LOGINLanaThe Moon Goddess just threatened me. Could she truly do that? I wondered.As if she could read thoughts, she tilted her head and spoke. "I can threathen you and I certainly have every power to enforce it. You forget that you are my subject, Lana. So is every other wolf in every packs across the world."“I have not been wasting time,” I argued. “I’ve been trying to figure things out, okay? I’ve been trying to get proof against Diego and Amethyst and—”"Oh, really? Hmm. Then enlighten me, Lana Steele. How long have you been in Sapphire’s body?”I blinked, wonding where that question was coming from. “Two months," I answered.“Two months...” she repeated flatly. “And somehow that was not enough to do what needs to be done?”“It’s not like I’ve just been sitting around doing nothing. I have been trying to get evidence against Diego and Amethyst. It’s just—” I exhaled sharply before continuing. “It’s been almost impossible. Ashton has people looking into Silvercrest, but nothing concr
LanaI had been walking for a while now. I halted on my steps and took one look behind me.I saw nothing but an empty road. No towering gates, no guards. No King’s Estate.Good.I turned around and kept walking, my boots crunching over the dry path as I pushed through the dark road ahead.I hadn't walked all the way from the Estate on foot. I had stolen a car— well… borrowed it temporarily but I decided to ditch it for it could be tracked.I was safer on foot... safer away from him.My chest tightened so hard I had to stop for a second.Ashton.The second his face crossed my mind, that same ugly ache pressed into my ribs all over again.I swallowed but I kept walking.I now understood why he did it and that was the annoying part.That was what made it hurt worse.Because some stupid part of me understood.But understanding didn’t make it okay.It didn’t make it hurt less that he looked me in my face and decided I was the problem. That I was too broken. Too paranoid. Too… unstable.My
AshtonThe door opened almost immediately, Diana stepped in.For a brief second, the room looked less miserable.She still had on that red dress from earlier, though she had taken off the heavier jewelry. She looked… easier like this. Less curated.A sight for sore eyes, one might say.Unfortunately, I had other problems.Before she had even crossed fully into the room, I had already swept the last of the Silvercrest reports into the locked lower drawer of my desk. The papers disappeared beneath wood and keys with all the dignity they did NOT deserve.No one needed to know I was investigating Diego.“Am I interrupting something?” she inquired, her voice light.“Yes,” I said.She blinked at first then chuckled softly.I allowed myself the faintest curve of amusement before motioning toward the chair across from me. “Take a seat, since you’re determined to do so anyway.”She smiled and crossed the room, settling elegantly into the seat.“Is everything alright?”“Yes.”“That answer was s
AshtonI stood at the doorway a bit longer just watching her lay still beneath the covers, her breathing slow and even, her lashes resting against her cheeks like none of tonight had happened.The way she had looked at me with that expression right before the sleep took her wasn't something I enjoyed very much.I wanted to go closer again. Instead, I looked away first.Cowardly, maybe.Necessary, definitely.I turned and walked to the door, then paused with my hand on the handle. One last glance.She still hadn’t moved.Good. That meant my influence had settled properly.I stepped out and shut the door quietly behind me.Two guards were already standing outside with their backs straight and heads lowered.“Stay here,” I ordered. “No one goes in. No one. Am I clear?"“Yes, Your Majesty.”I held their gaze a second longer just to make sure they understood I meant exactly what I said, so excuses later on will be void. Then I walked off down the corridor.Thinking back to what I had to do
LanaUnstable.That word did not just hit me. It ripped it's way right through me.My eyes stayed locked on Ashton’s face, but everything inside me was shaking so badly it felt like my bones had gone loose under my skin.Unstable?Was that what he thought of me?Was that what he had reduced me to after everything?I tried to speak, gods, I tried.My throat strained but not so much as a squeal could come out.Ashton saw it my internal struggle and his expression changed just a little into something of regret.Too late for that now!“I’m sorry,” he whispered under his breath.Sorry?My fingers twitched uselessly at my sides.Sorry?He had me trapped in my own body and he was saying sorry like that fixed shit.His voice dropped lower.“Forgive me for this ”A tear slipped down before I could stop it.Humiliating.I hated that he saw it.I hated that he was the reason for it.He took one slow breath, then said, “I’m doing this because I care for you.”I stared at him.No no, don’t do that
Lana“Why don’t you see it?”The question tore out of my lips before I could smooth it down into something calmer.My throat was already hurting from everything I had swallowed tonight, and the words came out rough, cracked at the edges.Ashton stood in front of me in the dim corridor, completely quiet. Not saying anything at all.I swallowed hard and asked again, quieter this time, but no less sharp.“Why don’t you see what she’s doing?”Finally, he spoke.“What are you talking about, Lana?”A humorless laugh slipped out of me.What was I talking about? Seriously?I stared at him, my fingers curling so tightly into my palms my nails bit skin.“Diana. I’m talking about Diana. She has been all over you since the day she got here. She follows you around, touches you whenever she can, stands too close and talks like she already belongs beside you—” My breath caught, but I pushed through it anyway. “Why can’t you see that she obviously wants you?!”The second the words left my mouth, my c
LanaMy voice had came out harsher than I intended, tearing cleanly through the quiet state of willow hollow.Diana, at first staring at me, her expression changed so fast it almost would’ve fooled me if I didn’t already know better.Her eyes widened, lips parted. Her hand even lifted to her chest
LanaI wanted to say something. Anything.Stop! Wait! She’s lying. It wasn’t Sloan.But the words never made it past my throat.I just stood there as the guards dragged the maid away like she weighed nothing. Her feet scraped against the ground while her voice cracked from all the crying she had be
LanaBefore night even had the chance to settle properly, I was already standing in front of the mirror, trying to make myself look perfect for tonight.I dragged the lipstick carefully across my bottom lip, then pressed both lips together.My hair had taken forever but I made it work.Sapphire was
LanaI stared at Diana and almost laughed. But not because anything was funny. But because she was so full of crap.“They aren’t really important,” she had said.Right.A noble daughter whose parents were somehow not important? Please.I kept my face calm, but inside, my thoughts were already clawi







