ANMELDENThird Person's POV
"I was out of my mind back then," Velda said, her voice as flat as if she were narrating someone else's life.
"I thought that if I were the one to sign the peace treaty, the ultimate glory would be mine. That's why I ordered Pierce to retreat twenty miles and leave only twelve soldiers behind. On one hand, it gave Ulrik time to burn the granaries; on the other, I had to make sure my men and I could retreat safely after the signing."
She looked down at t
Third Person's POVAfter dinner, Alpha Zander and Lance headed into the study. The soundproofing barrier went up the moment the door clicked shut.Adelaide tried to follow them in, but Zander placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, blocking her path."I have some things I need to say to Lance in private."Adelaide puckered her lips but eventually turned away, heading toward the front courtyard where Prunella and Craig were still lingering.During dinner, Klein had officially announced his return to the Shadow Peaks. He wasn't just leaving on his own, either; he had ordered Prunella and Craig to get out and head back with him immediately.Craig had taken the brunt of the scolding—Klein complained that ever since they arrived at the Blackthorn estate, a swarm of noble wolves had been dropping by just to admire his paintings.Klein worried that Craig becoming too cozy with high-ranking officials in the capital would only bring unnecessary heat to Lance.Prunella couldn't help but grumble pr
Third Person's POVThe more Adelaide listened, the more the fire in her blood rose. Without a word, she unsheathed her silver-dipped dagger and drove it deep into one spy's abdomen.As she yanked the blade out, hot blood sprayed the frozen ground. Her face remained a mask of stone as she flipped the knife and buried it into the other man's side.She was done trying to reason with brainwashed killers. Most of all, she was done hearing them bark in this sacred resting place, disturbing the peace of her family's souls.Adelaide reversed her grip on the dripping dagger and held the hilt out to Beata. Her voice was cold and steady in the winter wind."Beata. Do you want to finish them yourself?"Beata stared at the bloody blade.She didn't reach for it. Instead, as tears fell into the mud, she slowly shook her head."No... I'm afraid they'll die too fast. I want to watch them bleed out. I want them to suffer every second until the e
Third Person's POVNight fell over the capital like a heavy sheet of black velvet, and within the Blackthorn territory, the magical crystal lamps flickered to life one by one.Adelaide took the silver-plated dagger Prunella handed her, gripped Beata's hand, and stepped out into the biting wind.Lance and Paisley followed close behind.Craig and Prunella had planned to join them, but Klein stopped them."Let her mate and her best friend handle this," he said simply."You two only need to step in if she actually falls."As he spoke, Klein felt a sense of pride. Having come to the capital and watched this pair navigate the shark-infested waters of royal politics and rival packs with such composure, he felt truly satisfied.Inside the Royal Marshal's office, Lucas stood in the blood-scented courtyard, waiting.The Blackthorns were coming tonight to collect the two prisoners, and a transfer of such high-value targets required
Third Person's POVThe iron chains were wound so tight around Velda's jaw that she couldn't even tilt her head back to howl. She could only curl into a twisted, pathetic heap.It was a mirror image of the scene back at Snowdeer Town, where she had locked Lucian in a beast cage.Back then, she had felt nothing but a thrill of triumph; now, for the first time, she felt a fear that made her soul shiver.Beata stood beside Adelaide, her cold gaze fixed on Velda's panicked state.Beata was trembling, tears of fury streaming down her face as she thought of the torture her pack-mates in the Frostfangs had endured."Gamma, can I... can I slap this bitch?" Beata asked, her voice shaking. "I'm just a weak omega. I won't hurt her enough to mess up the prisoner exchange. Could you... could you ask Princess Helia for me?"Adelaide looked at the girl's bloodshot eyes and knew that if Beata didn't vent this rage today, she might never escape the sha
Third Person's POVHelia sat back on her bed, her gaze drifting into the distance.She hadn't revealed a single thing to Digby, yet he had read her like an open book.What made the glands at the back of her neck tighten even more was the fact that he didn't question her political maneuvers like other male wolves often did. This silent validation from an enemy healer moved her in a way she couldn't quite explain.In the carriage ride back, Digby remained silent for a long time before finally speaking."It wouldn't be a bad thing if the throne of the Western Tribe found a new owner."Adelaide understood exactly what he meant. She knew the road Helia was choosing was paved with challenges, and she found herself admiring the woman's sheer guts.If Helia ever became the Lycan Queen, the border conflicts between their two nations could likely be settled with ink and paper rather than blood and steel.Alpha Lance arrived at the the pr
Third Person's POVRaven let out a sigh of regret, his voice dropping to a low whisper."We never managed to get our hands on the network Madison spent years building. We shouldn't have put the entire burden of establishing the capital's connections on a single she-wolf.""At the time, I figured being a Princess would keep her above suspicion. Who knew it would end like this!"Germain's irritation was palpable. He paced the room like a caged animal."And then there's the Stephens family. I entered a contractual mating with them, and yet they still refuse to follow my lead! What's the point of having a mate from that house?"Raven stayed silent.He had actually been against that mating from the start, but Alpha Germain had insisted, convinced it would buy them the family's influence.He knew better—Sidney Preston didn't speak for the Stephens family; she was the least favored daughter in the house.If Germain had ma
Third Person's POVDominic roared, "I might have let you off, but now, I'd flay you alive and it'd still not quench my rage!"Some werewolves from the Western Tribes left their original pack and became rogues.They lived in Adelaide and Velda's wolf kingdom, gathering and sending information back t
Third person's POVUlrik shook his head. He didn't want to talk more about Adelaide, fearing it would spark another argument.But Velda gathered her cloak and smirked, "Naturally, it's to keep her from causing trouble. I heard she went to Lycan Erasmus the day after our bonding cere
Adelaide's POVPaisley kicked Halbert.Alpha Lance also laughed, his gaze falling on me with unusual brightness. "Adelaide, well done!"I wanted to respond modestly, but my throat was as dry as if stuffed with wolf hair, leaving me only to tug at the corners of my mouth."You've got your father's s
Third Person's POVAdelaide gasped, a shiver running down her spine as pain prickled her neck.She fought the urge to reveal her wolf ears, but her nails dug half-moon trenches into her palms."Alpha Lance, it hurts," she said, her voice deeper than usual, a barely noticeable







