Raven Neil’s arms around me were an unexpected comfort. His warmth enveloped me, the steady beating of his heart thrumming against my chest. I didn’t know how to react, didn’t even know how to breathe at the contact. I just stood there, my cheek pressed his body, my eyes wide and unblinking. T
“It’s fine,” he said, although his voice was strangely quieter than usual. “I understand.” For a heartbeat, the tension between us hung like a heavy weight in the air. I thought about what would happen if I leaned in again, if I closed the gap and kissed him properly. I felt suddenly cold without
Raven My lips parted, my heart pounding so loudly I thought Hannah might hear it, but I forced out a shaky laugh instead. “Werewolves? Oh, come on, Hannah. It’s just an inside joke between me and Ember.” I reached up to brush a strand of hair from my face, willing my hand not to tremble as I mov
I ignored the pain, focusing on her movements instead. During my training, Ember and Eric had drilled one lesson into me above all else: never stop fighting. Never. Not even when blood was soaking into your eyes and you just wanted to give up. I lunged forward, my blade catching her shoulder this
Raven The tray hit the floor with a deafening crash, broken shards of dishes scattering across the room. Ember stood frozen in the doorway, her wide eyes darting between me and the lifeless body sprawled across the floor. Blood pooled beneath Hannah, staining the stone a dark crimson, and I coul
Sure enough, Eric and Castor arrived within a couple of minutes. Castor strode into the bathroom first, his broad shoulders filling the space. His eyes flicked first to me, taking in my tear-streaked face and red-rimmed eyes, before he moved to the mass in the tub and gingerly moved the sheet aside
Neil “Rogues do not move in formal packs like this,” Edrick was saying as he paced the meeting chamber. “This level of coordination—it is not normal for them. Someone is pulling the strings from behind the scenes. I am sure of it.” Caleb let out a derisive snort from where he lounged across from
Unless… they knew what she meant to me. Maybe they knew she was engaged to one of the Lycan princes. And maybe they thought that taking a potential princess would cause us to lash out, lose focus, do something rash. Serena, of course, would never want that. She was a Lycan woman. She would rather
Dani flushed, and Nathan had the decency to look ashamed. “We’re fated mates,” he said quietly. “We didn’t plan for it to happen, Raven. You have to believe me.” “I don’t have to believe anything,” I said sharply, clutching my fresh champagne glass tightly. For a moment, I was tempted to throw it
Raven It felt surreal, stepping back into this world of polished smiles and manufactured charm. The moment I stepped into the grand hotel, I could practically smell the competition mingling with the expensive perfume in the air. Everyone seemed to be trying to outdo one another, each gown and ma
“Raven!” my old public relations manager, Valerie, exclaimed, her face lighting up. She was dressed to the nines in a sleek black dress and heels, her hair perfectly styled. “Goddess above, where have you been? You’ve had me worried sick!” “I…” I faltered, unsure of how to respond. “It’s been… com
Raven The process of handling my father’s affairs felt so… clinical. After hours of signing papers and talking to coroners and a whole blur of other preparations, I finally stepped out of the hospital, feeling sick to my stomach. But I also felt strangely numb. Numb because I had the chance to
My breath caught, and I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh or tell me he was joking. But he didn’t. “A Lycan?” I repeated. “You’re… serious?” He nodded weakly. “She was from the Lycan kingdom. A defector. She left her people… left her family… because of me.” I couldn’t breathe. The walls see
Raven I swallowed hard, clutching the strap of my bag as tight as I could as I followed the nurse down the hallway. I’d left the others waiting outside, which was probably for the best. If I had walked in here with a posse full of strange-looking people, it might raise eyebrows and reveal that they
As I nuzzled down into the cloak, I glanced up at him. His face was impassive, his jaw set hard as he gazed out over the water. He didn’t look at me, but I did feel eyes on me, and I looked over to see Ember staring. She said nothing, although I did see her gaze soften a little before she looked a
Raven The nearly-full moon was already hanging high in the night sky by the time I slipped out of my room, my modern clothes feeling oddly uncomfortable around my body. The jeans were snug, hugging my legs in a way that felt unexpectedly restricting, and the black sweater was soft but a little too
“You have been busy,” she finally said as she took her seat. I froze, the cup halfway to my lips. “I—I’m not sure what you mean, Your Majesty.” The corner of her mouth quirked upward in a faint, almost amused smile. “Do not insult me with feigned ignorance, child. I know what happened to Hannah.