“So I take it you’ll be participating in the succession battle at the banquet after all,” Caleb said, folding his arms across his chest. “You’re lucky that your fianceé showed up at the right time, otherwise you would be sitting on the sidelines.”Neil’s face hardened in response to that, a reaction
Raven“I’m sorry,” I said wryly, my fingers trembling around the contract. “You want me to pretend to be your… fianceé?”I have to be imagining this, I thought. Surely what Nathan and Dani did to me made me turn insane and I was in some kind of stupor back home. Not only had I washed up on the shore
Neil’s face darkened. “I did those things because I had no choice. It’s not as if your people are particularly friendly toward mine—always trying to turn our sacred lands into a tourist destination. Sending spies to gather intelligence on us.”I rolled my eyes. “Maybe our government wants intelligen
RavenI tangled my fingers in his dark hair without even meaning to, aching to drag him closer and feel his tongue slip into my mouth.In those moments, I was driven only by my wolf and nothing else.His lips were so soft, so sweet. It was surprising, and felt so… right. So perfect. Like our mouths
There was jewelry, too—gold arm bands and matching gold necklaces, large dangly earrings, a gold circlet to be worn around the head, beaded anklets.I supposed that Lycan women did adorn themselves after all. And the stuff was pretty, I had to admit.When he pulled out a large pile of panties next,
RavenEmber pulled back her hood, revealing that she was a woman—and a beautiful one at that, with caramel skin, golden hair, and striking blue eyes.“I’ll be helping you wash,” she said, already ushering the men out of the bathroom.I still felt my face heat, even with just the two of us in here. “
Blushing, I quickly averted my gaze. I was no stranger to the hierarchical differences in the entertainment industry, of course; this was no different than the dynamic between the high-end models and the unpaid interns at one of the big fashion shows.I had ever been the biggest fan of that dynamic,
Raven“I have matters to deal with,” Neil said, striding over to the door. “Give her a tour of the castle. And don’t let her out of your sight.”Before anyone could answer, he was gone.I swirled my spoon around my bowl, toying with the stew inside. It was hearty and delicious, way better than I exp
“No,” Ember said fiercely, her eyes blazing. “We’re not leaving you.” “You have to,” Eric said, his voice barely above a whisper. “If you don’t, we’ve already lost. You said so yourself.” “Eric.” Castor came skidding to a halt beside them and dropped to his knees with a thud, reaching out to sco
Third Person The battlefield was chaos. Ember moved like a well-oiled machine through the fray, her twin daggers flashing in the smoky air as she dispatched another rogue. Blood spattered her face, the metallic tang sharp on her tongue as she spun to deflect a clawed swipe aimed at her throat, b
Neil The stone floor was unforgiving as I hit it for the second time, the rough surface scraping against my cheek. I spat a wad of blood out onto the ground, my arms twisting violently against the iron grips of the warriors holding me down. I fought like hell—had been fighting like hell since th
Raven My footsteps echoed faintly against the hardwood floors as I quickly moved from room to room, hastily stuffing what few clothes and essentials I might need for a quick journey into a travel bag. The pendant from my mother’s letter glinted faintly in the afternoon light, hanging around my nec
It was tucked away in the corner, almost hidden, and the sight of it sent a strange pang through my chest. Slowly, I reached up and pulled it down, the cardboard flaking slightly under my fingers. It wasn’t labeled, but something about it felt… important. I carried it to the bed and sat down, my h
Raven The box was heavier than I expected. The ashes inside seemed to weigh more than my father ever did in life, and the idea of him reduced to this—just powder and bone fragments—made my throat tighten. I swallowed hard as I held the urn against my chest, my hands trembling. The nurse who ha
Neil The cold wind bit at my skin as the Lycan kingdom slowly came into view, its jagged peaks silhouetted against the pale morning sky. My heart was a stone lodged deep in my chest, heavy and unyielding. Each mile closer to home twisted my chest even tighter, but I forced myself forward. There
A note. My fingers shook as I picked it up, instantly recognizing Neil’s handwriting—he always wrote in all capital letters, like he was shouting. I swallowed hard and began to read. “Raven, There was an attack on the village last night—they breached the castle walls. During the attack, Serena
Raven The morning sunlight streamed through the heavy curtains, warming my skin as I stretched lazily, a small smile curling at my lips. For the first time in what felt like forever, I woke up without the weight of the world pressing down on my chest. Last night had been… spectacular, to say the