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
“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
“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
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
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
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
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
As a member of Caleb’s harem, and as his favored, I’ve become accustomed to sharing a bed with Caleb – either his or mine. Yet moving entirely into the same living space as him is an entirely different step. Before, though we often slept together, we would keep our personal effects and space separat
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