Novels by Ria Bong

NERINEI woke up naked the next morning, the sheets tangled around my legs and my nightgown lying somewhere on the floor.Sunlight filtered through the curtains, falling across my bed. I stretched lazily before reaching for the robe on the chair beside me.Aiden’s presence the previous night had been completely unplanned. I had simply been too excited about the earlier arrangement and had gotten carried away. I had wanted to stay a few feet away from Maelis’s room, just long enough to make sure no one discovered what was happening before the drugs took effect.With a sigh, I tied my robe around my waist and glanced at the closed door.Making Aiden my personal guard had been a convenient decision. It meant I could summon him whenever I wanted, and his position gave me another pair of eyes and ears around the pack house. Besides, no one would suspect anything. He was my personal guard, after all.But Aiden was the least of my concerns that morning.Maelis occupied my thoughts.I quickly

THERONThe door closed behind Nerine, leaving Alistair and me alone. He waited a moment before taking the seat opposite my desk. His expression remained stern as he settled into the chair.“I hope you understand the position you have put us in by bringing Prince Dorian Ashford into SilverCrest without consulting me, Alpha Theron.”I leaned back in my chair and chuckled. “I thought we had already discussed this, Beta Alistair. His warriors are here to help secure our borders. I made the arrangement directly with the Alpha King, and I don't see why it required a council meeting.”“Because Dorian is not just another warrior, Alpha.” Alistair lowered his voice. “He is the Alpha King's son. His presence here carries political weight, and you have given him access to our territory at a time when we are dealing with matters that could threaten the stability of this pack.”“He is here to help us deal with the rogues.” I pressed my lips together.“Are you certain that's all he intends to do?”

MAELIS’S POVBy the time I returned to the pack house, my knees and feet were aching, and all I wanted was a warm bath and a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.The visit to the lower districts had been worthwhile, but listening to the families talk about the attacks and everything they had lost had left me emotionally drained.Dorian had also taken detailed notes and asked several questions about the attacks, promising to look into the concerns we had raised.I was glad I had gone with him, but I couldn't deny how exhausted I was.After a quick bath, I changed into a comfortable dress and combed my hair. I had barely finished when my stomach let out a loud growl.I laughed and rubbed my stomach.“All right, little one. I know you're hungry.”I had missed lunch and barely eaten anything since morning. If Hura were here, she would have made sure I had something packed for the day.Oh, how much I missed her.I was still thinking about her when a knock sounded at my door.“Come in,” I call

NERINEYes, I was going to kill Maelis and her baby. I would make sure neither of them survived to see my son's coronation and legitimacy rites.Sighing in satisfaction, I took out three tablets and crushed them into a fine powder before transferring them into a tiny container.All I had to do was add a little of it to her tea or food, and that would be the end of everything.But I knew better than to handle this myself. It was too risky, so I decided to wait until mid-afternoon, when the pack house had settled into its usual routine, before sending for one of the maids.I chose someone who had served in the household long enough to understand how things worked. She had also been one of my most useful accomplices.Remember the rumours that had been spread about Maelis? She was the one my mother had assigned to the task.When she arrived, I asked her to close the door. She obeyed, then stood before me with her hands clasped.“You sent for me, my lady?” she mumbled, bowing.“Yes.” I rea

NERINEI couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the study. Even after Father asked me to leave, I lingered outside the door longer than necessary, hoping to catch something that might explain the strange behaviour I had witnessed.Unfortunately, their voices were too low for me to make out what they were saying, and I eventually had no choice but to walk away.I had expected Theron to be happy to see me. We had barely spent any time together since Dorian arrived, and I had been looking forward to having him to myself for once.But when I kissed him, he did nothing.He didn't pull me closer, touch my face, or even return the kiss. He simply stood there, as if someone had cast a spell on him.At that moment, I could feel my heart almost escaping from my chest in embarrassment. The embarrassment was unbearable. I stopped walking and pressed my lips together, remembering the disappointment in my wolf when I realised Theron wasn't going to kiss me back.What was happening to h

THERONThe question caught me so off guard that I froze, unsure of how to respond for a few seconds.Was I really bothered whenever Maelis was with Dorian?Even if we were not in love, there were boundaries, certainly, and Dorian and Maelis were maintaining them. Dorian was a guest in my pack, and I expected him to remember that.Clearing my throat, I replied, “Because Dorian is here to help us deal with the rogues, not to get involved in the affairs of my pack household.”That was a reasonable explanation. At least, it should have been.Xavier let out a low laugh. “Has he done anything to interfere with your pack household?”“No.”“Then has Maelis neglected her responsibilities?” he asked.I shook my head. “No.”“Then perhaps you're making a problem out of something perfectly normal.”I clenched my jaw. “You seem determined to defend her, don't you? Why don't you answer to her instead?” I asked, knitting my brows.“I'm not defending anyone. I'm asking you to look at the situation wit