LOGINMeanwhile, on the King’s side of the palace, the atmosphere was heavy and tense, as if the stone walls themselves were holding their breath.King Vance was recovering slowly, his condition far better than it had been in the days following the attack, but his strength had not fully returned. The attempt on his life had taken place inside his own palace. It was an act of open treachery that still unsettled him deeply. His guards had reacted quickly enough to prevent a fatal outcome, but the shock of the attack, combined with his age, had caused him to fall hard against the marble floor, which left his body bruised and aching. The Queen had summoned every skilled healer in the kingdom, and for days, the best medicines and tonics had been poured into him.Now that his body had begun to recover, it was his mind that suffered most.“The outcome of the battle is a disgrace,” the King said hoarsely, pressing his fingers to his temples as though he could ease his anger by force. “Our soldiers
Third POV“Your highness, I have looked at the wound again. It’s better than last time,” the Healer announced, his voice low and respectful. “I will put fresh salve on it now. Your wolf is strong. Your injuries have closed up better than I expected.”Prince Matthew, who was lying in his luxurious recovery bed, only gave a soft sound of agreement. “Hmm…”He watched the Healer work with hands that smelled of herbs. Matthew’s handsome features were set in a mask of regal boredom, but inside, a restless energy churned inside him. The battle was won, then lost after his near-death experience. When the Healer finally bowed and left the chamber, Matthew’s eyes snapped to the side of the room. His wife was standing there, silent as a shadow but impossibly bright. Princess Arielle. She was the most beautiful thing in the kingdom, like a moonlit flower that belonged only to him.“Come here, wife,” Matthew commanded, his voice deep and smooth. His tone had a purr of ownership.Arielle moved in
Layla The words Prince Lucian is awake struck me harder than any arrow ever could.For a moment, I simply stood there, staring at Pierce as if my mind had forgotten how to move, how to breathe, how to exist in a world where Lucian was no longer slipping away from me, and then my feet carried me forward on their own, my palms cold, my heart beating so loudly that it drowned out every other sound in the corridor.I pushed past Ser Lewis, who stepped aside at once, and into the chamber where the air smelled of bitter herbs and blood.Lucian lay against the pillows, so pale and wounded but he was very much alive and watching me.“You look,” he said hoarsely, his lips curving despite the pain, “like you are about to scold someone to death.”My breath caught.I crossed the room in three quick steps and stopped myself only at the edge of his bed.“You almost died,” I said, my voice trembling despite my effort to keep it stable. “You almost left me alone after our wedding day. Do you have an
LaylaThe antidote worked, though only barely, and even that small mercy felt like a miracle to me. Cam was doing everything in his power to stabilise Lucian, his hands moving quickly and carefully as he worked alongside Nurse Hilda. Hours had passed like years, and we were still waiting for the healer Alpha Pierce had promised would come. With every tick of time, my heart grew heavier, my fear sitting in my chest like a stone that refused to move.Then, without warning, the door finally opened.An old man stepped inside, wrapped in a dark robe that brushed the floor, and on his chest was the unmistakable crest of the Blackwood family. It was the same symbol I had seen etched into Alpha Pierce’s sword.“Your Highness,” the old man said, bowing his head slightly. “I am Edwin, healer of House Blackwood. I will be treating the prince.”Relief washed over me so suddenly that my knees nearly gave way.“Thank you, Healer,” I said, my voice softer than I intended, weighed down by the fear I
Layla The wind came in sideways rattling the peach leaves above me. They shuddered like nervous fingers. I reached out and brushed one low-hanging branch, my skin catching on something sticky. Its sap wasthick and amber, clinging stubbornly to the stem. Ants swarmed it. An entire black river of them moved with ruthless purpose. One ant—larger than the others—lay lifeless on its back, legs curled inward. The living carried it together, dragging the body downward toward the roots, toward the earth that would reclaim it. No ceremony. No grief. Only duty. I wonder if humans could be like this. “What are you staring at so intensely, Layla?” Rosie’s voice cut through the quiet. When it was just us, she never bothered with titles. I appreciated that more than she knew. “Nothing,” I said, withdrawing my hand. “I’m waiting for Ser Gregor.” She stepped beside me, folding her arms. “You’re really taking Princess Arielle’s offer seriously? A healer she recommended?” Her tone sharpened.
Lucian"He is being cocky," I heard Rupert Greyson say as Prince Matthew was gloating over killing 20 big wolves. Yes, the rogues were bigger, and they caused quite a lot of damage to our enemy, but we were able to kill them all. "Where is the younger Ashbourne?"He was talking about Prince Maximillian, whom I heard left for the elf kingdom with the royal envoy for the annual meeting, which we all know was nothing but a diplomatic farce."He would put a dagger into your heart if he heard you calling him an Ashbourne," Pierce Blackwood said. He was the heir of the Blackwood family, while Rupert was the heir of the Greyson family. The Blackwood family was my mother's family, while Greyson was my paternal grandmother's family. Princess Arielle was a Greyson as well. Rupert was her brother. The three of us were close in the future, but not so much now."The so-called Stark princes are more Ashbourne than they are Starks," Rupert said. "Oh, don't tell the king; he will have me executed for







