As the days continue, so too does Caleb’s initiative to add commoners to the court. Thusly, per Bethany, I learn there are some fresh faces in court, in the form of three chosen commoners and their families.Caleb has already asked me not to leave our room until he can personally escort me, but I am
Turning, I find Caleb staring straight at me. I worried he might be annoyed by my presence, but looking at him now, I can see the flicker of amusement in his eyes, and the way the very edge of his lip curls ever-so-slightly with mischief.“Well? Would you deny your king, servant?” he asks.I curtsey
Without even turning, I can feel Caleb’s presence coming toward us. As I did, the people standing nearby all turn to look behind me. Kira herself starts to pale, though she keeps her head high and defiant.“Mother, you have overstepped for the last time,” Caleb begins to say.I glance back at Caleb,
I would not fall into the same trap, not to satisfy Kira or anyone else.“I can only be who I am, and nothing more,” I say.“That’s all I need you to be,” Caleb says, stepping more fully beside me. From our body language alone, it’s clear who he supports in this argument. He takes my arm in his and,
Jason continues to watch me and Kira as I follow Kira down the hallway. Only after we round a corner, physically breaking line of sight with him, am I confident he is no longer looking at us.Kira doesn’t say one word to me all the way back to her room. She opens the door for me, ushers me inside, a
For hours, I sit in an interrogation room. The fluorescent light overhead buzzes gently. The one in the corner is flickering. The room is otherwise quiet.Sterile, the concrete walls are painted white, with the tiles on the floor are dark blue. Unnervingly, there is a drain in the floor at the cente
“Come on,” Caleb says. As he stands, he gently takes my hands and helps me up from the chair. “You’ve been in here too long already.”I pause for a moment, still processing all his words and what’s happening here. “You aren’t angry.”“I am angry,” he says. “But not at you. No one told me where you w
That night, in the room I share with Caleb, he holds me with incredibly tenderness. We’ve not made love yet, though there is a hint of promise lingering in the air. There’s something else too, though. Under the passion and the desire, a warm core of affection glistens.In the dark, it’s easier for u
Even though Caleb is pretty adamant in his refusal, I won’t accept it until he fully hears me out.“No, no. It’s perfect. You can make sure the wolves stay away long enough that they won’t come back and find me. That will give me plenty of time to head into the library and find the secret passage.”
A growl rumbles from the back of Caleb’s throat. With his arm wrapped firmly around me, he leads me the rest of the way down the stairs where we approach Gladys directly.“Ah, the guests of the hour,” Gladys says with a humored smirk. “Please, make yourselves at home. Do the rounds, meet the other g
Bethany, in shock over what she was hearing, emitted a tiny gasp. Though she covered her mouth in an instant, it was unfortunately enough of a sound to draw the attention of Gladys and the butler in the kitchen.“What was that?” the butler says, just as Gladys calls out, “Who’s there?”Bethany, real
“You’ve cast aside your harem, denied a bond with a very nice werewolf Annabelle… You’ve thrown every other perfectly acceptable wolf woman to the side… All so that you can stay with a human?”As she lectures, I freeze a little. I didn’t realize this is such a point of contention. I’d thought Caleb
The next morning, we receive an invitation from Gladys to accompany her for a walk in the gardens while the ballroom is being prepared for the gala. As we need to gather information anyway, and can’t do that tucked away in our room, we decide to take her up on the offer.The gardens are tucked behin
“This was more than a mere slight,” I snap. “Your butler shot the King!”Gladys gives me a vague sort of look, like she’s not apologetic or sympathetic at all.Caleb wraps his arm around me, placing his hand on the small of my back.“It’s alright, Harper,” Caleb says. Though he has been more calm th
The loud pop of a gunshot makes me jump. Unfortunately, I’m very familiar with that sound, from far too many close encounters at the palace.I look toward the door. Caleb still isn’t back yet.“Wait!” Cameron calls. Stepping toward us, his hand is raised. “It’s too dangerous!”I don’t have time to w
As Bethany talk, I learn more about her than I ever have before. It makes me feel like a truly awful friend. Bethany has stood by me through thick and thin, yet I still knew so little about her. I’m determined to rectify this oversight, and dive into her life here and now as much as I can.Yet, whil
Holding the note, I moved toward the bed and sat down on the edge. Caleb, finished with his shower, comes out of the shower looking relaxed as can be. The moment he sees me perched on the bed, he tenses again.“What happened? What’s going on?” he asks, his voice all business.I hold up the small not