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
In the night, within my mind, I travel back in time to a night when I joined my sister Leah at a club on the edge of our pack’s lands. It was the night of my disgrace, my birthday. Samuel and I had making plans to solidify our mating bond, but Leah, furious, was not speaking to me, except in front o
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