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Mahl laughs a little. “Now you know all our secrets,” he murmurs to me. “Though we’d appreciate it if you kept this one discreet.”I tear my eyes from the fascinating women who have entered the room, not bothering to point out to Mahl the irony of what he just said – because, of course, I am a Luna, or am about to be. What sort of secrets will he be keeping from me?But, well. I guess I’m not one to talk.The women who enter the room now are people who have no rank at all, or are Deltas at best, and I find myself utterly fascinated by them. These women who mingle with the most powerful men in the kingdom - what on earth are their lives really like?The courtesans quickly make themselves at home, many moving to the sides of their favorite Alphas who greet them warmly and wrap arms around their waists. Some courtesans, I note, decline to make the first move, instead settling themselves mysteriously by the fire or on couches, waiting to be approached.My eyes brighten in particular when
Twenty minutes later, I’m anxiously pacing back and forth in my room when a knock comes at the main door. I laugh a little, darting over to it, glad it’s this door and not the private one leading to the Royal passages.I whip the door open and give a little squeal of joy to see Margot standing there, a bunch of papers under her arm, a bottle of red wine dangling from her hand.“Readyyy?” Margot asks, lifting the bottle with a wink.“Margot!” I say, laughing and reaching for her, pulling her into the room. “You didn’t have to bring anything – obviously, I have wine here.”“Oh god, Ev,” she says, laughing a little. “Not nearly enough for what I’ve got to show you.”“Really?” I gasp, reaching for the papers. “What is there –““Ah ah!” she says, turning half away with a smirk so I can’t reach the papers and holding the bottle of wine out towards me. “Drinks first. Pornography second.”I laugh, grinning at her and taking the bottle over to my little cart of liquor and wine, quickly un-cork
I purse my lips, considering Margot’s offer to answer the inner door to the Royal passages of the palace long enough that she jumps out of her seat, turning towards it.“Oh, sit down!” I scold, laughing as I get up myself and give her a mock little shove back towards the chaise. Margot grins as she takes her seat again, gathering up the pornography into a single stack as I hurry towards the door, knowing that it must be answered – and that it must be me that answers it.As I pull the door open, I sweep into a curtsey before my intended husband, masterfully managing not to spill my red wine as I do. “My King,” I murmur.“My Queen,” he says, and when I straighten up I’m pleased to see him smiling down at me – in a good mood, apparently. “It is good to see you in high spirits.”“Please, come in if you would,” I say, gesturing towards the room, wanting to ensure that he sees that I have company before he says anything that I wouldn’t want her to hear.But, of course, being who he is, Mahl
“I propose that you…offer me to him,” Margot whispers, a little scandalously, “as a gift. Until the wedding. To save your chastity or whatever,” she says, flipping a hand in the air like the details of my reasons don’t matter.“How on earth would we do that?” I whisper.“Easy. The next time he insists you come to bed, just…bring me along. We’ll go from there.”“Margot…” I say, still staring at her in disbelief that this could be…a real offer.“This is what I do, Everleigh,” she says quietly, reaching out and cupping my cheek in her palm. “I give people what they want. What do you think?”I take a long moment to think about my response, about the stakes of this.But really – what could it hurt to try? The worst he can do is refuse the “gift” and then I am precisely where I am. Besides, I’m still planning to leave as soon as I can – perhaps all I need is a distraction to buy me a little more time.“If you’re honestly willing?” I say quietly, hoping my expression honestly conveys that sh
Auden leans against the door frame as Everleigh sweeps into the children’s room, calling a soft goodnight to the two little souls he just tucked into bed a few minutes before. Neither are asleep yet and both burst out with happy greetings to their mom, though Coco just huffs on his spot by the pillow and lifts one wing to cover his head. Auden smiles as he watches Everleigh sit on Niall’s bed, stroking her son’s bright hair as she looks over at Vivianna, who is already sitting up to provide some details of her busy day.Inhaling a deep breath, Auden only half listens to the conversation, letting the soft light and sounds of the room calm him even further as he gets lost in his thoughts. Everleigh’s laughter at something Niall says – a bright, delighted sound - turns something inside Auden, makes him warm to her even more.Everleigh leans forward towards Niall, pressing a series of quick kisses to his cheeks and forehead that make the little boy laugh and swat her away, turning sleepily
