Eve The open-air markets bustled with vendors as I walked through stall after stall, haggling prices of vegetables and seafood.The banquet was in less than twelve hours. The maids helped chop vegetables, scale and clean the fish, while I began making the sauce for the baked salmon, slicing lamb racks before seasoning them.There was a lot of work to do. I was overseeing the arrangement of food, centerpiece flowers, and making sure each guest had a table.Old Victoria hadn’t bothered to make an appearance in the kitchen—not a single moment spent pretending to supervise or help. I hadn’t expected anything different from her. She had no real authority left. It was better this way, as she was utterly useless, and her presence would have been more of an inconvenience than anything else.A presence filled the room before his voice even cut through the noise. Axel walked into the kitchen, and some of the maids straightened and bowed respectfully. I focused on the stew in front of me, stirr
EightAt exactly 8:00 PM, the banquet began. Nobles, warriors, council members, and some packmates had arrived.I moved through the room, placing dishes onto the buffet table and standing behind it. The guests began serving themselves. Some of the noblewomen stared at the food as if expecting disappointment—some even had the audacity to ask for the former head cook.A noblewoman wrinkled her nose as she ladled a small portion of stew onto her plate, eyeing it before moving down the table. Her friend took a slice of meat as if testing its worth. I didn’t let it bother me. They were the least of my worries, and I knew they would be back.Minutes passed as I watched from my station. Then it happened—the first noblewoman leaned toward her companion, muttering something. They both rose from their chairs, and one by one, guests started returning to the buffet table, eager to eat more.The same woman who had initially acted unimpressed filled her plate with more than she could carry. I looke
AxelThe hall pulsed with excited energy. At the far end, seated on the throne-like chair, I remained composed, scanning the room and observing every interaction.We all knew what was coming. The sound of the gong was enough to shift the energy in the room.The execution.Two warriors in black leather and iron armor stepped into the hall. Between them, a traitor was dragged forward, his wrists shackled, and face bruised and covered in dried blood.The warriors forced him onto his knees in the center of the hall. He spat blood onto the floor and, despite the agony in his battered body, I saw the rebellious streak in his eyes.I rested my forearm on the carved wolf's head of my chair, watching him."What is his offense?" Shahar asked, standing beside me.
EveThe moment Axel stepped into the garden, I caught his scent long before he reached the lake. It was distinct, and even if my nose was doused with a thousand other scents, I would still recognize it.I didn’t need to turn around to know he was there, watching.And tonight, I would let him.My toes curled over the water before slipping in, sending a shock through my limbs, but I didn’t flinch. Instead, I took off my robe and let my body sink into its embrace with an unhurried, deliberate movement.I let myself float for a moment, my limbs slicing through the water, sending ripples that danced across the pool. My hair fanned out behind me as I swam slowly, taking my time, feeling the weight of Axel’s stare pressing against my skin.He hadn’t moved.
Eve My lust grew potent, and the flame of desire kindled between my thighs. Axel was asking for a massage, and the thought of seeing him naked drove me wild with distraction. He sat on the bench, watching my next move with a dangerous smile. My hand twitched in my lap. I needed to touch him. To feel his warm body pressed up against me.“Come on,” he chuckled. “I don't bite. Well…not unless you want.”That made me laugh out loud.A wicked spark lit in his eyes as he raised one brow at me in an invitation. It was tempting. Very, very tempting.Sighing, I reached for him. His expression was priceless as it twisted into a mischievous grin, and he stretched out, completely at my mercy. My hands were already starting to work their magic. I started at my ankles, kneading the tight muscles with the right amount of pressure. He let out a low groan as I moved up to his calves. "You're tense," I murmured, voice low and sultry.Without thinking, my fingers brushed against the bulge in his p
The moment I got to my bedroom, it felt like the walls of my room were closing in on me.I sat on the bed, staring at the door, listening to the fading sound of his footsteps as silence swallowed the space.Then, shame crashed down on me.My knees buckled, and I sank onto the edge of the bed, my hands covering my face. A choked sob escaped before I could swallow it down.What have I done?Shame squeezed the air from my lungs. This wasn’t supposed to happen. My body had betrayed me. His scent still clung to my skin, the sheets, the air— everything, and I hated how much I wanted to drown in it.My parents would roll in their graves.I pressed a fist against my lips, trying to silence the sobs racking my body, but the tears came anyway.My mother, who had once held me in the safety of her arms.My father had given his life to protect his family.What would they say if they could see me now—broken and undone by the very man who had destroyed everything they built?A fresh wave of disgust
