Michael's gaze remained steady on Evelyn as he spoke, his voice low and commanding."Sleep."The next thing she knew, she was lying back against the plush mattress, her body sinking into its warmth as if guided by an unseen force. There had been no tangible push, no rough handling, yet she was certain she hadn't made the motion herself. A strange sensation crawled down her spine, leaving her both confused and unnerved. Had she imagined it? Was it merely exhaustion playing tricks on her mind?Her brows furrowed as she blinked up at him, trying to make sense of what had just happened. But Michael, ever the enigma, gave her no answers. Instead, he reached for the blanket, his movements slow and deliberate, pulling it up to cover her all the way to her neck. There was something unsettling about the way he did it—not unkind, but almost… possessive.Then he stepped back, shoving one hand into his pocket, his expression unreadable."I'll fetch you tomorrow morning. Seven, sharp."Evelyn stil
“There is no one who can stop this wedding from happening today either—unless one of us backs out.”Michael’s words hung in the air, an invisible weight pressing down on Evelyn’s chest. Just when she had begun to believe, even for a fleeting second, that things might finally move forward without resistance, he pulled her right back into uncertainty.Her breath, which had been teetering on the edge of relief, caught in her throat. The tension she had been about to release coiled tightly inside her again.There he goes again…Michael was like a puppeteer with an unseen string, controlling her emotions with unsettling precision. One moment, he lifted her up, filling her with air, and the next, he let her deflate, sending her crashing back down. Was this a game to him? A twisted way to test her resolve?Her mind, prone to spiraling thoughts, latched onto the worst possibilities. Was this a hint? Was he subtly telling her that he could still change his mind? That he might walk away before
The procedures did not take long. In fact, they were over almost too quickly. The wedding was done. Just like that.Evelyn sat motionless in the car, staring out the window as the city blurred past her. The weight of what had just happened pressed down on her, but instead of feeling anything significant—joy, relief, sadness—she felt… nothing.She exhaled softly, a humorless chuckle escaping her lips.It had been just as she expected. A wedding befitting a marriage of convenience. A loveless union.The official who had conducted the ceremony hadn’t even uttered the traditional words, ‘You may now kiss the bride.’ She briefly wondered whether that was simply not a custom in this country or if Michael had specifically requested for that part to be skipped.After all, he had made it abundantly clear—he did not do kisses.Shaking her head, Evelyn forced herself to stop dwelling on it. It didn’t matter. It never did.This was the path she had chosen, and compared to the alternative—being fo
There was something utterly captivating about the woman standing before Evelyn. It wasn’t just her beauty, though that was undeniable. There was something else—something in the way she carried herself, in the warmth radiating from her very presence. Evelyn found herself staring, an odd sense of familiarity prickling at the back of her mind. Had she… seen this woman before?“Hello, dear…” The woman’s voice was soft, sweet—like the gentle hum of a lullaby long forgotten. Evelyn’s lips parted slightly, but no words came. She found herself caught in the depths of the woman’s eyes—dark, yet filled with an emotion so deep and brimming with something that made her chest tighten.“I’m Abigail,” she introduced herself, her smile tender and welcoming. “I’m so happy to meet you, Evelyn…”Before Evelyn could respond, Abigail spread her arms and wrapped her in a warm embrace. It was unexpected, lingering longer than a mere polite greeting. There was a quiet intensity to it, as if the woman were ho
Meeting the Reign family felt too good to be true for Evelyn. She had never expected to encounter such a harmonious, warm, and peaceful household—especially one that wielded immense power. There was no tension, no undercurrents of rivalry or envy, nothing that hinted at the usual struggles that plagued most royal families.It was almost surreal.For Evelyn, this was what a real family should look like. The love and respect they held for one another were evident in every glance, every conversation, and every shared laugh. It was rare—almost unheard of—for a ruling family to be this close, and she couldn’t help but compare it to her own past.A faint wistfulness tugged at her heart, though she tried to shake it off.“I can’t believe how amazing everyone in your family is…” she murmured, smiling softly. The warmth they had shown her was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and she had enjoyed every second of their company. She had taken a particular liking to Abigail—there was somet
Dinner that night had been another moment of quiet joy for Evelyn. A feeling so rare in her life that she scarcely knew what to do with it. She had spent years surrounded by cold glances and sharp words, where laughter was a fragile thing that never lasted. But tonight, it felt different—genuine. The warmth of the Reign family wrapped around her like a long-forgotten embrace, and for the first time in years, she allowed herself to bask in it.She had never thought herself the kind of person to envy another’s life, but as she watched the easy way they teased each other, how love wove itself into even the smallest interactions, a quiet ache settled in her chest. Was this what family was supposed to feel like? She had almost forgotten.Lost in conversation with Abigail and the others, Evelyn had momentarily let her guard down, forgetting even the man she was bound to by marriage. It wasn’t until she turned her head—still smiling—that her gaze met Michael’s across the table. He had been w
