Sadie’s POVThe warrior closed the door behind me. Alone in my room, I went and sat stiffly on the bed. I smoothed out the silk duvet beside me, afraid to relax. I was worried that at any moment, Arlo would come through my door.Eventually, I washed up and changed for bed. But I tossed and turned all night. Any sound had me bolting upright. What was that? Was it him? Had he come to finish what we’d started earlier?Morning came and I woke up on the soft bed. I squinted against the sunlight streaming in through my window.I glanced around the room.He hadn’t come.Arlo hadn’t come to see me last night.There was a light knock on the door and the head maid peeked her head in. Seeing that I was awake, she came in, the other maid in tow behind her.“Miss Sadie. We’ll run your bath and help you dress,” she smiled at me.A bath? That was the last thing I wanted. I remembered the baht from the night before when they’d practically scrubbed my skin right off. I politely declined a bath.She pa
Sadie’s POV“It’s her, Your Highness,” one of the maids replied.“Are you sure?” Delilah asked, scanning me again with her eyes. “Because she doesn’t look like much, if you ask me.”The maids giggled at the insult. They were clearly enjoying the situation. They all had smug smiles on their faces.“She’s the one,” they confirmed.“Huh,” Delilah retorted, her hands still on her hips. Then she pressed her lips together and scowled at me.I didn’t understand. Why was the princess being so mean? Was it jealousy? Was she jealous because I was going to be Luna? But that didn’t make any sense. She was a princess! She was Lycan royalty! Even if I did become Prince Griffin’s Luna, she would still hold a higher rank than me.Why would she be jealous of me?Delilah narrowed her eyes then. She glanced behind me, at my unmade bed, the blankets still askew.Her face changed. Her eyes grew wide.“You slept here last night?” she asked, her voice high and tight.“She did, Your Highness,” one of the mai
Sadie’s POVDelilah’s words made me feel uncomfortable.I didn’t share his bed. The Prince’s face went blank.“Can’t you see, Griffin?” Princess Delilah said. “She doesn’t deserve you! She’s a slut and everyone knows it!”“Enough,” Griffin said, his voice tight.“No,” she shook her head. “You need to hear this. She’s a whore. And her pack told everyone. You should hear the rumors around the palace! Everyone’s whispering, Griffin. They say you’ve taken a slut for a Luna! It’s embarrassing!”“I said enough,” Griffin snapped.“She tried to seduce her father’s beta, for crying out loud!” Princess Delilah was making no effort to hide her disdain for me. She spat out her words and scowled at me. My cheeks burned red. Everyone at the palace knew? They were whispering about me?“Stop!” Prince Griffin yelled. This took Delilah by surprise. She snapped her mouth shut. “Stop it with the jealousy, Delilah,” Prince Griffin warned. “I don’t want to hear any more of it. Sadie is my fiancée. She’s n
Sadie’s POVI was walking back to my room after an exhausting day of etiquette lessons. The first lesson was the easiest. From there, it had all gone downhill. I’d been given a good education in my pack, but there was a lot I didn’t know. My head throbbed and my legs were so sore, I had to steady myself with my hand on the wall as I walked.Miss Meredith had been ruthless: Lycan Roya history, how to properly address the hired help, Luna etiquette. It was all unfamiliar to me and she scolded me whenever I made a mistake. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, she gave me a three hour long lesson in ballroom dance. It had been grueling! I’d done my best, but Miss Meredith’s stern, condescending demeanor had taken its toll on me.Now, finally, I was allowed to go back to my room. But my stomach growled angrily.I was starving. Throughout the day, I considered sneaking some food and hiding it in my dress. But I’d been banned from eating and I was terrified of getting into
Sadie’s POVThe moment I realized it was Arlo, scenes from our time in bed together flashed through my mind.His lips. His warm, wet mouth. His muscular, naked chest. The heat of his skin on mine. His tongue exploring my….My face turned bright red and I broke our embrace, taking a step back from him.Arlo could see my cheeks had turned red.“What are you thinking about, little wild cat?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. His tone was teasing, as though he could read my mind.“Nothing,” I said quickly.“Is that so?” he replied.I was embarrassed. Then my stomach growled loudly, making me feel even more self-conscious.Arlo chuckled softly. Then he reached out and scooped me in his arms. He started walking down the hall. My feet dangled in the air.“Wait, what are you doing?” I asked, confused. Where was he taking me? He turned left, into a hallway I didn’t recognize.“Shh,” he said. “Just relax.”He was taking me into a bedroom! To finish what we’d started!I panicked. I’d lost myself tha
Sadie’s POVI cowered in the dark pantry.I was so terrified of being caught, I could barely breathe. I heard the door to the kitchen creak open. Then I heard a voice come from the kitchen doorway.“Your Highness,” the voice said, respectfully. It was a female voice and assumed it was a maid. “I apologize. I didn’t know you were here. I heard noises and I just came to make sure no one had snuck into the kitchen.”“You didn’t know I was in here?” Arlo asked, a clear note of skepticism in his voice.“Well,” the maid chuckled softly.I heard her footsteps enter the kitchen. “Truthfully, yes I did. I’ve just been waiting, mustering up enough courage to follow you in here.”More footsteps. She must be really close to him now, I thought. He didn’t respond. She continued.“It’s just that, well, I really admire you, Your Highness.” Her voice carried a hint of flirtation. “I’ve watched you fight outside the training ground. You’re magnificent. And your muscles…they’re mesmerizing. So strong.”
Sadie’s POV“The Lycan Prince will be coming to our pack soon to choose his Luna,” my Alpha father said sternly at the breakfast table. “Reject Karter and focus on getting ready for the Luna selection.”Karter was my mate and I love him. “A liar like that is unworthy of my daughter,” My father added with disapproval. He was an intimidating Alpha, tall and muscular, with piercing, stern eyes. Most importantly, he despised Karter.“He’s not deceitful, Daddy,” I said, averting my eyes from his powerful gaze. My voice was small and quiet. “I don’t understand why you hate him so much.”“You have an obligation to bring glory to our family!” my father snapped. “Don't be obstinate, Sadie. I won’t stand for it!” I glanced up at him. He glared at me. My heart hammered in my chest. I didn’t want to enter the Luna Selection. I didn’t want to become the Lycan Prince’s Luna. I tried to reason with my father but he wouldn’t listen. I crossed my arms over my chest. “No,” I said firmly, glaring
Sadie's POVI felt like I was in a dream. Or more like a nightmare, really. Nothing felt real as Karter walked me to the pack house.“Where is my father?” I asked as soon as we entered. One of the maids pointed towards his private study. I rushed forward. But Karter stayed fixed in place.“Aren’t you coming?” I asked.“You should have some privacy,” he said, his voice warm and gentle. He came to me, kissed me on the forehead, and urged me to go in.I braced myself and took a deep breath. As soon as I entered the study, I saw my father’s body. It felt like a knife in my heart, seeing him lying on the floor like that.I ran to him and flung myself over his corpse, clinging to the collar of his shirt. I let out a long wail, unable to hold in my grief. It reverberated through the room.He was dead. My father was really dead.Guilt hit me like a bullet. I shouldn’t have argued with him. The last words I said to him were in disobedience. I’d been so angry with him.I’d fought with him. I’d