All Chapters of Crown of Deception: Alpha's Contracted Bride: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

I paced back and forth in my chambers, my mind racing over everything that had happened today. Every detail replayed in my head, refusing to settle. I’d managed to connect with some of the Lunas—Luna Lara especially. I hadn’t expected to find such easy conversation with anyone, let alone a council member, but she’d been kind, even encouraging me.Still, Luna Margot’s cold stares and cutting remarks lingered, and I could feel her disdain like a chill in the air every time I crossed her line of sight. It was clear she had something against me, though I couldn’t quite understand why. Just when I thought I’d handled myself well enough in the meeting, the topic of the territory dispute came up again. I thought I’d said my piece on it earlier, but King Luther had praised my perspective and put me in charge of drafting an agreement. I still couldn’t believe it.“You did well today,” Snow murmured, her voice warm and steady in my mind. “You’ll find a solution for this. You’re smart and capabl

Amelia’s POVThe garden scene replayed in my mind like a broken record, each image sharper than the last. Lucas, standing there under the moonlight, Sabrina draped against him like she belonged there. And then—the kiss.My heart clenched, the indescribable feeling tightening around me like an iron vice. I stormed through the halls, my steps quick and purposeful, but my mind was chaotic. I didn’t even know what I was feeling—anger? Betrayal? Hurt?No, I told myself. This doesn’t matter.But it did.Snow stirred restlessly in the back of my mind, her presence unusually subdued.“Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like,” she ventured, her voice tentative.I stopped walking, leaning against the cool stone wall of the corridor as I tried to ground myself. “I know what I saw, Snow.”“You don’t know the context,” she pressed, but there was hesitation in her tone.“Does it matter?” I whispered. “It doesn’t change what I saw.”Snow fell silent, a quiet understanding passing between us. She wanted

The silence in my chamber had become unbearable, like an unwelcome guest that refused to leave. I sat by the window, staring at the moonlight casting its pale glow over the gardens below. I didn’t need to see the empty bed behind me to feel the void Lucas had left in our marriage.He hadn’t stayed in this room for days. At first, I told myself it didn’t matter, that I preferred it this way. But the longer the silence stretched between us, the more his absence weighed on me.Does he regret this? I thought, my fingers brushing the cold glass of the window. Does he regret me?You don’t know that, Snow said softly, stirring in the back of my mind. He might be struggling too.I shook my head. “I don’t need to know what he’s thinking,” I muttered under my breath. “His actions speak for themselves. He hasn’t talked to me, hasn’t even looked at me, let alone stayed here. What does that tell you?”Snow’s hesitation said more than her words. It tells me he’s hurting, too. But… I won’t pretend i

Amelia’s POV:The crisp morning air bit at my cheeks as I walked toward the training grounds, Snow pacing impatiently in my mind. Her energy buzzed through me, a strange mix of excitement and frustration. I knew she wanted out—wanted to stretch her limbs, feel the earth under her paws. I sighed, rolling my shoulders. Sparring with Lena in wolf form wasn’t something I was exactly looking forward to, but I needed the distraction. Anything to push thoughts of Lucas out of my head.“Finally,” Lena called out, already in the clearing. Her low-cut hairstyle made her hazel eyes look sharper, almost predatory. “Took you long enough. I was about to start without you.”I raised a brow, forcing a smirk. “You’re that eager to lose?”She barked out a laugh, shaking her head. “Cocky. I like it. Let’s see if you can back it up.”Without another word, I let Snow take over. The shift came quickly, almost second nature now—the snap of bones, the heat rushing through me, and then the grounding sensation

The late afternoon sun cast a warm, golden glow over the palace as I stood by the grand entrance, my heart fluttering with excitement. Snow hummed in the back of my mind, her energy a reflection of mine. My best friend, Ivy, was finally here. After weeks of palace duties, endless proposals, and navigating my complicated arrangement with Lucas, Ivy’s presence felt like a breath of fresh air.When the grand double doors swung open and Ivy stepped inside, my heart soared. She looked radiant, her chestnut curls bouncing with each step. Her hazel eyes sparkled with excitement, but the moment she spotted me, they softened with warmth.“Amelia!” she cried, dropping her bag to rush toward me.“Ivy!” I laughed, closing the distance between us and pulling her into a tight hug. Her familiar scent of lavender and honey wrapped around me, grounding me in a way I didn’t realize I needed.“You look amazing,” Ivy said, pulling back to study me. “But tired. They’re working you too hard, aren’t they?”