“Dante,” Hendrick grunted before slipping out through the door below the throne.
Watching him leave, Emory almost gasped at how much he resembled Dante from behind. Anyway, she was glad he left. It didn’t exactly make her feel better to be alone with Dante, but the lack of an equally intimidating audience made her slightly less wary.
“I must give you props. You handled Lady Moore beautifully. You have truly proven your mettle when it comes to managing difficult people, which makes me certain you will be an excellent sovereign.”
As the compliment enveloped her like a warm hug, she nearly gushed. After a few minutes of allowing herself to enjoy the feeling, she returned to her usual Stoic composure.
“I guess I’d better tell you now that I don’t want to be queen. You’re being incredibly presumptuous by assuming that. You didn’t even ask me what I wanted.”
Having to live in this tower wo
“How did it go?” Sabine asked as they followed the guards back towards the king’s tower.“I’m not sure,” Emory replied.At that point, she wasn’t even thinking about the council, but Dante’s response to what she’d asked for.Emory slowed down as they approached the gardenia-scented courtyard. At the centre was a grand fountain with a marble statue of a woman reaching out with an offering of water–that wasn’t there before. Curious at the bizarre sight, Emory wondered what triggered the sudden appearance.The memory of Dante’s request brought a sigh to her lips. Giving Dante what he wanted was the only way to free her family. It was her fault they were captured; she had to pay the price. Even so, she didn’t understand why Dante was so determined to destroy Morrian. Was this his desperate attempt to stop Aworyn from scourging the Lycans?Unless she figured this out fast, Mor
With her eyes closed, she breathed in the soothing scent of the lavender steam. All the tension and anxieties of the day slowly melted away. Ah, the power of a hot bath—it was like a hug for her muscles!She let her mind wander, allowing herself to simply be in the moment, thinking of nothing in particular.The last twenty-four hours had been such chaos and this was the only time she’d had to think about anything all day. A tiny shaft of moonlight shone through a crack in the curtain, illuminating a single rose petal on the edge of the tub.Unbidden, Trey popped into her head, and she hissed. All this was his fault, and she was still mad at him. After her bath, she had to come up with a backup plan in case things did not work out with Dante’s plan. Another yawn followed as the steaming water lulled her to sleep.Emory.Aworyn’s voice echoed as if she was right next to her. She had to admit that putting her in a tour
There was almost nothing underneath the beige gown she had on, except for the knife strapped to her right upper thigh. With a subtle tug, she let the thin fabric caress her skin, the light colour accentuating her golden tan. The straps of the dress crossed across her chest and fell down her shoulders to drape over her back like a cape. With her crimson hair in a neat ponytail, her neck and arms were on full display.Taking in the surrounding forest around the castle walls, she licked her lips and tasted the strawberry gloss Sabine had stained them with. With her bare feet digging into the sand, she observed the flock of women clad in red hooded robes and golden slashes around her and Sabine.“Did Dante explain how the ceremony works?” Sabine asked her.Emory looked up at the full moon shining brightly in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the forest, then at the group of women again.“What’s there to tell? At least it’s not
Dante and his men sped through the forest, his senses on high alert. Every crackle of a twig, every rustle of leaves, and every whisper of the wind filled the air. He knew someone would try to obstruct the ceremony, so he sent Emory off with the flock and followed quietly behind. Keeping up with her was easy. That sweet, sensual Edlrin scent of bleak sunflower with a hint of jasmine was hard to miss. He knew their connection would only intensify after they joined. When he saw Emory and the flock standing in the middle of the Magnolia path surrounded by rogues, his beast growled: a reaction that made him quiver with delight. A burning feral hunger twinkled in Emory’s eyes as she battled one, while Sabine faced two. He watched his mate for a moment, then turned to the rogue whose scent stood out like red on white. “Kael,” Crixus growled next to him. It was Kael, a loyal sentinel who had always served faithfully in the past, and Dante couldn’t understand
“Let’s begin. Take her hand, son of Wulric,” Aworyn commanded, breaking Emory out of her reverie.Aworyn’s long, wavy silver locks floated behind her and Dante complied, bowing before taking her hand. His touch was electric, like a thousand tiny sparks. Emory looked up into his eyes and time seemed to stand still.They stood face-to-face as the world around them faded. It was almost as if the goddess’ magical presence had enchanted them, intensifying their bond. Then something Aworyn said echoed in her head.Son of Wulric?Emory squinted at Dante. She couldn’t believe it--he was related to Lycan King Wulric, and as if to confirm it, the wind seemed to carry his name on its wings. It didn’t make any sense; the Moores were not of noble blood. There was no way in hell Dante was related to Lord Rydell Wulric, the second son of the first king of Morrian.“Son of Wulric?” she asked him.
“I apologize for causing you all this trouble, Trey,” Emory said. “It was thoughtless of me and I feel terrible about it.”“It’s the curse of having a little sister. I’m glad you’re okay.” Trey squeezed her shoulder.Emory knew he was only trying to make her feel better. This wasn’t the time to confront him about pushing her away and not letting her be with Larc and Nolan before they passed. The thought snapped her back to Dante who was now next to her.“You…” she trailed off, opting instead to use her link with him.She closed her eyes, sensing the warmth that permeated the bond between her and Dante. She felt his emotions and thoughts and knew he did hers too. Feeling complete in an entirely new way, she smiled.Why did your sentinels attack my brothers? You owe me an explanation.Nodding, Dante’s jaw clenched. “There’s a lot to talk a
“What’s Rodyn’s connection to the dragons?” Emory asked impatiently.Instead of replying, Dante took her hand and laced his fingers into hers, then led her toward the gate. Even though impatience cawed at her, she followed him.Growing up, her mom always joked that she had ants in her pants because she could never sit still. Always in a hurry to get to the next thing. That was before she lost her parents in Suvaria. She’d learned to appreciate the simple things since then, like the sun setting over the mountains of Broiia, and the sound of her father’s voice. Everything else seemed so trivial now.“Your majesties,” the guards bowed at the gate.As the gate creaked open, she forced the memory of her parents out of her head. Dante’s single, looming castle came into view and a walkway of cobblestones and sprawling ivy welcomed them in. He led her forward under the moon’s warm glow, and everything fe
Looking around the quiet corridor, Emory wondered where Dante went. It was as if he had just vanished; there was no trace of a scent or sound in the tower of anyone other than her. Given her and Rodyn’s history, he must’ve misread her intention to talk to Rodyn. All she wanted was to know what Rodyn knew and if anything Dante said was true.Dante had no reason to lie to her, but she wanted to know the full story.Even though it was difficult to accept, Dante was correct in that Trey sent her to Broiia-- but she stayed of her own volition. She chose to stay because she was treated like royalty.Trey was one thing she couldn’t believe in all of this! The fact that she apologized to him and he simply stood there and took her apology made her want to scream.Emory?The sound of Rodyn’s voice echoed in her head and stunned her. It was unheard of for two wolves not mated to one another and from different packs to communic