“Hey Cals!” I say, leaning against my sister’s new bedroom door and grinning over at her.“Everleigh!” she gasps, spinning towards me and then, laughing, dashing over to wrap me in a big hug. “Did you see this room?” she whispers, delighted. “It’s amazing!”“Of course I’ve seen it,” I say, laughing and hugging her back. “It used to be mine, after all.”Callie pulls back an inch and stares at me, her mouth a round little “o,” I think having forgotten that little fact. She turns around, keeping one arm around my waist, looking around the room with new eyes. “Oh, then I like it even more then,” she says, giving a decisive nod. “I love that you have history here.”“History indeed,” I say, my voice low with the understatement. When I was Angeline’s lady, we spent hours and hours here, especially when she and Mal were fighting and she wanted to hide away from him for a bit. For some reason, he never thought to look for her here – like this room, or I, didn’t really exist. But their fights n
“Whether or not I’d give Coco up is unsubstantial,” I say, waving a hand to dismiss the point again and doing my very best to hide that I’d never, ever – in a million years – let my daughter’s favorite pet be taken from her. “Just…let him know that I’m sympathetic to the idea, okay? And that should it come up in negotiations…” I shrug, “I might be amenable to talks.”“What are you…what are you playing at?” Callie says, the words coming out on the breath of her exhale. “Why do you want him to believe that?”“Because, Cals,” I say, reaching out and putting a hand on my sister’s wrist. “I want peace, and if the Vendans see me as a sympathetic ear on the way to the King, perhaps…I can play a larger role in that peace.”Lies, all of it but…well. My heart sinks when I realize that I’m playing my sister along with the rest of them, but isn’t it worth it, in the end? If I can keep my children safe, get them out of this viper’s nest?“Look at you, Everleigh,” Callie says, laughing a little and
I walk alone into the grand dining room where this evening’s dinner will be held, exhaling a long breath and looking around with interest. The room is already flooded with people – important Alphas with their Lunas on their arms, state officials, advisors. The Vendan officials are here too, obvious in their traditional black and looking for all things like a set of crows scattered around the room.Slowly I walk into the gorgeous room, which is elaborate in all of its white marble and gold accents, built to accommodate about one hundred guests in very fine circumstances. I accept a glass of champagne from a bowing Delta servant and take a stip. Those guests close to me who notice my entrance give me short bows of reverence – those due to a Queen, though of course I haven’t taken up that title yet.Still, in Mahl’s court – with the way he’s already claimed me? It’s as good as done.I step into the room, looking around, wondering how to handle this. Mahl is, of course, on his dais, where
“It went off without a hitch, Ev!” she says, laughing and smacking my shoulder, delighted. “Seriously, you are a skilled woman – both in terms of using that powder and…what I convinced Mahl you could do in the bedroom, when properly incentivized.”I burst out laughing, letting my head tilt back with it, relief rushing through me as much as humor. I mean, I figured everything went okay when I didn’t receive any drastic summons this morning. But hearing it from Margot’s own lips is its own relief.“The powder lasted all night?” I whisper, leaning closer.She nods eagerly. “I had to scrub it, Ev, you put it on good. Honestly, do you think my hair still has a bit of a blonde sheen?”I glance at it and then give her a playful shove on the shoulder as I laugh, realizing that she’s kidding. “Don’t be silly.”“Oh, I’ll be as silly
I yawn as I walk slowly through the halls, heading for the great hall where the majority of the Lunas of this castle will be gathered, alongside their children, as is traditional after the Night of the Stag. Some Alphas will come too, but most will stay in bed.And it’s not that I’m necessarily dragging my feet to get there because I’m dreading it or something. I’m just still quite tired after an eventful night.Luckily for me, the day after the Night of the Stag is a long and lazy day where everyone in the palace takes it easy. The children play with their toys together in the hall, Lunas hang out and lounge around gossiping, and Alphas take the time to sleep off their drug-fueled orgy.Everyone just takes the day to do what they need, which is very nice.Viv and I took a long cozy nap after our extended chat about why kindness matters even when it doesn’t reflect your inner feelings. It wasn’t enough, c
I laugh, looking around at my family, eyebrows raised. “Finally?”“Yes,” she murmurs, Niall nodding in agreement. “You finally let daddy scent mark you and you smell much better.”I straighten in my chair, my eyes flashing to Auden, who laughs low and rich, shaking his head at me.Shit. I – I didn’t even put together that of course the kids were going to notice that I smell all over of Auden now until I get a chance to wash it off.God, thank heavens the children are the only ones I’ve seen so far.I laugh too, shaking my head, suddenly anxious to get in the tub even as I lay my cheek on my daughter’s hair. “I didn’t realize I smelled so objectionable before.”“Not ob-jection-bul,” she murmurs, taking a deep and happy breath, turning her face to bring her nose closer to me. “Just better. Daddy s
