LOGINMadeline’s POVI knew ma'am wanted more that anything to stop me from saving the guard so I won't get punished, but then she just didn't want to interfere because that will land me in even bigger problems.They seized me before the thunder finished echoing.One moment I was standing in the execution square, my hands still trembling from the surge of power I had released, and the next, iron fingers clamped around my arms.“Take her!”“No, wait!”“She disrupted the ritual!”“Don’t damage her!”The witches were shouting over each other, their voices colliding in panic. Some sounded furious. Others sounded afraid.The guards did not hesitate.They dragged me across the cracked wooden platform,
Aurelia’s POVI heard about the execution before the sun rose.Whispers travel faster than orders in this palace. They slip under doors, curl around corners, settle in your chest before you even understand what you’re hearing.“They’re executing someone at dawn.”“For treason.”“For sabotaging the ritual.”I froze mid-step in the corridor, a bucket of water sloshing against my leg.I knew all of this was just connected to Selena, because ever since Liam took over Selena has been the one calling the shots! Sometimes I wonder why Liam did all of that to get back a throne he wasn't that interested in.Before I could ask more, the head maid’s voice sliced through the hallway. “Aurelia.”I turned s
Aurelia’s POVI thought things would get better after Selena was thrown into the dungeon.I was wrong. If anything, my life became worse.The moment she was locked away, the servants turned vicious. The guards stopped pretending to be neutral. Even the head maid, who once barely acknowledged my existence, suddenly remembered I was beneath her.“Aurelia, scrub the west wing floors.”“Aurelia, the laundry isn’t folded properly.”“Aurelia, why are you standing? Move!”It didn’t matter that I had already been working since dawn. It didn’t matter that my hands were cracked and bleeding from harsh soap and cold water. They piled work on me as if I had personally offended them.Maybe I had. Maybe my existence was offensive.
Selena’s POVThe room felt like it had turned to ice the moment Shannon stepped forward. Every eye in the council hall fixed on her, but it wasn’t just the council members, it was Liam. His gaze was filled with hatred and I felt myself shrinking under it.Shannon’s voice rang out, clear, cold, and venomous. “The child in Selena’s womb,” she said, turning her attention to everyone in the room, “belongs not to Alpha Liam, but to the kitchen assistant.”My stomach dropped like a stone. I froze, unsure whether to breathe or scream. My heart pounded against my ribs, a deafening drum, and my throat went dry.“No!” I shouted, my hands clenching at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. “That’s a lie! That’s not me! Liam, listen to me, please, you have to listen!”But it was
Shannon’s POVThe next week was hell. Absolute, relentless hell. Every morning I woke to whispers and stares, even from those who had no right to judge me. By midday, the palace halls buzzed with news of me. Shannon the murderer. Shannon, the hybrid without a wolf. Shannon, the one who orchestrated the death of the late king.I tried to ignore it. The ministers called for me repeatedly, each summons more insistent than the last. By the fourth day, I knew this would not blow over.“Luna Shannon,” one minister said during a heated conference, “the people are asking questions. We are asking questions. Did you murder the late king?”I exhaled slowly, letting my rage simmer beneath the surface. Calm, composed, I looked at them, meeting every gaze evenly. “No,” I said flatly. “I did not. These are baseless rumors spread by someone
Shannon’s POVI closed the drawer slowly and lifted my head.“Selena.” My voice was calm.She was still standing near my dressing table, pretending to adjust a bracelet as if I was the one in the wrong room. This little brat thinks I can't smell her mischief from afar.“What are you doing in my chambers?” I asked.She didn’t turn immediately. “I told you. I was looking for my scarf.”I let out a quiet laugh.“A scarf.”“Yes.”“You expect me to believe you misplaced your scarf in my private quarters?”She finally faced me, crossing her arms. “I’ve been here before.”“That does not give you permission to go through my things.”Her eyes flickered briefly.“I wasn’t going through anything.”
Selena’s POVThe hot water stung my skin, but I didn’t stop. I scrubbed myself like I was trying to erase the last few weeks off my body—every bruise, every cold night, every disgusting memory of prison. When I finally stepped out of the shower, the mirror was fogged, but I could still see the ange
Aurelia’s POVBy the time I got back to the palace, my legs were shaking from exhaustion, from bone-deep tiredness. It felt like my entire body had been wrung out, squeezed, then tossed aside like I wasn’t supposed to feel anything at all. But I felt everything. I shut the door to my chamber and p
Aurelia's POV“Good morning, Lady Aurelia,” she said with that practiced tenderness midwives use to lower a woman’s guard. Her voice was small but steady. “How are you feeling today?”I forced a polite smile and eased back into the cushions the maids had fluffed for me. My belly felt so heavy. Ever
Aurelia’s POVIt had been three days since the poisoning incident. Three days of quiet tension thick enough to choke on. The palace had gone from its usual polished serenity to a nest of whispers and cautious glances.I sat near the window of my chamber, the curtains drawn halfway to allow just a s







