Eve Something was off with Crystal, and I couldn't put my finger on it. It was like standing in a room where something unnatural had sucked all the usual energy out of it.She wasn’t her usual teasing self, enough to set off alarm bells in my head. I had been mentally bracing myself for her usual commentary about my upcoming marriage, expecting her to have a full-blown monologue about how I was walking straight into a circus act.There was nothing. Not even a halfhearted jab.Just silence.I watched her carefully when she visited the castle, waiting for some sign of her usual mischief. But she barely replied when I spoke. Her responses were clipped, and her smirks were absent; that was a red flag. I might have let it go if it had been anyone else, but this was Crystal. The woman who could turn a funeral into a roast session if given the chance.Was it PMS? That could explain her brooding mood. She always turned into a storm cloud in heat: moody, irritable, and insufferable.If that
Eve Crystal was biting into a cake when I returned to the kitchen. I stood before her."What the hell was that about?"She turned her gaze to me, completely deadpan. "What are you asking me for?"I shot her a look. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You attacked Shahar."Crystal leaned back, faking surprise. "Oh, my bad. Did he run to you complaining that I hurt his feelings? Maybe I should send him an apology basket with scented candles and a handwritten note that says, ‘Dear Shahar, sorry for treating you like the disposable pawn that you are.’""That's not fair. You didn't even go after Axel like that."She shrugged. "That's because I don't have to. We know what Axel is. We know what he did. But you're getting too comfortable. I see it, and it's dangerous. We didn't come here to make friends or get married.""Let's take a walk. Fewer ears," I said.She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."We headed out and walked along the stone path. The estate's garden was always peaceful, and I
Eve Our lips met in a passionate embrace. The kiss was deep and hungry, with our tongues entwined in a dance that mirrored our growing desire.My hands roamed over his broad chest, tracing the contours of his torso under his lab coat. While his thumbs brushed against my nipples, already stiff with excitement, the sensation sent a jolt of pleasure through my body, causing me to moan softly into his mouth."What are you doing to me?" He breathed against my ear. "You're so fucking irresistible.""I know."With each passing moment, the atmosphere grew heavier and thicker with desire. My movement became more purposeful as I began to undress him, with my fingers unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his sculpted torso.My eyes traced the lines of his shoulders and the ridges of his abdomen. One by one, his garments fell away, and soon he stood before me, with his damned body a work of art, hot and ready."So needy, huh?" He whispered against my ear as I reached for his belt, deftly unbuckling i
Eve "I have to go," I said to Axel, watching as he finished his meal with a satisfaction he didn’t bother to hide.He never openly admitted how much he liked my cooking, unlike Shahar, who would shower me with exaggerated compliments and bounce like a kid. But I knew. Axel was getting addicted. The way he scraped his plate clean, the way he always finished before everyone else, the way his eyes lingered on the food before he even took his first bite—it was all the proof I needed."Stay," he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I'll be rounding up soon."I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. That smug look on his face irritated me because he was fully aware of why I was looking at him like that."So why did you make me go through all this stress if you were coming home tonight anyway?" I asked, crossing my arms.He shrugged, feigning nonchalance, and went right back to eating, not even sparing me another glance. Sneaky, arrogant, huge-ass bastard.Here I was, a woman about to marry
Axel's POVA mad giggle burst from Shahar as he lunged at me again with fast and wild strikes, like he had something to prove. I gritted my teeth, blocking him, but his speed had doubled since we started. I was sparring, he was fighting like his life depended on it."Admit that I won," Shahar taunted, breathless. A grin stretched across his face as he tried to pin me down."Fuck off," I grumbled, shoving his hand away when he tried to pull me up.It was all lighthearted, nothing serious, but even the warriors watching knew he had put in twice the effort I had. A few of them chuckled, shaking their heads even when we both knew I was naturally stronger. Shahar had always been this way, competing with me in ways I never invited."I smell like shit. I'll freshen up before coming back to see Eve," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead.Something sharp twisted in my chest, and I forced a smile, pretending his words didn’t sink into my bones like a curse.Envy.It burned through me like a
AxelThe wind carried the scent of salt and damp earth as I made my way toward Priestess Gaia’s hut. The water crashed against the rocks and the chill bit at my skin, but my mind was too heavy to care.Approaching the hut, my steps faltered. There, half-buried in the sand, was the priestess—only her head visible, her long silver-streaked hair tangled with bits of seaweed.My arm clutched my chest as I frowned. “What the hell are you doing?”A raspy laugh bubbled from her throat. “Ah, the mighty king is afraid?”“Not in the slightest,” I muttered, stepping forward. “Do I even want to know if this is some sort of ritual?”She grinned up at me. “A cleansing ritual,” she said simply. “Submission to the earth, to the ancestors. You should try it.”“
Eve’s POVSomething was wrong with Axel.He hadn’t come downstairs for dinner, hadn’t spoken to anyone, hadn’t even allowed anyone into his room. It was as if he had locked himself in solitary confinement, shutting out the world. This was the second day, and my worry had only grown.I heard the sound of a van pulling up outside. My heart lifted slightly as I rushed out, already knowing who it was.Shahar stepped out of his van as I ran straight to him for a hug. He tensed for half a second before hugging me back.Strange.“Has he come downstairs?”I pulled away, shaking my head.His jaw tightened, and he stared at the house like he was trying to come up with a plan. Finally, he reached for my hand and gave it a light squeeze.“I’ll try my best.
