The McKinney Pack residence is well outside town, a quarter of a day's drive. I shared a car with Elijah and Vincent. Our car was part of a convoy with the other royal wolves leaving the castle.Bishop wasn't attending the event, but some of his sons represented his pack. One thing I noticed was that Elena wasn't coming to the hunt. When I arrived at the castle, she was nowhere to be seen."Why isn't Elena with us?" I asked, just to satisfy my curiosity."Elena doesn't have an Alpha, Delilah. She-wolves aren't allowed to join the hunt unless they're Lunas," Elijah explained."So this is like a competition for males to show off their strength and ego?" I teased.Elijah laughed heartily. "I'd rather not answer that. How about Vincent does instead?" he said between laughs."It's not about ego, my queen," Vincent smiled.It's more like a sporting event where the king can judge which pack can be a pillar of the kingdom's defense. That's why each pack competes to be the best, to earn the ki
I had no idea when Elijah came into the room, but by morning, he was beside me. My disappointment from yesterday still lingered because of what Blanche had said, but if I mentioned it to Elijah, it would ruin everything.I decided to shower quickly, get dressed, and lay Elijah’s clothes down before sneaking out of the room. The hallway was already crowded with Alpha wolves. They nodded respectfully as I passed.“Queen Delilah, you’re up early,” Orson, Blanche’s husband, greeted me.“I just wanted to see what the atmosphere was like here.”“How about Blanche joining you, my queen? She’ll be ready in a few minutes.”“Maybe later. I’d rather walk around alone right now.” I flashed a smile and quickly made my exit. “See you soon, Orson.”Half running, I went through the corridor until I reached the castle’s front yard. The maids were busy preparing breakfast for the royal wolves.“Good morning, Queen Delilah,” they greeted me in unison.“Good morning.” I cleared my throat quietly. “I want
I closed my eyes as I heard the Lunas gasp and the Alphas scream. When my eyes opened, Elijah still stood, but the apple had fallen from his head.I noticed Elijah was holding the arrow that had almost hit his eye, broken in two. Damn it! Why didn’t the arrow aim slightly higher and just hit the apple? I put Elijah in danger with my inaccurate shot. I felt the urge to run, but I was shaking so badly I could barely stand.“My king!” the royal alphas rushed over to Elijah.“Are you all right, my king?”Elijah threw the arrow to the ground, looking calm. I froze, once again guilty of a fatal mistake. Surely, Elijah would scold me.Elijah’s footsteps approached, and I panicked even more. Quickly, I bowed deeply to him.“Forgive me...” I choked out.“Good,” Elijah told me. He smiled. “I didn’t expect you to aim your arrow at such a vital spot.”I stood up again, confused. “But you told me to shoot the apple, my king.”“You don’t aim at the apple at a critical moment, Delilah.”The royal
“My queen,” Vincent called.I turned to face Vincent as I entered the great dining hall. He stood in the doorway, bowed slightly, and then approached me.“I’m so glad you decided to come down for dinner,” Vincent’s voice still carried a hint of concern. “What happened this afternoon? I promise it won’t happen again.”I smiled. “It was my fault, Vincent. I’m sorry; I was careless and caused an unpleasant situation.”“It is a lesson for me and the entire McKinney pack to be more careful, my queen. Thank you for your understanding.”“I’m glad it’s no longer an issue between us, Vincent.”Elijah cleared his throat quietly and shot me a sharp look. I couldn’t help but feel puzzled—what did I do wrong now? I had already apologized to Vincent, as Elijah wanted.Vincent quickly stepped forward to lead us both to our seats. I watched him as he began to instruct the maids on serving the food. Suddenly, Elijah leaned in close, his lips almost brushing against my ear.“Don’t be too familiar with
When I heard the shot, I instinctively covered my head. But the bullet pierced my stomach. I screamed in agony, the pain unbearable! “Arrghh!!” I screamed.The figure hurried away, his cold-blooded attitude apparent after shooting me.I curled up at the bottom of the pit, shaking from the pain. I couldn’t even call for help. I had to shift somehow, but I felt too weak.“Elijah...”Only his name gave me the strength to cling to consciousness, even as the pain threatened to drag me into the darkness. A bullet was lodged in my abdomen, and I pressed my hand against the wound, trying to stop the blood.“Elijah...” I whispered.A long howl echoed, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. I heard a growl from above the trap, and the great wolf began to transform into his human form.“Delilah?”Elijah’s voice made me burst into tears. “Help me!”Others appeared, looking panicked when they saw me trapped in the pit. Elijah quickly slid down and grabbed the bear trap.“Damn it!
