Bride of the Sea-King Alpha

LyraDays have passed, and I’m so exhausted from the jolting and rocking of the carriage that I’m ready to crawl into whatever bed the Sea-King Alpha provides me, no matter how frightening he turns out to be. Cally has fixed my makeup so many times that it must look caked on ten layers thick, and she’s redone my hair twice as often.But finally, the sharp, crystal spires of Oceana Castle, home of the Sea-King Alpha and his royal court, finally appear in the distance. I hitch a breath at its wonder, at least three to four times the size of my home back in Maelie. I always knew I’d been born into privilege, the way my father’s castle was covered in gold and jewels, and I always had anything I needed. It’s why I try not to complain about my betrothal to the Sea-King. Our people rely on the ocean so much for food, trade, defense, and survival.But this place…The castle and its land sit against a sharp cliff with ocean waves pounding the rocks below. The outer walls, made of thick, impene

Cassian‘Alpha, he wants to parley with you.’My Beta’s voice shoots through my head in the mind-link just as I make the final blow to the brown wolf in front of me, sinking my fangs into his neck. The taste of copper drips from my tongue, and I survey the battlefield.It is true, the Mountain-King Alpha’s army is backing off, though my people continue to chase after those who try to escape their immediate fights.‘Hold.’ I command in the community mind-link.Immediately, my warriors stop their aggressions, stepping back to form a line, waiting.‘Where is he?’ I ask Turgan.He runs up beside me, his black fur shimmering with the moisture of fresh blood. ‘Over the east hill ahead,’ he answers. ‘Shall I come along?’‘Aye.’He follows as I sprint up the hill, along with my footservant, who remains in human form far behind me, holding my bag.As expected, King Cobour awaits our discussion in human form, sitting in a gem-studded throne under a woven tent.‘He has a lust for wealth,’ I rema

CassianI detest training in human form. The scratchy, thick tunic beneath my armor barely holds its shape and does little to abate the chafing from the heavy metal plating. Swords and shields feel foreign in my arms, though I wield them with ease from years of training.I would much rather feel the grip of my teeth as they bear down on my enemy’s neck.But Phelan favors the old ways, a time when wolf shifters fought for—and won—control of all the lands. That was the time when wars meant lines of soldiers in glistening armor, their swords and shields falling with a clank against those of the enemy. It was a time when we fought as human as a nod to our past—when we were human.No one remembers the first child born with the ability to shift, nor does anyone remember how it occurred. Those days are lost in the mist of cold, ancient memories. Now, we train in human form because some of the elders think it makes us stronger.I beg to differ.Phelan approaches, his smile wide against the ta

LyraSeveral minutes pass, and the woman hasn’t returned to help me fasten my dress. I sure don’t miss her company, but I feel the cool air on my bare back and hope the Queen Mother doesn’t walk in to see me like this.There’s a dressing area in the suite, so I figure I can at least do something with my hair in the meantime, sitting on the velvet bench in front of the vanity.I hardly recognize my reflection when I look up at the mirror. Though clean and wet, tufts of my hair stick up over balls of mats, and my heart sinks. It will take forever to comb these out.But I have to try. The alternative is having that cold-mannered woman come back and start ripping half of it out of the follicles.So, I find a brush in a drawer and start working on the ends, gently pulling as I work my way up. It’s a slow process, but it’s working.I catch sight of my eyes in the mirror. Blotches of bluish-purple form a half-circle underneath them, the skin hollowed out. The whites of my eyes are speckled w

LyraConfusion overwhelms me, and I don’t know what to do.My entire body erupted in warm, electric shivers when the Alpha King’s hand brushed against mine. That, and the way his gaze penetrated straight into my soul, had my heart thumping so hard I could almost hear it.Then, he ran out, as soon as his mother was in the hands of the doctor, which I suppose they call a healer here.I’m not sure how I managed to stand back out of the way, but I can barely feel my legs now the way those strange trembles are still rumbling through my body.There’s another feeling that I just don’t understand, the burning ache coiled around every nerve as he sprinted out the door. The sensation has calmed now, but only slightly, still lingering and causing my hands to quiver.Flexing my fingers at my sides, I try to quell the emotion and remember to breathe. More people hurry in, circling around the Queen Mother and ensuring her comfort.The maiden who had been serving refreshments all day, who like me ha