“You are staring,” he says, catching me. I quickly look away. “You should have covered that up.” “Why? You were bold enough to mark your king, but not bold enough to own it?” “People don’t think it’s mine,” I say. I refuse to tell him that they think it’s his fiancé’s. I’m not ready to talk ab
Caleb glowers at me so hard, so suddenly, that I immediately regret asking my question. “The King’s personal business is none of yours,” he says sternly. I nod, embarrassed again. Even curious as I am, and jealous as I am, I can’t force him to answer if he doesn’t want to. He’s the King. He hold
“You enjoy when he fucks you,” Samuel says with a sneer. “You pretend that you don’t, but you do. The way you danced with him, the way you looked at him… You claim you don’t care for it. You say you fight him but he takes anyway. Well, I think you want it. I bet you fucking beg for his dick.” Agai
“She did?” Caleb asks with fake curiosity. His voice might have lilted upwards at the end, but there is a distinct annoyance in his eyes that he’s not bothering to hide. Maybe, since they aren’t looking upwards, they cannot see. That’s the only reason I can think of for why Samuel might try to doubl
Caleb keeps me busy for a full 45 minutes, before he rises, wipes off his mouth, and kisses me again. By now, I am fully relaxed, entirely blissed out, and feeling so much better about life and the world. “I need to return to the Grand Ball,” he tells me. “You are not to leave my side again. Do yo
Sonya’s face crumples like she doesn’t know what to do with it. She’s entirely at a loss. I was joking mostly before, but maybe she really has never been told no before. She’s acting so shaken and unsure. “Come, Harper,” Caleb says, leading me toward the balcony. “There is something I want you t
More and more people start to notice. Then screaming and panic begins. People start running for the doors back into the hall. Caleb and I, closest to the railing of the balcony, are left pushing at the back of the fearful crowd. Behind us, more and more parachutes blot out the sky. A few come unco
Leah’s angry shriek at Samuel has alerted every single danger in the stairwell to our presence, and some in the hallway too. Their thunderous footsteps come closer to us. Samuel uses his body to push Leah and me inside the stairwell. I yank closed the door behind us and turn the inside lock. Fro
At first, I saw Caleb as nothing more than a brute, a vicious, ruthless tyrant who valued power above all else.While Caleb continues to be independent and stubborn, he has also become more compassionate. He is proud and strong, and loves me deeply. I cannot imagine a more perfect mate.A mate that
As I’m moving into Caleb’s room after today, I feel a sense of bittersweet nostalgia standing in my own room in the palace. Caleb has told me that the room will remain unchanged, and that I can continue to use it however I wish, but what I want most is to move forward in my life with him.I’m standi
Knees in the dirt, Caleb still manages to look proud, even as he surrenders.“I will give you the crown, if that is your wish. I will easily give you my life,” he says. “But do not harm my mate.”Tears well in my eyes. Caleb, my brave mate, so strong and proud, willing to lower himself to this becau
His face is pale, his cheeks sallow. All of his limbs sag heavily, as if being dragged down toward the ground with more than just gravity. He seems to be giving great effort even to just keep his head upright.“What do you want, Gladys?” he asks. There’s anger in his voice, but there’s also defeat.
Behind Samuel, I see Caleb rise up from the ground. He heaves like it costs him great effort to do so, yet determination sparks like fire in his eyes. With clear exertion, he forces his massive werewolf body to take a step forward. And then another, approaching Samuel.Samuel, who had shifted to hum
Caleb doesn’t answer, but I suppose he doesn’t need to. I know what he said. The soft way he is looking at me, combined with the tender way he strokes my cheek tells me all that I need to know.He said I am his mate.As a human, I can’t feel the draw of the mate bond as well as a werewolf could. I’d
Samuel glances from me to Gladys and then finally to Caleb. “You agree to this challenge? You will fight me for Harper?”“And for the kingdom,” Gladys says.“I would, if in exchange you disappear and leave us all alone,” Caleb says.Per the rules of the kingdom, any alpha can challenge the Alpha Kin
“Are you in any such position to offer such a challenge?” Caleb asks.“With Harper as the prize, he will agree,” Gladys says with total confidence.“And what kind of benefit would this give you?” I counter, pushing forward. Tristan lets me past him but Caleb does not, stepping in front of me protect
I can’t see what is happening, but I can hear it. Bethany’s terrified shriek. Her thump against the ground. The slide of a sword leaving a sheath.“Drop that weapon,” Caleb commands.“Everyone here knew I had no intention of leaving these two alive,” Gladys says, ignoring Caleb’s demand. “These are