Freya: I hadn’t expected things to go this smoothly. I had done nothing—absolutely nothing—but somehow, the pieces were falling right into place. Edward had gone from barely tolerating my presence to smiling at me. At first, I thought it was just an act, maybe a ploy to see if I had something to do with the outbreak, but no. His concern had been real. His gaze had softened, his voice had lost its usual edge. Anyone would call me delusional for thinking Edward would ever look at his brother's wife or stray away from that bitch, Lianna. The way he looked at me now... it was different. Maybe even better than the way he looked at Lianna. Anyone else might call me delusional, but I had watched him all day. I had seen the way he ignored her, the way his attention lingered on me just a little longer than necessary. And Lianna? Oh, the way it had messed with her. It was delicious. The flicker of anger behind her eyes, the way her shoulders tensed whenever Edward so
Edward: Pain had a way of creeping into the bones, settling deep where no amount of resolve could shake it off. Lianna’s words echoed in my mind, gnawing at the edges of my restraint. Pretend to care about Freya. That was the plan she had proposed, the grand strategy to keep Freya close, to manipulate her into revealing whatever secrets she was hiding. But that wasn’t what fucking hurt. What hurt was that after everything I had confessed to Lianna, all the moments I had laid my heart bare, all she had ever given me in return was nothing. No reassurance. No admission that she felt something. Just cold strategy. The anger had festered, seeping into my veins like poison. If that’s what Lianna wanted, then fine. I would pretend. I would give her exactly what she asked for. I would entertain Freya, smile at her, hold out chairs, offer compliments that meant nothing. Maybe then, Lianna would understand. Maybe she’d finally see what it felt like to be discarde
Freya: The moment I stepped into my chambers, I let out a long, exasperated sigh. The fabric of my dress clung to my skin uncomfortably. I needed to change, to wash off everything that had made today insufferable—Edward’s indifference, Freya's looming shadow over my ambitions, the irritation clawing at my skin like an insect I couldn’t swat away. I stripped out of my gown, letting it pool onto the floor before walking toward the mirror. My reflection stared back at me—golden curls perfectly in place, lips painted the color of ripe berries, eyes sharp, calculating. Beautiful. Desirable. And yet, completely powerless. For now. I pulled on a deep green velvet cloak, fastening it at my throat, and slid into a simpler dress—something fitting for where I was going. My fingers twitched as I laced up my boots. I was getting tired of this routine, of descending into the filth of the dungeons just to see a man who no longer served a purpose in my life. Soon, I wouldn’t h
Lianna: The coolness of the balm seeped into my skin, dulling the persistent ache in my knee. Ingrid’s fingers worked in slow, circular motions, as she massaged. The minty scent of menthol filled the air, mixing with the faint fragrance of chamomile from the tea she had made earlier. It was almost comforting. “You know,” Ingrid muttered, her voice tight with irritation, “Edward has actually gone too far this time.” I let out a short, humorless laugh, tilting my head back against the cushioned chair. “Has he? Wow. What an astonishing revelation.” My tone dripped with mock surprise. “You mean imprisoning his own brother and letting his new pet, Freya, prance around like she owns the place wasn’t the epitome of rational leadership?” Ingrid huffed. “I mean it, Lianna. I’ve held my tongue, but now I’m angry.” “Good,” I murmured, shutting my eyes. “Hold onto that anger. Nurture it. Let it grow. Maybe then you’ll finally stop expecting anything remotely decent from hi
Lianna: I woke up feeling… strange. The kind of strange that settled in my bones, wrapping around my chest. Lying there, staring at the golden drapes swaying slightly from the morning breeze, I sighed, dragging a hand down my face. There was nothing left to do. Freya had found a cure. Or rather, she had revealed it at the most opportune moment—right when Edward needed someone to swoop in and save the day. Right when the people were desperate for a hero. I didn’t doubt, not even for a second, that she had known it all along. She had played her hand perfectly, orchestrating every move like a master manipulator. First, Alistair had been murdered. Then Ethan had been framed. And now, as if to tie everything together with a pretty little bow, Freya had become the kingdom’s savior. I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat. It was a clever strategy. Effective. And now, with Ethan no longer useful to her ambitions, I knew exactly where she would set her s
Lianna: The moment we stepped away from Freya, Edward turned to me, amusement crinkling his eyes. “Am I in trouble?” I didn’t answer. I didn’t even look at him. Instead, I quickened my pace. Fucking hell, I eas so angry. So irritated at the fact that he thought this amusing enough. If I didn't have an ounce of respect for him, I would have hit him across the fuckin face. See maybe that would snap him out of whatever spell Freya put on him. By the time we reached my chambers, I pushed open the door and let it slam behind us. Edward barely had time to process before I whirled around, arms folding tightly across my chest. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?” He exhaled, raking a hand through his hair, that lazy, infuriating expression still on his face. “I was just thanking Freya for her help. She found the cure, Lianna.” “And sitting by the fountain with her like you were having a romantic rendezvous was the right way to do that, yeah?” “Oh, c'mon Lianna
