Caleb follows me back to my room. I’m annoyed, frankly, because Bethany put a lot of effort into this dress only for me to be unable to truly show it off. But Caleb’s insistence has me moving my feet, booking it back to my room and then to my closet.Bethany is still in the rooms, cleaning up from t
It’s a strange moment, watching a man so powerful, so deadly even, hold something so fragile. He’s careful not to crush the flowers as he brings it over to me.He holds it out. “It smells like you.”My eyes go wide, and my heart races out of control.Sexual overtures, I expect from him. Gruff, angry
“You will tell me what I want to know,” Caleb growls, voice far colder than he’s ever used with me, even at his most angry. “You will die either way, but the speed of your death is what remains on the table. If you wish to spare yourself any more pain, you will speak quickly.”The bound man raises h
Plus, losing the support of a pack, even a lesser one, would weaken his kingdom. The other packs might consider rebellion, if they ever discovered he left many of their own to die.And then, there’s Harper… She shouldn’t be a consideration. She wasn’t really. An afterthought, at most… But it would d
“This isn’t a good idea,” Bethany insists, more urgently before. “Whatever you saw him do, you’ll be the next one tortured if you try to escape. How would you even do it? There’s no way out of here.”I know, deep down, I’m not thinking clearly, but my fear is so rampant that I can’t just sit here, w
Entering Madeline’s chambers, I immediately spot a familiar face. The handmaiden attending Madeline I recognize as Nina’s old handmaiden Molly. I suppose Nina acted alone in her treachery of me, but it still seems strange to see her handmaiden again, standing there smiling vaguely as if nothing happ
Madeline, Molly, and I all watch the growing hole on the floor until it finally stops hissing. As I place the now-empty teacup back on the table, I’m positively fuming. Molly looks pissed too, but I’m sure for different reasons. She likely wanted me dead. Madeline seems utterly indifferent to the wh
“Follow,” Caleb snaps at Harper’s handmaiden as he hops down from the stage. She nods, and immediately falls into step behind him. Granted, she has to take two steps for his every one.“King Caleb?” Tristan asks, likely wondering if he should follow as well. Caleb doesn’t need backup to punish his
In the library, I manage to narrow down the dates to find Caleb’s coronation. Then, moving backwards, I try to discover the exact moment the news stopped talking about Evan, by searching for the first time that he’s mentioned. I find Prince Evan’s obituary, which sounds very by the business and no
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