LOGINKATHERINE I stood my ground firmly and I could see the sudden flash of surprise passing over Rowan’s face when I spoke those words. Even I myself felt a wave of surprise inside my own mind when I realized what I had just said out loud, but I knew I had to make a real stand right now. I couldn't let him see any weakness in me, so I maintained a very strict, hard expression on my face and kept my eyes fixed directly on his.Rowan took a half step forward, and he shook his head as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing from me."Have you completely forgotten about our previous conversations, Katherine?" he asked, and he gestured with his hand between the two of us. "We had plans together to handle this situation, and you wanted justice for your people just as much as I wanted to change the leadership of this pack."I scoffed loudly at his words, and I didn't hesitate to show him exactly how much disgust I felt for his reminders."Things are completely different now that I actually
KATHERINE I stood perfectly still, trying to get my breathing under control as the panic threatened to squeeze my throat. I opened my mouth twice to say something, but my voice just wouldn't work at first, and I could feel the hot blood rushing to my ears. When I finally stopped stammering and came up with a simple sentence to defend myself, Rowan just chuckled softly and raised a hand in front of my face."Don't even bother denying it, Katherine," he said, and his voice sounded entirely too confident as he looked down at me. "I already saw the exact letter you were holding when I walked in, and there is no point in trying to lie to me now."His words immediately validated the terrifying thoughts I had been having in my head for the last five minutes, and everything became painfully clear to me. The first thought was that he was definitely among the specific list of corrupt people who were directly related to the brutal massacre of my family, and the second thought was that he had
KATHERINE There was a long tense moment of absolute silence between the two of us, and I stared directly at Rowan where he stood blocking the main exit by the door, and he stared right back at me with a hard expression. Most of his intense gaze was concentrated completely on the old handwritten papers held tightly in my right hand, and he didn't even look up at my face for the first few seconds.I could feel the suffocating intensity of his eyes despite the physical distance between us, and it made me shift uncomfortably on the floor as I tried to calculate my chances of running past him. He was clearly shocked to find me standing here in this restricted section of the palace, and he looked incredibly annoyed that I had broken into the files, but I could also tell that his mind was working quickly as he thought about his next move. I could read everything clearly from the rapid, sudden change of different emotions passing across his face, and it made my heart beat faster.Right th
ROWAN I drove the fast scout vehicle hard along the muddy tracks, and after an intense ride through the wilderness, I could finally see the dim light of the royal pack grounds.It was exactly at this moment that the clouds opened up, and the heavens decided to deliver their contents in full force, sending down sheets of water that blurred my vision. I wasn't fazed by the sudden downpour, though, since I only had a few miles left to cover before reaching the main gates, and the vehicle had enough power to go through the mud without getting stuck. Instead, my mind was entirely focused on what Katherine was up to back at the palace, and I found myself wondering if she was still quietly sitting in her room or if she was still trying to poke around areas where she didn't belong.I let out a short, quiet laugh to myself as I turned the steering wheel, because I guessed that with what I and Elder Cassian, along with the other key members of our group, had put into plan, she shouldn't be a
KATHERINE It was starting to rain. Within seconds, the soft tapping turned into pitter-patter that disturbed me.I glanced up for a second, wondering why a storm would suddenly roll in right at this exact moment, but I quickly shook the thought away because I didn't have the time."Focus, Katherine," I whispered to myself, turning my attention back down to the handwritten letters and financial ledgers scattered across the floor around my knees.I began flipping through the next set of papers with fast, trembling fingers. The deeper I dug into Elder Cassian’s private correspondence, the worse the reality became, and I felt a cold knot tightening in my stomach as the words spelled out an entirely new level of betrayal. They weren't just trying to cover up the tracks of their old wolf trafficking ring, but they were actively planning a full-scale rebellion against Stephen at this very moment because he was directly in their way.According to the detailed notes and timelines scribbled i
KATHERINE The morning sun was barely hitting the palace windows when I woke up, and I didn't bother waiting for a maid to bring me tea or water. My mind was already back in that dusty archive room, and I needed to finish what I started before anyone else decided to take another "walk" near the restricted wing.When I reached the archive doors, I paused. I pulled the key out and slotted it into the lock, but something felt different. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, my eyes immediately moving to the shelves where I had caught Leona the night before. I frowned, and I walked closer to inspect the brass drawers.The dust on the floor had been disturbed again, and some of the folders on the lower shelf were pushed back further than I remembered. Someone had definitely been here after I left last night. They hadn't taken much, and it didn't seem like they had found what they were looking for, but the fact that they were trying made my skin crawl. It didn't affect my plan, thoug
KATHERINE Before I could speak, a maid arrived. Rowan immediately dispersed himself from me and composed himself. I noticed a slight shift in his gaze, but could comprehend why he was acting so awkward all of a sudden.The maid approached us. All smiles on her face. “Sorry to interrupt you, Luna.
KATHERINE I barely slept. Again. For like the third night in a row. The stupid bet was stuck in my head on repeat. If I fall for Stephen, I have to accept the bond, accept him, kneel, submit, call him Alpha in bed and everywhere else like some perfect little Luna. If I don’t fall, he lets me wa
KATHERINE Each step I took back into my room, my head ached so much that I couldn't fathom the cause of the pay. I thought it might be the rush of adrenaline. I had little time, but I used it to check for the things I needed.Despite the fact that I had very little time, I found out that Kaelan du
KATHERINE I woke up hot and annoyed and way too aware of my own skin. The dream was already slipping away, but the feeling wasn’t. Stephen’s mouth on my neck, his hands sliding under my shirt, that low laugh he does when he knows he’s winning. I hated that my body remembered every second even whe







