I shook my head to no one. I couldn't have made such a mistake. The man I had tried so hard to flee was the same one I was now bound to. Could life be any more cruel? I took my shaking hands and fisted them with my dress. Blood rushed to my ears. I couldn't hear anything through the pound in my head. I was trapped. The invisible leash on my neck strained so hard I could die. Master Kaine had won. I turned away from the door, heading up the stairs, but just as soon, Kaloyan blocked my path. He stood on the first riser before I could even approach it. I hated the fear that seized my windpipe. Cara Smyth had never been the type to be weak, but that household had taken so much from me. Why and how could a man be so cruel? I struggled to reach the foot of the grand stairwell, struggling to keep my chin raised like Mattie's. A frown crossed Kaloyan’s face with just one look at me. "You were eavesdropping," he said. "I'm sorry. I wasn't feeling too well and—" "Would there be a need
Except they didn't fly over the railing and remained unscathed. They dropped, all the way down to the marble tiles below. I screamed, almost diving over the rail, going after them. My hand had missed their wraps by a brush. Tears rolled down my cheeks at the speed of a fall. I had harmed them, so I couldn't dare look. Chaos ensued as everyone dashed to the scene, scared for the Princes. I held the rail, crying seriously because it was all my fault. The twins were dead because of me. But finally, when I looked downstairs, I saw them safe in Kaloyan's hands. Relief overtook me like a tsunami. I cried out with joy, fisting my chest because it hurt. Lord Ezra's hateful glare weighed on my shoulders. Even the maids had harsh things to say about me. I turned away from the edge, sliding to the floor at a corner of the hall. Pulling my knees to my chest, I wished I could disappear. Minutes later, I felt someone next to me. I smelled him first. Slowly, my eyes met his. He was holding
My heart throbbed as I exited the room. I held the wall to steady myself. This was what I wanted before I knew he was Master Kaine. I wanted an escape. Now he wanted to marry me; but I didn't want to marry him. Oh, goddess, my life was a rollercoaster of trouble. Dax was out there, hunting me down with no mercy. Inside here, I could deceive Master Kaine longer than I would if I became Cara again. I took in deep breaths, shutting my eyes tight for a moment. When I opened them, Mattie stood there, hands clasped in front of her, patiently waiting for me to come to my senses. She bowed. I tasted bile in my throat before speaking. "Mattie, what is going to happen to me now?" "Are you really that dumb?" She kept a stoic face, unmoving. "The Alpha would marry you in seven days and make you queen over all his human subjects as you have always wanted. He will make you his Luna, too, and you will stay by his side forever, taking care of the princes." Forever was a terrifying word. I couldn'
I ran into his walk-in closet on instinct. It was another entire world on its own, covered by the white double door with ventilation holes above. My heart hammered in its cage. He was going to catch me red-handed, no doubt. After a few minutes, the closet doors opened, and I turned pale. My knuckles whitened. It was Mattie, not Kaloyan standing there. I could finally breathe. I had even fallen on the ground to catch my breath, but she was right behind, scolding me back to my senses. "Do you wish for this to end before it even starts, Athena?!" "I was looking for something." "I don't even want to know what it was, but if I hadn't shown up on time, you'd have been sent packing to your death today." I frowned. "What did you do?" "I had to lie to the Alpha that Lord Ezra needed to see him urgently in the arsenal." "And he believed you?" "Well, I wouldn't be standing right here if it didn't work." Master Kaine was smarter than that. He wouldn't have believed a lie as such so eas
I took my hand back abruptly, causing the ring to fall. I hadn't imagined it would. The ring had even skipped my mind. So, as it fell, I rushed to pick it, bending low. But then, the seams of my sparkly dress and the zip decided to get their revenge on me for having stressed them so much with my body. They gave out. Cool air kissed the bare skin of my back. My cheeks reddened as my eyes widened. The dress was torn. Right now, right here—it was mortifying. I straightened my back, not knowing where to hide. Kal stepped up immediately. Removing his jacket and laying it over my shoulder and back. He had been quick to notice what happened. "Thank you." I mouthed, and he only responded with a curt nod. Lord Ezra helped a guard to search for the ring on the balcony. At this point, everything was awkward; for the crowd watching and for us being watched. Reece kept up with his speech, extending it unnecessarily to create a distraction. But it wasn't working. All eyes were on Kaloyan and I.
All about Eastmoon Lycanthropy had to be inside their royal archives. I wouldn't vouch for anywhere else but here. After searching for thirty minutes, I found a dusty old box next to a shelf. Inside it were my answers. I chose a table and sat down, blowing dust off the big hard cover and choking on it. After waving my hand in the air to clear the dust, I finally got to it. I should know what Kaloyan's biggest weakness is aside from his princes. The book began with Eastmoon's history. How it rose from being the weakest to the strongest wolf city in the world. I read and read, flipping through pages, learning that they could be killed by decapitation. I imagined Master Kaine in that famous black hat, and then I imagined ripping his head off. "Looking for ways to kill me already, little dove." I jumped, looking behind me to find Kaloyan rested against the nearest shelf and first on the column. "What are you doing here?" I hid the page from Athena's file I carried with me inside the
I wasn't a werewolf. I possessed none of their unique abilities. All of this came to mind as I gauged the monsters circling me in this maze. They had spit dripping from their scary fangs. Talons that could cut deeper than a double-edged sword. But they were shaped like humans—feral humans. "I wasn't doing anything—Okay, look! I'm dropping the moonstone back." Taking down a hand lifted in surrender, I watched them from the corner of my eye while returning the moonstone to its three-handed holder on the platform. I didn't get to do that, though. A familiar voice stopped me at the last minute. Lord Ezra snarled. "Ms. Athena Williams, I didn't imagine I would find you here and not in your bed." "Tell them to stand down, Lord Ezra. I got lost in the maze and ran into the moonstone." "How am I sure you weren't trying to steal a gift bestowed on the Eastmoon pack by the moon goddess herself?" "Think about it. Why would I steal your moonstone?" He grunted, roving his gaze about. "I do
My eyes darted to Mattie at my side, who had involuntarily recoiled. I didn't know who had found us, but she knew and had kept silent about it for the minutes we stood. Pressing my lips together, my mind blanked. The woman before us bowed to me; the aftershocks of surprise gone with the dawn wind. Not for me, though. I narrowed my eyes that still darted between Mattie and her. "Ms. Williams, it's a surprise to see you." She eyed Mattie through the corner of her eye, sharing meaning I didn't partake in. "What are you doing here by this time? It's barely past five am." I opened my mouth to speak, but only a shaky breath got past it. She knew who I was—all of Eastmoon knew who I was, but I couldn't tell the difference. It was the price of fame I had to pay for living this life. "Uhm, it's going to be a long day, Patricia. Ms. Williams decided to start off her day early." Patricia nodded reluctantly, sparing an uneasy smile. She held the skirt of her dress, alerting me to her attire o