Mag-log inThe iron bolt of the guest suite had barely clicked into place before the mask of perfect, aristocratic composure completely melted off Princess Isolde’s face."That arrogant bitch!" Isolde roared fiercely, her voice cracking with a volatile, unbridled fury as she grabbed a priceless porcelain vase from the mahogany mantle and hurled it violently across the room. The vase shattered against the stone wall into a thousand jagged white shards. She paced frantically across the velvet rug, her chest heaving beneath her emerald silk gown as her hands shook with raw rage. "Did you hear her in that hallway, Julian? Did you see the way she stood there and looked down at me?!"Julian stepped out from the heavy velvet curtains, his submissive, head-bowed servant posture completely evaporating. His massive, broad-shouldered frame tensed, his eyes burning with a dark, protective intensity as he aggressively crossed the room and grabbed Isolde by her shoulders, anchoring her pacing frame. "Calm you
The deafening trumpets and cheers of the grand welcoming ball had finally died down, leaving the vast corridors of the Lycan Citadel buried under a heavy, suffocating silence.I sat cross-legged on the edge of the plush velvet mattress in my quarters, the morning sunlight cutting through the heavy drapes in pale, cold sheets. I had already stripped away the simple black gown from the night before, replacing it with my sleek, dark leather training gear. As I pulled the straps of my leather bracers tight around my forearms, my hands were entirely steady. There were no tears left in my eyes. The heartbreak of hearing the high priest announce that Ethan’s royal wedding to Princess Isolde was officially set for three weeks from tonight had burned away, leaving behind nothing but a freezing calm.I rested my palms flat against my stomach, feeling the familiar, warm flutters of my babies heartbeat thriving in my womb. They were growing stronger everyday.They were mine. And I was going to fig
"Fifteen years, Thomas. Fifteen damn years," Ethan’s deep voice vibrated with a dangerous, lethal resonance through the locked doors of his private study. He paced restlessly across the hardwood floor, his heavily muscled arms tightly crossed over his chest as his gold-flecked amber eyes burned with a volatile fury. "Why now? Why did she have to wait until the exact second I brought my mate to the altar to step out of the shadows and ruin my entire life with a marriage contract?"Beta Thomas stood at absolute attention near the stone fireplace, his expression grim as he read a scroll. "Drakonvale’s silence was a strategic calculation, Your Majesty. But regardless of their timing, the blood sigils are active. If we rip this contract up, we aren't just breaking a promise–It will be considered an act of war. We must avoid warfare at all costs."Ethan let out a low, menacing snarl that shook the crystal chandeliers overhead. "Avoid war by putting a snake in my bed? Goddess help me."An ho
The heavy oak doors to my quarters clicked shut, finally sealing out the chaotic roars echoing through the distant palace corridors. I collapsed onto the edge of the mattress, my hands trembling violently as I buried my face in my palms, the suffocating weight of my ruined ivory gown pressing down on my chest. The image of the twenty-carat diamond ring resting abandoned on the cold cathedral altar flashed behind my eyes like a physical burn."Take a deep breath, Aria. Just breathe, my little girl," Marcus murmured softly, his large, weathered hand resting gently on my shoulder as he sat beside me. He pulled me into a steady, protective embrace, his deep voice carrying a soothing warmth that slowly anchored my racing heart. "Look at me Aria, Ethan is a good man, and I know he loves you deeply. I believe he will fix this mess."A weak, watery laugh escaped my throat as I wiped a tear from my cheek, staring down at my bare ring finger."I don't know, Dad," I murmured, a sudden flash of
The heavy weight of my twelve-foot bridal train felt like a lead shroud dragging me down as I stumbled blindly away from the altar, the white marble walls of the cathedral spinning into a chaotic blur."He's all yours," my final words to the smirking Princess Isolde still echoed coldly in my throat like a bitter poison, burning far worse than any Wolfsbane.Before my legs could completely collapse beneath the layers of silk and tulle, a pair of strong, weathered arms caught me firmly. My Dad, pulled my shaking frame tightly against his broad chest, shielding me completely from the frantic whispers and gossips in the hallway. "I've got you, my little girl. I've got you," Marcus whispered hoarsely, his deep voice cracking with a fierce, protective rage as his heavy arms wrapped around my shoulders.I completely broke. I buried my face straight into the fabric of his tuxedo jacket, my entire body violently convulsing with heavy, gasping sobs as tears poured down my cheeks in hot, blindi
The freezing mountain wind howling through the shattered cathedral doors violently whipped my hair veil across my face, but my eyes remained locked on the intruder stepping through the dense fog.She was strikingly beautiful, possessing long, midnight-black hair that fell in sleek waves past her waist, pale skin, and chilling, calculating violet eyes that scanned the panicked congregation of war lords and elites with absolute, malicious amusement. She wore an elegant, crimson royal gown that dragged softly against the marble floor, matching the crest of the rival kingdom; Drakonvale. "Who the hell are you?" I demanded fiercely, my voice dropping into a dangerous, feral resonance as my inner wolf, Luna, roared aggressively inside. I stepped forward, "you are trespassing in the heart of the Lycan Citadel. State your business before I paint this altar in your blood."The woman didn't answer me. Instead, her lips curved into a cold, mocking sneer. With a sudden, aggressive flick of her w
The room he chose was my father's private study.Which was not his room. Which was not his packhouse, his territory, or his anything. He walked into it anyway, with the unhurried certainty of a man who understood that ownership was largely a matter of perspective, and held the door open for me with
The heavy oak doors of the packhouse library slammed shut, cutting off the deafening roar of the crowd outside. But the silence inside this room was far more dangerous."What do you think you are doing, Aria?" My father’s voice vibrated with a terrifying, low growl. His eyes, usually a calm brown,
The amber in his eyes lasted only a fleeting moment. Then Ethan Voss straightened to his full, imposing height, and the careful, controlled mask of a king settled back over his features like armor clicking into place. He turned from me to address the frozen room with the same unhurried authority he
I stood at that window for exactly sixty seconds after his gaze released me. Then I turned away from the glass, walked to my bedroom door, and locked it. The soft click of the bolt was the most powerful sound I had made in twenty-one years.I crossed to the bed where the white dress was already lai







