ELISE'S POV One hot afternoon, I crouched down by a flower bed in the garden, cleaning up the mess. I had been given specific instructions by Gina to do this. Each movement I made had me in pain. The past few days been hectic for me, and I was exhausted. I had been working from dawn till dusk, do
JACKSON'S POV Sitting at my desk, I tried to focus on the stack of paperwork in front of me, but my mind kept drifting back to Elise. Images of her face filled my mind, making it impossible for me to focus. I clenched my jaw, trying to shove her out of my thoughts. She’s nothing but a nobody, I te
FERRIS' POV Later that evening, I took a swim in the private pool of the pack. The water felt cool against my skin as I cut through it with each stroke. Swimming helped to clear my mind. Well, boxing helped too but I was tired of having violent thoughts towards Jackson. I was in the mood for a pe
GINA'S POV I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the pottery session in front of me. The noble of the pack chatted and laughed around me. I tried to focus in how their hands shaped the clay but I couldn't focus on anything else but my thoughts. Our pottery session today was supposed to be a r
ELISE'S POV I spent my day doing the chores I had been assigned. It seemed as if I was given a larger share of the chores and I didn't know why. I guess it was Gina's way of punishing me and Ms Kelly's way of making sure I stayed in my space. As I worked, my muscles ached with exhaustion. I had bee
“Here,” she said “You’ll carry these to the tournament grounds. I expect you to be at my side the entire time. And don’t think for a second that you’ll get a break.” I looked at the bags in horror. Surely, she was joking. There was no way I could carry these bags all the way there. I struggled to l
I looked at Gina in surprise. "Me?!" I shrieked Jackson laughed loudly. Even my parents joined in. “Gina, darling,” he said, “pick a better opponent. Elise here couldn’t handle a feather, let alone a real fight.” "You're right" my mom said "Don't waste your time on her, my dear" My par
I ran as fast as I could out of the arena. I ran until I reached the woods. My breath came in ragged gasps as I ran. I ran through the trees, thinking of everything that had happened. The pain of seeing my once loving parents now so cold and distant tore at my heart. The words my father said to me
“Joan means nothing to me,” he said firmly. “She was upset, and I was just—”“Comforting her,” I finished for him “Like you always do.”“Elise,” he growled, taking another step closer. “You’re the one I’m mated to. You’re the one I—”“Don’t!” I cut him off “Don’t say something you don’t mean. You th
ELISE’S POVI looked at the man in shock.He looked so much like Ferris that it left me momentarily stunned. The same sharp jawline, the same strong build, but his eyes—they were green, not blue like Ferris’. His long, dark hair fell messily over his face, adding to the mysterious air about him.Fea
ELISE’S POV I sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the walls of my room. The events of the day replayed in my mind. My heart felt heavy. I was torn between confusion and betrayal. I couldn’t shake the memory of that man—his piercing green eyes, his muscular build, his scent, his familiar p
FERRIS’ POVThe sight of him stopped me dead in my tracks. For a moment, I thought I was imagining things. I couldn’t believe it. My brother, here, of all places. But there he was, standing in the middle of the hall like he owned the place. I looked at him in disbelief but a feeling of anger replace
FERRIS’ POV The search for Elise was driving me crazy. Every corridor, every room, every corner of the palace seemed emptier without her. Elise. She was nowhere to be found. I was starting to feel frustrated. My Lycan paced in my mind, restless. I needed to talk to her. I needed to make things righ
ELISE’S POV I stayed in my room. My mind was scattered with everything that had happened with Ferris. My heart ached. It was a deep pain in my chest that made it hard to breathe. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the floor when a knock sounded at my door. I hesitated, not in the mood
THIRD PERSON’S POVGina had been thinking of ways to disrupt Elise’s life, and she saw Joan as the perfect accomplice to execute her plans. Together, they schemed to cause problems between Ferris and Elise. Their first step was to drug Elise’s wine during the festival. By doing so, she would fall as
I stopped pacing. The garden. Flashes of the night came back—a conversation with Joan, her laughter too close. I remembered pulling away, annoyed, but everything after that was a blur.“Someone had to have seen something,” I muttered. “This doesn’t feel right, Eden. I can’t shake the feeling that Jo
FERRIS’ POVThe moment I stepped into my room, I found Joan sitting at the edge of the bed, fully dressed. Her shoulders trembled as she sobbed. Her tear-streaked face turned toward me.“What’s going on?” I demanded in a harsh tone.My head throbbed slightly but that didn’t stop the anger spreading