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"You really are not going to tell us where you're from?" Adam asked finally, breaking the silence that had settled thickly over the table. His tone was almost casual, but the glint in his eyes was anything but. He picked up his cutlery, slicing neatly into the roast on his plate with the sort of precision that said he was used to control—of people, of power, of moments like this.To diffuse the tension that had risen after my little exchange with Claire, he had rung the bell earlier, calling in the servants to begin the dining proper. Silver trays, covered dishes, and the soft clinking of china had replaced the dangerous quiet that had been hanging over the room. It had worked, mostly—Daniel's glare had softened, Noah was back to smiling lazily, and even Claire had forced herself into silence, though her chest still heaved from suppressed fury.But now, with the food before us and the air perfumed with spice and roasted meat, Adam went straight back to his question. Persistent. The
"Have you no regard? Or have your victories in the last fights clouded your senses?" Adam's voice carried the kind of quiet authority that made every head turn sharply in his direction. His tone wasn't raised, but the warning beneath it was unmistakable — cold, clipped, and edged with disbelief.They had all realized I wasn't going to stand. Good. I lifted the teacup again, unhurried, letting the delicate porcelain brush my lips as if I hadn't just been accused of sacrilege. The tea had cooled slightly, but the sip was deliberate–a statement.Then I turned my head, tilting it slightly, feigning mild surprise. "Not at all, King," I said evenly. "However, seeing as you were the ones who invited me, I didn't think it was necessary. Aren't we just here to dine and talk? Why waste time on frivolities? Aren't you just tired of it?"A sharp inhale cut through the air."What nonsense!" Lilian screamed, her voice high and shrill enough to echo off the gilded walls. She took a furious step for
"This way…" one of the guards spoke respectfully when Isla and I were allowed into the sprawling estate that belonged to the Lycan royals.We followed him judiciously, our steps soft on the paved walkway, our eyes roaming freely, drinking in the sight of the residence—the part of the estate I hadn't visited since coming into the pack as Sage. The air smelled faintly of roses and fresh polish, a scent that screamed maintenance and money. The guards stationed along the path stood straighter when we passed, eyes flicking once to our dresses before jerking back to the front as though staring too long might get them killed.This area was different from the other regions of the estate I'd seen—the part of the great hall where Isla had partied her life away, as she'd so proudly gisted me when she returned home that night, glitter in her hair and the faint scent of ale on her breath. That part had been loud, gilded, and bursting with extravagance. This side, though… quiet. Stoic. Even the ai
Since my fight with the swordsman who had followed the crowd to call me a cheat—and his colleague who had unfortunately been roped into the mess; since my beheading of two men in the contest, I have been feared by the citizens of the Lycan's region. There were no more whispers, well not ones I could hear—neither were there lewd comments made whenever I passed by with Isla, maybe going around, scouting, or just going to buy fruits in the market even though the daily supply of food and its essentials to our quarters was yet to cease.I have also won my last seven fights, which included races and whatever the Lycan Kings deemed worthy of shedding blood. There was even a drinking contest—not exactly official, just a night at the bar which had turned into a betting of some sort. The much-needed crowd was absent, the kings too, but I put down my foot and won, because I knew the news would spread; a woman winning a drinking contest. From the looks and whispers that had gone around the bar
ADAMClaire's perfume lingered long after she was gone — something floral and heavy, the kind that clung to air and skin until it suffocated everything else. I'd hoped her slamming the door meant the argument was over, but the universe rarely gave me such mercy.The door burst open again.She stood there — arms crossed, eyes burning with the same fury that had first attracted me years ago. Back then, I'd mistaken it for passion. Now I knew better."I'm not done talking, Adam," she said sharply.I didn't look up from my papers. "You should be. I said no."Her heels clicked across the floor until she stood right before my desk, blocking the light. "You're protecting her more than necessary," she said, voice trembling with accusation. "That's why you won't let me act.""I'm protecting the rules," I replied flatly, signing a document that I wasn't really reading. "And the money those rules bring in.""Don't you dare pretend this is just business," she hissed, leaning closer. "Is she of in
ADAMThe field smelled of iron. Of wet earth, blood, and a kind of silence that was too aware of itself—the kind that comes after something monstrous has happened, and everyone's still pretending they didn't want to see it.She stood there in the middle of the field smiling. Her hair was matted with blood, her skin shining under the half-light of dusk, her hands still holding those two heads like trophies. "Is this proof enough?"The crowd gasped; others muttered prayers. But she didn't flinch, didn't blink. Her eyes found me again—steady, proud, and almost mocking—as if she was daring me to deny what had just happened.Who was she? Who was this woman that had someone rented a space in my head?I'd asked that question a hundred times since the contest began. I'd sent men to research her origins—to track where she'd come from, who her parents were, if she had any community at all. But they weren't back yet. A week had passed. Nothing. It was like she had appeared out of nowhere.And ye