Lianna: The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. Edward hadn’t said a word since my outburst. He just stood there, his gaze locked onto me like he was trying to decipher some impossible puzzle. I scoffed, shaking my head as I turned away. “If you’re just going to stand there and say nothing, then I shouldn’t have said anything at all.” Before I could take another step, he was on me. A firm arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. His warmth seeped into me, but I refused to relax. He buried his face in my hair, inhaling deeply before pressing a lingering kiss to my temple. “That’s not true,” he murmured, his voice thick, almost hoarse. “I’m speechless, Lianna. Fucking speechless.” He tightened his grip, as though afraid I’d slip away. “I didn’t expect to hear those words from you. I fucking didn’t.” His confession made my stomach flip, but I refused to let him off the hook so easily. Fighting the shiver running down m
Lianna: The sound of hooves crunching against the dirt path filled the silence between me and the two people ahead—Edward and Freya. They were trotting side by side, laughing about something I had no fucking clue about. Their hushed voices blended with the rustling leaves around us, and every now and then, Edward would throw his head back and chuckle at something she said. I watched them, my grip tightening around the reins of my horse. My fingers were stiff, nearly frozen from how hard I was holding on, but I didn’t care. I could feel my heartbeat in my throat, a violent pulse of betrayal that I had swallowed over and over again until now. How fucking foolish was I? That was the only question in my mind. How foolish was I to be following behind them like some discarded pet, pretending there was nothing to worry about? Pretending like my fiancé hadn’t promised me—this morning—that he would steer clear of her? And yet, here we were. I let out a dry laugh, sh
Edward: I didn’t think I had ever had a good time like that in my entire goddamn life. Seated on my ridiculous golden throne, which, by the way, I had told them was unnecessary but they had insisted like it was some sacred tradition, I watched the sea of smiling faces parading before me. Everyone looked genuinely happy to see me, like they were actually proud, and for the life of me, I couldn’t even pretend to be my usual sarcastic self. The grin splitting my face was impossible to contain. It felt ridiculous, too wide, too bright, but hell if I cared. My chest was warm, my fingers were drumming lightly against the armrest in time to the soft thrum of music weaving through the air. The scent of fresh flowers... roses, gardenias, something Lianna had picked, I was sure drifted through the hall, blending with the mouth-watering smell of pastries and meat pies and the sharp tang of aged wine. A few of the Alpha Kings I was c
Edward: “How the hell is she able to be this bubbly after she almost died yesterday?” Harvey muttered, leaning forward against the iron railing of the gallery. I stood beside him, arms loosely folded, my gaze drawn down to where Lianna moved like a wildfire in silk. She was everywhere at once, barking out orders to the kitchen staff, laughing too loudly at something one of the guards said, twirling away from an apprentice who nearly dropped a tray of wine glasses at her feet. Her hair whipped behind her like a banner, her cheeks flushed with life. She looked damn good doing it too. She looked alive, radiant, and unstoppable. And that made me damn rock hard. I felt my mouth curl into a slow, uncontrollable smile. “She’s Lianna,” I said simply, voice low, almost reverent. “Death’s scared of her, not the other way around.” Harvey shook his head with a chuckle, but his eyes stayed trained on her too, like he couldn’t help himself. Ingrid’s heels clicked ag
Edward: The podium felt colder than it should have. Maybe it was just me. Hell, maybe it was the goddamn nerves humming under my skin, crackling through my bloodstream like I’d swallowed a live wire. I adjusted the heavy folds of my coat, brushing the fabric smooth with my palms. The leather was stiff under my fingertips, polished to perfection, but it didn’t ease the tension straining my spine. Harvey was a silent shadow at my back, his presence a steady weight between my shoulder blades. Good. I needed that anchor right now. The crowd before me shifted, a sea of bodies cloaked in muted colors and apprehensive whispers. I stepped forward, feeling the wood of the podium creak beneath my boots, and cleared my throat, the sound slicing through the low murmur of voices. "Good morning," I began. It was the kind of voice that made people lean in even if they didn’t trust a damn word coming out of your mouth. "I want to start by apologizing for dragging you all out here toda
