I blink awake, staring at the ceiling of my castle room in the dark, grief rushing through me alongside awe.
Because that dream…it was so vivid. Like I was…there, feeling everything in the moment like it had been real. The feel of his skin against mine, god damn it, I felt it. It was like…a memory relived, more than a dream.
I sigh, turning my face to the side, looking over at Margot’s good-dream cakes, wondering if the name is a lie. Because while the events of that dream were fairly fantastic and I have woken all limp and languid as if I really did just have the best sex of my life…
God, but that’s cruel. To give me an experience that was so real, to which my actual life will never, ever live up. My wolf howls, wanting me to close my eyes so I can go back to that dream – but I shake my head, knowing that I can’t.
How had the little cake
“Mom won’t let me wear my tiara!” Viv shouts, stepping towards her papa, knowing he’s the easier mark. She lifts a hand to her head as she goes, holding the too-large diamond-encrusted headpiece on her blonde hair. I sigh as I watch, thinking that such an incredible piece of jewelry is far too fine for a little girl who is definitely going to drop it on the floor at any moment.Honestly, she should just give it to me. You know. For safekeeping.“Why on earth do you want to wear a tiara, Viv,” Auden murmurs, looking behind him and tossing the hand towel onto the table by his own room. “You’ll be playing and learning –““Because it is pretty!” she snaps. “And mine!”Auden grimaces, looking first at the clock and then at me, opening his mouth. I step forward, my jaw dropping, because I can see the concession on his lips.“Don’t you dare, Auden!” I snap, pointing a finger at him and glaring hard. “She ca
I stare up at Auden, because he can’t possibly mean that he wants me to come to him tonight -But he frowns a me, confused, and my wolf slumps to the ground of my soul with a wolfish little moan of mortification. Because yeah! He can’t possibly mean that! It’s just me, with my filthy dream-addled little mind that was thinking that he could have wanted that.I clench my teeth against a groan.“Are you all right?” Auden asks, stepping forward, reaching out a hand to support me.“I’m fine,” I sigh, stepping away and turning towards the center of the children’s room, walking unsteadily over to Vivianna’s little bookshelf and placing the tiara on top. I take the opportunity of my turned back to pull myself together, my wolf regaining her feet and shaking out her fur, newly determined not to be such a mess.“So…” Auden says. I turn to see him watching me, still leaning against the wall, expression bemused. “Are you com
To my surprise, no summons to dinner and festivities comes from Mahl that evening. Instead, I’m brought a sensible little supper in my rooms alongside a note from the King saying that his war council is running late. I gleefully pack up the little dinner, taking it with me across the rooftop to the children’s suite where I cuddle Niall and Vivi in my lap and hear all about their trials and victories on their first day at school.The same happens the next night, and the night after – to the point where I’m starting to wonder if Mahl has gotten sick of me. I mean, a pleasant turn but…One which I’m not sure I fully believe. Margot has been coming to breakfast, after all, filling me in on her activities. Apparently, Mahl has been calling for her at midnight and beyond after long days in meetings – wanting someone willing in his bed, I suppose, instead of a reluctant bride whom he has to coax and seduce.She told me that their meetings have been consis
My eyes move over Auden as I frown, taking in the muscled length of his body, all steady and strong stretched across my bed. “Why?” I ask, words tense. “Should I not be worried about the Night of the Stag? Did you do something?”He frowns. “No, Everleigh, I didn’t do anything –“I huff a sigh, turning my face back towards the children, who ignore us.“Seriously, Everleigh!” Auden says, stuck somewhere between frustration and humor. “Why do you care so much – it doesn’t have anything to do with you!”I gape at him and he laughs lightly like it’s no big deal.“It’s just going to be Mahl, and his buddies –““And you!”“Because I am obliged to be there,” he says, leaning towards me, his humor dropping a little. “And like, a bunch
“I win!” Niall shouts, smacking his hand down hard on a big pile of cards between him and Vivi. Coco squawks, rustled out of his nap by the sharp sound.“No!” Vivi shouts, appalled. “Niall! You cheat!”“I’m not a cheat I’m just fast –““I’m way faster!”Niall just laughs, victorious, leaning towards his sister and picking up all the cards, pressing them tight to his chest in a messy, triumphant bundle. Vivi groans and falls snarling to the carpet, anguished.“Rematch!” she shouts. “We have to play again! You can’t win!”“I can and I did and I will win again – I’ll win six hundred times!”“Deal!” Vivi shouts, whipping herself up again and pointing vehemently at the floor. “Deal again, Niall! I hate you! This was a mistak
