Raven“I have no interest in you whatsoever.”Those words should have been a relief. In their own way, they were a promise—a promise that, once this whole ordeal was over, we would break our bond and I would return home unscathed with nothing tying me to the barbaric Lycan world.And yet… I couldn’t
I blinked at that, then recalled last night—the play fighting in the hot springs. Had Ember heard about that? But Neil hadn’t been hurt, or so it seemed.“We were just—”“You insist on pampering yourself like a princess,” Ember continued, firing another arrow into the dummy. “Prince Neil finally got
RavenNeil’s blue eyes were glazed over with alcohol as they lazily trailed toward me.For a moment, he did nothing—just flicked his gaze across me, lingering momentarily on the plate in my hands before moving to my legs, my chest, my hair.I flushed deeply, too frozen to move. Neil was being touche
Neil harrumphed. “So I have heard. Ridiculous.”“Ridiculous?” I spat out. “What’s even more ridiculous is having a woman who loves you and sleeping with another. That’s ridiculous. And selfish. And…” I paused, but not long enough to consider the word that I spat out next. “Savage.”Just as they had
NeilI did not invite that woman back to my room that night.Nor did I invite any woman to my room, even though I had been in the mood to drink and let off some steam.Sleeping with a beautiful Lycan woman should not have bothered me. It was commonplace here for a man—especially one of my status—to
“No, Neil,” my brothers cut me off at almost the exact same time. Edrick smirked and continued, “It’s better for you to stay here. We need a guard dog around the castle.”I clenched my teeth, prepared to bite out a retort. But before I could, Caleb said, “Actually, that reminds me… Have you found an
RavenMy heart pounded in my ears as I dropped the bow and ran to Neil. “Why did you do that?!” I practically shouted. “You walked right in front of the dummy!”Neil just shook his head and rose from his crouched position. He looked utterly unfazed despite the fact that an arrow had just grazed his
To my surprise, Neil was silent.He remained silent, even when a sob suddenly wracked my frame.I clamped my hand over my mouth, turning away. Don’t cry, I urged myself desperately. There was no time for tears—and no one would pity me, anyway. Besides, if Neil’s brothers found out about me…Then I’d
As I stared at his retreating form, his shoulders rigid, I felt frustration bubble up inside of me. I knew that what we did last night was a mistake, but he was acting like a moody teenager. “Start at the beginning of the course,” he said, plopping down on the stump and folding his arms. I opene
Raven The morning sun cast long shadows across the training yard as I swung the wooden sword in a wide arc, sweat dripping down my forehead. My muscles screamed in protest from a morning spent training, but I gritted my teeth and continued the routine Ember had drilled into me. Block, parry, str
I just knew I wanted him. Even if we were outside a dingy tavern in the middle of the night, inches from being spotted, I didn’t care. Wanting my mate was the most natural thing in the world. A soft moan escaped me as I shut my eyes, feeling his warmth press into me. The heat between my thighs pul
Raven The sudden press of Neil’s lips against mine felt like a lightning strike, electricity coursing through my body. For a second, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think—I could only feel the searing warmth of Neil’s mouth on mine and the roughness of his grip around my wrists. But just as quickly
He gave a short nod, apparently satisfied. A few moments later, the guards returned with drinks. Castor and Eric were in the midst of recounting the battle, ale sloshing out of mugs as they gestured wildly. “And then Neil dove right into the heart of the fight,” Castor was saying. “One rogue after
Raven The tavern was dimly lit and packed, the air smelling thickly of alcohol and smoke. It seemed the entire village was there tonight, celebrating the warriors returning safely. We made our way to a table in the corner, our cloaks up to shield our faces despite the crowded atmosphere. The gua
Ember remained silent, studying me with an amused glint in her eyes. “But at least here,” I muttered, swinging again and managing to force her to step back, “Lycan women are honest about their intentions. You don’t pretend to be best friends while plotting behind someone’s back.” As I took anoth
Raven The morning sun had barely crested over the castle walls when Ember and I made our way to the training yard. I’d hardly slept at all last night, tossing and turning after my little late night run-in with Hannah. Ember was still watching me out of the corners of her eyes, clearly waiting for
Hannah rolled her eyes and stepped back. I didn’t lower my knife. “And that’s exactly why you are weak,” she said. “A tragedy like that would make a strong queen, not weaken her. If you were worthy, you would have used that pain to grow stronger. Instead, all it has done is make you look pathetic.”