Auden shuts the door behind him and I still in the middle of his room, looking around, quite curious.
Everything’s lit only in the soft blue glow of night but still – I find myself surprised. All of the furniture is very finely made and neatly arranged, but it’s all very…sparse.
Except for one little stuffed bunny rabbit, sitting on top of his pillow, one ear flopping down before its beaded eye. I burst into a smile, loving that a great deal.
“What?” Auden asks, coming to stand by my side and seeing my smile.
“It’s just…you live like a soldier,” I say quietly, turning my face up to him.
“I am a soldier,” he says, frowning at me.
My smile widens. “You’re a General, Auden. But still, I just…didn’t expect you to have a guest.” I tilt my head toward the pillows and he turns, his frown deepening before it spread
“What are you doing?” I gasp.“It’s easier this way,” he murmurs, settling down on top of my legs. He pauses for a second, but then his fingers wrap again around the edges of my dress, pulling it down a little lower so that half of my booty is exposed.“Auden!” I gasp, my head flying up.“Calm down, Everleigh, this is strictly medical. I just need to see the extent of the bruise.” His voice is low, entertained.“Oh, I hate you,” I murmur, tucking my head back down against my arms, my cheeks flaming.“No, you don’t,” he murmurs, making me smile. A soft scraping sounds, the lid of a jar being unscrewed, and the balmy scent of mint and eucalyptus fills my nose. “This will be cold.”I sigh and nod, consenting to it, thinking that sounds quite nice against the hot ache growing in my lower back. But I still gasp at the first t
I step inside the tiny garden nook that’s lit only by firefly glow, admiring the white roses that climb all over the walls. I lower my face to a bloom, taking in its thick spicy scent, completely distracted as my fingers drift over the silky petals.So I don’t notice the shadow that blocks my only exit until I hear his growl behind me.I twist, surprised –And my stomach drops when I see the gigantic Alpha standing a few feet away. Six and a half feet tall, he’s built like he’s made from granite, with wide, muscular shoulders above a powerful form. The beauty of his brutal face is marred by a scar that passes through his left eyebrow, continuing down his cheek to disappear into his thick beard.That flaw in no way takes away from the raw power emanating from this Alpha, who is as much beast as he is man.He levels a dangerous glare at me, prowling forward into the light that glints off of the finely wrought crown that sits on his head, tangling in the wild hair that falls to his should
I step forward to the crystal doors to the palace, nodding to the Gamma who announces, quite grandly:“THE CELESTIAL EVERLEIGH DE SILVA.”The Celestial Entrance to the palace is beautifully structured for moments just like this. It’s a long walk up the marble stairs outside, but the climb allows you to enter the ballroom at the top of a sweeping staircase that overlooks the sunken dancefloor beneath. You have two choices once you’re announced. You can either hurry to the left and lose yourself in the crowded balcony that rings the dance floor, or, as most choose, you can walk slowly down the long marble staircase, letting everyone get a good look at you as you descend.The staircase is a gift, really, to women who seek Alpha husbands, as every Celestial has a chance to shine like a jewel. This staircase is the whole reason why Celestials have a separate entrance from the Alpha men - so that prospective husbands can take their time surveying a woman before ever having to say a word to
My legs propel me further into the maze of hedges and plants, my breath tearing at my lungs as I flee from the Alpha chasing me – a man so powerful he could tear me limb from limb with his bare hands -I hear laughter as he draws near – which just makes me gasp for more air, makes me push harder. But a touch on my back, then a brush of his hand against the bare skin above my dress –I shriek as I feel him gaining on me and drive myself to a final burst of speed –But it’s a wasted effort. His body slams into mine.A scream rips from me as I feel myself falling, raising my arms to protect my head, my body going rigid in anticipation –But the King wraps his arms around me as I fall, twisting in the air so that I land hard his own flesh instead of the sharp gravel of the path.He’s laughing, then, a cruel, joyful, hungry laugh that reignites my fear. As soon as I realize that I’m unharmed, I rip at the arms that hold me to him, trying to free myself –“Oh, no,” he scolds, spinning his bo
All around us, Alphas and their Lunas raise their goblets, cheering. I stand stone-faced, staring out at all of them as the King holds me close to his side, an arm around my waist. No one mentions the rips and dirt stains at the hem and back of my dress, or comments on my shocked pallor.They ascribe both, I assume, to the passion of the King – after all, we wolves are not prudes – and the shock of being chosen as his new Luna, the future Queen.The King takes a swig of wine from the goblet in his hand, looking down at me.“Drink, wife!” he demands with a laugh, his voice booming. I look up at him and do as I’m told, bringing my own goblet to my lips and taking a sip of the rich red liquid. The King takes a step away from me as I drink – just a step – distracted by one of his favorite courtiers. The wine is delicious, but I barely notice it as I look anxiously out into the crowd, hoping to spy my sister – even my mother –But suddenly, I feel my face pale as a tall figure walks towards
