The scent of blood lingers thick in the air, mixing with the damp earth beneath my boots. The moon barely cuts through the thick canopy of trees, casting long shadows over the fallen bodies. Their lifeless forms lie sprawled across the ground, the fight drained from them. It was over fastâtoo fast. Three rogues, dead before they even had a chance to scream. Itâs not satisfying. Itâs just... work.Ethan nudges one of the corpses with his boot, his expression bored. "Well, that was disappointing," he mutters, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was hoping theyâd at least put up a decent fight. Maybe throw a punch or two. But no, they just flopped over like dead fish. Pathetic."I wipe the blood off my blade, watching as the crimson soaks into the dirt. The forest is quiet now, the only sound the rustle of leaves in the wind. "They werenât fighters," I say, my voice even. "Just scouts. Testing the borders. Seeing how far they could push before we pushed back."Ethan scoffs, stepping
The market square is bustling, the air thick with the scent of fresh bread and ripe fruit. I weave through the crowd, my basket swinging at my side, when I see him. Darius. My heart skips a beat, then plummets. Heâs standing by the fountain, his dark hair catching the sunlight, his posture relaxed and confident. But itâs not just him. Thereâs a girl beside him, her laughter ringing out like a bell, too loud, too close. Sheâs beautiful, with black curls and a smile that seems to stretch too wide. Theyâre leaning in, heads almost touching, and my chest tightens.I shouldnât care. Weâre not officially mated yet, but weâre fated. Heâs mine, and Iâm his. So why does it feel like a knife is twisting in my gut?His head snaps up, as if he senses me watching. Our eyes lock, and for a moment, the world narrows to just him. His lips curl into that familiar smirk, the one that makes my stomach flutter even when I know it shouldnât. He raises a hand, beckoning me over. My feet move before
The dining hall hums with the clinking of silverware and the low murmur of conversation. The long wooden table is overflowing with roasted meats, steaming vegetables, and goblets of deep red wine that glisten under the flickering chandelier light. The air smells of rosemary and thyme, mingling with the faint metallic tang of the silverware. I move quietly around the table, refilling glasses and serving plates, trying to stay invisible. Itâs a skill Iâve perfected over the yearsâbeing unseen, unheard. But tonight, my hands tremble, my thoughts a chaotic mess.At the head of the table, Alpha Rowan, my uncle, commands attention effortlessly. His hard golden eyes sweep over the council members as he discusses pack resources, his deep voice cutting through the room like a blade. Heâs dressed in his usual dark tunic, the fabric tailored to perfection, the golden crest of Moonhaven embroidered on his chest. He looks every bit the Alpha, every bit the man who holds my fate in his hands.
I sift through the files in my fatherâs royal study, the scent of aged parchment and oak filling the air. The fireplace crackles in the corner, casting flickering shadows across the dark walls lined with books of law, history, and the many conquests of Golden Crest. My fatherâs meticulous handwriting marks the margins of various documents, but one file catches my eyeâa thick, yellowed folder labeled 'Moonhaven Case'.I pull it out and flip through the contents, my brow furrowing with every page. Moonhaven. The wolf pack that somehow broke out of Golden Crestâs authority. A lawless land, untouched by the kingdom's rule. And yet, here it isâa case file, an unresolved issue, one that should have been dealt with ten years ago.I clench my jaw. How the hell did my father let this slide?I slam the folder shut and lean back in the chair, my fingers drumming against the polished wood of his desk. This is unacceptable. A pack operating outside of our rule is a direct threat to our sove
The kitchen is hot, steam rising from the pots on the stove and clinging to my skin like a second layer. My arms ache from carrying the pail of milk, the weight of it pulling at my shoulders. Iâm not built for thisânot like them. My human body is weak compared to theirs, and the cook never lets me forget it.âHurry up, girl!â she snaps, her voice sharp as a whip. âYouâre slower than a snail in winter. Whatâs taking you so long?âI bite my tongue, forcing myself not to respond. Sheâs been scolding me all morning, even though Iâve been on my feet since dawn, scrubbing floors, peeling vegetables, and hauling supplies. Nothing I do is ever enough for her. âIâm sorry,â I mutter, setting the pail down with a thud. My hands are trembling, and I can feel the blisters forming on my palms. âIâll try to be faster.ââTry?â she scoffs, her hands on her hips. âYou should be doing, not trying. Useless, thatâs what you are. A human in a wolfâs world. What good are you?âI flinch at her words, but