I sigh and take a tiny cake off the edge of the plate – a pale green one – and pop it in my mouth. I smile when I discover that it’s pistachio, the flavors rich and complicated on my tongue.“There’s cake?” Vivi gasps, leaping up onto the bed. “Nobody told me there was cake!”Niall gasps and jumps to his feet.“No no,” Auden says, laughing and putting the cake back in its drawer. “This is adult cake. It helps mom sleep.”“Mom, you have a secret cake drawer!?” Niall asks, looking between me and the bedside table, appalled.“I want one,” Vivi whispers, eyes wide.“You’ve created monsters,” I say, laughing and looking up at Auden.“You’re the one with a secret cake drawer,” he murmurs, shrugging and licking the last remnant of frosting from his finger. I laugh a little harder.“All right, come on, pups,” he says, turning to the kids. “Let your mother sleep – I’ll pack you into your beds tonight.”“Night, mommy!” Vivi says, crawling across the bed and throwing herself into my arms. Niall
I look at him wide-eyed and then down at my leg, which is perfectly smooth.“How did you do that?” I whisper.He shrugs. “It’s just a dream. Things are…the way I want them to be here.”I smile at him, liking that, even though it’s the opposite – things are as I want them to be. But I suppose that it’s not much of a surprise that the Auden in my dream world fixes things for me. “Come here,” I whisper, opening my arms to him, wanting him close.Auden complies, crawling over me again until our faces are even, his body above mine. To my delight, he moves a hand behind my back, lifting me slightly and dragging me down on the bed until I’m fully beneath him, lying flat. Then he lays his long body out against mine, every inch of him against me warm and delicious.I hum, slinging my arms around his neck, terribly pleased as he brushes his stubbled cheek along the length of my shoulder, nuzzling me softly, tingles starting where he touches and spreading out all over my skin.“You have no idea
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 look at him wide-eyed and then down at my leg, which is perfectly smooth.“How did you do that?” I whisper.He shrugs. “It’s just a dream. Things are…the way I want them to be here.”I smile at him, liking that, even though it’s the opposite – things are as I want them to be. But I suppose that it’s not much of a surprise that the Auden in my dream world fixes things for me. “Come here,” I whisper, opening my arms to him, wanting him close.Auden complies, crawling over me again until our faces are even, his body above mine. To my delight, he moves a hand behind my back, lifting me slightly and dragging me down on the bed until I’m fully beneath him, lying flat. Then he lays his long body out against mine, every inch of him against me warm and delicious.I hum, slinging my arms around his neck, terribly pleased as he brushes his stubbled cheek along the length of my shoulder, nuzzling me softly, tingles starting where he touches and spreading out all over my skin.“You have no idea
I sigh and take a tiny cake off the edge of the plate – a pale green one – and pop it in my mouth. I smile when I discover that it’s pistachio, the flavors rich and complicated on my tongue.“There’s cake?” Vivi gasps, leaping up onto the bed. “Nobody told me there was cake!”Niall gasps and jumps to his feet.“No no,” Auden says, laughing and putting the cake back in its drawer. “This is adult cake. It helps mom sleep.”“Mom, you have a secret cake drawer!?” Niall asks, looking between me and the bedside table, appalled.“I want one,” Vivi whispers, eyes wide.“You’ve created monsters,” I say, laughing and looking up at Auden.“You’re the one with a secret cake drawer,” he murmurs, shrugging and licking the last remnant of frosting from his finger. I laugh a little harder.“All right, come on, pups,” he says, turning to the kids. “Let your mother sleep – I’ll pack you into your beds tonight.”“Night, mommy!” Vivi says, crawling across the bed and throwing herself into my arms. Niall
“I win!” Niall shouts, smacking his hand down hard on a big pile of cards between him and Vivi. Coco squawks, rustled out of his nap by the sharp sound.“No!” Vivi shouts, appalled. “Niall! You cheat!”“I’m not a cheat I’m just fast –““I’m way faster!”Niall just laughs, victorious, leaning towards his sister and picking up all the cards, pressing them tight to his chest in a messy, triumphant bundle. Vivi groans and falls snarling to the carpet, anguished.“Rematch!” she shouts. “We have to play again! You can’t win!”“I can and I did and I will win again – I’ll win six hundred times!”“Deal!” Vivi shouts, whipping herself up again and pointing vehemently at the floor. “Deal again, Niall! I hate you! This was a mistak