Auden frowns at the plate of dinner in front of him, not touching it. He glances at his father a few seats away, eating lustily and laughing with the pack of Alpha Lords who have come to celebrate the selection of his bride. Every few minutes the King glances at the doors to the great hall, waiting for her to come through.But Auden knows that something is off. As he sits watching his father watch the door, Auden taps the table with his forefinger, thinking it through. Something, in his gut, rings wrong about the situation.And it all starts with that girl.Everleigh. Celestial of the De Silva pack. Eldest daughter, but not Selene, a little piece of gossip he’d picked up in conversation this evening after she inexplicably left the ball with her sister, wanting “a moment” that has now stretched into an hour. According to gossip, Everleigh had given up her position as Selene of her pack in favor of her younger sister years ago. An almost unheard-of choice, for an elder sister to give up
It only takes five minutes for Auden to leave the palace and cross the grounds to the Beta barracks, where he throws open the door. Everyone inside immediately goes still, caught in the middle of a card game that absolutely should not be happening.Or at least, almost everyone goes still. One person lounges carelessly in her chair, draping an arm over the back.“Should I deal you in, Prince?” she drawls, her black eyes sparking as she brushes her silky curtain of black hair away from her face.Auden narrows his eyes at Margot, the most notorious woman at court and certainly not an enlisted member of his military. “No, Margot,” Auden replies evenly, hiding his surprise as he takes a few slow steps into the room. He slips his hands into his pockets. “Though I wonder if there’s any way I could convince you to close out.”Auden’s eyes flick to the two dozen still-frozen Betas who watch him warily, trying to figure out precisely how much trouble they’re in. “I’m sure that by now you’ve take
“I’m sorry, sir –“ the boy gasps, shrinking away. “We’re told to obey Celestial orders without question –“ his lip starts to tremble in fear and guilt.Auden just growls and drops the boy’s arm, reaching into his pocket to grab some coins, which he slips into the boy’s hand. “Tell no one that we’ve been here and no one that she left. Share those coins with the boys inside, pass the instructions on to them. If you all stay silent, there will be more.”“Yes sir!” the boy quips, his face bright now.“I’m serious, boy,” Auden continues, snapping his fingers in the boy’s face to make him focus. “There will be consequences for all of you if you disobey. As far as anyone knows, you all fell asleep. You know nothing of anyone leaving the stables tonight. Even if they flog you for it. Yes?”The boy hesitates and then nods.Auden nods back to the boy, dismissing him as his Betas come forward leading their mounts. When they’ve led the horses outside and climbed into their saddles, Auden signals f
“What are you doing?” I gasp.“It’s easier this way,” he murmurs, settling down on top of my legs. He pauses for a second, but then his fingers wrap again around the edges of my dress, pulling it down a little lower so that half of my booty is exposed.“Auden!” I gasp, my head flying up.“Calm down, Everleigh, this is strictly medical. I just need to see the extent of the bruise.” His voice is low, entertained.“Oh, I hate you,” I murmur, tucking my head back down against my arms, my cheeks flaming.“No, you don’t,” he murmurs, making me smile. A soft scraping sounds, the lid of a jar being unscrewed, and the balmy scent of mint and eucalyptus fills my nose. “This will be cold.”I sigh and nod, consenting to it, thinking that sounds quite nice against the hot ache growing in my lower back. But I still gasp at the first t
Auden shuts the door behind him and I still in the middle of his room, looking around, quite curious.Everything’s lit only in the soft blue glow of night but still – I find myself surprised. All of the furniture is very finely made and neatly arranged, but it’s all very…sparse.Except for one little stuffed bunny rabbit, sitting on top of his pillow, one ear flopping down before its beaded eye. I burst into a smile, loving that a great deal.“What?” Auden asks, coming to stand by my side and seeing my smile.“It’s just…you live like a soldier,” I say quietly, turning my face up to him.“I am a soldier,” he says, frowning at me.My smile widens. “You’re a General, Auden. But still, I just…didn’t expect you to have a guest.” I tilt my head toward the pillows and he turns, his frown deepening before it spread
My fingers continue their work. His head just hangs.“What do we do?” he whispers.“I don’t know,” I reply, my tone matching his for confusion and sorrow. I sigh and take a step away, turning toward the window. “Let me go back to my room, I’ll sleep on it – and you’ll sleep on it – and we can –“But his hand reaches out and takes my arm again, gentler this time. I look back at him, frowning when he shakes his head.“Everleigh, you were here for a reason,” he murmurs. I stand straighter as I realize that he’s right – that I completely forgot that the castle halls are host to what is basically a gigantic orgy right now and that I was here in Auden’s rooms to avoid detection. “If, somehow, your fucking magical spell on Margot fails and Mahl storms into your room…”I grimace, turning back to him. “Yea
