DAMIEN I blinked, my head spinning as the world around me came into focus. A crowd surged forward, their excitement pressing in from all sides. The golden gates ahead towered impossibly high, stretching so far up they seemed to dissolve into the silversheen skyline. Laughter and murmurs swelled like a tide, the energy crackling in the air. I turned sharply to the woman clutching my arm like an iron shackle. Her grip was too firm, too sure, like she was bound to me by something more than just flesh and bone. It was unnatural. My patience snapped. “What the hell did you do to me?” I hissed, keeping my voice low. “Dragging me here without me even realizing?” She barely reacted—just smirked, her amusement infuriatingly effortless. “No questions,” she said smoothly. “We’re heading inside. After watching the queen’s granddaughter, we can talk about you.” I ran a hand through my hair, frustration prickling at the edges of my mind. I should’ve been furious. I wanted to be. But somethi
RALPH The moment I hit the ground—or whatever the hell this was—I knew something was wrong."Son of a—!" I barely got the words out before I was yanked down again, thick vines wrapping around my arms and legs like living chains. No, not vines. Roses.Giant, deep red, glowing roses.I thrashed, trying to pull myself up, but the damn things had a grip like iron. Every time I moved an inch, they sprawled higher, coiling tighter, dragging me deeper into their grasp. Their petals looked soft, almost beautiful—until I saw the teeth hidden beneath them, snapping dangerously close to my skin."That woman said the fae world isn't a joke!" I growled, struggling harder. "But she failed to mention the motherfucking sea of carnivorous roses!"A thorn sliced into my arm, and I hissed. Great. These things weren’t just strong; they were sharp as hell too.I twisted my body, trying to reach for the knife I stole from that fae’s house in Uganda strapped behind my back. My fingers barely brushed the ha
DAMIEN The crowd held its collective breath, and for a moment, the world seemed to freeze. Every eye in the field turned toward me, a weight pressing on my chest as I felt their gazes like flames on my skin. The woman beside me muttered under her breath, her voice trembling slightly as she whispered, "Holy God, I can't believe this."But I didn’t even hear her. My eyes were locked onto Keilah, every inch of me drawn to her, my breath shallow. She was there, real, in front of me. I could see her trembling slightly, the magic around her still buzzing with energy. Her eyes were wide, searching mine, and for the briefest moment, it felt like everything else in the world faded away.The Queen's voice broke the heavy silence. "Young man, step forward," she commanded, her voice soft but filled with authority.Without hesitation, I moved, the pull to her undeniable. The woman beside me—who had bound herself to me—took a step back, following behind as the others in her group murmured, but the
KEILAH The moment the words left my lips—“Because I'm not marrying Aaron”—Damien’s reaction was immediate.His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as something fierce flickered behind them. He didn’t say anything right away, but I saw the way his body tensed, how his shoulders rose ever so slightly like he was holding himself back from exploding.Then he said it, his voice low and tight, “You even know his name?”I blinked at the sharpness in his tone.“Are you two that close already to know his name that fast?” he added, a hint of accusation buried beneath the calm. I bit my lower lip, trying not to smile. His reaction—stirred something in me I hadn’t expected. Possessiveness, worry, maybe even jealousy. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect me.Tilting my head back just a little, I looked up at him with wide eyes, studying his face. He looked so intense, so deadly serious. I mumbled beneath my breath, soft enough that it felt like a secret, “Are you jealous?”He d
KEILAH My hands clenched into fists. I shot the Queen a death glare, my chest rising and falling as fury surged through me like wildfire.How dare she.How dare she strip away something so sacred, so personal—without my permission, without remorse.The Queen, unmoved by my rage, sat back down with her usual elegance, brushing invisible dust from her gown. “Let’s continue.”“Why did you do that?” I snapped, my voice trembling with emotion. “What gives you the right to erase my marks?!”She raised an arched brow as if the question amused her.“What do you take yourself to be?” she said coolly, her tone sharper than any blade. “Marked by men—a vampire and a werewolf? Are you cursed? Did they put you under a spell, or are you simply desperate to belong?”I felt like I’d been slapped.Aaron, standing stiffly to the side, stepped forward, his tone respectful. “My Queen… perhaps if I could speak to her, alone—”“No!” I growled, pointing a shaking finger at him. “Don’t come near me.”A blast
DAHLIA The laughter from the group ahead died down. It was eerie—too sudden to be natural. Every single head turned in perfect unison as if some invisible signal had passed through them.Twenty pairs of eyes landed directly on us.My breath caught.Then, from the centre of the group, one of them stepped forward. He was tall and broad, easily over six feet, and darker than the others. His skin was deep ebony, smooth and unblemished, and his eyes—gods, his eyes—glowed faintly gold. There was something terrifyingly beautiful about him. He was the kind of man who didn’t need to speak to command a room. Power clung to him like a second skin.And then he smirked—right at me.I felt my wolf rise like a tidal wave beneath my skin, teeth bared. She didn’t like him. Neither did I.Jay stepped forward, slightly in front of me, his body stiff. A low, warning growl rumbled in his throat, barely audible, but enough to carry through the mountain air. “Back up, Dahlia,” he said without turning.The