My eyes move over Auden as I frown, taking in the muscled length of his body, all steady and strong stretched across my bed. “Why?” I ask, words tense. “Should I not be worried about the Night of the Stag? Did you do something?”He frowns. “No, Everleigh, I didn’t do anything –“I huff a sigh, turning my face back towards the children, who ignore us.“Seriously, Everleigh!” Auden says, stuck somewhere between frustration and humor. “Why do you care so much – it doesn’t have anything to do with you!”I gape at him and he laughs lightly like it’s no big deal.“It’s just going to be Mahl, and his buddies –““And you!”“Because I am obliged to be there,” he says, leaning towards me, his humor dropping a little. “And like, a bunch
To my surprise, no summons to dinner and festivities comes from Mahl that evening. Instead, I’m brought a sensible little supper in my rooms alongside a note from the King saying that his war council is running late. I gleefully pack up the little dinner, taking it with me across the rooftop to the children’s suite where I cuddle Niall and Vivi in my lap and hear all about their trials and victories on their first day at school.The same happens the next night, and the night after – to the point where I’m starting to wonder if Mahl has gotten sick of me. I mean, a pleasant turn but…One which I’m not sure I fully believe. Margot has been coming to breakfast, after all, filling me in on her activities. Apparently, Mahl has been calling for her at midnight and beyond after long days in meetings – wanting someone willing in his bed, I suppose, instead of a reluctant bride whom he has to coax and seduce.She told me that their meetings have been consis
I stare up at Auden, because he can’t possibly mean that he wants me to come to him tonight -But he frowns a me, confused, and my wolf slumps to the ground of my soul with a wolfish little moan of mortification. Because yeah! He can’t possibly mean that! It’s just me, with my filthy dream-addled little mind that was thinking that he could have wanted that.I clench my teeth against a groan.“Are you all right?” Auden asks, stepping forward, reaching out a hand to support me.“I’m fine,” I sigh, stepping away and turning towards the center of the children’s room, walking unsteadily over to Vivianna’s little bookshelf and placing the tiara on top. I take the opportunity of my turned back to pull myself together, my wolf regaining her feet and shaking out her fur, newly determined not to be such a mess.“So…” Auden says. I turn to see him watching me, still leaning against the wall, expression bemused. “Are you com
“Mom won’t let me wear my tiara!” Viv shouts, stepping towards her papa, knowing he’s the easier mark. She lifts a hand to her head as she goes, holding the too-large diamond-encrusted headpiece on her blonde hair. I sigh as I watch, thinking that such an incredible piece of jewelry is far too fine for a little girl who is definitely going to drop it on the floor at any moment.Honestly, she should just give it to me. You know. For safekeeping.“Why on earth do you want to wear a tiara, Viv,” Auden murmurs, looking behind him and tossing the hand towel onto the table by his own room. “You’ll be playing and learning –““Because it is pretty!” she snaps. “And mine!”Auden grimaces, looking first at the clock and then at me, opening his mouth. I step forward, my jaw dropping, because I can see the concession on his lips.“Don’t you dare, Auden!” I snap, pointing a finger at him and glaring hard. “She ca
I blink awake, staring at the ceiling of my castle room in the dark, grief rushing through me alongside awe.Because that dream…it was so vivid. Like I was…there, feeling everything in the moment like it had been real. The feel of his skin against mine, god damn it, I felt it. It was like…a memory relived, more than a dream.I sigh, turning my face to the side, looking over at Margot’s good-dream cakes, wondering if the name is a lie. Because while the events of that dream were fairly fantastic and I have woken all limp and languid as if I really did just have the best sex of my life…God, but that’s cruel. To give me an experience that was so real, to which my actual life will never, ever live up. My wolf howls, wanting me to close my eyes so I can go back to that dream – but I shake my head, knowing that I can’t.How had the little cake
He snarls, pleased, a predator now as he thrusts himself hard into me, claiming me with every stroke. My entire body shakes as I gasp again and again, what’s left of my mind ringing with the truth of it – with how fucking good and right it feels to make myself his, to give myself completely to him, to his pleasure –I feel it, somehow, building in him as it builds in me. My breath is nothing but fervid little gasps as he pounds me harder, his hand wrapped in my hair, pain mingling with pleasure as I dig my nails into the flesh of his back, begging him for more. I curl against him, my entire body tensing with every stroke, and I feel him watching me – taking pleasure in my helpless gasps as he strokes again and again –He growls, a command as I come to the end of it and I moan – heavy and true, my eyes pressed shut, my teeth finding his shoulder as that tension winds so tight –His fingers press