“I don’t know about you, Everleigh,” Auden says after a long moment of choosing his next words. I flash my teeth as I realize that he has apparently chosen very poorly. “But I can control myself.”I laugh at Auden, low and derisive, leaning forward to do it – an act that only makes me wince as the bruise on my back stretches. “Auden. No, you can’t.”He glares at me, clenching his jaw. “Yes, I can!”“No!” I say, laughing a little more and shaking my head. “You can’t! Your whole life is about control and keeping things in line – about trying to fucking – fucking harness the wind, or something impossible like that! Keep a fucking muzzle on Mahl – these impossible tasks that you tell yourself that you can do, that you have to, and then you let them eat you up and you loathe yourself when you fail &
Auden leans his elbows on his knees and dips his head like he does when he’s thinking. I watch, and as the seconds pass my anger comes back to me a bit. Not at him – not…not really. Or, maybe not at all at him?Or, well. Maybe a little at him.What the hell was he doing getting all high and running across the castle, anyway? What the hell was he doing fucking me like that – like our god damned lives depended on it – and then not pulling out at the end?He knows as well as I do that the consequences of a pregnancy that is not Mahl’s means…death.Death. Again, death! All roads in this fucking life lead to an abrupt and brutal death.But my anger at Auden is minor compared to my anger at myself for losing control. And at this fucking world for being a place where something as simple and natural as a pregnancy after a much-desired sexual encounter would spell the d
I shout, my muscles clenching, my head falling back. I hear and feel Auden groan as he pitches forward on top of me, pressing me hard back against the bureau as my inner walls tighten against him, squeezing tight against his cock. Auden thrusts forward one last time and I feel him come, feel the warmth of him spreading in me, delicious and soothing after such rough play –My whole body tingles and I cry out again, little moaning sounds, my arms finding their way around his shoulders as I start to shake all over, clinging to him, everything I know and understand grinding to tiny broken pieces.He groans and holds me tight as the last final jerks pulse through his body. He loses a bit of control, his knees weakening, and his weight falls against me for a moment in a way that makes me gasp –My eyes fly open and he steadies himself, cursing lightly under his breath as he gets his legs under him again, finding bala
Auden again shifts back, his cock withdrawing slightly, the sensation against my inner walls agonizing and fantastic at once, and then he starts to pound into me at a steady, punishing pace, fucking me hard and fast and relentless – just the way I want him to.My face turns hard to the left as my hands slam down on the wood of the bureau, balancing me as Auden wraps his hand around my back and pulls me further forward so that my ass is no longer on the wood at all. Instead, he holds my body tight against him, my lower back pressed painfully to the edge of the bureau as he picks up his pace, thrusting himself deep into my core again and again with a fervid need that makes me dizzy.My mind spins as my body tenses, as heat and some fucked-up need builds within me. Because this is all wrong – all of it is fucking wrong – I hid from this man for years, I’m keeping secrets from him that would break his heart, I’m engaged to his goddamn father –But none of that – none of that fucking matte
There is nothing soft and sweet about what happens next.Auden grabs the ends of my skirt, hiking it high over my knees and pushing it back even as his lips part mine, his tongue sweeping into my mouth in a kiss that makes me dizzy with its absolute assurance, its claiming.I give myself over to him completely, one hand wrapping around his neck and the other smacking down hard on the bureau so I can lift my hips when his hands move all the way up my thighs and reach my hips, his hands wrapping around the edges of my panties and yanking them firmly down.A pathetic little whine breaks from my lips when he steps back for a second – but Auden just snarls, pulling the dainty scrap of fabric down over my knees and letting gravity do the rest of the work. His hands move fast to his belt and I move on impulse, a creaky moan sounding in my throat as I lean forward, grabbing fistfuls of the fabric of his shirt, tugging upward –He snarls, low and fierce – a wordless command to leave him be as
“And so the Doe ran!” The Bard shouts – his robes sweeping wide as he flings his arm toward Margot, banishing her. Margot shrieks with delight, turning and dashing toward the door through which she entered. The remaining Celestials go too, shouting and laughing as they disappear into the hall.“And the Sacred Stag chased her down!”Mahl throws his head back, a long and echoing howl soaring from his throat. Auden blinks hard, staring at his father as his form flickers in and out of its wolf – his fingers curling into claws – his skin flashing to dark grey pelt and then back –Auden shakes his head, frowning – because that’s not how it works – it –But before he can think on it more Mahl surges forward, dashing for the door after his Doe, yanking the wood nearly off its hinges as he rushes through it.The room fills with more snarls and howls, more shrieking shouts and laughter a