NICKOLAS
I stride out of the room where Amelia is, making my way to my office within the castle. As I approach the door, my legal advisor and best friend, Eric, intercepts me.
"What is it, Eric?" I inquire, entering my office with him following closely behind.
"Your mat..." Eric starts, but I cut him off abruptly, my jaw clenching as I ball my fists.
"Don’t ever fucking call her that," I retort through gritted teeth, my tone lethal.
"Got it," he responds, lifting his hand in surrender.
"She is nothing but a fucking prisoner to me; always remember that," I add, walking towards the chair behind my desk.
"Got it again."
"What about her do you want to discuss?" I ask, taking my seat and retrieving my glasses from the desk drawer. Putting them on, I start sorting through the documents on my desk, searching for the most impor
AMELIA As I sprint through the forest, my ears pick up on the rhythmic sound of footsteps following closely behind me. Panic sets in shit – they must have seen through my ruse. My pace quickens, though I'm certain I'm already pushing myself to the limits of my speed. The sounds of pursuit draw nearer, accompanied by an unsettling scent permeating the air – the unmistakable aroma of Lycans. No, they can't catch me. I decide to take a risk, recognizing it as my only hope at this moment. I come to a quick stop, reaching for my shirt to take it off. Shifting requires undressing first; I don't have spare clothes to change into once I shift back, and I'd ruin this one if I shift without removing them first. The footsteps grow louder, and the urgency intensifies. The forest around me seems to hold its breath. Just at that moment, a thud echoes behind me, signaling someone's abrupt landing. The rich scent of rainforest envelops me, and my eyes w
I turn away from the door, curling up and drawing my knees close to my chest. With my eyes shut tight, I seek solace in the darkness—not for sleep, as rest is hard to come by in the enemy's den. I must bide my time, allowing my wounds to mend and gathering my strength before devising my next move.My brief moment of peace shatters as someone seizes my arm with force, wrenching me from the bed and sending me crashing to the ground. Ember's eyes blaze with unmistakable hatred as she looms over me, her grip unyielding as she drags me across the floor. A sharp pain shoots through my side as it scrapes against the unforgiving surface, eliciting a wince from me.Gritting my teeth, I lift my head defiantly, meeting Ember's gaze with a steely glare of my own. She knows full well that Nickolas has just drained the blood out of me, leaving me in no condition to withstand such rough treatment. As for how I didn't hear her approach, the result from Nickolas's draining the bl
NICKOLASI stand by the bed, glaring at my mate as she sleeps, a scowl etched onto my features. The sheets are stained with her blood, mud, and her fucking intoxicating scent—a scent that both infuriates and entices me. A low growl rumbles in my chest, remembering how amazing she scents. I clench my fists tightly, my jaw grinding as I curse the heavens for making her my mate. It could have been anyone but her, yet fate had other plans. Now, I find myself getting hard at the memory of her scent.They say your mate’s scent is the most intoxicating scent you'll ever encounter, and they weren’t fucking wrong. I could inhale her essence endlessly and never tire of it. The mere thought of burying my nose in her neck while thrusting into her hard sends a surge of desire coursing through me, my arousal evident in the pulsing of my dick. Fuck! I force myself to regain composure, running a hand across my face in frustration. I needed to fuck, but
AMELIAThe stinging of my cheeks jolts me awake, sending a surge of fear and confusion coursing through my veins. As I glance around the room, disoriented by the abrupt awakening, I see Ember standing by the edge of the bed, her gaze ablaze with intensity. There's no need for words; I understand immediately that she just used a slap to rouse me from my sleep.Gingerly, I raise my hand to my swollen cheek, the ache throbbing beneath my fingertips. I meet Ember's glare with a mixture of shock and apprehension, the weight of her hatred hanging heavy in the air between us."Get your fucking ass up," she barks, her words a harsh echo in the room. With a forceful tug, she yanks me out of bed once again, but this time, I manage to maintain my balance. I regained some of my strength as I healed during my sleep."Follow me," Ember commands, her voice laced with authority as she strides towards t
"Untie her this instant," Nickolas commands, his voice firm. The guard immediately begins to work on the knots binding me, but his hands pause at her words."But she bit me," Ember protests, pouting. She extends her hand to Nickolas, revealing the slowly healing wound due to it being a werewolf bite."And you think the appropriate response is to whip her?" Nickolas's voice carries a hint of disbelief as he fixes Ember with a piercing stare, his dark brow raised in questioning. Ember's expression falters, and she swallows hard before reluctantly nodding.A heavy silence settles over the room as Nickolas approaches Ember, his footsteps deliberate and purposeful. He leans in close to her, his lips brushing against her ear as he speaks in a low, almost menacing tone that still reaches my ears."I am only going to say this once, Amelia," Nickolas asserts, his tone steely as he pivots to face me. Our gazes
NICKOLASI make my way back upstairs from the maid's quarters, my mind consumed by thoughts of Amelia's healing wounds. The image of her battered body fills me with a sense of anger and helplessness. I always knew Ember was cruel, but I never imagined she was capable of such wickedness. The fact that she wanted to whip Amelia while she was still recovering is beyond comprehension.If it weren't for one of my trusted guards informing me that Amelia had been dragged to the dungeon, I shudder to think what might have transpired if I had been a minute late. It's bad enough that I wasn't able to prevent Ava from hurting her. Another torture was the last thing she needed.I need to find a way to keep Amelia away from Ember before she kills her and ruins my plans. I have come too close to my revenge to lose it. The mere thought of Amelia's injuries has my insides churning and my jaw clenching in frustration. I fucking nee
AMELIAI step out of the bathroom, the warmth of the steam still clinging to my skin after rinsing off all the soap. Beatrice has thoughtfully laid out nightwear for me, and I offer her a grateful smile as I slip it on. Settling under the covers, I'm on the verge of drifting into a peaceful slumber when a knock interrupts the tranquility.Beatrice climbs out of bed to answer. Their hushed conversation floats back to me as I wait for her to finish talking to the person at the door. Concern prickles at the edges of my consciousness, fearing it might be Ember or Nickolas looking for me."Is everything alright?" I inquire as Beatrice returns, clutching a shopping bag in her hand. I hold my breath, hoping against hope that my fears are unfounded."Get dressed. You're serving his majesty in bed tonight," she says, tossing the bag onto the foot of my bed. My chest tightens, and I stare at her in disbelief,
"Get up!" his bark pierces the air, his presence casting a menacing shadow over me. I remain frozen, my body trembling uncontrollably as desperate wails tear from my throat. Curling into myself, I draw my knees to my chest, seeking whatever semblance of protection I can muster. I silently pray it doesn’t hurt, just as Beatrice assured me."Oh, for fuck's sake, no one is fucking you tonight. I'd rather let a man fuck me than do that," his words land like a crushing blow, the shock evident on my slackened expression. In a surprising act of gentleness, he crouches down, lifting me effortlessly and draping me over his shoulder. My mind reels in disbelief. Did he really just say that?He strides toward his bed, and I still brace myself for what is to come next, my heart pounding with a mix of dread and uncertainty. He tosses me onto the mattress, and instinctively, I sit up, drawing my knees close to my chest for a semblance of protection. My gaze locks with his, silently demanding an expl