Eve’s POVI wiped my tears roughly with my scarf as my mind reeled from the weight of my own confession.Gaia exhaled slowly, shaking her head as if trying to process it all. "What a bloody revolution," she murmured.The silence between us stretched. I could feel her gaze on me, studying me. Not with judgment, but with compassion and understanding.I hated it.I turned away, clenching my fists. “You can judge me all you want, but that night in the kitchen, I was trying to do what could only be considered revenge. And yet, I couldn’t even bring myself to go through with it. This damn bond is like a curse festering in my bones, poisoning everything.”Gaia hummed, tilting her head as if weighing my words. “Or maybe you have a kind heart. It’s rare, you know.”I scoffed, wiping the last of my te
EveThe morning sun slipped through the bars of my cell, and I felt a bone-chilling cold clinging to me. This was it.Axel was not coming to save me.My body screamed with hunger, and the sharp pain that had become my only companion gnawed at me. My skin was swollen from insect bites. I was getting weaker and weaker.Axel didn’t come. He didn’t even try. He didn’t believe me. He believed their lies.This was how it would end—this slow slide into oblivion. They would drag me out of here like an animal. They wanted my blood. My eyes fluttered shut. He didn’t even give me a chance to explain.A violent shiver rattled my teeth. I curled into a ball on the stone floor. My stomach burned, and my tongue felt thick and swollen, scraping against the roof of my mouth like sandpaper. I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry. I pressed my forehead against the stone as the ache in my head worsened.One guard, spitting a wad of tobacco juice onto the floor, gestured toward me.“You reckon they’re
Axel My horror was a mixture of shock and fear, and my body froze.I forgot to breathe. Bile burned in the back of my throat. Everything was happening at once. So fast that I couldn't think. “That… that’s not possible,” I said with nervous laughter. “That can never be Eve?”Shahar angled his body away, and his arms hung useless at his sides.“I wish this was a lie,” he muttered.His words didn’t make sense. Nothing did.All this time, her smiles, touches, moments that felt like love, was it all a carefully constructed lie?The betrayal sliced like a blade in my ribs.I’d always thought I was a master at reading emotion, at spotting liars. I prided myself on sensing people’s motives before they even spoke. Yet I was the fool who let the enemy into my bed.“How could we have been so blind,” Shahar said, crossing his arms and shaking his head, eyes locked on the empty sky. “So stupid.”I pictured Eve’s face and curves. The way her eyes crinkled when she laughed. Those beautiful, innoce
EveThe lack of light made it impossible to tell day from night. The shackles that bound my wrists bit into my skin, and I trembled as the door creaked open for another round of weeping. They struck me with leather-strapped clubs, and my screams were muffled by the cloth gag jammed between my teeth.Traitor.Dirty little werewolf.Slut.They flogged me while demeaning me with every word. Each blow left bruises shaped like knuckles across my back and arms. My gown hung in tatters as the whip cracked through the air and kissed my skin, searing ribbons of flesh.But I was grateful—because I had heard worse. From the neighboring cell came the moans of a man they had mutilated, his tongue cut out.Once finished with me, they walked away, and the clang of the iron door made me scream.The only light came from a porthole high above—too small to see the sky. My fingers found the stone walls, slick with slime and my own blood.A wooden bowl of unidentifiable gruel was shoved under the door. I
Axel My long journey was full of trials and haunting stillness, felt like a pointless march into madness. I stopped at the place where all vehicles were forbidden. From there, I began to walk. Each step dragged on, slow and heavy. Shifting into my wolf was not allowed—though not like I could even do that anymore. I carried my luggage by hand, water sloshing inside the pouch, and a few folded bills. My tunic’s hood shielded my face as I pressed forward, alone. The guards had been forbidden to accompany me. This pilgrimage demanded isolation.The first village I reached resembled a painting from a child’s sketchbook—mud huts with intact thatched roofs, placed too neatly, too still. Strangely, every window had black cloth nailed across it. The smell of rot and stagnant water rolled through the air like a fog. A woman pounded millet beside a well, and I called to her. She didn’t turn. A man leaning against a goat pen chewed without blinking. No one spoke. My voice echoed back like it ha