AxelWith my arms crossed over my chest, I watched Shahar and a few of the warriors demonstrating different techniques to the younger recruits under the shade of the archway, while the others trained in the field.The young Lycans loved this challenge—an exhilarating test of their strength against seasoned warriors.Shahar laughed, easily dodging a boy's reckless swing and knocking him off balance with a mere flick of his foot."Come on, you’ll have to be faster than that if you want to win a real fight," he teased, offering his opponent a hand.The recruit took it, shaking his head in good-natured embarrassment, while the others waited, eager for their turn.I exhaled, adjusting my stance.Watching my warriors train had always brought me a sense of peace.Discipline. Order. Strength.But something about watching Shahar today made my chest feel tight.Guilt.That was it.I could feel it—dragging me down, refusing to be ignored.Every time I saw him, it reminded me of last night with E
EveI knew Axel was listening.He flipped through his puzzle book like he wasn’t paying attention, but I knew better.He was too calculating not to be listening, too intelligent not to be connecting the dots.That’s why I deliberately mentioned it.I wanted to see if he would react—to catch even the slightest shift in his gaze, anything that would confirm he was paying attention.My heart drummed in my chest as I waited for his eyes to betray something.Nothing.Not a twitch, not a glance, not even the faintest acknowledgment.I swallowed hard, hating the growing ache of disappointment.His fingers glided across the page as he solved whatever problem was in front of him.Maybe I was shooting myself in the foot, revealing too much too soon. Every word I spoke felt like a reckless gamble. I was playing with fire by mentioning my estate so openly, dangling a thread that, if pulled, could expose everything I had so carefully hidden.If Shahar dug deeper, my cover could be blown. The thoug
Morning came, but it didn’t bring relief. I cracked my eyes open, and my chest pressed deeper into the mattress as if it could swallow me whole.Waking up meant acknowledging reality, which was a cold, merciless thing. Last night had been an agonizing kind of heartbreak. Maya was satisfied, purring in contentment after finally being fucked by our mate—but I felt empty.Raw. Drained. Wounded.And this morning felt worse.The crushing weight of knowing exactly where I stood.I blinked at the ceiling, staring blankly before rolling onto my side. Axel’s delicious scent still lingered on my pillow. At least that meant it wasn’t a horrifying nightmare.He had been here. He had touched me. And I had let him.Thinking about it now made the humiliation double.Letting myself hope had been my first mistake. Now, I was paying for it.The general bell rang through the castle. I rolled my eyes and ignored it. Axel could starve for all I cared.Let him order someone else to make his damn breakfast.
EveThe air thickened with desire as I untied the silk sash of my night robe, letting it fall to the floor, leaving me completely exposed to Axel's hungry gaze. Every inch of my body was on display, a tantalizing invitation that Axel couldn't resist.My heart pounded in my chest. I knew what I wanted and I knew Axel desired me just as much. He stood at the doorway, his eyes locked on my naked form. He seemed captivated by the way my breasts rose and fell with each breath, a clear sign of my arousal. He took a step forward, his gaze never leaving my body, and my breath caught in my throat."You're stunning," Axel whispered. "I've been dreaming of this moment."I smiled, a mix of shyness and boldness flashing across my face. "Then don't just stand there. Come and take what you want."He needed no further encouragement. He closed the gap between us. He reached out, gently cupping my cheek, and pulled me into a kiss. Our lips met passionately, tongues entwining as if we were starving for
AxelConversation flowed a few feet away from me, but I barely listened. Shahar and I were in his house, yet my mind wasn’t here.The dull bruises on my body were the only remnants of the battle, but my recovery had been unnaturally fast.No one could explain it.But I knew. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, it had something to do with Eve.She was the last person I should be thinking about—especially while sitting in the house of her boyfriend.I tried to push her image away, but it refused to leave me.Her eyes, filled with lust and pleasure. The way her lips parted when she came.I felt like the devil for wanting the one woman I had no right to want.A voice near the front door snapped me back to reality until I noticed Shahar deep in conversation with an architect and two land acquisition officers."Are you building another house?" I asked from where I was seated.He turned to me with a grin."Nope. But take a wild guess."I rolled my eyes. "I don’t have time for that. Just tell
