Sleep is impossible.The bed beneath me feels foreign, too stiff, too cold. I pull the blankets tighter around me, but they do nothing to warm the space where Caspian used to be. I’m used to the way his mattress molds to my body, the way his scent—dark roses and something deeper, like embers after a fire—wraps around me, lulling me into a sense of safety I never knew I craved.Now, in this room I once called mine, I feel like a stranger."You’re sulking," Aries comments lazily, his voice a deep purr in my mind. "If I had known you’d turn into such a lovesick fool, I would have reconsidered bonding with you."I roll onto my side, scowling at the ceiling. "I am not sulking.""Oh, my mistake. You’re just lying there, sighing dramatically, staring at the ceiling like a tragic heroine in a bad romance novel."I groan and sit up. "I can’t sleep.""You don’t say."I ignore him, slipping out of bed and padding toward the window. Outside, the estate stretches into the darkness, the moon casti
A loud knock echoes through my room. I stiffen under the covers, eyes locked on the ceiling. Aries' voice rumbles through my mind, smooth and taunting."Look who's at our door. The brooding prince has arrived."I grit my teeth, dragging the blanket over my head. "Pretend you didn’t hear it.""Too late. I heard it. And so did you."The knocking continues. It’s firm, persistent—Caspian’s signature. A long silence stretches after, and I think maybe he’s given up. But then his voice cuts through the wooden door, deep and rough."Delilah, open up."I squeeze my eyes shut."We need to talk."Aries sighs dramatically. "The poor guy is trying. Maybe just open the door and throw something at him? A compromise.""I’m not ready to see him.""And when will you be? Next winter?" Aries scoffs. "You’re acting like he ran over your cat."I don’t answer. Eventually, after a few more knocks, Caspian leaves.The entire day, I stay holed up in my room. The walls feel colder than before, the air heavier
The vision comes in flashes, jagged like broken glass.I see Theo. He’s sitting across from two men, their faces sharp with intent. Rowan leans forward, his fingers steepled. Cain lounges back, eyes red, cold, uninterested."She has Aries," Theo says, voice hesitant. "The wolf is real."My stomach knots.Rowan smirks. "That’s unexpected… but convenient. How do we take the legend down?""We don’t have to take down Aries," Cain says, tilting his head. "We take down the vessel."Me.Theo tenses. "If you kill Delilah, Aries dies." His voice is almost pleading. "But if you kill Aries, Delilah dies."Rowan waves a dismissive hand. "Exactly what Cain is saying. Kill Delilah when she's in her human form. When she's most vulnerable."The betrayal slices through me like a blade."I didn’t tell you this so you could plan her murder!" Theo snaps.Cain scoffs. "Then why tell us?"Theo exhales sharply. "Because we can convince her to switch sides. If we can probe Aries into remembering how he was
The first thing I notice when I wake up is the scent. Roses, warm and rich, wrapping around me like a memory I can’t escape. My body melts into the silk sheets, the fabric smooth against my skin, and for a fleeting second, I forget. I forget that I don’t belong in this bed anymore. I forget that I moved out. I forget that the person I love has been pushing me away.But then it hits me.I sit up too fast, my head spinning as last night comes crashing back into my mind. Aries. Caspian. The fight. Theo's betrayal. Aries taking control. Caspian stopping him. The way Aries spoke through me, his voice deep and biting, dragging Caspian into a confrontation neither of us were prepared for.How the hell did I get here?"You shouldn't thank him yet," Aries mutters in my head, voice thick with amusement. "Not until you have the conversation you’ve been avoiding."My breath catches.Slowly, I lift my gaze, and sure enough, Caspian is there. Sitting on the couch, one leg crossed over the other,
Silence.Thick, suffocating silence hangs between us.Caspian is watching me from his place on the couch, elbows resting on his knees, fingers loosely clasped together, looking like he’s waiting for me to explode after his quiet apology.Maybe he’s right to. The air in the room is charged, and I’m barely holding myself together.I sit on the edge of the bed, my arms folded tightly across my chest, trying to keep myself from shaking—not with fear, but with rage. I shouldn't be shaking at all, not when I'm the one who's angry, but every inch of my body is coiled so tightly that I feel like I might snap.He was the one who left me to drown in the mess he created and what does he have to say?Sorry?I think I need more than that, don't you think?"You don’t know, do you?" I finally break the silence, my voice quiet but edged with something sharp.His brows furrow. "Know what?"A bitter chuckle leaves me. "Of course, you don’t. Because while you were off being a prince, dealing with rogue
“I’ll consider forgiving you,” I say, arms crossed as I lean against the edge of the bed. “But you have to make it worth my choice.”Caspian, seated tensely on the couch, lifts his head, gray eyes stormy with emotions I can’t quite place. “And what exactly does that mean?”“It means that right now, we put aside whatever issues we have and focus on something bigger.” I pause, letting the weight of my words sink in. “Something that might just get me killed.”His entire body goes rigid. “What?”I exhale, bracing myself for his reaction. “When I went on a raid with the enforcers—”“You went on a raid with the enforcers?” he interrupts, voice low and sharp, like a blade pressed against my skin.I tilt my head, lips curling into something that isn’t quite a smile. “When you left me alone to my own devices, what did you think I’d do? Sit in my room and play dress-up?”His jaw clenches, muscle ticking under his skin. His fingers grip the armrest of the couch, knuckles turning white.I continu