EveA relaxed smile crossed my face as I headed to Axel's closet suites which could be best described as a private showroom than any ordinary wardrobe. He had been in a hurry to pack and had made a mess of the place. It wasn't that messy, but I was bored. It had been more than a day since he travelled, and since I had no reason to be cooking and preparing recipes, I needed something to keep my mind busy.My ga scanned rows of drawers, racks, shelving units, and a relaxed smile crossed my face when I stared at his custom boot trunks. Everything about him was powerful. I began to unfold garments from his set of leather suitcases lying open on a velvet bench and separated his regalia from his casual wears and his battle dress uniforms. I was organizing his cufflinks and brooches when I remembered my ordeal with Crystal and Shahar.Crystal had called back after Gaia left, panicking."He's going to suspect that we are playing him," I said to her, feeling so frustrated."I know, I know!" sh
Eve“So…” a familiar voice drawled behind me, full of amusement. “How was the proposal?”I turned to see Gaia trailing behind me into the kitchen. Her brows did some kind of mischievous dance.“Did he go down on one knee?” she asked, barely suppressing her grin. “I know he didn't. His kneecaps would probably shatter from the sheer offense.”I laughed, despite myself. “Please, Gaia.”“I’m just curious. You're royalty now. We want to know how the King of Stone Hearts melted.”I groaned, dropping the tray on the counter. “Let’s just say I don’t know what I’m doing.”Gaia raised an eyebrow. “You seemed pretty confident back there, standing beside him like you were ready to snatch the crown yourself.”“I was winging it,” I muttered.“Winging it with grace,” she corrected, following me as I headed toward the private living room. She made herself comfortable on the couch across from me while I flopped into the seat.I rubbed my forehead. “Everything feels like it’s spiraling. One second I’m
Nina's POVNina pressed her ear against the door, trying to catch every word that Eve was saying to Gaia. She had always wondered why the priestess was so interested in an ordinary cook. Well, it seemed she wasn't so ordinary anymore—judging by the unexpected turn of events.Nina didn’t want to call what she felt jealousy, but that’s exactly what it was. Spiteful bitterness clawed at her. She believed this stranger—this harlot, this swat—had taken away Herman. It was clear she had slithered her way halfway into Axel’s life. Perhaps she fulfilled needs, styles, kinks, and fetishes Axel loved—ones that once led Nina to suspect he might be secretly homosexual.Nina gloried in her beauty. She was superior to other girls in talent, looks, wealth, and importance—and she was fully conscious of it. Women in the park and beyond humbled themselves before her. She was like a precious egg—darling in her parents’ eyes. She was supposed to be the one to win Axel, fair and square. She deserved to be
Eve“Axel, stop,” I groaned, struggling in his hold, though part of me wasn’t trying too hard. His arms were like iron bands around my waist, keeping me caged against him. I twisted, trying to free myself, but it was pointless.When Axel wanted something, he didn’t ask, he took it. His lips brushed the shell of my ear. “Why are you fighting me?” “You’re supposed to be holding court right now. They’re waiting. I can't go with you.”“Are you scared of the people who fear me? Those trembling cowards who shake in their boots the second I walk into a room?”His gaze on me was intense, that piercing hazel that seemed to burn straight through me. “I’m not scared of them. I'm not scared of you either.”A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and before I could say another word, he leaned in and pressed his lips to my neck. His kiss was hot, just above the place where my pulse jumped like a wild thing. I shivered.If he just opened his mouth and sank his teeth into that spot, jus
ShaharI drank from bottles, one after another. The liquor poured down my throat until I became drowsy and my head hit the table.Hours later, my eyes opened and I groaned. My neck hurt. My hand wiped the drool on my beard and mouth. The mattress sagged as I lay on it and my eyes closed as I hit the pillows.I woke up the next morning with one clear decision burning in my chest: to go find Crystal.The Wild Fangs Pack was about a four-hour journey by road from here. If I left before sunrise, I could make it there in time. I could’ve cut that time in half by air, but I hated flying. Something about being in the air, detached from the ground, felt unnatural. Most Lycans didn’t like it either. We were creatures of earth and instinct, grounded and primal. The air felt like a lie. You couldn’t scent your surroundings. You couldn’t feel danger. You couldn’t trust the skies. No matter how convenient air travel was, it always stripped me of control.Crystal knew her friend betrayed and manip