to lay near him, and now this protective little cocoon we fo