Theoâs room smells like himâlike rain and something faintly metallic, like the edge of a storm. Iâm on my knees, scrubbing at a stubborn stain on the wooden floor, my hands raw and stinging from the soap. The pack house is never clean enough for them, and neither am I. But Theoâs room is different. Itâs quieter here, softer. The walls are lined with books, and the bed is always unmade, like heâs just rolled out of it. I donât mind cleaning this space. It feels like the closest Iâll ever get to being part of something.The door creaks open, and I freeze. Heâs here. I donât look up, not right away. I keep scrubbing, even though my hands are trembling. I can feel his eyes on me, heavy and unreadable. âYou donât always have to do that,â Theo says, his voice low and steady. I finally glance up, and there he is, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed. Heâs wearing a dark sweater that makes his hair look even lighter, almost golden in the dim light. He sends me a small smi
The grand hall of the estate is eerily silent, save for the steady click of my fatherâs polished shoes against the marble floor. He stands in front of me, arms crossed, exuding the usual 'I-am-your-father-and-you-will-listen-to-me' energy. My mother is beside him, a perfectly composed ice sculpture in a designer dress, her sharp grey eyesâour sharp grey eyesâassessing me with the usual judgment."You're in charge while we're gone," my father announces, his voice firm and unyielding, as if he hasnât already said this a hundred times.I donât respond immediately, my hands shoved into the pockets of my tailored jacket. Instead, I glance out the tall windows, where the late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the estate grounds. The weight of his words settles over me, heavy and familiar. "Iâm aware," I finally say, my tone low and measured.He raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my lack of enthusiasm. "This isnât a joke, Caspian. The rogues are becoming bolder. Theyâre not
(Before Goldencrest)The scent of pine and damp stone lingers in the air as I scrub the floors of the waiting area in the packhouse, the soapy water cool against my raw, reddened palms. The bristles of the brush scrape against the wooden planks, the repetitive motion soothing in a way that almost lets me forget where I amâwhat I am.Almost.Boots clunk against the floor, tracking dirt and grime over the freshly scrubbed surface. No one spares me a glance, no one acknowledges the work I do. Itâs expected of me, the human among wolves, the weakest link in a pack that prides itself on strength. Even if my mother was once Alpha. Even if my uncle is now the reigning one. None of that matters. Iâm nothing but an obligation, a stain they havenât yet scrubbed away.A shadow falls over me, and before I can look up, the metal bucket beside me clatters to the ground. Water spills across the floor, soaking into my pants, drenching the small space I just finished cleaning."Oops," a voice draw
The music swells around us, soft yet powerful, the perfect melody for a moment like this. My hand rests in Caspian's, and my other rests lightly on his shoulder as we glide across the ballroom floor. The golden chandeliers overhead bathe us in warm light, making everything shimmerâmy silver gown, the golden embroidery on Caspianâs regal suit, the crown atop his head, and the one newly placed upon mine.The ceremony was breathtaking, a moment forever etched in my soul. I was not just Caspianâs mate nowâI was his queen, standing beside him in every sense of the word. And now, at the reception, with laughter and celebration all around us, I finally allow myself to breathe, to feel the joy that tonight has brought.Caspian pulls me closer, his breath teasing my ear as he murmurs, âI have half a mind to steal you away from all these people.âI smile, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. âAnd risk the wrath of Cassidy? Sheâs spent a week planning this. I donât think even you, King of Gol