“King Elijah! Wait!”I ignored Vincent’s call as I stormed out of the room. He tried to match my pace, his aura brimming with fear.Vincent took a deep breath. “King Elijah, please hear me out.”“I will not reason with you, Vincent!” I snapped back, my voice steely.“Please, my king. Control your anger. If you act like this, we’ll never catch the real culprit,” Vincent pleaded.“Silence!” I roared.Vincent collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain. I won’t let anyone who tried to harm Delilah go unpunished—I’ll kill every last one of them.I rushed down the corridor and out of the main castle building. The royal wolves had gathered in the courtyard, some standing, others sitting with nervous expressions.The moment they saw me, they felt the fury emanating from my soul. All the royal wolves knelt down, wincing in fear.“Who dares defy me?” I demanded, my eyes scanning the crowd.“Please, my king...”Fergus crawled forward, his face flushed and his hand trembling as he reached out.“For
My body still ached when I woke to find the bedroom empty. Elijah was gone, and I had no idea where he could be. The morning sunlight was dimmer than usual, muted by the gray clouds looming in the sky.I forced myself to sit up on the edge of the bed, wincing as the throbbing pain returned. It wasn’t as intense as last night, but it was still there. Slowly, I got to my feet and reached the door, opening it cautiously.Empty.The hallway was eerily quiet, every door shut tight. It was strange—had everyone left after what happened to me? Were they afraid of the shooting?“Where is everyone?” I whispered to myself.I forced my sore body to move and walked down the hall and the stairs. Soon, I could hear the voices of the royal Lunas on the floor below. I didn’t know what they were doing there, but I had no intention of joining them. Instead, I lingered quietly, curious to hear what they were discussing. Their voices had an undertone of unease.“I never thought it would happen again. Alm
A week had passed, and my wounds had healed entirely.I could return to my activities; I returned to the woods and hills behind the mansion. Once again, though, I avoided Elijah.Ever since the shooting incident, Elijah had barely been at the mansion. He spent most of his time at the castle. I didn't know what he was doing there, but he was probably tracking the guards to solve the problem.I came downstairs, intending to go to the kitchen, but I bumped into Kat in the hallway. She seemed overwhelmed with the bedsheets she was carrying."Queen Delilah," she greeted me cheerfully."Where did you come from, Kat?""I just finished changing the sheets in King Elijah's room, and luckily, just in time." She let out a sigh of relief. "King Elijah will return to the mansion soon, so I had to tidy his room quickly.""He's coming back?"I didn't feel pleased about it. Although I felt a sense of longing, I tried to suppress it. My dark side whispered: Why long for someone who doesn't even ackno
"Yes, I did," Elena replied bluntly.I stood up, and anger immediately surged through me. "Are you too much of a coward to admit what you did, Beta Elena? That you had to blame me?"I should've brought a recorder so everyone would know that Elena was the one who poisoned Catherine. I was the only one hearing her confession, and it all felt pointless.My teeth clenched, and my hands balled into fists. If we weren't in this cell, I would have beaten her to a pulp. I never feared Elena, even though she was Elijah's sister."I could admit everything, but I'm not the one who needs to leave this place, Delilah. You're the one who needs to get out of this palace." Elena crossed her arms."You hate me that much?""I don't care about you. I care about my brother's position. Do you understand?"Elijah's position? What did she mean? Bishop once said that Elena always had her own agend
The guards took me out of the cell a few hours later. I didn't know precisely how long it had been, but the sky was dark when I looked out the window on the way to the hall. All the royal alphas, along with Wanda and Bishop, were already gathered there. I was ordered to kneel before the empty throne, my head bowed low.The doors to the hall opened again, and I caught Elijah's scent. A shiver ran down my spine as he passed me. I could feel his anger, though I couldn't tell who it was directed at. Elijah took a seat on the throne and stared at me intently."You poisoned Queen Catherine, I've heard. Delilah, how many more times are you going to cause trouble?" Elijah asked.I swallowed hard and shook my head. "Even if I protest my innocence, the accusation will stick to me. So, my king, I've accepted whatever sentence you decide."Wanda cleared her throat. "Just have her beheaded, father."What? Beheaded? If I were really to die, she and Catherine would be the first to come after me. An
Dinner was ordered, and I, along with the other maids, promptly went to the dining room and set the dishes on the table. As we left the room, Elena walked past us, entering first, followed by Catherine and the Lunas on their way to the dining area.We maids lined up neatly to let them pass. The Lunas looked at me with disdain; they knew who I was, the fraud.How long will that label stick to me? If they knew the truth, these Lunas would bow down to me."Or maybe they'd try to eliminate you," Lona muttered. "You're a descendant of a pack that was destroyed. More like wiped out on purpose."I ignored Lona's words and followed the other maids back to the kitchen. Once there, I quickly searched for my bag and was relieved to find it still there. There was no way it could have been lost or stolen. I decided to leave it where it was."Hey, what's your name?" one of the maids called out."Delilah.""Come join us in the kitchen. We need a break, too," she invited warmly.I sat awkwardly in a
The air duct seemed endless, narrow, and stifling. Sweat poured down my body, but curiosity overcame fear and exhaustion. I saw a speck of bright light ahead—it must be the end. I pushed open the air duct cover and crawled out.I found myself surrounded by a wood. This must be outside the palace walls. There was no visible path, but I noticed a patch of grass shorter than the rest. It looked trampled, probably the intruder's trail."Stop! We must return to the palace, or you'll be in trouble!" Lona warned."But this is my way out, isn't it? If I'm going to escape, now is the perfect time.""Don't be ridiculous! We don't know what lurks in these woods! Don't be reckless!"I took a deep breath. "Okay, okay..."There was no way I could wander through the woods like this, even in daylight. But at least I'd found the way of the intruders. No wonder they escaped so easily. Who would have thought there was a secret passage in the laundry room?I climbed back into the air duct and returned to
"Camden, Arlington, Fergus, and Orson."Michael said the names without hesitation. Regardless of whether his suspicions turned out to be true, he couldn't afford to voice them recklessly. He could lose his head for it if he accused someone without proof.And that was the problem—evidence. What kind of evidence did Michael have?The royal wolves had immense power. They could twist the truth to their advantage, and a young wolf like Michael could be easily disposed of."Do you have solid proof to accuse them?" I asked."Not yet. But I've pieced things together from the last decade's events." Michael rubbed his chin. "I do my homework, Deli."Did Michael seriously say that? I don't understand why he should bother thinking about the traitor. Was Bishop's discussing this with his youngest son? Until Michael was obsessed with it?"You're playing detective because your life is boring. Before you start making accusations, you should have something solid.""I will. It's just a matter of time."
