LOGINThe heavy doors had barely hissed shut behind Kael before the vacuum he left was filled with a frantic energy from the alphas still seated. It was as if the oxygen which was drained out moments ago had suddenly rushed back into the room, and every Alpha in the chamber was choking on it.Silas was the first to act as he slammed his fist onto the table, the sound echoing like a gunshot. "One security signal? A unified network? He’s not asking for cooperation, that monster is blatantly asking for our throats!" He hissed with disdain and the veins on his head looked like they were about to pop out. His Luna was on the side trying to tell him to calm down but he shrugged her off. "It’s worse than a takeover," Miller of the West added, his voice thin and shrill. He was pacing the length of the glass window, his reflection ghostly against the drop of the valley. "If he controls the encryption, he controls all our movements, our trade, and our very lives. We might as well hand him our title
Kael leaned back, his fingers interlaced over his midnight-blue tunic. He looked relaxed, almost bored, but his eyes were like two blue lasers scanning the room for any form of weaknesses."The borders," Kael began, his voice dropping into a deceptively calm tone. "I’ve spent the morning reviewing the satellite feeds from the Southern Reach and the Northern pack.” He paused as he let the words sink in and I could see all the alphas gulping nervously. “It’s fascinating, really.” He grinned, but it was clearly not out of amusement. “We spend billions on drone technology and biometric fencing, yet the reports of rogue incursions have tripled in the last quarter."Alpha Silas cleared his throat, the sound like gravel in a blender. "Your Majesty, the terrain in the Ridge is difficult and the rogues are using the old mining tunnels to bypass the sensors. We are doing everything we possibly can to….""Everything?" Kael interrupted. He didn't raise his voice, but the word cut through the air
The air in the Grand Hall didn't just feel cold and suffocating, it felt thin, as if Kael were personally consuming all the oxygen as he descended the final steps of the dais. My heart was thumping frantically against my ribs, the vibration traveling through all the pulse and cores in my body.Cade’s reaction was definitely not to be missed as well. His hand, previously resting with fake affection on my arm, suddenly clamped down. His fingers dug into my bicep, his knuckles turning a ghostly white as he held me possessively with jealousy. It wasn't a gesture of protection but it was just a brand of ownership that he wanted everyone to see. Kael didn't look at the Alphas bowing in his wake. He didn't look at the opulent decorations or the shimmering chandeliers. His eyes…. those predatory, piercing blue were locked onto mine. Every step he took toward us felt like a countdown as the distance closed from ten feet, five, three…and I found myself holding my breath, my lungs burning, wait
The air in the waiting room was filled with the scent of high-grade cologne, cedar, and the sharp smell of shifting wolf-energy. It was a holding pen for the most powerful people in the territory, yet as we stood behind the massive, carved black doors, we all looked like children waiting for the principal.Cade was vibrating as his fingers flew to his tie for the tenth time in as many minutes, straightening the silver silk until it was likely to fray."Risa, look at me," he hissed, his voice thin. "Is the crest straight? Do I look... solid? The lighting in here is unforgiving." He kept complaining. I leaned against the cold stone wall, swirling the champagne in my flute. "You look like you're about to shit yourself.” I said without looking at him. “Relax. It’s a summit, not a firing squad.""Easy for you to say," he snapped, his eyes darting to the heavy doors as the announcer’s voice boomed from the other side, calling in the Eastern Ridge. "You’re wearing a dress that makes you loo
I sat before the mirror in my silk bathrobe, my movements slow and deliberate as I applied a dark, smoky shadow to my lids. I looked like a woman preparing for war, which, in a way, I was.Really, it was exhausting, having to do all these and appear perfect all the time, but I had no choice. The door to the room opened, and Cade walked in, the heavy tread of his boots echoing on the marble. Without a word, he tossed a garment bag onto the chaise lounge and dropped his smartphone onto my dresser with a sharp clack."I had the stylists bring this up from the local boutique," he said, his voice tight with an unearned sense of authority. "It’s silver and traditional. It matches my tie and the Northern crest. So wear it." He said casually. I didn't even pause my eyeliner. He wanted me to wear a dress just because it matched his tie? He must be joking. "I’ve already seen it, Cade." I said curtly. "And?" he pressed, leaning against the doorframe. "I know you’re sitting there planning how
I lay in bed as the darkness of the room covered me whole, the expensive silk sheets feeling like sandpaper against my skin. Beside me, Cade’s breathing was deep and peaceful like the sound of a man with a clear conscience, or perhaps just a man who felt entirely too secure in his power. He was sleeping way too peacefully for a man that was worried all day, while I couldn't get a moment to shut my eyes. I've been tossing and turning all night, feeling very uncomfortable. I rolled onto my side, my eyes tracing the silhouette of his face in the shadows. Even now, after everything, he was devastatingly handsome. His eyelashes cast long, feathery shadows against his cheekbones, and the harsh line of his jaw had softened in sleep. For a fleeting, weak second, my hand twitched. I wanted to reach out, to trace the bridge of his nose, to feel the familiar warmth of his skin and pretend even if it was just for a moment that the last five years were just a bad dream that I could wake up from.
The air in the room was suffocating as Cade released his Alpha pheromones and it filled my senses but the sweet scent which usually turned me on only made me sick in the stomach now. He looked at me with eyes not full of longing, but I could see anger and possession in those grey depths. "You thin
The morning air was unusually cold this morning. It seemed to seep through the heavy crimson silk of my dress and find its way all the way to my bones. I stood on the drive way, the rising sun casting pale shadows across the stone steps of the estate. My head throbbed painfully as I struggled to ke
I turned to head inside, desperate to scrub the feel of Cade's touch from my skin, but his voice caught me, low and gravelly with a paranoia he couldn't seem to shake."It doesn't make sense, Risa," he muttered, pacing a short line on the gravel. "A King wouldn't just survey the North for the fresh
The gray light of dawn filtered through the curtains of the guest room at the far end of the mansion, casting long shadows across the floor. I yawned, scratching my eyes as I sat up. I didn't sleep early and I annoyingly woke up way too early. I was probably too stressed and my body was refusing to







