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CHAPTER 28: The Crown
Tanggal publikasi:
2026-03-20 23:22:41
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BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 42: The Threat
I couldn't sleep.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the letter. Someone you love will pay the price.Caspian was beside me, awake too. Through the bond, I felt his mind racing. Running through possibilities. Threats. Weaknesses."We're missing something," he said into the darkness."What?""The timing. The letter arrived right after the debate. Right after you won public support." He sat up. "Whoever sent it is reacting, not planning ahead. They're desperate.""Desperate people are dangerous.""But also sloppy. They make mistakes."I sat up too. "You think they'll reveal themselves?""I think they already have. We just haven't seen it yet." He turned to look at me. "Who benefits most from you being distracted? From you focusing on protecting people instead of winning the vote?""The Council members who want me gone.""Exactly. This isn't about actually hurting anyone, it's about making you vulnerable. Making you doubt yourself right before the vote."He had a point."So what do we do
BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 41: The Debate
The main square was packed.Thousands of people. Lycans and werewolves both. Common folk who'd come to see their queen face down a Council member in public.A platform had been erected in the center. Two podiums facing each other. Aldric stood at one, looking confident.I stood at the other, trying not to show my nerves."Nervous?" Caspian asked quietly. He stood just off the platform with Ezra."Terrified.""Don't be. You've faced worse.""Have I? Because right now this feels worse than the Shade."Through the bond, I felt his amusement. "You'll be fine. Just remember what we practiced."What we'd practiced was staying calm, not letting Aldric bait me into emotional responses and sticking to facts.Easier said than done.A herald stepped forward. "Citizens of Thorncross! You are gathered to witness a formal debate between Councilor Aldric of House Stormwind and Queen Rielle. The topic: fitness to rule. Each speaker will present their case. The people will judge."The crowd erupted in
BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 40: Outplayed
Silvaine.The pieces clicked together."Morgessa's proxy," I said. "She's still working for her. Trying to finish what Morgessa started.""But Morgessa's in the dungeons," Caspian said. "She can't be giving orders.""Can't she?" Ezra pulled out another document. "Prison guard reports. Silvaine's visited her twice in the last three days. Claimed she needed to discuss transition of magical authority.""She's taking orders," I said. "Morgessa's directing this from her cell.""Then we need to stop it. Now." Caspian stood. "If we can prove Silvaine is acting on behalf of a traitor, her vote is void. That's one less vote against you.""And if we expose the blackmail, Isolde's vote might flip.""That's four votes supporting you," Ezra calculated. "Five if Stephen comes through.""What did Stephen say?" I asked Seraphine."He'll support you if you can prove the vote was corrupted. Show him evidence of blackmail and conspiracy, and he'll vote yes."I looked at the note in Ezra's hand. At the h
BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 39: Allies and Enemies
"We need to start with Isolde," Ezra said.We'd gathered in the war room. Me, Caspian, Ezra, and Seraphine. The four of us against whatever conspiracy was brewing in the Council."Isolde voted to support the coronation," I said. "What changed her mind?""Fear," Seraphine said simply. "She's pragmatic. Calculates risks. And right now, supporting you looks riskier than opposing you.""So we change the calculation.""How?" Ezra asked.I thought about it. "We show her that removing me creates more problems than keeping me. That the instability of a succession crisis is worse than the chaos I've supposedly caused.""That might work if she's acting rationally," Caspian said. "But what if she's being coerced? Threatened? What if someone's forcing her hand?""Then we find out who and eliminate the threat.""In three days.""In three days."Seraphine leaned back. "There's something else you should know. Isolde's daughter was at the east wall during the siege. Injured but alive. The girl's only
BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 38: Vote of No Confidence
I stared at the messenger. "They what?""The Council has called for a vote of no confidence in your rule, Your Majesty. The session begins in one hour.""On what grounds?" Caspian demanded."Negligence. Endangerment of the kingdom. Inciting violence through reckless reforms." The messenger looked miserable. "Lady Isolde invoked the emergency protocol. It requires your immediate attendance.""Isolde?" I sat up. "She supported me at the coronation.""Not anymore, apparently," Caspian said grimly.The messenger bowed and fled.I dressed quickly, my mind racing. A vote of no confidence. If it passed, I'd be stripped of the crown. Exiled, probably. Or executed if they could justify it."This is Draven's work," Caspian said, pacing. "He must have had contingencies in place. Allies on the Council who'd move against you if he was captured.""Can they actually remove me?""Technically, yes. If enough Council members vote against you, they can declare you unfit to rule. It's never been done bef
BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 37: Interrogation
The dungeons beneath Thorncross Keep smelled like desperation and old stone.I descended the spiral stairs slowly, my ribs still aching from the battle. Caspian wanted to come but I'd refused.This was something I needed to do alone.Two guards stood outside Morgessa's cell. They bowed when they saw me."Your Majesty. Are you sure you want to--" "Open it."They exchanged glances but obeyed.The cell door swung open with a rusty groan.Morgessa sat on a stone bench, wrapped in silver chains covered in suppression runes. She looked up when I entered."Your Majesty," she said mockingly. "Come to gloat?""Come to get answers.""I have nothing to say to you.""You attacked my kingdom. Sided with the Shadow Court. Nearly got hundreds of people killed." I leaned against the cell wall. "You're going to die for this. The only question is whether you talk first."She laughed. "Threatening me? How delightfully predictable.""Not threatening. Stating facts." I studied her. "What did they promise
BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 7: The Hunt Begins
Getting ready to hunt people who wanted us dead turned out to involve a lot more weapons than I expected.David arrived an hour later with a duffel bag that looked like it could arm a small militia. He dumped it on the kitchen table and started pulling out guns, knives, and things I didn't even hav
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-17BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 19: Trial by Combat
The hall erupted.Voices shouting. Some supporting Morgessa's challenge. Others protesting. The noise was deafening.Caspian's rage exploded through the bond so violently I actually stumbled."No." His voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "Absolutely not.""You cannot refuse a formal challenge
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-17BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 9: Breaking Point
Caspian's phone rang at three in the morning.I jerked awake, disoriented, reaching for a gun that wasn't there. The safe house bedroom was dark except for the glow of Caspian's screen as he answered."Talk," he said, voice rough with sleep.I couldn't hear the other side of
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-17BOUGHT BY THE BEAST CHAPTER 17: Preparations
The next morning, I woke up sore.Not the bad kind of sore. The kind that came from Caspian proving, repeatedly, that he was very happy about me agreeing to be his queen.Worth it.I stretched, felt muscles protest, and immediately decided I didn't care.Caspian was already awake, sitting shirtless
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2026-03-17
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