“No…” I say, swallowing the rising lump in my throat. “I’m not.”This answer has ostracized me from my pack. I’ve been called every name under the sun: slut, whore, loose, tainted…All because I went into heat and slept with a man who was not my mate. A night I barely even remember. Most of my recol
I stare wide-eyed, mouth agape at the man I shared my heat with three years ago. I have to be mistaken, but my body knows the truth. Those strong hands caressed my skin. Those plush lips spent hours sucking marks onto my breasts.Immediately, I turn away. Curling closer to Jane, I hope to use her to
Glaring at me, Caleb waits. He seems expectant, as if he’s waiting for some kind of response.For the sake of self-preservation, I need to answer my king. But genuinely, I do not know how to reply to the implication that we have a child together.Tristan, Caleb’s Beta, walks into the closet behind h
I stop when my back is against the wall. There’s not really anywhere for me to run to. I’m locked in this room with him.“Now. You’ve had time to think it over,” Caleb says. “Stop pretending you don’t remember our encounter.”I remember his face staring down at me, his blues intense, his brows pulle
I want to deny him, but Tristan’s warnings echo in my mind. The only rule of this place is total obedience. Denying the king could easily lead to my death.With shaking hands, I slowly reach up and pull down the scraps of my shirt from my torso. They fall to the floor in a blood splattered pool.Cal
When I wake up again, Tristan is standing over me.I gasp, reaching for blankets to cover my naked body, only to find that a sheet has already been draped over me. I don’t hope to think King Caleb has done something like this. Perhaps Tristan has.Although, with the way he’s staring at me with a bor
The man in the lab coat fills the syringe with the bluish liquid of the vial. Then he brings it closer.“What is that?” I ask, panic rising in my voice. My heartbeat pounds out of control.“For generations, the royal family has been the sole owners of a special truth serum,” Tristan says. “It specif
Caleb huffs a short, bitter laugh. “You are imagining things,” he says to Tristan. “I only care about her enough to keep her alive. She’s the only lead we have to finding my child.”Tristan lowers his head. “Of course, my King. My apologies.” “See that you don’t make this mistake again,” Caleb says
“You’ve cast aside your harem, denied a bond with a very nice werewolf Annabelle… You’ve thrown every other perfectly acceptable wolf woman to the side… All so that you can stay with a human?”As she lectures, I freeze a little. I didn’t realize this is such a point of contention. I’d thought Caleb
The next morning, we receive an invitation from Gladys to accompany her for a walk in the gardens while the ballroom is being prepared for the gala. As we need to gather information anyway, and can’t do that tucked away in our room, we decide to take her up on the offer.The gardens are tucked behin
“This was more than a mere slight,” I snap. “Your butler shot the King!”Gladys gives me a vague sort of look, like she’s not apologetic or sympathetic at all.Caleb wraps his arm around me, placing his hand on the small of my back.“It’s alright, Harper,” Caleb says. Though he has been more calm th
The loud pop of a gunshot makes me jump. Unfortunately, I’m very familiar with that sound, from far too many close encounters at the palace.I look toward the door. Caleb still isn’t back yet.“Wait!” Cameron calls. Stepping toward us, his hand is raised. “It’s too dangerous!”I don’t have time to w
As Bethany talk, I learn more about her than I ever have before. It makes me feel like a truly awful friend. Bethany has stood by me through thick and thin, yet I still knew so little about her. I’m determined to rectify this oversight, and dive into her life here and now as much as I can.Yet, whil
Holding the note, I moved toward the bed and sat down on the edge. Caleb, finished with his shower, comes out of the shower looking relaxed as can be. The moment he sees me perched on the bed, he tenses again.“What happened? What’s going on?” he asks, his voice all business.I hold up the small not
The stare-off continues for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Around us, I see Gladys’s servants take notice, and my own worry sets in. If this continues, will they attack Caleb? Is Caleb willing to go to war to keep me safe and by his side?I fear I already know the answer to that.Yet, before
Even so, with the drama, I worry about the food getting cold. It does look good and a cook took the time to make it. I quickly cut a bite of the fish and eat it.Though my stomach is in knots, the fish is delicious so I force it down.“Careful, stepmother,” Caleb says, giving weight to the word I’ve
Of all the awkward, uncomfortable diners I have sat through over the years, this one has to be the worst. And that includes the ones right after my public disgrace, when I went from being the pride of my parents to their servant instead, with my sister taking my place.Gladys, Caleb, and I are in th