Bethany has permission to walk these halls, even this late at night, yet she still moves quickly and cautiously. She’s on a secret mission to scope out the secret location to see if Samuel arrives and what his reaction is to Harper not meeting him. Harper hasn’t been herself since arriving back
That’s for him to figure out on his own, though. After seeing Harper so down, Bethany has no plans on rescuing this man from his own tragedy. He looks around again, and Bethany backs up a step. Crack! Looking down, she realizes with horror that she stepped on a twig. “Is someone there?” Sam
Samuel starts to squirm, something that Caleb deeply enjoys, especially because he knows he’s the cause. This man is a worm, upsetting one of Caleb’s consorts, then trying to meet her here secretly behind everyone’s back. “I can’t imagine your wife would like hearing about this,” Caleb says, rubbi
“If I hear you tried to talk to Harper again, I will rip your throat out,” Caleb growls. “You will never talk to anyone else ever again.” “Y-yes, sir…” “Now, get out of my sight. The very sight of you disgusts me.” Samuel starts to move at once. “Thank you, my King. Thank you so much!” He turn
I have no idea what to do about Samuel. Knowing that he still loves me does give me hope and happiness, but on the other hand, he remains unobtainable while he is mated to Leah and I am in the King’s harem. I do find peace in knowing that our past is restored at the very least. Samuel hadn’t given
Leah and Gwen continue to bond, sharing insults about me. When Leah starts to tell Gwen the story of my disgrace, I immediately check out and walk away. I’m no longer hungry, but I don’t want to waste the food I’ve already taken. Finding a spot at the empty table, I slowly and mindlessly start to
“About what?” I ask, feigning innocence, as I keep my eye on the room full of Alphas at Samuel’s back. Now is the worst possible time to try to have a private conversation. Even talking to me at all puts Samuel at risk. And me, too, if Caleb believes we are somehow plotting against him. Yet, bef
Gwen’s face scrunches up like I slapped her. Good. She deserves that and worse for trying to blame me for what happened to me. She should face turmoil over the fact that Caleb and I had been together even before I was in the harem. The reasoning is messy. I still think I was drugged that night, th
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
Caleb releases his hold from around my waist. Instead he takes my hands in his, then brings them both to his lips to kiss the backs of them, one after the other.Still holding my hands, he leads me toward the bed. There, releases my hand to grab one of the lamps from the nightstand. Carefully, he li
“Come with me,” Gladys says, her eyes flitting between Caleb and me. “I’d be happy to give you a tour of my home.”“That would be very kind, thank you,” Caleb says, his voice dripping with false diplomacy. It matches Gladys’s own.“Thank you,” I say, softer.Gladys turns and slowly leads the way out
Looking out the window, I watch as the car follows the winding tunnel road up and out of the underground.Caleb and I sit in the back seat while a driver sits up front, hidden from us, and us from him behind a partition.The view sends me back to the last time Caleb and I left the capital behind, wh
Staying by Caleb’s side is not the only rule he has in place for me. In fact, for three hours after the messenger with Caleb’s agreement, I sat sitting in the Hall, hearing many rules now placed upon me for this trip.“You cannot let anyone get you alone,” the advisor said. “Gladys herself will try
The messenger is dressed in a simple tunic with a sash bearing the colors of Gladys’s pack lands. He waltzes confidently through the Hall, seemingly uncaring that everyone in the room is looking at him. Or perhaps he thrives on that.Regardless, he walks the walk to the base of the throne, then bows