A summons for tea with Queen Rhoda.I stare at the delicate note in my hands, reading the words over and over, half expecting them to change into something more reasonable. The last time I spoke to the Queen, she had revealed the prophecy and Aries’ history to me. It wasn’t a warm conversation—it was laced with tension, duty, and thinly veiled disapproval. And now, she wants to have tea?"Ignore it." Aries’ voice slithers through my mind, dark and irritated. "Burn the note. Tear it to pieces. Better yet, let me shift so we can go find something more entertaining, like a fight."I sigh, rubbing my temples. "It would be rude to ignore an invitation from the Queen.""So? Let her be offended." His growl reverberates in my skull. "It’s not like she ever wanted you here in the first place."He isn’t wrong."Still," I smooth out the note and stand, ready to leave my chambers."Oh no, absolutely not," Aries snaps. Suddenly, my legs feel like lead, my arms going slack at my sides. A strang
The walk to Cassidy's childhood house is longer than I remember. Or maybe it just feels that way with Aries still simmering in my head, his irritation palpable."That woman," he grumbles, referring to Queen Rhoda. "Thinks she can dictate everything, control everyone. She gave up on her own son and now wants to control me? She’s delusional."I sigh, rubbing my temples as I approach the nicely large stone house on the path to the main gate of the estate "Just let me handle this, Aries.""You always say that, but I’m still waiting for the day you actually put someone in their place for good.""Noted," I mutter under my breath.The door swings open before I can knock. Alma stands there, her light blonde hair pulled back, warm green eyes scanning my face. “Come in, dear.”The scent of herbal tea and lavender fills the air as I step inside. This home always feels like a safe haven, away from the chaos of the estate. She gestures toward the mahogany table near the fireplace.“Tea?” she asks
The scent of blood lingers thick in the air, mixing with the damp earth beneath my boots. The moon barely cuts through the thick canopy of trees, casting long shadows over the fallen bodies. Their lifeless forms lie sprawled across the ground, the fight drained from them. It was over fast—too fast. Three rogues, dead before they even had a chance to scream. It’s not satisfying. It’s just... work.Ethan nudges one of the corpses with his boot, his expression bored. "Well, that was disappointing," he mutters, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was hoping they’d at least put up a decent fight. Maybe throw a punch or two. But no, they just flopped over like dead fish. Pathetic."I wipe the blood off my blade, watching as the crimson soaks into the dirt. The forest is quiet now, the only sound the rustle of leaves in the wind. "They weren’t fighters," I say, my voice even. "Just scouts. Testing the borders. Seeing how far they could push before we pushed back."Ethan scoffs, stepping
The market square is bustling, the air thick with the scent of fresh bread and ripe fruit. I weave through the crowd, my basket swinging at my side, when I see him. Darius. My heart skips a beat, then plummets. He’s standing by the fountain, his dark hair catching the sunlight, his posture relaxed and confident. But it’s not just him. There’s a girl beside him, her laughter ringing out like a bell, too loud, too close. She’s beautiful, with black curls and a smile that seems to stretch too wide. They’re leaning in, heads almost touching, and my chest tightens.I shouldn’t care. We’re not officially mated yet, but we’re fated. He’s mine, and I’m his. So why does it feel like a knife is twisting in my gut?His head snaps up, as if he senses me watching. Our eyes lock, and for a moment, the world narrows to just him. His lips curl into that familiar smirk, the one that makes my stomach flutter even when I know it shouldn’t. He raises a hand, beckoning me over. My feet move before
The dining hall hums with the clinking of silverware and the low murmur of conversation. The long wooden table is overflowing with roasted meats, steaming vegetables, and goblets of deep red wine that glisten under the flickering chandelier light. The air smells of rosemary and thyme, mingling with the faint metallic tang of the silverware. I move quietly around the table, refilling glasses and serving plates, trying to stay invisible. It’s a skill I’ve perfected over the years—being unseen, unheard. But tonight, my hands tremble, my thoughts a chaotic mess.At the head of the table, Alpha Rowan, my uncle, commands attention effortlessly. His hard golden eyes sweep over the council members as he discusses pack resources, his deep voice cutting through the room like a blade. He’s dressed in his usual dark tunic, the fabric tailored to perfection, the golden crest of Moonhaven embroidered on his chest. He looks every bit the Alpha, every bit the man who holds my fate in his hands.