Lianna: I adjusted Edward’s collar, tugging it with the kind of care a surgeon might use when slicing open a patient. His hands hovered awkwardly at his sides, and he stared at me like I’d just announced I was going to crown myself Empress of the Seven Kingdoms. "You know," he muttered, a lopsided smirk tugging at his mouth, "you’re acting like this is some royal wedding, not just a boring speech in the town square." I laughed under my breath, smoothing down the front of his jacket with a few sharp swipes. The fabric was rich under my palms. It was soft, expensive, and a little smug, just like him. "Oh, it is a royal wedding, Eddie," I said sweetly. "Between you, destiny, and whatever chaos we manage to unleash today." He rolled his eyes so hard I thought they might actually fall out of his head. "Should’ve known you were secretly trying to become an influencer," he grumbled. "Just this once," I quipped, giving the lapels one final, overly dramatic flourish. "I
Freya: I was deep in the middle of a very satisfying drea. It was a dream about me on a deserted island, no nagging voices, no endless plans for world domination, when the knocking started. It was persistent enough to rattle the door on its hinges. I groaned into my pillow, dragging the blanket over my head like that flimsy piece of fabric would somehow drown out the inevitable reality waiting for me on the other side. No such luck. The knocking only grew louder, like a war drum signaling my doom. "Gods," I hissed under my breath, pushing myself upright. My muscles protested. I rubbed at my eyes, feeling the crust of exhaustion scraping against my lashes. Another knock. This time, it shook the whole damn doorframe. "I'm coming!" I snapped, stumbling toward the door, the wooden floor cold against my bare feet. I yanked it open with a sharp tug, blinking against the blinding hallway light, and there she was. My mother. Standing in a fury, arms crossed so tightly
Lianna: The solar was soaked in gold. Thick streams of morning sunlight pouring through the wide windows, catching on the dust motes that floated lazily in the warm air. I curled further into the deep cushions of the settee, absently twirling the stem of my empty goblet between my fingers, feeling the slight slickness of glass warmed by my palm. Edward sat across from me, long legs sprawled out, shirt sleeves rolled up in that reckless way that always made my blood simmer. The door creaked open and one of the maids stepped in, the rustle of her skirts brushing against the polished floors. She bowed slightly. "My Lord, My Lady. The announcement has been made. About the address at the market square." I straightened, lips curving into a slow, knowing smile. "Did they make it obvious that I wouldn’t be there?" "Yes, my Lady," she nodded briskly. "It was made clear you are away visiting family." "Perfect," I m
Lianna: The morning sun spilled into the room entirely too bright for someone who’d just woken up. But I didn’t mind. I felt good. Better than I had in days. My limbs didn’t feel like they were filled with cement, my head wasn’t throbbing, and I wasn’t sweating through every damn sheet like I was trapped in a sauna sent from hell. No, this morning… I felt like myself again. Whole. Dangerous. Alive. I swung my legs off the bed, the marble floor biting cold against my bare feet. The silk robe I grabbed clung to my damp skin as I shrugged into it, its texture like water slipping between my fingers. The air smelled of fresh linen and pinewood, soft and crisp, and when I tied the robe around my waist, something fluttered in my chest. Excitement. Finally. I could train again. I didn’t get far before a voice groaned behind me. “Lianna… what the hell are you doing?” I turned, caught mid-step, with my hair messy, one knee bent, and my hand halfway to the doorknob. E
Lianna: I stirred to the sound of rustling fabric and the gentle weight of a hand on mine. My eyelids blinked open slowly. The low amber glow of the bedside lamp bathed the room in warm shadows. He was sitting right beside me, elbow propped on the bed, fingers trailing across my knuckles with an almost reverent tenderness. The second our eyes met, the tension on his face cracked and melted into a soft smile. "You're awake," he whispered, voice hoarse and threaded with relief. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead, one hand sliding up to cradle my cheek. "How do you feel, my warrior queen?" I let out a soft groan, stretching slowly as though my bones had been carved from old stone. “Like someone beat me with a broomstick, then threw me into a pit full of sorrow and set it on fire. But thank you for asking.” He chuckled, eyes scanning my face. “Your colour’s back. You had me panicking. You actu
Lianna: I’d fought wars with blood in my teeth and lightning in my palms. I had come out bruised, singed, but never like this. Never this empty. It was like something had drained the marrow from my bones, like my soul had been sifted through a sieve and discarded for sport. I wasn’t just tired, I was hollowed out. My eyelids felt like lead but lifted slowly at the sound of faint incantations. It was low and rhythmic, the syllables curling into my ears like smoke. My vision blurred, then sharpened around the figure of a woman draped in charcoal grey, her fingers twinkling with tiny, glowing sigils. I blinked once, twice. Ah. The Pack Witch. Relief loosened something in my chest, but I didn’t let it show. I hated looking fragile, even though I currently felt like someone had taken a hammer to every joint in my body. “Still alive, I see,” I murmured, my voice raspy and dry like parchment left in the sun. “Congratulations. You all didn’t kill me with your fretting.”