My breath hitched as I pulled away from Axel’s kiss, and my lips tingled from its heat. I rolled off him, falling back onto the bed, and a flush of heat crept up my neck.My mind spun, replaying what had just happened.I could feel his warmth on my skin and his taste lingering in my mouth.My body screamed at me to close the distance again, to give in to the moment, to let him devour me all over again.But I forced myself to move away.This wasn’t right.His heated gaze was locked onto mine, roaming over my body in a way that made me feel both exposed and wanted. It was wild how much I wanted to feel his touch again, but I couldn’t.Not when he had already given himself to someone else.My hands balled into fists at the thought. I snapped my eyes away from him, swallowing hard."What the hell are we doing?" I whispered, my voice shaky, my chest rising and falling with the effort of trying to stay in control.He didn’t answer immediately.Then, a knowing chuckle rumbled from his chest,
EveI woke to Axel’s hands tracing slow, deliberate paths along my skin. His forehead rested against my shoulder blade, his lips hovering just above my collarbone.A smile tugged at my lips.His hands slid from my sides to my hips, pulling me closer. I sighed, leaning back against him, wondering why the universe had decided to punish me."What are you doing?" I asked, though I already knew."How does someone who looks like they lost a fight with a wild beast still crave a woman’s touch?"Axel, half-dead but still arrogant, cracked open one eye. "Survival instinct."I snorted. "Oh, is that what this is? So, what—you think if you hold onto me long enough, your wounds will magically heal?"His lips twitched, but exhaustion dulled his usual smirk. His arm tightened around my waist, his breath warm against my hair."Worth a shot."I moved closer, pressing against his bare chest. His scent filled my lungs, grounding me and calming me."You’re impossible."Axel exhaled, shifting slightly aga
EveThe priestess was about to step past the threshold of the kitchen when urgency gripped me. I rushed forward, nearly colliding with her back.The sudden movement made the older woman pause, her shoulders tilting slightly before she turned back to face me.I blocked her exit."What did you mean?"The priestess tilted her head, an amused glint dancing in her eyes."Now, whatever could you be referring to?" she mused.I narrowed my gaze."Don't play with me. You said something cryptic, and I don't like it. What are you implying?"Her smile widened like she was enjoying my discomfort."It was just a general statement, child. You seem rather reactive for someone who's simply cooking."The implication made my blood boil. I hated how she made me feel like I was examined under a microscope, as if she had already unraveled the secrets tangled in my mind before I could make sense of them myself."I was just making soup. That’s all I was doing, and then you come in here and drop little riddle
EveThe moment I stepped off the transport system and onto the streets of the Lycan Pack’s capital, I knew something was wrong.The air was too still. No moving vehicles. No industrial sounds.Nothing.The entire city seemed to have been drained of life.I adjusted the bag on my shoulder, taking slow steps forward. My eyes scanned the silent streets. Maybe it was a holiday? Or perhaps a royal decree for silence?If something like that had happened, I would have heard about it before I left. Shahar would have informed me.My heart pounded as I glanced around. No cars. No buses. Not even a single bicycle moving through the streets.This was very unusual.My instincts sharpened and my wolf stirred inside me.I passed by a storefront, catching the reflection of my face
AxelThe mid-year party was in full swing. Music played in the background, setting the mood for celebration, but to me, it was nothing more than noise—distant, irritating.Nothing beyond that.I had already done my duty—acknowledged the elders, exchanged empty pleasantries, and offered a few words of wisdom to the warriors who had recently risen in rank. But now, I was trapped.Surrounded by a cluster of noblewomen who reeked of desperation and expensive perfume.Ever since Nina had made our supposed engagement public, the women had taken it as a challenge—thinking they still had a chance.It was pathetic and exhausting."It's shocking, really," Beatrix purred, tilting her head, her sharp gaze laced with jealousy. "We thought you weren’t the type to settle down, yet Nina managed to—how should I say it?—
EveThe road stretched ahead of us, winding through the remnants of a once-thriving land. Nostalgia wrapped around me, suspending me between past and present.Everything felt different now.Even the air seemed thinner, lacking the same fullness it once had when I was a child, running barefoot through the Market Square, dodging merchants, stealing warm pastries with Crystal.The air smelled like rotten eggs now. Still, it was home.And I missed it.Beside me, Crystal linked her fingers with mine. She always seemed to know when my mind drifted too far, as if we shared some unseen bond."Remember when we were little? How we used to hold hands like this all the time?" She swung our hands between us, and a wistful smile played on her lips.I smiled. "Back then, we didn’t have to worry about politics. Or betrayals. Or