LOGINVENUSI raise a brow. Interesting."Excuse me." Alaric walks away without another word.The moment he disappears around the corner, Clara rushes forward. "I'm so sorry!" Her face turns bright red. "My Lady, please don't be offended."Daisy stands immediately. "We should leave, my lady.""I agree," Sid says sharply. “I used to admire his work but I don’t anymore. He clearly lacks taste and basic manners.” Clara looks devastated. "I'm really sorry." She looks genuinely embarrassed by her boss's behavior.I glance in the direction Alaric went. Something about this entire situation bothers me. The call from Maya and his comment on me seems connected. He must be close to Maya. I wonder if she’s getting her dress designed from him as well and he favors her over me. That’s why this is an attempt to intimidate me. The dress isn’t the issue. I can get it from anyone but he has the confidence that no one will design a good dress like he does. Especially since the queens before wore his desig
VENUSAt night, I'm tangled in Rowan's sheets, warm and comfortable, when he informs me the same thing Daisy mentioned. "There's a banquet next week. The castle is holding it so that the entire pack can know you’re my Queen."I groan and bury my face deeper into the pillow. "Can we not postpone it?"He raises a brow. “Why?” I sigh. “I don’t know…I guess I just don’t like parties anymore.” He chuckles. “As the Queen you’d have to host them in the future.” I pout. His hand slides lazily down my arm, leaving behind a trail of tingles. I roll onto my side to look at him."If I'm going to spend every night here, what would even be the point of giving me my own room?"A smirk appears on his lips. "It's tradition.""Then why am I sleeping here?""Because I'm choosing not to follow that particular tradition."I laugh despite myself. This man is impossible.Rowan leans down and presses a kiss against my forehead. "For the banquet, I've already arranged a designer.""A designer?""One of
VENUSI smile at her politely. “Sure but I don’t usually like to converse while eating or drinking anything. Instead, I’m more into shared activities like reading or board games. How about we read together once in a while?” Maya purses her lips. “Um, Your Grace. By any chance, are you doubtful of my intentions?” she asks, her face turning crestfallen. “Your Highness,” the same woman who serves Maya walks in, “The prince has summoned you.” She then notices Maya’s expression and asks, “Is everything alright?” “It's fine…It’s just…” Maya looks at me with sad eyes, “I don’t think Your Grace likes me. She refused to drink the tea I made and also my invitation to have a gathering everyday.” she smiles softly, “I just wanted us to be friends.” Jui woman snaps at me. “How rude! Despite being in her second trimester, our lady wanted to extend a hand of friendship towards you out of her kind and generous nature. To think that you’d refuse it. You must think highly of yourself because now y
VENUSI am shocked at how confident and composed Daisy sounds. Her aura has shifted instantly and the other women in the sunroom can sense it as well. “Well, she isn’t the Queen yet.” A woman on Maya’s right retorts, glaring at me. “So her status is similar to our Lady Maya.” She raises her chin as if to show they are better than us. “Indeed. But she’s the King’s mate and the mother of our future heir. I’m sure the King won’t appreciate her being disrespected.” Daisy argues, keeping her voice calm. I wonder if I should say something. It feels like a battle between the ladies-in-waiting. The woman grits her teeth. “But our Lady wasn’t disrespecting her–” “It’s fine, Jui,” Maya speaks up in a soft voice. She looks at me and bows her head. “Please accept my apology. I didn’t mean to disrespect you, Your Grace.” I don’t know what to say to that. Her apology does not sound genuine to me. “It’s fine.” I reply and she smiles. I look at her carefully. Under the sunlight, her face is c
VENUS“So wet for me,” he growls, the sound thick with satisfaction. “You’re so ready for me, baby.”Then he stops teasing. One hand grips my hip, hard enough to bruise, holding me steady. With the other, I feel him guide himself. The broad, silken head of his erection nudges against my entrance, slick with my arousal. He pushes forward.The initial stretch makes me cry out, my fingers scrambling against the smooth tabletop. He doesn’t stop. He sheathes himself inside me in one long, relentless, perfect thrust, until his hips are flush against my backside, until I am completely filled. I feel every inch of him, a hot, hard presence that seems to reach the very core of me. A choked sob of pleasure tears from my throat.He begins to move.His rhythm is hard and deep from the start, each pull-out a near-complete withdrawal that leaves me aching, each thrust forward a powerful, claiming drive that steals my breath. His grip on my hips is iron, controlling the pace, controlling me. My eye
VENUSHe sighs. “Well, the council members believe that having an heir who can continue to rule the kingdom is more necessary.” I can hear the exasperation in his voice. “They want to stop the royal bloodline from perishing.” Goddess, these people are stupid. Or more like selfish. They don’t really care about how the kingdom is run. They only care if the bloodline remains noble or not. “So…if you didn’t have an heir, your step-brother would have taken over the throne?” I ask. Rowan nods. “Yes.” I purse my lips. That’s troublesome. But then a thought crosses my mind and my chest tightens. I look at him. “If you didn’t plan to marry me, then would you have chosen some other woman as your queen?” I ask, not being able to hide the sadness and jealousy in my voice. He looks at me in shock. I look at the glass I’m holding, “You would have needed a woman who could give birth to an heir. So…you must have planned something.” He stares at me for a few seconds before he starts laughing.
VENUSSid lets out a low whistle. “Wow. That’s… unexpected. Are you sure about this, Vee?”I nod, trying to sound confident. “Bronze risked his life to protect me. That made me realize his feelings are real.”Sydney’s expression softens. “He really was worried about you. The moment he found out you
ROWANMy heart pounds in my chest as I run through the trees in my wolf form. Asgard’s paws hit the earth and he lets out a snarl. Both of us have rage burning within us. But mixed with that rage is fear that I can’t shake off. Venus is kidnapped by someone I don’t know. I should have been more cau
BRONZE“I told you she’s not a pawn.” I retort, glaring daggers at him. Kyle smirks. “Then there’s no point in this meeting. I might as well just return to my pack because trusting you is pointless. You can’t do shit.” I let go of his collar and scoff. “I do have a plan and I’m not saying that we
BRONZEThe closer I get, the stronger the stench of wolfsbane and blood becomes. My paws hit the damp ground hard as I sprint through the trees in my wolf form. The trail leads me to the edge of one of the villages near the border and that’s when I see an old, abandoned factory come into view. My