The following day, at dawn, I carried a basket of laundry from the Queen's chamber to the outer part of the palace.I passed through the gates that led to the Bishop's chamber and his family's residence and headed for the garden. His chamber faced the garden, and I tried to remember which window belonged to Michael's room."Which one is his room?" I murmured, scanning the row of windows."Try the one that's open," Lona suggested. "You could climb in.""Good idea.""In case you get caught and beheaded, maybe I should say farewell now," she added sarcastically."That won't happen."I set the basket down near the bushes and climbed up the ledge. It wasn't too tricky; I could do it.After a few minutes, I reached the open window and inhaled a familiar scent. Michael!I slipped inside and found Michael fast asleep on his bed. I hurried over to him."Michael," I whispered, shaking his shoulder.His eyes fluttered open, and our eyes locked for a moment before he jerked awake."Shit! What are
Returning to the maids' quarters and celebrating this small victory felt satisfying. As I left the hall, I caught sight of Catherine's sour expression, and it felt so good to see her utterly defeated."You're asking for trouble," Nana said worriedly. "Queen Catherine could come after you, Delilah.""I only did what I had to do," I replied."You shouldn't have defended Gema."Of course, hearing Nana's words, Gema and Cassie immediately fell silent. Especially Gema, whose face turned red with suppressed anger."You're the one who caused the trouble, so you should take responsibility for it!" Nana accused. "Queen Catherine will be watching all of us now, and it's all because of you!""I had already accepted my fate when Queen Catherine ordered me to lie, Nana!" Gema snapped. "But Delilah stood up for me! Now I know who my true friends are and who aren't!""I'm not against you! But your actions have put us all in danger!"The tension between them escalated, and I quickly stepped between t
I awoke with a dull ache all over my body, yet it felt strangely satisfying. My sleep had been deep, dreamless, and restful.And now I was fully aware I was in the King's chamber. Then, the memory of me trying to seduce Michael, only to end up with Elijah, hit me like a thunderbolt. Had I lost my mind?"Welcome home," Lona's voice echoed in my head. "You're finally awake.""What happened?""It seems Catherine tried to slip a stimulant into Elijah's tea. Next time, just throw it out. You never know—it could be poison.""That was an accident, Lona. I never meant to drink it myself if it hadn't stopped Cassie."I let out a small sigh and touched the empty spot beside me on the bed. Cold. Elijah was gone.Heat rushed to my face as flashes of last night came flooding back. Even though my consciousness had been hazy, I could still remember everything. Our bonding had been intense—pleasurable, even. I couldn't say it was beautiful, not under the influence of that cursed potion.But it had fe
My steps trembled as I walked down the hallway, feeling like I couldn't take another step. The world seemed to be spinning, my stomach twisting in pain.When I reached the gates, the guards gave me a confused look."Hey, are you okay?" one of them asked."I need to see Elder Bishop," I whispered."All right. If you're sick, go to the healer."I just nodded and forced myself to walk to Bishop's chamber, which was quite far from the Queen's quarters.Cold sweat soaked my body, and my vision blurred.What kind of potion was Catherine planning to give Elijah? Was she going to poison the king?When I arrived at Bishop's chamber, two guards blocked my way."I need to speak with Elder Bishop. It's urgent," I pleaded."Elder Bishop isn't here. Come back tomorrow."Ah, this isn't happening!I didn't know what would happen if I didn't see Bishop. If I went to the healer, they would find out what I drank and who gave it to me. That wo