What Evelyn wanted—what she had decided—was for Michael to take her virginity.There was no romance behind the decision, no illusions of love. It was simple. No matter what kind of marriage they ended up having, he was her husband now, and no other man had any claim to her. It had to be him. Only him.And it would only happen once.She had already learned of his desires—his kinks, as he had shamelessly admitted. That knowledge made her nervous, but she wouldn’t back down now. She had made up her mind. She just needed to get through this once, and then it would be over. After tonight, there would be no more sex.This was her way of protecting herself.Because Michael was dangerous. Not just in the obvious ways—in the lethal precision of his movements, the way he commanded a room with little more than a glance, or the power he wielded so effortlessly.No.It was the way he made her feel.He had a pull on her that she couldn’t explain, an effortless ability to make her body crave things
“Crawl towards me, princess.”The deep timbre of his voice sent a shiver down Evelyn’s spine, reverberating through her like an undeniable command. It reached deep within her, curling around something primal, something she couldn’t quite name. Her breath caught, her body momentarily frozen in place as the weight of his words settled over her.Michael stood there, towering over her, his gaze pinned to her like she was prey caught in his sights. The sharp focus in his eyes sent a fresh wave of heat creeping up her skin, but then… she caught it. A flicker of something mischievous. A glint of amusement, almost as if he were testing her.Her hands curled into the bedsheets, her nails biting into the fabric. He didn’t think she would do it. He was expecting her to hesitate, to shy away from the challenge. That realization irritated her more than the command itself.She refused to be predictable.Evelyn tipped her chin up, her eyes locking onto his with a defiance she had always carried with
"You can't remove that yet! Not unless your doctor says it’s okay to do so." Michael’s voice was firm as he stood beside Evelyn, watching her with a gaze that allowed no room for argument.Before she could reply, the door swung open, and a woman in a white coat stepped in. Her sharp eyes landed on them, catching the tail end of Michael’s words."Actually… it’s perfectly fine for her to remove it," the doctor interjected with a calm smile. "Sir."Evelyn lifted a brow, shooting Michael a knowing look. Her eyes practically shouted, See?Michael let out a slow, heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if fighting an unseen battle. "Fine," he muttered. "But let the doctor do it." His voice was still firm, but he stepped back, allowing the doctor to proceed before he turned and exited the room.By the time everything was settled and Evelyn was ready to leave, she saw Michael speaking with the doctor, his tone low and controlled. When she shifted to stand on her own, he was there in an
Michael couldn’t relax. Even after Lorna had given her diagnosis, even after the room had settled into silence, his body remained taut with tension.His reaction earlier had been… unexpected. Shocking, even. He hadn’t anticipated it—not the panic, not the overwhelming force of emotion that had slammed into him the moment he saw her tears. Evelyn had done it again. She had shattered whatever semblance of control he thought he had over himself.It was infuriating.To think that just seeing her cry could shake him so deeply… that just the touch of her cold skin had sent something dangerously close to fear spiraling through him. Fuck. He was in too deep. This woman had thoroughly and utterly ruined him.Now, he didn’t know what to do.Didn’t know what to say.He could only hold her. Could only pull her into his arms, press her close, and hope that his warmth seeped into her body. Because anything else—any words, any action—felt like it would only make things worse.He didn’t want to see h
The moment Evelyn turned her back to him and walked away, the dam that had been holding strong all this time finally crumbled. Her tears, long restrained, gushed forth like a deluge of rain.It had been so long since she had allowed herself to cry outside the suffocating confines of her darkened room. She had trained herself to never shed tears in the presence of others. Crying made her feel exposed, fragile—something she had fought against for years. Especially in front of her father and Brandon Haze, she had refused to break. No matter how deep their words had cut, no matter how much pain they had inflicted upon her, she had never given them the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. Silence had always been her weapon, a shield stronger than any steel. And she had wielded it perfectly.But with Michael… everything was different.She did not understand why, but around him, it was unbearably difficult to hold back. She had thought she could at least hold in her emotions until she reached
