TAWNY Day two in Cambiador: I find myself waking up in the bright room. My short body - lost in the crisp white sheets of the enormous bed I’m sleeping in. It’s so big and high that when I literally crawl to the edge and sit, my feet dangle off the side and I have to hop down. Landing on two feet, I stretch and make my way to the overly lavish and gold-accented bathroom. I pause by door number three and open it a crack, just to hear Mason’s deep snores coming from his makeshift bed on one of the couches in there. I chuckle to myself at the sound. I had met Mason a few times, but never really spent an extended amount of time around him. I liked him though. He was down to earth, quick-witted, and an all-around nice guy. Hopefully, they would sort his room out today. It angered me that they would shove him into something that was no better than a broom closet. Like he was beneath them, less cow shit. After showering and smelling like I dove head-first into a dumpster full of flowers,

TAWNY I hardly slept at all last night. The thoughts of the family’s situation from yesterday played on my conscious. Wondering what happened to them after they were let go, where did they go? Would they be looking for food again and run into the same circumstances? I hoped not. I wanted to go find them – help them. Provide for them. The little boy’s pale face and malnourished body were a vision I couldn’t shake. It was Mason who held me back, stating that it was not our place to interfere. He didn’t know of my grandfather’s wishes and proposition to make me queen. That was something else that kept me awake in the late and early hours of the night. I didn’t know what to expect when I came here. It certainly wasn’t this. The impression I had of my grandfather before I arrived was slowly changing. At each turn, he kept contradicting what I thought I knew. Surprising me. I was determined to be indifferent to him – to hold him at arm’s length, but in three days I found myself liking hi

TAWNY SIX MONTHS EARLIER I avoided Kolby Crimson for the better part of two weeks. Although I did have to formally be introduced to him. That was awkward as shit. Shaking his hand and feeling the tingles erupt all over my body. Every time I was in close proximity to him my body would start to heat up, a searing flush racing across my skin and sending flutters into chaos in my stomach. I couldn’t be around him for long otherwise I was sure I would disintegrate into a pile of ashes. How could he act so casually around me? Did it not affect him? And every time the heat would give way to a different kind of burning, a wave of anger that stemmed from my frustration and confusion. Was he waiting for me to say something? Because that wouldn’t happen. There was no way I was going to put myself on the spot like that. No way I would show vulnerability to a man who was my supposed mate and appeared as if he could care less. Then there was the odd occasion I would run into him in the palace w

CRIMSON From the moment I laid eyes on the princess I was instantly pulled to her, but I was engaged, and I loved Gillian. Didn’t I? Then why was I so worked up at Tawny’s sassy and bold mouth? Why am I kissing her, my body reacting to hers, coming alive at the feel of her soft tiny body against mine? Mason’s voice had her pulling away from me thankfully. So why did I instantly feel cold and empty once she had moved away from my embrace? “Are you okay Princess?” Mason asked her, his hands on her arms and dark eyes full of worry gliding over her frame. I scrunched my face up, did she call him to come here? Is she afraid of me? She should be. It wasn’t until she accused me of ignoring the mate bond, the serious look on her face - did I realize I was her mate. I thought King Armand would have told her about me, apparently, he didn’t because she looked at me like I was insane when I told her I wasn’t a werecat. She thought I was making it up, but I have no reason to lie. I know the

CRIMSON I walk out of the room, Gillian in tow and Tawny behind her. Shit I forgot all about Arnold coming to meet with us, the whole reason I needed to speak with Tawny. I have no idea what happened in there. How or why - I did what I did. When tawny told me she felt it every time I made love to Gillian, the guilt inside me filled my head with doubts and my heart ached for her discomfort. Pain that I had caused. The look in her tear-glazed eyes had my resolve breaking and I could think of nothing more than comforting her. Once in my arms, I could think of nothing else but being inside her, claiming her as mine. I wanted her for my own selfish reasons. Was that the bond between us at work? An invisible thread drawing me to her? Whatever happened, whatever it was - it couldn’t and wouldn’t happen again. I open the door to my office, Arnold Maydor, Gillian’s father is standing with his back to me his attention on whatever he sees outside the window that looks over the training gro