The double doors suddenly being pushed open caught my attention and I turned to see Isaac stumbling into the room, disheveled and out of breath. “I- …What’s happening?” He frowned, eyes flickering back and forth between me and the Lycan king.It didn’t take long for me to win the king over and convi
BiancaIsaac’s eyes flicked to the faint red lipstick smeared across my index and middle fingers. I smirked and gave them a little wiggle, then wiped the lipstick across the collar of his shirt.He still smelled like another woman, too—tangy sweet perfume, like hibiscus and rosewater. It was a nice
Isaac froze. Even with his back turned to me, I could practically hear the gears turning in his head, and then, finally, his shoulders sagged.Battle won.…I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my room, smoothing my hands over the soft gray fabric of my dress. It hung somewhat loosely on my
BiancaThe moment we stepped into the grand banquet hall, which was bustling with people and servants, I turned on my social mode like a switch. A radiant, welcoming smile stretched across my face as we entered, and I even gently placed my hand on the slight swell of my belly just to sell the point.
My mother, in all of her radiance and humor and beautiful brutality, was here.Hanging on the wall of the Lycan estate.Suddenly, I felt a warmth at my side that made me jump. Startled out of my reverie, I glanced over to see Isaac staring up at the painting with a drink now in each hand.“That’s yo
BiancaWithout another glance at Isaac or Ella, I beelined for Vera. I needed to know exactly why she had come—why she had the audacity to show up here after everything.“Vera—” I began as I approached, fully intending to give her what-for or maybe even slap her in public.But before I could finish,
Waiting.Finally, I reached out and took the ring, feeling its cool weight settle between my fingers. It was the real one, the very same one my mother had worn all her life. The one legacy I had left of her.“Father wanted to extend his apologies for not giving it to you on your eighteenth instead,”
BiancaThe dance ended more quickly than I expected, although maybe that was because I was lost in the subtle glow of the moonstone on my pinky finger. Not the cerulean blue of Isaac’s eyes, of course. Never those.As soon as the string quartet finished playing, the large double doors to the grand b
“Don’t go,” she whispered. “Stay this time. Please stay.”Isaac swallowed hard, continuing his journey back to her chambers. Her sleep-talking continued in broken fragments—pleas for her mother to stay, promises about the baby, even a few fearful murmurs about her father.When they reached her room,
IsaacThe announcement of the baby shower had spiraled into something much bigger than Isaac had anticipated. What was supposed to be a small celebration had transformed into a full-blown royal event once the King got wind of it.“It must be a traditional Lycan feast,” his father had declared, slapp
“What happened?” the doctor asked, jumping to her feet.“She fell into a pond,” Isaac explained as he set me on a cot. “She can’t swim. I pulled her out, but we need to make sure the baby’s okay.”The baby. Not me. But I was just glad to be alive, and that there was someone in my life who actually c
BiancaMy chest burned, screaming for air as the sunlight above grew dimmer with each passing second. The surface seemed impossibly far away now, wavering like a mirage as I sank further into the depths.And then, suddenly, I was seven years old again, my father’s hands gripping my shoulders as he s
It was the pregnancy hormones. It had to be the damn pregnancy hormones making me want this—making me want him—so badly that my skin felt like it was on fire wherever he touched me.But as his lips hovered just above mine, I knew I had to tell him the truth. I had to tell him before any kisses occur
BiancaThe walk from the palace to the gardens felt longer than usual, or maybe that was just because I kept second-guessing my decision to tell Isaac everything. But deep down, I knew I’d made the right choice. Isaac had given me every reason to trust him, and I couldn’t keep the truth from him any
Isaac’s eyes lit up. “That’s an excellent idea, Bianca. And if it means we can finally move past all this talk of flowers, I’m all for it.”For the next hour, Isaac and I worked together, selecting new decorations that matched the new flowers. But there was something… different between us. Despite t
BiancaI woke up slowly, still groggy from last night’s bout of sickness. The bed was warm and comfortable, but something felt off. My hands patted the empty space beside me. Isaac was gone.Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and glanced around the room. No sign of him.For some reason, his absence unsett
Isaac studied my face for a long moment, and then that damn smirk tugged at the pout of his mouth again. “My, my. Bianca Ravenwood, you’re blushing.”I rolled my eyes even though I knew he was right. I could feel the heat undeniably pooling in my face.It wasn’t until we’d nearly reached the end of