KEILAH I shot to my feet, my heart hammering in my ears so loud I barely heard Garbie ask, “Did he just say werewolf?”I nodded, numb, eyes locked on the old fae on the altar. My legs felt weak, but I pushed forward through the murmuring crowd, pulling Garbie gently behind me until we reached the edge of the gathering.“Do you think it’s that hot-tempered Alpha?” she whispered.“I know it is,” I breathed. “He followed me too.”The crowd buzzed like hornets. Guards emerged from shadowed corners, their armour iridescent, their eyes glowing faintly like creatures born of moonlight. The old man raised his hand to quiet the chaos.“Do not fear,” he said. “We will deal with this trespasser swiftly. No harm shall come to our people.”My stomach dropped.‘Ralph is in danger.’I broke away from Garbie, moving toward the altar. “Excuse me,” I called out to the old man. “Where is the queen?”He turned slowly, brows lifting. “She left. Headed for the Crescent Gate where the werewolf was seen.”M
DAMIEN "Where the hell are they taking him?" I growled, glaring at the guards escorting the caged wolf toward the palace.Tindra, the infuriating woman who never seemed to leave my side, glanced at me with an arched brow. “Isn’t it obvious? They’re taking him into the palace. Strange, really. The Queen usually curses intruders into the river—or worse. Guess he got lucky.”I scoffed under my breath, my gaze narrowing on Keilah. “No,” I muttered. “He didn’t get lucky. She saved him.”Keilah kept glancing over her shoulder at him, her face carved with worry. Even surrounded by guards, with their glowing armour and cold elegance, it was only her I could see. Keilah.Her eyes—wild, frightened—kept darting back to the caged wolf as if she could will him free. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her lips trembling even as she fought to look composed. But I saw through it. Every breath she took screamed with anxiety. Every step away from Ralph hurt her.And it hurt me.My fists clenched a
DAMIEN Her breath hitched the moment my fingers grazed the curve of her hip through the fabric. I didn't rush, didn't speak. I only looked at her—fully, reverently—as if she were something sacred and breakable.“Damien…” she whispered again, her voice trembling like her hands.“Shh,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re safe. With me, you’re always safe.”She didn’t pull away. Instead, her gaze dropped, lashes lowering, breath shallow.I lowered myself to my knees before her—slowly, deliberately—keeping my hands gently on her thighs. My eyes locked with hers, never straying, letting her see everything I felt but hadn’t said. The ache. The need to soothe her. I leaned in, brushing my lips over the soft fabric just above her knee. Her breath caught. My hands moved slowly, inching the long hem of her dress higher, revealing skin inch by inch—each exposed part a silent vow that I wasn’t going to rush this. That she had all the time in the world to feel safe. Cher
DAMIEN "Where the hell are they taking him?" I growled, glaring at the guards escorting the caged wolf toward the palace.Tindra, the infuriating woman who never seemed to leave my side, glanced at me with an arched brow. “Isn’t it obvious? They’re taking him into the palace. Strange, really. The Queen usually curses intruders into the river—or worse. Guess he got lucky.”I scoffed under my breath, my gaze narrowing on Keilah. “No,” I muttered. “He didn’t get lucky. She saved him.”Keilah kept glancing over her shoulder at him, her face carved with worry. Even surrounded by guards, with their glowing armour and cold elegance, it was only her I could see. Keilah.Her eyes—wild, frightened—kept darting back to the caged wolf as if she could will him free. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her lips trembling even as she fought to look composed. But I saw through it. Every breath she took screamed with anxiety. Every step away from Ralph hurt her.And it hurt me.My fists clenched a
KEILAH I shot to my feet, my heart hammering in my ears so loud I barely heard Garbie ask, “Did he just say werewolf?”I nodded, numb, eyes locked on the old fae on the altar. My legs felt weak, but I pushed forward through the murmuring crowd, pulling Garbie gently behind me until we reached the edge of the gathering.“Do you think it’s that hot-tempered Alpha?” she whispered.“I know it is,” I breathed. “He followed me too.”The crowd buzzed like hornets. Guards emerged from shadowed corners, their armour iridescent, their eyes glowing faintly like creatures born of moonlight. The old man raised his hand to quiet the chaos.“Do not fear,” he said. “We will deal with this trespasser swiftly. No harm shall come to our people.”My stomach dropped.‘Ralph is in danger.’I broke away from Garbie, moving toward the altar. “Excuse me,” I called out to the old man. “Where is the queen?”He turned slowly, brows lifting. “She left. Headed for the Crescent Gate where the werewolf was seen.”M