“And then,” Vivi murmurs, sitting on my lap with her mouth full of toast and butter and jam, reaching for her glass of juice. “Aurora’s mother took my bow away and said I wasn’t allowed to play with it anymore if I was going to keep scaring Aurora –“I grimace and look over at Auden, who sighs and cocks his head to the side, clearly regretting his choice of gifts for the Night of the Stag.Niall stares daggers at his sister from his chair, shaking his head at her. “You were so mean to Aurora and now we won’t be invited back!”“Even if they invite me back, I won’t go,” Vivi murmurs, turning to offer Coco a whole sausage from her fork. “It’s boring there.”“Vivs,” I murmur, reaching out to stop her from giving him so much food at once – but Coco gobbles the sausage down fast, the meat folding in half and going
Auden glances at me one last time as he reaches the door and I pull the dress over my head, hastily standing and tugging at my laces. I duck down next to his bed, ready to hide as instructed, and he nods to me, pulling his bedroom door open and then heading for the main door.I sit down hard on the floor on the far side of the bed, ducking my head so that I can’t be seen above the mattress, my arms twisted behind my back and tugging as best as I can at the stupid strings that will tighten my bodice.When? When will they invent dresses that women can put on without aid so that they can keep their clandestine night adventures to themselves!? “Papa!” Vivi cries. Auden laughs and says something back as Niall likewise shouts his hellos. I smile – I can’t help it – the sound of their voices going right to my heart.My sweethearts, my cuties. God, I haven’t thought about them in…hours.I
Auden lifts his hips fast and rough, pressing his cock up into me one final time. I moan, grinding myself down, my hands pressed to his chest beneath me, my arms trembling as I go to pieces around him, my inner muscles clenching hard as the tension within me comes to its breaking point and begins to unspool.I gasp again and again as that heat pounds through me, my arms giving out and my body pitching forward as my eyes fall shut. Auden’s there in a moment, catching me against his chest and turning me slightly so that I lay on my side. He murmurs something soft but I don’t hear it – or can’t comprehend it – or something - whatever. My brain is again mush and I can’t find the energy to care.Auden shifts behind me for better leverage, his hips slapping hard against my ass a dozen more times before he, too, groans and stills, coming to his end as a few curses slip from his lips. My body responds, my back arching painfully as I press my ass more ti
We lay there for a long few moments in silence, I think just letting our bodies learn the feel of each other in repose, basking in this new warmth. He ducks his head slightly, rubbing his stubbled cheek against my hair in a very fond, wolfish gesture. I can’t help my growing smile, raising a hand to his chest and letting my fingers spread out over his soft skin.God, who knew it would be this soft?Or maybe I did.Maybe I dreamed it.My wolf gives a scanty little howl of joy, curling up in a little crescent shape with her nose tucked under the edge of her tail, completely content.“I’ve thought about this,” he murmurs, letting his body curl around me more completely, pressing a kiss to my hair.“Really?” I whisper, lifting my face a bit to look up at him, grinning.He stills for a moment, frowning down at me. “You’re going to break my heart if you say you haven’t.”I laugh, smacking him lightly on the chest and lowering my face to press my cheek again to his nice warm skin. “So, what
My breath deepens as I keep my eyes on Auden, my fingers deftly working at the leather of his belt, sliding the end through the metal clasp and then tugging it, working it free of the pin. When I slide the buckle free, my hand moves to the button beneath, quickly popping it free of the fabric.Auden watches my face as my hand works, his expression very serious, very…solemn.Like this is some kind of great ceremony.Like this is…a point which when crossed we cannot go back. Which, I suppose it kind of is.But we’ve already crossed at least three of those points already. Honestly, I’m so far in with this man that…this tiny step? This last little leap?It just feels inevitable. Natural and right.Auden’s hand moves slowly up my arm as my fingers work at the series of little buttons on his fly, slipping each one free. He keeps his eyes on mine, even as my hand slips around to his side, my thumb again running along the waistline of his pants. When I reach his hip, I press the fabric down.
“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