I quickly shook my head, feeling suddenly cold, and wrapped my arms around myself. “Just… remembering,” I admitted. I nodded my chin toward the row of books. “My dad always hated when I tried to read anything fun.”“Ah. So he was one of those.”I nodded. “He always made me read textbooks before bed.
Bianca“Whew. You’re drunk again, Bjorn?” Isaac grinned and waved his hand in front of his nose. “Certainly smells like it. Keep it down, or you’ll scare the books.”I held back a snort, although any humor I felt was quickly blotted out by the healthy dose of fear that coursed through me at Bjorn’s
But Bjorn didn’t care. As I peeked up over Isaac’s shoulder, it was pure death that I saw in Bjorn’s eyes, as if they’d gone entirely black.He wanted to kill Isaac. And, dammit, Isaac was going to let him. For my sake.With one last growl, Bjorn yanked Isaac away from my arms. I cried out, reaching
Bianca“I’m fine, really.”I pursed my lips and ignored Isaac’s protests as I dipped the cloth into the bowl of water. His wounds would heal fairly quickly thanks to the advanced healing that one’s wolf provided—a luxury I didn’t have right now with my wolf in stasis and a baby in my belly, not that
He cleared his throat. He didn’t need to answer for me to know that I was right.Fastening the bandage to his split brow, I went on, “It’s time to grow up, Isaac. But you can’t expect other people to do the growing for you.” I jabbed my finger into the center of his chest, trying not to think about
Bianca & IsaacBiancaMy jaw clenched as I read the email over Isaac’s bare shoulder.“I can’t believe he’s not even willing to negotiate in the slightest,” I hissed through my teeth, my hand moving protectively to my stomach as if my father could reach through the laptop screen and rip my baby away
“His image,” Vera finally said. “And his vices.”Now they were getting somewhere. Isaac tilted his head, keeping his voice light and breezy as he murmured, “Vices? What kind of vices?”Vera glanced toward the palace, as if worried they might be overheard. “He pretends to be so proper, so traditional
BiancaThree days.It had been three days since I’d seen Isaac flirting with Vera in the gardens, and my heart still ached as if the betrayal had happened mere moments ago.I lay in my bed, staring up at the ornate ceiling, watching the shadows dance across the plaster as the sun began to set beyond
All bullshit, of course. But it wasn’t like we could tell the masses that we had actually met in the waiting room of a sperm bank.“And your first kiss? When did that happen?”“It was during a picnic by the lake just over there,” Isaac said smoothly, pointing to the body of water that could be seen
BiancaThe day of the interview arrived far too quickly. Before I knew it, I was being primped and polished by a team of stylists in my suite at the palace. And when I said team, I meant it. There were too many people bustling around for me to even count.“Just a bit more powder,” the makeup artist
Even I knew what a big deal that was. With that kind of press, we could control the narrative even further. We could talk about the Shelter Project, our new friendship with Ethan—really showcase Isaac’s potential as a future king.It would be perfect.“They’ve never approached me before,” Isaac said
BiancaThree days after Ethan’s party, I was having a nice, peaceful breakfast in the palace dining room when Isaac suddenly stormed in with a newspaper clutched in his hand and a scowl on his face.“Have you seen this?” he demanded, slapping the paper down in front of me.I picked it up and nearly
I shrugged, suddenly feeling awkward. “You’re always so nice to me when I’m not feeling well. I guess I… wanted to say thank you.”Isaac paused mid-bite and studied me with an unreadable expression. Then he smiled—not his usual smirk, but something a little bit softer and, dare I say, more genuine.
BiancaI woke up slowly, surrounded by a warmth that had nothing to do with the morning sunshine spilling across my comforter. For a moment, I kept my eyes closed, savoring the comfort. Then I registered the weight of an arm draped over my waist, the steady breathing against my neck.Isaac.My eyes
Isaac tilted his head, his blue eyes flickering briefly with an otherworldly glow as he studied me in the darkness. Was his wolf close to the surface? “Your mouth says one thing, but the rest of you says another.” He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering against m
Bianca“Seven minutes in heaven,” a woman in a red dress announced to the room, holding up an empty wine bottle. “Who’s feeling nostalgic tonight?”I stiffened immediately. They had said the game would be geared toward couples, but seven minutes in heaven? Was this woman serious? I’d expected charad
Ethan didn’t look convinced; he’d always been able to read Isaac like a book, and he knew that the pregnancy hormones had nothing to do with it.“And what about when she inevitably finds out?” Ethan asked. “Because she will, Isaac. She’s your fiancee, and she’s clearly highly intelligent. And if you