The afternoon sun had begun to dip, casting a warm, golden hue over the gathering. By the time the matches concluded, a festive air had settled over the estate. The nobles gathered in clusters, laughing and chatting as the servants began setting up for the reception. Theodore was surrounded, drawing
TheodoreHer grip on her champagne flute tightened, and she turned her head slightly, meeting my gaze. Her eyes were dark and heavy-lidded, filled with amusement and fondness that made me grin like a child.Giddy.Happy.And drunk.I blinked as the realization hit me.I was drunk.Not the kind of re
Happy.I guessed that meant I had passed all the tests for the evening.Violet simply dipped her head in a polite nod. “How gracious of you.”I took her cue and stepped back, offering my arm. She placed her hand in the crook of my elbow, letting me lead her away from the revelry, though I could stil
VioletMorning came too soon with every pleasurable ache that I had expected. What I hadn't anticipated was the sound of my phone ringing incessantly. I groaned at the shrill sound, dragging me out of the blissful haze of sleep. I reached for it blindly, cursing when Theodore’s arm tightened around
The room erupted as the words rolled through my mind. I almost smiled.Owen… was truly and idiot.“Bastard!” someone snapped.“This was planned,” another growled.“It aired last night,” a noble near the screen muttered, voice tight with barely contained rage. “Sometime after they were taken away in
VioletThe channel changed to another channel where the journalists were interviewing people on the street. It was an older man standing with the reporter, shaking his head."It's been too long since we've had a decent king," he scoffed. "His father was a piece of work, but even he had the sense not
“You’re serious about this?” His voice was soft. "About… about teaching me?"My heart trembled and cracked at the uncertainty in his voice.“Yes," I said and gestured over to a nearby table. "You can… if you want."He bit his lip, looking so young in that moment. So eager. He crossed the room, took
VioletHis tone was light, but there was an edge beneath it.I tilted my head. “Do you have a plan, or are we improvising?”His lips curled. “A little of both.”I arched a brow, intrigued. “Go on.”Theodore closed the book gentle and met my gaze.“We make sure that by the time he steps foot in that
Theo’s gaze became unfocused, and I knew he was replaying the scene from dinner. “So you faked your reaction,” he concluded, but then his brows bunched. “To the point of vomiting?”I hesitated at that. “That was unintentional. I imagined losing you to make my response more believable, but I must hav
Violet’s POVI had been greedy.I could see how distraught Theo was, how deeply he had believed my false devastation. But as he set me down in my shower, I realized what I needed to do. I realized this might be the last minutes I had with him for an unknown amount of time.So instead of comforting h
Theodore’s POVI didn’t understand why the Moonstone glowed.Yes, I felt some sort of pull toward Eva, but everything about her felt off. And I still also felt a pull toward Violet, even if it did feel battered and beaten. Then I turned in horror to Violet out of habit, turned to my mate who I had p
Violet’s POVYou knew this would happen.A remnant of a long-lost fear whispered in my ear, reminding me of the belief I once felt so strongly: that Theodore and I were only together because of a contract, a transaction, a business arrangement and that I would be smart to never become emotionally en
Theodore’s POVIt was like a fog had settled in my brain. A fog laced with pain.The fog took me under at the temple. Scrambled my senses in what appeared to be a hospital. Only one thing kept me conscious.Alari. My wife, my mate, my Violet.Anger dissipated the already fading fog as I put together
"I don't imagine you're here to check on your brother," I said, not looking at him directly. "So, what brings you here, dear brother-in-law."I let my gaze drift toward him, taking in his irritation. He looked furious behind his almost placid expression."More on business," he said."We will be retu
VioletHe passed out as I expected, but the fact that he didn't even know who I was talking about spoke volumes. He was sickly pale, drained, flushed. Blood still smeared on his face and neck.Lily said he'd started to bleed from his nose and ears, convulsing and speaking a language neither of them
“Theodore,” she whispered, her voice soft, reverent. “I’ve been looking for you. Don't turn away from me.” A strange pressure coiled in my chest, the same unnatural pull I’d felt at the temple. I felt nauseous. Sick. I turned away from her. Looking, squinting through the haze to see the other figu
VioletDarkness stretched endlessly before me, vast and empty. Then, the dream took shape. The two wolves from before stood on a precipice, their fur illuminated by an unseen light. The white wolf stood firm, waiting, watching. The black wolf was near, coming up behind the other. Their bands of li