Bride Of The Beast

“We have received a missive from the King of Wolves.” My father began, each word precise, as my siblings and I stood before him in his library. “He has decreed that one of my beloved daughters is to wed the Beast of Northshore.” A sharp collective intake of breath followed his words. My own breath caught in my throat as I remembered all the whispered rumors I'd heard about the Beast of Northshore. They said he was one of the three princes who had gone feral during the war, brought back by magic or sheer will, but never quite the same afterward. Some whispered that he was stuck in a half-wolf transformation, locked away in his castle where no one dared approach him. Others claimed he was a monster, his presence alone enough to drive humans mad and wolves feral. I flinched when my father's gaze slid toward me, and I immediately lowered my head. “Raven, you will go as a replacement for your sister as the Beast's betrothed.” I felt as though I'd been punched in the gut. The room s

RAVEN I was doomed. It was the only thought that ran through my head as the wolf locked eyes with mine. Could it smell my fear? Could it smell that I was lying about my identity? He was huge, easily reaching almost five feet. It prowled towards me, gaze unmoving, I forced myself to move but my foot stayed rooted to the ground. It growled suddenly, body jerking to the side, I noticed it had been hit with a dart. Another shot, and it jerked again, its descent slowing. That was when I noticed the king holding a dart gun and a displeased expression on his face. He fired another and finally the wolf went down, its head hitting the ground with a loud thud. “Escort her grace to the prince’s chambers.” The king's voice rang out. I flinched back in surprise as two men appeared before me.“If you please, your grace.” They gestured for me to follow. With one look back at the feral wolf laying on the ground, I turned and followed. Was I a bad person if I wished for him to remain t

I awoke to a stinging pain on my lower back. I winced as I tried to sit up, my vision swimming for a moment. Gods, what had he done to me? No one told me this was what it felt like. Even my neck hurt from the claiming bite. My back went rigid when something moved. Slowly turning to look, I flinched back in surprise at the sight of Eilis on his knees. It suddenly felt like déjà vu. This was the second time the feral prince was on his knees in front of me. “I’m sorry.” He said the words like it physically pained him to voice it. “You didn't deserve to be treated like that.” I blushed as I remembered all that had transpired between us. I shifted, biting my lip as it felt like the pain spread to my foot. “It was part of the claiming, my prince. There’s nothing to be sorry about.” My voice was small, barely audible. But that was what I could manage as I tried not to break down. “Don't say that.” He hissed. “I knew what I did was wrong. You gave me no permission.” I could see he was s

EILIS The bond burned. Not like fire though, this was a constant, pulsing pressure beneath my skin, it was a low ache that tightened every time I tried to ignore it. I braced both hands against the wall of the training chamber and bowed my head. Sweat slid down my spine, my scars pulling as my muscles locked, my teeth clenched hard enough to ache. Control. That word had followed me my entire life. From tutors, from my father, from commanders who praised my discipline especially after I turned feral. My wolf snarled inside me restless and offended. Mine, it whispered. A possessive pull that surged whenever the bond stirred, whenever Raven was frightened, stressed, or too far away. I hated it, hated the way the bond demanded attention, and demanded a reaction. The way it made me feel exposed, unguarded, one misstep away from losing myself, and I hated the fact that Raven felt none of it. Why should I have to suffer alone? I grimaced when I remembered the reason I'd blocked Raven

Eilis looked ready to snap her in half, his posture a line of restrained violence. I felt like a bird pinned to a board, having no idea how to defend myself. Every word that formed in my throat felt like a trap. If I spoke too softly, I was weak, but if I spoke too firmly, my voice would betray the secret I carried beneath my corset. What could I say in this situation? I had no proof. It was my word against a noble wolf. Denis stepped into the circle with a predatory gaze, that made a look of uncertainty flash past Mila's face. “A tragic loss, Lady Mila,” he said, his voice smooth as honey. “But I noticed something curious when you were screaming for a search.” Mila flinched, her hand dropping slightly from where she had been pointing them at me. “What could you possibly have noticed besides this human’s thievery? We all saw the collision, she was right there.” “The sapphire cuff,” Denis mused, ignoring her tone. He stepped closer, invading her personal space until Mila had to