Since my arrival here at the capital, it has never been any secret that Caleb was the kingdom’s most eligible bachelor. I can’t pretend to be shocked when so many woman take interest in him, hoping to claim his eye and his hand – and some of his power – for themselves. Yet, even knowing that, the
Caleb storms toward Ted, fire in his eyes. The Pitmaster sees Caleb coming before Ted does. She had been attempting to show him a few moves, but now she stands to the side, moving at just the last moment, before Caleb grabs Ted by the arm and swivels him around. “Hey – what gives?” Ted demands.
After, Caleb sits on the ground with his back against the wall, holding me in his lap. With his arms wrapped around my waist, I’m tilting my head, resting it onto his shoulder. I positively worn out. My body had already been pushed to its limits for the warrior training, only to be pushed even far
Time ticks by. Caleb goes on date after date. I try to avoid the hurt that swells inside of me every time he leaves me to spend time with some other woman. It doesn’t get easier. To distract myself, I push my body with the warrior training. The Pitmaster is a demanding teacher. She does not
Then she moves along. From her, that is wonderful praise and I’m absolutely beaming. “Good job, Harper,” Ted says, along with a few others. “Thanks, guys,” I say as I stop to join them. Despite everything, Ted and the trainees have been becoming my friends. Ted hasn’t really changed all that m
The next day, I am once again summoned to Caleb’s side. This is the first time that it’s happened since our moment of passion in the gardener’s shed, so hope fills my heart. Since I care as much as I do about Caleb, I want to be near him, no matter what. From what I can tell, from the time of day,
In the bathroom, I splash water over my face. My hope is that Caleb will be too busy or too annoyed to wait around for me to leave the bathroom and I won’t have to face him. I really don’t want to face him. Watching him flirt with another woman cut me deeply, down to my bones. I always knew that i
Caleb thought that his blissful torture of Harper would facilitate a few answers, but as he walks away, he remains as confused as before. Withholding her pleasure, while enjoyable, had only managed to further prove just how stubborn she is. He hates how much he likes that about her. It would be s
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