She was trained to be his destruction. Fate made her his mate. Crown Prince Knox never expected his new royal guard to be the same woman who tried to infiltrate his court two years ago. He certainly never expected her to be his destined mate. But Aubrey Houston is both—and she hates him almost as much as he wants to resist her. Aubrey has one mission: get close to the crown prince. It should be simple. After all, she's been trained for this since the night Jax, the king's illegitimate son, saved her from the thieves who murdered her family. She owes him everything. What she never counted on was the overwhelming pull she feels toward the prince she's meant to destroy, w But the longer she stays at court, the more her carefully locked memories begin to unravel. And as the truth about that bloody night emerges, Aubrey must choose between the man who molded her and the mate destiny chose for her. In a court where magic seals secrets and mate bonds can be twisted by lies, love might be the deadliest weapon of all.
View MoreAUBREYOh heavens, why did he call my name like that? The intensity in his voice makes my stomach flip. Does he want to talk about last night? I cringe inwardly, imagining how mortifying that conversation would be. As he approaches, something catches my eye – marks on his arms. My brows furrow as I study the distinct crescent shapes. Are those... nail marks? My heart starts racing. Where did he get those?"Hmm," Aria hums, her voice dripping with mischief."Aria," I warn, dread creeping in. "What did you do?""Don't hate me, but I thought it would be best..." she trails off, and suddenly, the locked memories from last night come rushing back like a flood. Oh, my Goddess!
KNOXI wake up with a start, my nose catching the lingering scent of my mate. But she’s nowhere to be found. My eyes land on the empty spot beside me, and all I can think about is last night—how it took everything in me not to fuck her.I wanted to. God, I wanted to. But I couldn’t. She wasn’t ready, not really. She might’ve seemed like she was, her body responding to me, her lips pleading for more—but I knew the truth. Her mind was desperate for an escape, searching for anything to drown out the pain of her memories.As much as I’d love to take that pain away, I couldn’t let mating be the answer. Not like this. I wouldn’t claim her, only for her to wake up regretting it. She deserves better than that. That’s why I gave her bliss in another way—someth
AUBREYMy eyes flutter open gently to the morning sunlight streaming through the gossamer curtains, painting the room in a soft golden glow. I lift my hands to stretch when a scent hits me – cedar with hints of storm rain – making me freeze mid-motion. My heart stutters as I quickly turn to the side, and there he is – my mate, lying in bed next to me. My eyes widen in shock as I wonder when he got into the bed, and then the memories of last night come crashing back.My hand flies to my lips as I remember his pressed against mine, the phantom sensation so vivid it feels like he's still kissing me. Oh, heavens above! Did I really let him kiss me – and worse, kiss him back with such enthusiasm? What the hell was I thinking? My cheeks burn with the memory of how I'd melted into that kiss; my fingers curled into th
KNOXMy blood boils as I take in the scene before me. Aubrey is trembling in the middle of the pond, her lips nearly blue, while Sasha stands at the edge with not a single drop of water on her pristine dress. When Liam told me something felt off, I imagined a lot of things going wrong—but nothing like this.I don’t hesitate. I shove Sasha aside with more force than necessary and wade into the freezing water, ignoring the gasps from the gathered noblewomen. Their delicate murmurs of "scandal" barely register in my mind; all I can think about is Aubrey.Her wide, frightened eyes meet mine. “Your…” she begins, but her words falter as I reach her. Scooping her shivering body into my arms, I hold her close against my chest and step out of the water, my boots squelching against the soft grass.
