Slowly, Caleb lifts his fingers and touches his lip. Pulling back, he sees the blood on his fingertips.Panic settles over Harper. She hadn’t meant to actually hurt him. What’s the punishment for this? Is she going to be killed?She still has to warn her pack.Caleb raises his gaze from his bloodied
“Guards!” Veronica calls, her voice shrill.At once, a set of guards rush down the hallway toward us, their rifles in their hands. One has a sword tied to his belt. Another, a whip.Veronica continues to glare at me, even as a smug smile curves her lips. Pointing straight at me, she commands, “This
Quickly, one of the guards procures a whip and places it into Caleb’s outstretched hand.“M-my King,” Veronica says quickly, terror making her voice wobble. “I’m confused. If you intend to honor me by whipping this slave, then why remove me as your favorite…?”Caleb narrows his eyes at Veronica. His
Relieved to be alone, I plop down on the stool and breathe. I can still hear the screaming. I think I’ll hear it even after it stops – definitely it will haunt my nightmares tonight.A moment later, another slave enters the chamber. Her garb is similar to mine, but with an additional halter top unde
I don’t roll my eyes, but I really, really want to. Fortunately, having been a servant to my sister Leah these past three years has helped train me to always present an outward poise, even when inwardly, I am disgusted and annoyed.“Tell me again how you wish to please me,” Caleb says, self-satisfie
“I-I didn’t do anything…?” I say, gasping. I reach my hands up, clawing at his where he’s grabbing my throat.“You slipped me a sleeping pill,” he growls, voice spitting fire. “Those are banned.”“I didn’t!”His hand tightens, cutting off my air supply even further.“Please!”“Someone drugged me wit
Nina – the woman my pack previously sacrificed to the Lycan King?“You’re alive…” I am seeing her with my own two eyes and still can’t believe it.No one was ever truly sure what happens the tributes once they were sent off as devotion to the King. Some women, we knew, were selected to be members of
I shiver at the thought, but press my words forward. “He wouldn’t pull anything from me, even under torture. Nina, there’s never been any child. I’ve never been pregnant. If he does have a child, it’s not with me.”Nina flicks her gaze over my face. I keep my expression open, hoping she can see my s
Caleb is talking about the swelling red on my cheek. The bruise that has been forming since Kira slapped me. But so much has happened since then. It’s hard for me to focus, to keep track. Deciding whether or not to reveal Kira as the culprit of this particular injury requires more critical thinking
I’m stunned silent for a moment, then I look at her with wild eyes. I can’t really understand what’s happened here, or why she would do that.Before she can get even one more word out, I shout, “Someone is planning to kill Caleb!”She rolls her eyes at me. “Someone’s always trying to kill him, you s
As I race back into the hallway, I think about returning to my room, but I don’t want to be idle anymore. Sitting around thinking is half of what got me into this mess. It’s what made me take such a foolish action as pouring my heart out to a man who has no capacity to accept it.But just as I don’t
He cares for me, that I know. It might not be love, but it’s more than nothing.Even so, he and I are from two very different worlds.What does Caleb even know about love? His father had a harem, and he and his mother never got along. Caleb’s brother Evan found a mate, but then Caleb was forced to k
Seeing Caleb in his wedding suit, I start to lose my nerve.Why in the world would I think I could convince him now, when he’s ready to go and greet the nobles and other guests? By coming in here, I’m only embarrassing myself.Mortified by my own impulsive action, I turn around and start to leave.“
As much as I wished it wouldn’t, the day of Caleb’s wedding eventually arrives. It takes me a long while to drag myself out of bed, and then even longer to go to the window and pear out at the world.A day this dark should be miserable outside. Storm clouds, maybe. Dreary and overcast at least.But
My heavy heart persists into the evening. I haven’t talked much since speaking with Kira, retreating to my room soon after. Not even Bethany could encourage me to speak. Kira’s words cut into me, straight down to the bone. I don’t want to believe that Caleb only wants me for sex, and that’s all he’
None of that matters now. Annabelle looks at me sharply. “What are you doing here?” I step into the room, Bethany following along, my silent support. Glancing away from her in my dream gown, I try to stoke my rage again. Remembering the letter, I retrieve it from my pocket. “I’m tired of being th
The next morning, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, dreading another day of doing nothing, I hear a swishing sound near my door. Sitting up, I look at the door and find a slip of paper laying near it on the ground. Did someone slide that underneath? Curious, I pull myself out of bed and walk