LOGINDebbie The white room felt like a cold, porcelain tomb. I lay on the bed, my skin nearly as pale as the silk gown they forced me to wear. Every time I breathed, the fabric brushed against my stomach, reminding me of the emptiness there. The silence in the room was so heavy it felt like it was crushing my ribs. The heavy door creaked open. I didn't turn my head. I knew the sound of those footsteps—slow, deliberate, and dragging. It was the old woman. She had been coming for days, a shadow in the corner of my nightmare. She lacked the cruelty of the guards, but she had a cold, hard honesty that was almost worse than the guards'. She set a wooden tray on the bedside table. The smell of broth made my stomach churn. "King-maker," she said, her voice like dry leaves rubbing together. "Your food is here. You cannot keep starving yourself." "Stop calling me that," I whispered. My throat felt like it was filled with broken glass. “King-maker,” she called again, like she didn't just hear
Black I stood outside the heavy doors of the guest wing, my hands balled into fists. One of the palace maids stood before me, her head bowed, trembling as she gave me the news. "She won't eat, Alpha," the girl whispered. "She pushed the tray off the bed. She hasn't touched a drop of water since... since the procedure." I felt a vein throb in my forehead. Gosh! Debbie was a lot of work. This girl would do everything to make my life difficult. It was this same report every given time. I paced the hallway, the sound of my shoes echoing like gunshots against the marble floor. Wasn't I the one who should be angry? For the sake of peace, I was the one who had to deal with the fact that my wife had been carrying another man’s child—a bastard that didn't even have my blood—while she was under my roof. And yet, she was the one playing the victim. She was the one acting like her world had ended. "I don't care if she wants it or not," I growled, turning on the maid. "If she refuses to open
Rain. “She did,” Rex replied, as if where that girl had been was one of the special vacation resorts. Thinking of it alone, how she must have been taking her bath in the basement—however Rex made that possible—was already making me nauseous. Rex was cold. Hard-hearted. We knew that. But to this level? Who knew how long she would have been there if this need didn't arise? She would have died there for all we know. She deserved it though. "I need a warm bath," Chloe said, looking at us with pleading eyes. "A very warm bath. Your brother has been giving me cold water this whole time. Look at me. I look malnourished." I snorted. What a joke. "Was there ever a time you actually looked nourished?" I asked, giving her a disgusted look. "Rain," Rex warned. "What?" I snapped. "I didn't forgive her just because she’s been in your basement. I spent weeks looking for her, wanting to deal with her myself for what she did to Debbie. If I had known she was just downstairs, she wouldn't have
Rain I stared at the woman standing at the bottom of the stairs, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe. My heart was slamming against my ribs like a trapped bird. Was I dreaming? No. I wasn't. And I was sure of it. So how? How was Chloe coming not from the door, but descending like she was coming from one of the places inside our house? "What is she doing here?" I growled. My voice sounded like gravel grinding together. "Is this a joke, Rex? Is this some kind of sick ghost story?" River looked like he had seen a demon. "This is Chloe," he whispered. "How is she here? Rex, I… how come? I thought you said... the fuck?" He cursed. Chloe took a small step forward. Her skin was a sickly gray color. Her hair was matted, and she smelled like old dust and damp stone. I knew she wasn't among the top one million good-looking people, but right now, even if the world were ranked, she wasn't among the top one billion. She moved, about to step into the space where we were. "Hey!
Rain."Wait, wait, wait," I said, waving my hand dramatically. "stop all these! stop!" I snapped."The fuck is going on here? You guys are making my head spin. King maker, Queen maker, One at a time please! what the fuck!""I already have a lot going on. Don't make me go razz. What exactly is a King-maker? And why does it matter right now? And why is Debbie the King-maker? or whatever shit you call it."Rex took a slow breath. "Calm down, Rain. I'll explain.""Okay.""The truth is… Black, the son of the Grand Alpha, was born without a wolf."I nearly jumped off the couch. "What?""He was born without a wolf," Rex repeated. "No animal inside. No Alpha power. He's empty, hollow."River let out a roar of laughter that sounded more like a bark. "That bastard doesn't even have a wolf? And I didn't beat him to a bloody pulp all this time? I could have crushed his skull!""Can I finish?" Rex asked, his hand coming up to quiet River.He went quiet."So what's up with the King-maker shit?" I a
RainI sat on the couch, my jaw so tight it felt like the bone might snap. My hand throbbed, a dull, pulsing heat where the bullet had chewed through my skin. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the fire in my gut. I watched River pace. His boots were hitting the floor like a hammer on a nail."I don't like the way Rex is acting," River muttered. He didn't look at me; he was just staring at the hallway where Rex had disappeared. "This is a very critical thing when all of us are supposed to sit down and talk things out. He can't just walk out like that.We were at the company. You and I left, and he stayed back with that man, playing favourite. Now we are back here, instead of him coming here to sit down and talk about how we would get through this thing, he just went inside, no words. Days are counting. We are banned from the palace."River was ranting.I leaned back. My head was full, and the last thing I wanted to hear were those rants. "Leave Rex alone," I growled. "That'
Debbie I knew the rut was tearing him apart. In the kitchen, I saw the way he gripped the counter occasionally, his knuckles white, trying to keep himself together. I’m not an expert on male anatomy, but I know enough. I had seen enough from his brothers to have known that my presence—my scent, my
Debbie.What?Did he just say they should trash them?“Rain. Why? Why should they trash the clothes?” I asked.His hand flew to his hair, scratching irritably.He turned to me, arching a brow. “Really, Debbs? You really asking me that? Like… can't you see why?”I frowned. I didn't even understand w
DebbieHe was giving me a black card?Like I should take it, not even borrow it?“What’s… Rex, no, no, no. I… I can’t,” I stuttered. “Thanks, but… no. Please. No. I don’t need… I don’t need this.”He smiled. A smile that was barely there. “Debbie,” he called calmly. “You do need it. Please take it.
Debbie.My eyes widened, River.He had just kissed me. And no, he wasn't done.His lips were still there on my lips, moving softly.Pull away, Debbie, my brain whispered. This was wrong. Besides, I haven't even recovered from what happened earlier with Rex and now, River.I had this strong will to







