Novels by Beauty

The silence after the roar is the worst part. Four alphas kneel in front of me, in front of the entire hall, and no one moves. No one breathes. It's like the whole world is waiting to see what I do next, and I don't have an answer. My arms still burn where the marks flared. My chest still hums with four heartbeats that aren't mine. Jodan is the first to rise. He doesn't stumble. He doesn't stagger like the others. He plants one hand on the marble, pushes himself upright, and forces his spine straight even though I can see the tremor in his jaw. His eyes find mine, and for the first time since I met him, he doesn't look calculating. He looks afraid. "April," he says, low enough that only I can hear it. "What did you do?" "I don't know," I whisper back. "I didn't do anything. It did this." Riven is next, and he doesn't rise gracefully. He surges up with a snarl, shoving off the floor like the ground insulted him, fists clenched so tight his knuckles have gone white. His eyes are

The doors of the grand hall swing open with a thunderous boom. Every eye in the room snaps toward the entrance. The echo rolls off the high ceilings and marble floors, making my stomach twist with anticipation. Queen Maerwen steps in. Her presence presses down on everyone like a weight of iron. Silver hair cascades over her shoulders, her robes glint faintly with enchantments that hum against the marble floor. Every movement she makes carries authority and power. She pauses at the center, her gaze sweeping over the assembled alphas, students, and guards, and then lands on me. “April,” she says, voice sharp, echoing off the walls. “You stand accused of violating tradition and activating powers beyond your station.” I straighten instinctively. Fear presses against my chest, but I keep my chin up. I refuse to let her see how much my skin is buzzing with heat, how much my suppressants scream for relief, or how much my heart is pounding in terror. The alphas shift in unison. Jodan’s j

I wake up gasping, my chest heaving like I've been drowning. Light burns my eyes. White. Too white. The smell of herbs and metal fills my nose. My head throbs, sharp and deep, like something is drilling into my skull. For a moment I can't remember where I am, can't remember anything except the arena, the moon, the pain tearing through my skin, and then it all comes rushing back at once, heavy enough to knock the breath out of me all over again. Voices crash over me before I can even move. "She shouldn't be awake." "You saw the markings!" "This is beyond protocol." I blink hard and turn my head, and every small movement feels like it costs something, like my body is running on borrowed time it hasn't agreed to lend. The infirmary. Mooncrest's medical wing is cold and quiet in a way that feels wrong. Glowing wards line the walls, humming softly, pale blue light pulsing in slow, deliberate rhythm, like the whole room is breathing along with some rule I don't understand. Shelves of

The full moon ceremony happens at midnight. No one is allowed to miss it. Not students. Not omegas. Not even royals. Mooncrest treats the moon like law, and law does not bend. That’s what Selene tells me as she braids her hair for the third time. She keeps undoing it and starting again like she can feel my nerves crawling under her skin. “You’re shaking,” she says. “You’ve been shaking all day.” “I’m fine,” I say. It sounds weaker every time. My body feels wrong. Too tight. Too loud. Every sound, every movement feels sharp. My suppressants barely work anymore. The patch on my skin burns like acid, and even that isn’t enough. It feels like my skin is holding something back, and whatever it is, it’s angry. Selene glances at my wrist band again. Gray. Her mouth tightens. “You don’t have to stand near the center,” she says. “Omegas stay on the outer ring.” “I know.” “You can leave early if it gets bad.” “I know.” She doesn’t look convinced. We walk out together when the bells

"I don't know what you're talking about." My voice comes out calm, even though my heart is racing. I keep my shoulders straight. I don't step back. I refuse to look weak, even though my palms are damp and my pulse won't slow, even though the alarm bell from moments ago still seems to echo somewhere deep in my bones, and half the lecture hall is still staring at the sleeve now covering my wrist. Jodan is still standing at the front of the lecture hall. His eyes don't leave me. Not for a second. It feels like he's peeling layers off my skin without touching me, like he already knows every lie I've ever told, and is simply waiting to see how long I'll keep telling them. Lucien is the first to break the silence. He lets out a soft laugh, smooth and careless, like nothing here matters. "Wow. Straight denial. I like her already." Riven doesn't laugh. His lips curl back slightly, like he's holding in a snarl. His eyes are sharp, focused, and dangerous. "She's lying." "I'm not," I snap,

I arrive at Mooncrest University with one bag, one lie, and enough suppressants to burn my skin raw. The gates close behind me with a deep metal sound. Heavy. Final. Like a warning meant only for me. I stop for half a second and breathe. Don't panic. Don't react. Don't let them smell you. The air here is thick with power. Alpha territory. Alpha rules. Alpha eyes are already watching, and I've been inside these gates for exactly four seconds. Somewhere above me, a bell tower marks the hour in a low, resonant chime that seems to vibrate straight through my chest, and I remind myself, for the hundredth time since leaving home, that I chose this. No one forced me through these gates. I forced myself. A group of students stands near the entrance, laughing too loud, voices sharp with confidence. They stop when they see me. Their smiles fade. Their eyes drop to my wristband. Gray. Omega. The whispers come fast. Not even quiet. "An omega?" "She doesn't belong here." "Is this a mis