Valerie“Innocent?” The man laughed again, muffled beneath his mask. “How would you define innocence? All we do is by design. Our path is drawn by the hand of our God, and our message and purpose is wholly by his design. It is only right to do as God compel me to.”The porridge did not sit well inside of me. It curdled, thick and heavy like turbulent waters. I felt sick at his confession, but I could not allow myself to vomit up what I’d just eaten. I didn’t know when I’d get the chance to eat again.Still, it felt like maggots crawled around in my belly. I tasted bile in my throat.“If your God told you to sacrifice the life of a young human girl like Ava by making up such a stupid curse, what kind of God would it be?” I asked. “And for what purpose? God does not need coin—that was all for you.”This seemed to get beneath his mask. Under his skin. The man stiffened. “A moron like you would never understand. I serve a greater purpose. I heed God’s word and honor his blessings. And it

Xavier When the guards entered the room with the figure in tow, it took no more than two seconds to recognize him as Dowson. I had not seen him in a decade, and yet I knew him like I knew my own nightmares. His rugged appearance, his uneven jaw line, his receding hairline and beak-like nose. He was not dead as my father had claimed. Dowson seemed to recognize me as well. The moment he saw me, a cheesier grin swallowed his face, stretching from ear to ear. “Ah, the great and mighty Alpha Xavier. I heard you’re making quite a mess of the palace these days.” I did not hesitate to ask, “Where is she?” Dowson’s expression tightened, his smile growing wider. He seemed even more keen to see my desperation. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re referring to,” he said. I approached carefully, watching his every movement with cautious eyes. He was a man of war, and I knew what he was capable of. “I was told you were dead,” I said. “So why, exactly, are you alive and skulking around my

Xavier“A human?” Caeser asked, a deep, wry chuckle escaping him. “Why, how would I know of any humans? I don’t associate with the lesser species.” He seemed to muse over the idea, carefully gathering his photos into a pile. “Quite the uproar you’re causing over a measly human maid, if you ask me. The same maid I’ve been hearing about since the festivities began, I assume?” He does not look at me, though a smile tugs at his face. “I have to say, I do not see the appeal. Nor do I understand your fascination with the species.”I searched my father’s eyes. He was good at hiding most things, but nothing could convince me that he was innocent in the matter. And judging by the way he would not look to me, I couldn’t help but think there was more to the matter.“I could certainly bring Dowson in here and ask him myself,” I offered. Or perhaps, it was more of a threat.Caeser laughed, his smile brimming with confidence. “If the information you want was obtainable from someone else, you wouldn

XAVIER The dungeon had not been used in years. When it was still in working order, my father used it to imprison my grandfather. And then later, Noah Wilson. But since then, not a soul had entered the dungeon. I had ordered it barred—retired from use for the rest of my reign. But there was always a chance someone had broken in, and Ralph had a point: the dungeon was made entirely of limestone. A material that prevents magic from passing through. Even that of wolves. Nothing could get in or out. Meaning my wolf could not sense Valerie, nor smell her through the stone. Thinking back to it, the dungeon most certainly would have been the most convenient place to keep someone captive. One of the most heinous qualities of the place was its door. The door was sculpted from a round, flat slat of stone, an had been designed so as to only open from the inside. Using this design, my father insured that no one would ever have the capability of freeing my grandfather…or the treacherous Beta, N

Trigger Warning: This chapter may include explicit sexual content. Please read at your own risk. Thank you!VALERIEI moved slowly into Xavier’s shower, turning the water on as hot as I could manage, and letting it burn me down to the bone. It felt like the only way I could gather myself. The only way I could pull myself together.I was a monster. That was the only explanation for what had happened today. I was a monster with a sudden, unwelcomed desire for blood. The desire to kill and maim. And I did it so naturally, like I’d done it a hundred times before.I stood, watching the blood leave my body and sweep down the drain. It seemed unending, that blood. Always, when I thought I’d washed it clean, more would appear, curling around my leg and vanishing down the drain.I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to watch the rusty water any longer.The truth was, I did want to kill that wizard. It was a flash—a spark of red, hot rage in my chest. A desire I’d never had before. But I did want