I sift through the files in my father’s royal study, the scent of aged parchment and oak filling the air. The fireplace crackles in the corner, casting flickering shadows across the dark walls lined with books of law, history, and the many conquests of Golden Crest. My father’s meticulous handwriting marks the margins of various documents, but one file catches my eye—a thick, yellowed folder labeled 'Moonhaven Case'.I pull it out and flip through the contents, my brow furrowing with every page. Moonhaven. The wolf pack that somehow broke out of Golden Crest’s authority. A lawless land, untouched by the kingdom's rule. And yet, here it is—a case file, an unresolved issue, one that should have been dealt with ten years ago.I clench my jaw. How the hell did my father let this slide?I slam the folder shut and lean back in the chair, my fingers drumming against the polished wood of his desk. This is unacceptable. A pack operating outside of our rule is a direct threat to our sove
The kitchen is hot, steam rising from the pots on the stove and clinging to my skin like a second layer. My arms ache from carrying the pail of milk, the weight of it pulling at my shoulders. I’m not built for this—not like them. My human body is weak compared to theirs, and the cook never lets me forget it.“Hurry up, girl!” she snaps, her voice sharp as a whip. “You’re slower than a snail in winter. What’s taking you so long?”I bite my tongue, forcing myself not to respond. She’s been scolding me all morning, even though I’ve been on my feet since dawn, scrubbing floors, peeling vegetables, and hauling supplies. Nothing I do is ever enough for her. “I’m sorry,” I mutter, setting the pail down with a thud. My hands are trembling, and I can feel the blisters forming on my palms. “I’ll try to be faster.”“Try?” she scoffs, her hands on her hips. “You should be doing, not trying. Useless, that’s what you are. A human in a wolf’s world. What good are you?”I flinch at her words, but
Theo’s room smells like him—like rain and something faintly metallic, like the edge of a storm. I’m on my knees, scrubbing at a stubborn stain on the wooden floor, my hands raw and stinging from the soap. The pack house is never clean enough for them, and neither am I. But Theo’s room is different. It’s quieter here, softer. The walls are lined with books, and the bed is always unmade, like he’s just rolled out of it. I don’t mind cleaning this space. It feels like the closest I’ll ever get to being part of something.The door creaks open, and I freeze. He’s here. I don’t look up, not right away. I keep scrubbing, even though my hands are trembling. I can feel his eyes on me, heavy and unreadable. “You don’t always have to do that,” Theo says, his voice low and steady. I finally glance up, and there he is, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed. He’s wearing a dark sweater that makes his hair look even lighter, almost golden in the dim light. He sends me a small smi
The grand hall of the estate is eerily silent, save for the steady click of my father’s polished shoes against the marble floor. He stands in front of me, arms crossed, exuding the usual 'I-am-your-father-and-you-will-listen-to-me' energy. My mother is beside him, a perfectly composed ice sculpture in a designer dress, her sharp grey eyes—our sharp grey eyes—assessing me with the usual judgment."You're in charge while we're gone," my father announces, his voice firm and unyielding, as if he hasn’t already said this a hundred times.I don’t respond immediately, my hands shoved into the pockets of my tailored jacket. Instead, I glance out the tall windows, where the late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the estate grounds. The weight of his words settles over me, heavy and familiar. "I’m aware," I finally say, my tone low and measured.He raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my lack of enthusiasm. "This isn’t a joke, Caspian. The rogues are becoming bolder. They’re not
(Before Goldencrest)The scent of pine and damp stone lingers in the air as I scrub the floors of the waiting area in the packhouse, the soapy water cool against my raw, reddened palms. The bristles of the brush scrape against the wooden planks, the repetitive motion soothing in a way that almost lets me forget where I am—what I am.Almost.Boots clunk against the floor, tracking dirt and grime over the freshly scrubbed surface. No one spares me a glance, no one acknowledges the work I do. It’s expected of me, the human among wolves, the weakest link in a pack that prides itself on strength. Even if my mother was once Alpha. Even if my uncle is now the reigning one. None of that matters. I’m nothing but an obligation, a stain they haven’t yet scrubbed away.A shadow falls over me, and before I can look up, the metal bucket beside me clatters to the ground. Water spills across the floor, soaking into my pants, drenching the small space I just finished cleaning."Oops," a voice draw
The music swells around us, soft yet powerful, the perfect melody for a moment like this. My hand rests in Caspian's, and my other rests lightly on his shoulder as we glide across the ballroom floor. The golden chandeliers overhead bathe us in warm light, making everything shimmer—my silver gown, the golden embroidery on Caspian’s regal suit, the crown atop his head, and the one newly placed upon mine.The ceremony was breathtaking, a moment forever etched in my soul. I was not just Caspian’s mate now—I was his queen, standing beside him in every sense of the word. And now, at the reception, with laughter and celebration all around us, I finally allow myself to breathe, to feel the joy that tonight has brought.Caspian pulls me closer, his breath teasing my ear as he murmurs, “I have half a mind to steal you away from all these people.”I smile, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. “And risk the wrath of Cassidy? She’s spent a week planning this. I don’t think even you, King of Gol