로그인He stripped and stepped into the tub with me, his large frame making the water slosh over the sides. He took the sponge from my limp hand and began to wash me.His eyes tracked the water as it ran over the dark fingerprints on my thighs. He didn't speak, but his smirk grew every time my breath hitched. He was admiring his handiwork. Once he was satisfied, he dried me off and carried me back to the bedroom.A sharp knock at the door broke the silence. "Enter," he commanded.Calani stepped in, clutching a gown of emerald silk. She stopped dead when she saw us—me, wrapped in heavy linen cloth and looking like a ghost, and the Wolf, shirtless and dripping, with that feral light in his eyes. Her gaze landed on the marks on my neck that the linen didn't hide. Her breath hitched, her eyes darting between us, screaming the questions she was too terrified to ask. Did he hurt you? What is happening?She opened her mouth. I looked her in the eye and gave a slight, sharp shake of my head. Don'
I woke with my face pressed into the pillow, my limbs leaden and my skin humming with a dull ache.The Wolf was gone. The heat that had anchored me to the mattress was replaced by a chill, though the sheets still smelled faintly of my surrender. I didn't move for a long while. I couldn't. My mind kept flickering back to the bathroom—the sound of sloshing water, the cold tile against my wrists, and the way I had eventually stopped fighting and started wanting.That was the part that burned worse than the physical soreness.I sat up slowly, the furs sliding down my bare chest, and winced as my muscles protested. He must have carried me back here after I finally succumbed to exhaustion. He had used me until I broke, then tucked me into bed like a prized trophy.I wrapped my arms around my knees, feeling the phantom pressure of his hands still branding my hips. I looked toward the washbasin, my gaze catching on the ruined silk gown tossed near the hearth. It was a shredded mess of white
I looked into those eyes—eyes that belonged to my husband but held none of his warmth—and realized the trap was complete. There was no escape."What do you want from me?" I asked, the words feeling like a surrender.The Wolf hummed and crawled over me, his weight pinning me into the mattress. He didn't use force this time, but the power he held over me was absolute. "I want you to be a very good mate, Raven," he whispered, his lips grazing mine. "I want you to stop fighting me and start convincing me that I should stay quiet.”He waited, watching the terror battle with my desperate need to protect Eilis and myself. He knew he had won. My resistance had crumbled."Fine, just... don't...please."The Wolf’s chuckle was dark. "I knew you were a smart little bird."He claimed my mouth with a hunger that was raw and unfiltered, his tongue forcing my lips apart. One hand stayed pinned to my jaw, tilting my head back, while the other wandered. I gasped as he took hold of the lace on my silk
The walk through the corridors felt like a slow march toward my death. The wolves fingers digged into the nape of my neck with a possessive strength that forced me to stumble along beside him. Every guard we passed bowed, their eyes lowered, unaware that the man they were honoring was currently a passenger in his own body.We reached the heavy oak doors of our chambers. The moment the latch clicked shut, the atmosphere shifted. The "Prince" didn't even wait for me to turn around before he shoved the doors closed with a force that made the hinges groan.I scrambled away, putting the distance of the rug between us, my hands shaking so hard I had to tuck them into my sleeves.The Wolf didn't move toward me immediately. He stood by the door, letting the heavy fur cloak slide off his shoulders. It pooled at his feet, leaving him bare and scarred, illuminated by the dim morning light filtering through the high windows. He stretched, a slow, languid movement that made his muscles ripple li
The three enforcers lay in the dirt of the pit, whimpering and defeated. Eilis—in his massive black wolf form—stood over them, his head held high, his golden eyes glowing with a terrifying, calm brilliance.He had done it. He had fought the Feral blood and won.The silence in the chamber was broken by the King standing from his throne, a rare, genuine smile ghosting his lips."The beast is mastered," the King proclaimed, his voice booming with pride. "The North has its Prince."A roar of approval went up from the stands. Even Arden sat back, his face a mask of rage, though his eyes remained fixed on Eilis with a calculating coldness.Eilis turned toward me. He walked with a grace that was entirely too human for a creature of his size. He stopped just inches away, lowering his head so I could press my forehead against his soft ears one last time before the change.Then, the shift began.It was faster than the first time, the bones sliding back into place with a series of wet thuds. The
The sun hadn’t even broken the horizon when the guards came for us.Eilis hadn’t spoken a word since we climbed out of bed, and I was too shy to bring up anything.He looked like a real prince today. He wore heavy black furs and leather, his hair pulled back tightly, exposing the sharp, jagged lines of his jaw. He didn't look at me, but his hand stayed clamped on my waist as we walked toward the Great Hall, his grip so firm it was almost painful."Remember," he whispered as we reached the massive stone archway of the Council Chamber. "Whatever you see, whatever he does... do not run. If you run, if it goes wrong anything can happen."I nodded, my throat too dry to swallow.The doors swung open.The chamber was huge and round. Tiers of seats rose up toward a vaulted ceiling, packed with the Alphas of the North. Hundreds of eyes—most of them glowing with that faint, predatory amber—fixed on us the moment we stepped into the pit.At the center of the room stood a single iron platform.
The next morning, Denis didn't give me the luxury of a slow recovery. I could still feel the meat turning in my stomach.He arrived at my chambers while the mist was still thick against the glass, carrying a wooden practice stave. He didn't look like a playful attendant today, I didn't know Denis co
The "Blood Feast" was held in the smaller dining hall.I sat at the center of the long, dark table, surrounded by the Alphas of the Council. They didn't speak to me. They just watched, their eyes tracking the way my throat moved every time I swallowed a sip of water. I wore the most restrictive gown
The morning did not bring the soft, golden light of a new beginning. As I sat by the window in my chambers, the silk of my morning gown felt like a shroud. My body still ached—a dull, rhythmic thrumming in my lower back and the sharp, stinging memory of the bite on my neck.I had survived the ball,
Eilis looked ready to snap her in half, his posture a jagged 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 to softly, I was weak, but if I spoke too firmly, my voice would betr