DAHLIA The laughter from the group ahead died down. It was eerie—too sudden to be natural. Every single head turned in perfect unison as if some invisible signal had passed through them.Twenty pairs of eyes landed directly on us.My breath caught.Then, from the centre of the group, one of them stepped forward. He was tall and broad, easily over six feet, and darker than the others. His skin was deep ebony, smooth and unblemished, and his eyes—gods, his eyes—glowed faintly gold. There was something terrifyingly beautiful about him. He was the kind of man who didn’t need to speak to command a room. Power clung to him like a second skin.And then he smirked—right at me.I felt my wolf rise like a tidal wave beneath my skin, teeth bared. She didn’t like him. Neither did I.Jay stepped forward, slightly in front of me, his body stiff. A low, warning growl rumbled in his throat, barely audible, but enough to carry through the mountain air. “Back up, Dahlia,” he said without turning.The
KEILAH My hands clenched into fists. I shot the Queen a death glare, my chest rising and falling as fury surged through me like wildfire.How dare she.How dare she strip away something so sacred, so personal—without my permission, without remorse.The Queen, unmoved by my rage, sat back down with her usual elegance, brushing invisible dust from her gown. “Let’s continue.”“Why did you do that?” I snapped, my voice trembling with emotion. “What gives you the right to erase my marks?!”She raised an arched brow as if the question amused her.“What do you take yourself to be?” she said coolly, her tone sharper than any blade. “Marked by men—a vampire and a werewolf? Are you cursed? Did they put you under a spell, or are you simply desperate to belong?”I felt like I’d been slapped.Aaron, standing stiffly to the side, stepped forward, his tone respectful. “My Queen… perhaps if I could speak to her, alone—”“No!” I growled, pointing a shaking finger at him. “Don’t come near me.”A blast
KEILAH The moment the words left my lips—“Because I'm not marrying Aaron”—Damien’s reaction was immediate.His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as something fierce flickered behind them. He didn’t say anything right away, but I saw the way his body tensed, how his shoulders rose ever so slightly like he was holding himself back from exploding.Then he said it, his voice low and tight, “You even know his name?”I blinked at the sharpness in his tone.“Are you two that close already to know his name that fast?” he added, a hint of accusation buried beneath the calm. I bit my lower lip, trying not to smile. His reaction—stirred something in me I hadn’t expected. Possessiveness, worry, maybe even jealousy. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect me.Tilting my head back just a little, I looked up at him with wide eyes, studying his face. He looked so intense, so deadly serious. I mumbled beneath my breath, soft enough that it felt like a secret, “Are you jealous?”He d
DAMIEN The crowd held its collective breath, and for a moment, the world seemed to freeze. Every eye in the field turned toward me, a weight pressing on my chest as I felt their gazes like flames on my skin. The woman beside me muttered under her breath, her voice trembling slightly as she whispered, "Holy God, I can't believe this."But I didn’t even hear her. My eyes were locked onto Keilah, every inch of me drawn to her, my breath shallow. She was there, real, in front of me. I could see her trembling slightly, the magic around her still buzzing with energy. Her eyes were wide, searching mine, and for the briefest moment, it felt like everything else in the world faded away.The Queen's voice broke the heavy silence. "Young man, step forward," she commanded, her voice soft but filled with authority.Without hesitation, I moved, the pull to her undeniable. The woman beside me—who had bound herself to me—took a step back, following behind as the others in her group murmured, but the
RALPH The moment I hit the ground—or whatever the hell this was—I knew something was wrong."Son of a—!" I barely got the words out before I was yanked down again, thick vines wrapping around my arms and legs like living chains. No, not vines. Roses.Giant, deep red, glowing roses.I thrashed, trying to pull myself up, but the damn things had a grip like iron. Every time I moved an inch, they sprawled higher, coiling tighter, dragging me deeper into their grasp. Their petals looked soft, almost beautiful—until I saw the teeth hidden beneath them, snapping dangerously close to my skin."That woman said the fae world isn't a joke!" I growled, struggling harder. "But she failed to mention the motherfucking sea of carnivorous roses!"A thorn sliced into my arm, and I hissed. Great. These things weren’t just strong; they were sharp as hell too.I twisted my body, trying to reach for the knife I stole from that fae’s house in Uganda strapped behind my back. My fingers barely brushed the ha
DAMIEN I blinked, my head spinning as the world around me came into focus. A crowd surged forward, their excitement pressing in from all sides. The golden gates ahead towered impossibly high, stretching so far up they seemed to dissolve into the silversheen skyline. Laughter and murmurs swelled like a tide, the energy crackling in the air. I turned sharply to the woman clutching my arm like an iron shackle. Her grip was too firm, too sure, like she was bound to me by something more than just flesh and bone. It was unnatural. My patience snapped. “What the hell did you do to me?” I hissed, keeping my voice low. “Dragging me here without me even realizing?” She barely reacted—just smirked, her amusement infuriatingly effortless. “No questions,” she said smoothly. “We’re heading inside. After watching the queen’s granddaughter, we can talk about you.” I ran a hand through my hair, frustration prickling at the edges of my mind. I should’ve been furious. I wanted to be. But somethi