After a while, I began to suspect he was just trying to make me laugh. Maybe putting me at ease was part of his helping me? I didn’t know. By the end of Julian’s visit, I had no misconceptions that I was going to be a better actor, but I did at least feel better about it, knowing Julian would be t
After we each reviewed our individual scripts for a few minutes, we began to have our first rehearsal. We didn’t have a stage yet. The actors in the scene just stood in the center of the ballroom with everyone else gathered around in front. We did a dry run through the entire play with Nathan doin
The next morning, Julian showed up at my door. I had only just changed out of my pajamas. Elva was still in hers. “I want to escort you to breakfast,” he said. I blinked. “Breakfast?” Usually the royal family avoided breakfasts and lunches with the candidates, unless there was an event. The meal
She was probably used to rubbing elbows with celebrities. But polite manners were polite manners. I was suddenly very annoyed on Julian’s behalf. Maybe it was time I really lean into this and give this fake relationship my all. I leaned forward again. “Bridget?” Bridget stopped talking to Ol
That night, I left Elva with the nanny, and met with Nicholas, Julian, and Veronica in one of the sitting rooms. “Why are we meeting here?” I asked as I entered the room. “Wouldn’t it be easier to meet near the royal family wing?” “It would be, if that’s where Joyce was,” Julian said. I blinke
Veronica was still quiet. I wished I could give her a hug, but I didn’t want to disturb her train of thought. She had personally asked me to come with her. “I don’t need you to do anything,” she had said then. Her eyes had been downcast, like she was embarrassed to be asking for help. “But I wou
“Maid! Oh, where is my maid!” Bridget called from the center of the ballroom that was once again our makeshift stage. The real stage was currently being worked on at the far end of the room. Occasionally the sound of hammers or saws would cut through our rehearsal. Bridget said my cue, so I’m forc
Gently, I knocked on Susie’s door. It was already partially opened. When I knocked, the door pushed farther inward. Susie was resting in bed. Nicholas was standing beside the bed, speaking with her. I had just watched the doctor leave before I knocked. Susie saw me and waved me closer. As I follow
Instead, the Queen pulled me into a hug. It was uncomfortable and brief, but a hug none the less. From the Queen, this was a tremendous breach of decorum, and I froze, unsure how to react. Even Nathan, standing dutifully as his King’s side seemed shocked.“I have misjudged you dearly,” the Queen sai
I wasn’t sure what to expect when our car delivered us from the train station to the palace, but even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have guessed what actually awaited us.Cheering crowds lined the outer walls of the palace. Balloons and streamers of various colors were abundant. A stage had been
At once, my heart leapt up into my throat, while simultaneously crashing down into my stomach.I pulled away from Nicholas enough to push myself up onto my hands and stare down at him.The thought of breaking the engagement had never crossed my mind! Nicholas proposing had been one of the best momen
In a war between the wolves and the bears, only the lost bear princess will be able to stop this fighting. Else, the bears will continue to fight themselves to exhaustion or to death.“It’s up to you,” Nicholas said. “I believe in you. You can do this.”I closed my eyes. Miracle was still exhausted,
Slowly, my grief subsided for now, enough for me to look up at Nicholas and feel the relief of being reunited with my fiancé.My… mate.“I love you,” Nicholas said. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to reach you.”“How are you even here? It’s impossible for you to have found me this quickly?”Nichol
Joyce, despite his best efforts, was not a fighter. He was not bred for war and battle like Hawke was, so even calling on the power of his Alpha wolf, Hawk tossed Joyce aside like he was a sack of potatoes.However, Joyce did show amazing tenacity, and stood back up time and time again. Roaring, he
Nicholas was here. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know why. But he was here, and that gave me the strength I needed to act.I ripped my arm away from Joyce’s hold and rushed into the room where Hawk was choking my sister on the ground. Using all of my strength, I plowed into Hawk.My surprise more than
We slipped into the hallway easily enough. The lights were off, so we stuck to the shadows. We didn’t go far when we started to hear raised voices.“I want to know if Piper was telling the truth.” It was Jane.“You cannot mean to trust her more than me,” that was Hawk. His cold voice sent shivers ru
A mating bond…?Yes. Even though Nicholas and I had never talked about the love between us, I had still felt it grow over these months together. Nicholas had never made a bonding bite on my neck, yet inside of me, that bond had cultivated. Our hearts were bound together, mating bite or now.There wa