Evelyn fell silent. The lump in her throat tightened when he mentioned a condition. Her anger toward him hadn’t vanished—she had simply forced herself to swallow it down. But now, hearing that he was about to set another rule, another ridiculous demand, had her emotions surging once more.However, what Michael said next rendered her mute.Snow White?She hadn’t expected him to bring up the wolf, let alone sound so sour about it. Why did he seem irritated now? Hadn’t he helped her save the poor creature? So why was he suddenly acting like he despised Snow White?A quiet hesitation lingered in the air. But eventually, she nodded.If this was all he wanted, then fine. It wasn’t like he was asking for much—not letting Snow White sleep in their bed? That wasn’t so bad. It still meant she could cuddle the wolf anywhere else. Perhaps Michael just had an issue with wolf fur in his sheets.“Fine… I’ll keep him off the bed,” she relented, her voice clipped. “Now, talk. Explain.”She didn’t want
Micheal just stared at her in silence. The words she had spoken moments ago seemed to echo in the air between them, heavier than before. Evelyn had dropped her gaze, almost as if afraid to meet his eyes again, and now leaned her forehead against the wolf curled in her arms. It was as though she were trying to shield herself, wrapping around the creature like he was her only anchor.The sight of it made something dark and unfamiliar stir within him.Her small shoulders trembled faintly, her fiery hair spilling over the wolf’s thick white fur. The contrast was striking—like blood on snow, something pure being swallowed by something far too heavy, too painful. And yet, she clung to the animal with a quiet desperation, as if letting go would mean losing the only thing grounding her in this moment.Micheal pulled back slightly, his movements slow and measured. He didn’t want to startle her. Not when she already looked so fragile. Not when he could sense something in her that felt too close
Michael stood frozen at the threshold of the dimly lit bedroom, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the floor. His grey eyes, sharp as a blade’s edge, landed on the scene before him, and something inside him coiled tight—dangerously tight.Evelyn lay curled on the massive bed, her body wrapped around something—or rather, someone.Snow White.The large white wolf, with his thick fur and unsettlingly intelligent eyes, lay beside her, his breathing slow and steady. But Michael barely spared the animal more than a glance. His focus was on her. On the way her delicate fingers were buried in the wolf’s thick fur. On the way her body pressed so trustingly, so intimately, against the creature’s warmth. And worst of all, the way her face—so serene, so utterly content—was nestled against its back.Michael’s expression did not change at first. He was too stunned to react.Seconds passed. Then, his lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line.His jaw ticked once. Then twice.A slow, simmerin
As soon as Evelyn pulled open the cage door, she stepped back, her fingers gripping the doorknob tightly. Just in case Snow White decided to lunge at her, she wanted to be ready—ready to dart out and call for Rion and Raven to help put the wolf back inside its cage.Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears like a war drum. Snow White remained inside the cage, his pale eyes watching her with an unreadable expression. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t baring his fangs, wasn’t doing anything she had feared he might do.Evelyn swallowed, uncertainty gripping her. Had she made a mistake?Then, slowly, the wolf tilted his head. The movement was so small yet so deliberate that it almost seemed… questioning.Somehow, that made Evelyn feel guilty.She let out a soft breath and, instead of standing there frozen, crouched near the open door. She extended her hand, palm facing up, voice gentle as she coaxed him. “Come here, baby…”For a moment, the air hung still between them.Then, to her shock, Snow White
The wolf stilled at her touch.Evelyn had hesitated before finally gathering the courage to extend her hand and brush her fingers against its snowy white tail. The soft texture surprised her—it was thicker and woolier than she had expected, a mix of coarse and silky strands that seemed to shimmer under the dim lighting.Holding her breath, she waited for a reaction. She thought the wolf would jerk away, snarl, or even bare its teeth at her for daring to touch it. But none of that happened. It remained completely still, unbothered. Almost… indifferent.Cautiously, she stroked its fur again, this time moving her fingers in a slow, gentle rhythm. Still, there was no response.Her tense shoulders finally eased a little. If the wolf had been aggressive or hostile, it would have made that clear by now, wouldn’t it? Or was it just too exhausted to react? Was it still in pain from its injuries?“Hey… Snow White, baby?” Evelyn murmured, softening her voice, instinctively trying to comfort the
A distant howl broke through the silence of the night.Evelyn paused, her fingers tightening around the blanket draped over her lap. The sound echoed through the castle walls, low and mournful, stirring something deep inside her.Wolves.It shouldn’t have been surprising. The Reigns estate sat atop a forested hill, surrounded by sprawling wilderness. The occasional howl wasn’t uncommon. And yet… this was the first time she had truly heard one since she arrived.Her mind immediately flashed back to the snow-white wolf they had rescued.She had forgotten about it completely in the whirlwind of everything that had happened. The secrets. The lies. Michael locking her away like a prisoner. But now, hearing that call in the night, she couldn’t help but wonder.Where was the wolf now?It must still be healing, right?Michael had assigned a medical team to tend to it—an elite one, no doubt. They would have done their job well. The wolf had to be getting better by now. Right?A sudden urge gri