As the second guard nods, the first slips into the room. It takes a few minutes, but then an angry booming voice erupts so loudly, I can hear it even from the hallway. “Bring her here at once, you imbecile!” The second guard doesn’t wait for the first to reemerge before he shoves open the door t
“I will ask once more before I become a man you will not like,” George says. “Too late,” I snap. He glowers at me. “You can speak to insult me, but not to answer my questions. Do you know understand the precarious nature of your situation, whore? It is by my will alone that you live or die. I co
Some of the Alphas bow. Others stare as if seeing a ghost. I’m up on the stage near the throne, on my knees in front of George standing behind me. His hands are on my neck. As Caleb comes closer, his expression darkens more and more. A few feet away from me, his eyes flash red. He glances at m
After Caleb’s grand display, I decide to remove myself from the gruesome sight and return to my old room, to see if it’s been ransacked. Entering, I notice a few things that are strewn about, but for the most part, everything is more or less as I left it. With a quick cleaning, it will be good as ne
Bethany’s good humor falls at my words. “Yes. I suppose that’s true… Though your feelings for him will surely help you find comfort in your days here. Maybe being near him won’t be such a chore for you.” I want to believe that, but the truth is messier. Instead of being annoyed by Caleb’s presence
Caleb sees nothing but vengeful shadows everywhere he looks. Even from the safety of his chambers, he suspects everyone in the palace is plotting against him. Before the attempted coup, Caleb thought that his paranoia was mostly unwarranted, triggered only from the strain of not yet finding his m
I nervously approach Caleb’s chambers. The guards are there, same as ever, eyeing me warily as I approach. “I need to see the King,” I say. “So does everyone,” one of the guards says. “What makes you special?” “That’s Harper, the King’s favored,” the other guard tells the first. The first gu
Caleb is trapped inside of a fog within his own mind. Everywhere he turns, there is only darkness. Even this figure – this woman – before him is cast in dark shadows. She could be familiar – his heart is telling him that she likely is – but his mind insists he is only surrounded by enemies. Even t
Caleb reads the threat before I can think to hide it. As he does, a red hue begins to swirl in his eyes swallowing all other color there.“Caleb,” I whisper, hoping the softness in my voice might help calm him, when he seems so very much like he might shift at any moment.The fingers of his free ha
The next morning, though I wake without Caleb, I still feel as though I am in some kind of beautiful dream. The evidence of Caleb’s being here the night before remains all around me, and on me.In the mirror, I spy several live bites running up and down the column of my throat. They continue over my
In the early morning hours, Caleb holds Harper tightly against him. They’ve made love several times throughout the afternoon and evening before Harper finally passed out from exhaustion. She’s so strong, so passionate, that Caleb sometimes forgets she’s only human.He pushed her too hard, but even i
At once, I card my fingers through his hair. Back bowing, I try to give him more room.One of his hands slides under my ass, pulling me up against his body, lifting my feet from the floor. I wrap my legs around him.He laps and suckles my nipple, then pops off to kiss his way to the other breast. He
“You…” I’m certain I’m hallucinating now. After all my pleading, all my hoping, it doesn’t seem real that my wishes could all come true now in the final hour – the final minute. I try again to question it. “You…?” Once more, my voice falls flat.“I made it the entire way to the vows,” Caleb says. “I
“Very well,” Caleb replies.“Please, repeat after me. I take you, Annabelle…”Caleb opens his mouth, but the words do not come.Whispers begin in the gathered crowd.Caleb wishes he could bring himself to care. About them. About Annabelle. About any of this.The chaplain clears his throat. “I take y
Caleb goes through the motions of the ceremony. There’s a lot of talking. The chaplain does a lot of talking, and then members of the court get to all say their peace.Caleb blocks most of it out, focusing instead on this unfamiliar, unsettled feeling inside of him. Yes, he wants Harper to be here i
Looking at her, Caleb tries to stir up some feelings. If he could just feel something. It doesn’t have to be as strong as how he feels for Harper, but something in the same vein. He can admit she’s beautiful. He can admit she will likely be a good Luna.But that’s where his affections for her end.
I run all the way back to my room, trembling with shock and upset. Bethany turns to me the moment I come rushing through the door.“There you are! Where did you go?” she says. She seems angry for a moment, until she fully takes in the state of me. “What happened?”Shakily, I tell her what I can, abo