Caleb paces outside of the hospital room where inside, the doctors continue to try to save Harper’s life. It’s been thirty minutes so far, and still they work. A nurse he stopped told him, with fear in her eyes that it could be hours still before their work is done.“There’s so much bleeding,” that
“Answer me,” Caleb demands.I can’t possibly tell him the truth. In his rage, he might purposefully seek out Samuel just to kill him.“We’re like siblings,” I say.Caleb glares at me, clearly not believing me.“It’s true,” I double down. “Soon, he’s even going to be my brother-in-law.” That truth st
Compared to the depths of the coliseum, the hospital is like a five-star hotel. The hospital bed is plush. The room is relatively private, with just a few doctors and nurses coming in and out now and then. They even give me food that tastes fresh, not moldy, and hot or cold water whenever I ask for
“What is that?” I say, trying to reach through the fog of my mind. It’s still so difficult to piece things together. To my knowledge, she is no doctor or nurse. She should not be touching those IV’s. “What are you doing?”“What do you think I’m doing, Harper?” Nina says, laughing cruelly at my cloud
“S-sir?” one of the advisors stutters, when Caleb continues to glare at him specifically.“Is it you?” Caleb demands. “Are you plotting to kill me?”“No!” the man says at once and lowers his head in reverence. “Of course not, m-my King.”Caleb doesn’t like how he denied it twice. Too many denials co
At his growing worry, he scoffs at himself, reminding himself that he only cares because he needs her alive to find his child. He doesn’t care about her beyond that.After a few, long, agonizing moments, where Caleb wonders if he’s lost his only lead to his child – as well as the most annoying woma
Blinking my eyes open, I’m once again surprised to find myself still alive. In fact, I almost feel… better?I lift my limbs, surprised to find that I still can, and it’s so much easier than it was when Nina was putting that needle into my IV tube and –Fear floods through me at the thought, and I je
Caleb looks now at the loose teal blue top and bottom covering me and frowns. That frown remains as he looks up to my eyes.After having spent so much time away from the man, I forgot what it’s like to be in his presence. He’s a strong man in muscle bulk and stature, but even beyond that his presenc
Caleb once more sits on his throne in front of the Alpha Council, staring down at them in judgement and distrust. His earlier meeting with Harper had only helped him somewhat, but now that they were separated, Caleb’s dark thoughts were returning with a vengeance, somehow even worse than before. W
“Actually,” the guard begins, glancing between the two of us. “King Caleb has already given Harper permission to enter his chambers as she desires.” Annabelle’s entire face flashes bright red. I very nearly smirk with satisfaction, but I bite it back at the last minute. It wouldn’t do to be smug
Tristan’s eyes widen slightly. “Did he truly say that?” “I heard it,” Caleb snaps. He knows what Tristan is thinking. This could be the paranoia again, creating whispers where there were none. Maybe he had right to worry. Perhaps Caleb had imagined it. But what if he hadn’t? “Your brother’s
Caleb hates the Alpha Council, now more than ever before. The last time they convened, the entire capital had been besieged by bears after the betrayal of Caleb’s Gamma. This already painted the council in a negative light for Caleb, even though it had no real fault in what happened. Now however,
“I can’t?” Caleb steps around Leah, ignoring her and her pale face entirely to focus primarily on me. He leans close, danger in his eyes, jaw clenched, teeth grit together. “Do not ever tell me what I can and cannot do, consort. Or have you forgotten yourself?” Maybe I have. With everything Caleb
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Leah spits at me. “I didn’t admit to anything.” “You don’t have to,” I tell her. “I can see the truth in your eyes. I know how much you despise me. I never thought you would go so low as to terrorize me like this. Even then, when I suspected and everyone told
There are two floors that I know Caleb would take someone to interrogate them. The first is the dungeon, where he frightens and tortures. The next is the floor up from the dungeon, where interrogation rooms are set up, cold tile rooms with one-way windows like in police stations. I can’t waste tim
Bethany dips her head while glancing sideways at me. “Of course, my King.” She cannot tell the King no, but she’s still looking to me for what she should do. I close my eyes and give her a stilted nod. Without his approval, I won’t be able to take one foot out of the palace without being dragged
For a moment, I’m too stunned to speak. How could I have gotten this so wrong? How could I think that Caleb would be reasonable, and want to save me from further hurt, when everything that he’s ever done until this moment has only been in his own selfish interest? Of course, he wouldn’t want to fr