AUBREY"No one," I manage, my heart threatening to burst from my chest."Didn't seem like that." Knox moves toward me with predatory grace, each step forcing me back until cold stone meets my spine. His scent - pine needles and winter storms - overwhelms my senses until I can barely think straight."I talk to myself sometimes." The lie tastes weak even to me."Is that so, little wolf?" He plants his hand on the wall beside my head, effectively caging me between solid stone and his overwhelming presence. The heat radiating off his body makes my skin tingle.I nod, not trusting my voice, as I try desperately to ignore how perfectly I'd fit against his chest."If that's all, Your Gra
KNOXI storm into my quarters, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the ancient wood. My blood boils at my father's latest demand. He can't be fucking serious."Oh, but he is," my wolf rumbles, smug satisfaction dripping from every word. "And I agree with him completely. Audrey should move into our quarters. The sooner, the better."If I could manifest this bastard part of myself right now, I'd punch him in his fucking face."You just want to fuck her," I accuse."No... Yes." A pause. *"Both."I can't help but let out a dark chuckle at his honesty.
The cool night breeze carries the scent of moonflowers and jasmine across the castle grounds, tugging at the loose strands of hair that have escaped my upswept style. I silently thank Queen Grace for taking charge of my preparation for tonight. Her maids had practically scrubbed me raw in the bath, following it with layers of scented oils that matched the vanilla-infused bath water. The scent clings to my skin even now, subtle but unmistakable.The gown they dressed me in takes my breath away every time I catch my reflection in the crystal glasses dotting the outdoor tables. It's a midnight blue silk that shifts like liquid starlight with every movement, the fabric gathering at my waist before flowing out in ethereal layers perfect for an evening under the open sky. After years of practical clothing since losing my family, wearing something so elegant feels almost forbidden.
I drop onto my bed with a heavy sigh, sinking into the plush mattress as my eyes trace the intricate crown molding on the ceiling. The evening shadows dance across the walls, matching the chaos in my mind as I wrestle with the impossible revelation that Prince Knox - my target - is my fated mate. My fingers absently twist the silver pendant at my throat, a nervous habit I've never been able to break."You're acting like finding your mate is the end of the world," Aria's voice cuts through my thoughts, sharp with disbelief.I mentally roll my eyes, frustration building in my chest at her willful ignorance. "In case you've forgotten, we're here on Jax's orders. Having Knox as a mate doesn't just complicate the mission - it could destroy everything.""By the Moon's blood, not everything is about Jax!" Aria's voice rises with unmistakable anger. "Face it - you're freaking out about this fucking mission because you've got feelings for him. That's it. That's the only reason." The words hit
AUDREY The thought of rejecting him doesn’t feel so outrageous right now as we glare at one another—not after what he did. My wolf whimpers at the thought, but I silence her. We don't need someone as shallow as Knox in our life, mate or not."Hold up there, wild child," Aria's voice echoes in my head, my wolf trying to be the voice of reason. "Yes, I admit our mate was a jackass that night, but rejection? That's a bit extreme, don't you think?""Extreme?" I whisper back through our mental link, my hands clenching into fists. "How about the fact that he's suspected of being behind the massacre of our pack? Of Mom, Dad, and James?" My voice cracks on my brother's name. Even though the details of that bloody day are frustratingly fuzzy in my mind – the ache of loss still burns fresh. The idea that my mate, my supposed other half, might have orchestrated their deaths... it feels like someone's twisting a knife in my chest."He doesn't deserve us," I continue. "And besides, how am I supp
The warm liquid splashes across my face, thick and metallic. Time slows to a cruel crawl as my brother's blood paints my skin crimson. My emerald silk gown – the one he'd teased me about just hours ago – drinks in his blood. I want to scream, to tear the world apart with my voice, to wrench my body into action, but horror has turned my muscles to stone. The late afternoon sun beats down mercilessly, making the bloodshed before me all too vivid.I can only watch, trapped in this moment, as the rogue plunges his blade into my brother again and again. The silver ceremonial crown we'd placed on his head this morning falls into the trampled grass, disappearing among the wildflowers we'd decorated the field with for the ceremony. The metal catches the sunlight one last time before vanishing, like a cruel wink from fate. My whole body trembles, fine tremors building into violent shakes as reality crashes through my shock.A piercing scream cuts through the chaos – maybe my own, I can't tell ...
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments