LOGINDebraThe grand dining hall was suffocatingly bright. Hundreds of white candles burned in golden chandeliers hanging high above us, casting a warm light over a table that looked long enough to seat an entire army. The table was piled high with roasted meats, exotic fruits, and sparkling crystal glasses filled with wine.I sat near the middle of the table, dressed in a soft blue silk gown that the palace maids had brought to my room. It wasn't as fine as the dresses Heather wore, but I made sure I looked magnificent. I held my glass with two fingers, taking small, dainty sips of wine, King Aldous sat at the head of the table, eating heartily and barking orders at the servants lining the walls but my eyes barely paid any attention to him.My attention was fixed on the far end of the table. Prince Keith sat in his wheelchair, looking impossibly broad and handsome in a dark velvet jacket trimmed with silver thread. He ate slowly, his face cold, and unreadable. Beside him sat Heather, dres
DebraThe massive gates of the royal palace swung open, the heavy chains groaning as my carriage rolled into the courtyard. I pressed my face against the small window, my eyes wide as I took in the sheer size of the place. Tall white towers stretched up into the sky, the walls were lined with armed guards in shining armor, and the gardens were perfectly trimmed.A bitter taste filled my mouth, this was where Heather lived. My weak, pathetic stepsister was sleeping under a roof of gold while I was stuck in a dying pack, listening to my parents scream at each other about our lack of food and resources. It made my blood boil, all of this should have been mine.The carriage finally rolled to a stop in front of the grand entrance, a palace servant in a crisp uniform immediately rushed forward and opened my door, bowing low.I didn't step out right away. I sat back in the velvet seat, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I needed to get into character. I thought about the fear of losing
HeatherPrince Ezra didn't look like the other stiff, serious royals. There was a relaxed, unserious air about him. He strolled over to me with his hands tucked casually into his pockets, his bright eyes taking in my swollen face and messy hair."I... I am sorry," I stammered, quickly turning my head away and furiously wiping my cheeks with the back of my hands. "I thought I was alone, I will leave."I started to stand up, but Ezra gently reached out and pushed my shoulder, urging me to sit back down. "Don't run away on my account," he said, his voice smooth and easy. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pristine, white silk handkerchief, he held it out to me. "Here. Your sleeves are going to be ruined if you keep using them as a towel."I hesitated for a moment, looking at the fine cloth, before slowly taking it from his hand. "Thank you, Your Highness.""Just Ezra, please," he said, waving his hand dismissively. He didn't stand over me awkwardly. Instead, he simply dropped do
HeatherThe morning sun was too bright, it poured through the glass windows of my bedroom, falling across the empty side of the bed. I sat up slowly, rubbing my tired eyes. I hadn't slept well. My mind had been spinning all night, filled with the image of Keith choosing Nyles over me, defending her while she attacked me in this very room. I thought the pain would be a little duller this morning, but it felt just as sharp and fresh as it did when it just happened.There was a soft, hesitant knock on my door. Before I could even answer, Lucinda slipped inside. She was holding a pile of freshly folded towels, but her face was pale, and her eyes were darting nervously around the room. She looked like she had just seen a ghost."Good morning, Lucinda," I said, my voice hoarse."Good morning, Princess Heather," she replied quickly. She walked over to the washbasin and set the towels down. Her hands were shaking slightly, she kept her head down, avoiding my eyes completely.I frowned, pushin
KeithThe wheels of my chair rattled softly against the floor of the long corridors. My heart hammered against my ribs, my mind was racing through a hundred different scenarios, and every single one of them ended with my uncle finding out I could walk, and my head rolling across the throne room floor.I kept my hands resting weakly on my lap, I could feel Nyles's smug presence behind me. She was practically vibrating with victory.We finally reached the door of the King's private chambers. The two royal guards standing watch immediately stood at attention, crossing their halberds."The King is expecting us," Nyles said, the guards pulled the doors open. King Aldous looked up as we entered. As Nyles pushed me further into the room, my uncle's eyes darted from my face to the woman standing behind my chair. His deep frown instantly deepened into a scowl of disgust."What is the meaning of this?" the King demanded, he slammed his goblet down on the desk, "Why is this maid in my chambers?
DebraThe loud voices of my parents echoed through the long, empty hallway of our home. I stood near the door of my room, listening to them yell at each other. My mother was crying, her voice cracking, and my father was shouting, kicking the furniture in the living room. It had been like this for days.Our pack was in deep trouble.I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes, the fear in my chest was heavy and suffocating. Our enemies were closing in, our resources were drying up, and our pack warriors were losing hope. If care was not taken, we were going to lose everything we had. We were going to be wiped out completely. If we lose this pack, my parents will turn into nobodies. They might even end up dead and everything I had enjoyed my whole life… the fine dresses, the warm food, the respect from the servants would be gone in a blink of an eye.I opened my eyes and looked down at my hands, they were trembling. I couldn't believe my life had turned into this nightmare.Ju
Heather's POV"You can really walk?" I asked him, the words tumbling off my tongue just as the alarms were. I backed up to the wall and he walked up to me, not stopping until he was towering over me and breathing on my face. "I guess I should be expecting you to swoon over me now?" He said, a misc
Devontae KingdomHeather's POVEveryone in the hallway watched us quietly with their head bowed. Ella was sweating buckets. Was the prince that scary? I willed myself to speak up. I needed to clear up whatever misunderstanding this was."That wasn't what happened. This woman suddenly walked up to m
Devontae KingdomHeather's POVThis was definitely not how I envisioned my life to be. Being shipped off to some prince I knew nothing about was not what I wanted. It wasn't like anybody ever cared about what I wanted. It has always been me, I had learned to fend for myself from a very young age. I
Veeryl PackThree days laterHeather's POVThe day we had all been dreading was finally here. Debra's wedding day. At first, I thought Father was eventually going to change his mind. I thought he would never do such a thing to his most precious and beloved daughter but I was wrong. The preparations







