LOGIN"You have to go right now, Master Rosalind, before the shift change!" Betsy Wrenford whispered urgently, her hands trembling as she pressed her back against the locked door of the west tower suite.Outside in the stone corridor, the heavy boots of two Blackmere pack guards thuffed against the floorboards. My heart hammered a desperate, frantic rhythm against my ribs as I clutched the heavy iron key Ambrose had left behind."What are you going to do when they realize I'm gone, Betsy?" I whispered back, my voice tight with fear for the young attendant."I am going to spill a tray of hot tea over the captain's boots and scream that a rogue rat jumped out from the tapestry," Betsy murmured, offering a small, brave smile. "That will give you at least ten minutes. Now move!"I didn't waste another second. I sprinted across the darkened bedchamber, yanking aside the heavy velvet tapestry hanging inside the back of the carved oak wardrobe. Sure enough, an ancient
"You absolute disgrace to the Whitcombe bloodline!" Pack Elder Bartholomew Whitcombe’s furious shout tore through the grandeur of the Mooncrest Banquet Hall, echoing off the high stone arches and freezing every high-ranking noble in the territory where they stood.Gasps erupted across the packed room as the High Council members turned toward the grand dais. My heart slammed against my ribs like a trapped beast. Beside my father, Edmund Blackmere stood with a blood-stained ledger held high, his face twisted in manic triumph."Look at it!" Edmund roared, his voice ringing over the scandalized mutters of the crowd as he thrust the parchment toward Lord Percival Kingsnorth. "The ink is wet, the seal is fresh, and the signature at the bottom of these rogue manifests belongs to none other than Rosalind Whitcombe! He has been feeding coordinates directly to the Masked Alpha, sabotaging our shipments and selling out Thornmere Territory!"Nausea surged violently in
"Seize that vessel immediately and arrest Alpha Ambrose Fenleigh for high treason!" Lord Percival Kingsnorth’s harsh voice boomed across the crowded spectator deck of the Moonshore Pack Pavilion, echoing over the water.My heart slammed against my ribs as a dozen armed High Council enforcers stepped forward, their rifles leveled directly at the deck of Lady Fortune. Beside me, my father watched with a cold, triumphant sneer, while Edmund Blackmere stood with his arms crossed, practically humming with arrogant victory.Ambrose didn't move an inch. He stood at the helm, his dark wool coat open to reveal his thick tactical vest, his long black hair whipping in the sharp morning wind off the Silverrun River. His dark golden eyes burned with absolute indifference as he looked up at the pavilion balcony where Lord Percival stood."You have no authority to seize a registered vessel on open waters before the regatta begins, Lord Percival," Ambrose called out, his
"You think you can just play a deadly game with the High Council and walk away unscathed, Ambrose?" I hissed, my boots clicking furiously against the damp wooden planks of the Moonshore Docks as the first pale light of dawn bled across the Silverrun River.Ambrose didn't even look up from the thick hemp rope he was inspecting near the main mast of Lady Fortune. He wore a dark wool sweater, his broad shoulders shifting with quiet, irritating calm. "Good morning to you too, sweetheart. You're up early for someone facing a forced mating ceremony tomorrow.""Lord Percival just issued an emergency execution warrant with your name on it!" I stepped directly into his space, my chest heaving with a mixture of terror and white-hot fury. "Edmund Blackmere convinced the council that you are the Masked Alpha. They're coming for your head, Ambrose. This isn't a game anymore."Ambrose finally dropped the rope. His dark golden eyes locked onto mine, burning with a dangerous, steady heat that contras
"Find someone else to pay court to, Fenleigh," Edmund Blackmere growled, his face twisting into a hideous, mottled red as he stepped closer. "This male belongs to me."My wolf bared its teeth inside my chest, but I kept my posture utterly motionless. Edmund had the worst timing in the world. Where had the old bastard even come from?Ambrose didn't flinch. He straightened to his full, towering height, looking down at Edmund with dark, lethal eyes. "I believe the High Council abolished ownership of sentient wolves over a century ago.""Nobody said anything about forced servitude!" Edmund spat."Stating that a Luna Heiress is 'mine' implies ownership, does it not?" Ambrose countered smoothly, his deep baritone vibrating through the hall.Edmund sniffed arrogance. "I am stating a fact of pack law. A promised mate is bound by contract under our territory codes.""Except Rosalind is not your bound mate.""He is my promised match!" Edmund nearly shouted, saliva flecking his lips.Ambrose rai
"I thought you were going to spend the entire afternoon lingering in the pavilion's grand halls," I said, pausing as I tossed a spare leather harness into my duffel bag and watched Peregrine Ashdown descend the companionway steps into the small, wood-paneled cabin of Lady Fortune."I got intel I didn't want to sit on until dinner," Peregrine replied, sliding onto the narrow wooden bench by the navigation desk."Don't tell me Edmund Blackmere pulled out of the regatta," I said dryly."Not a chance. You'll still get your shot at crushing him on the water," Peregrine grinned. "Though you'll also get a shot at beating him in a high-stakes game of pack politics. All you have to do is play the gallant guardian and rescue a certain damsel in distress."I gave him a sharp, disbelieving look. "What on earth are you talking about? Why are you speaking in riddles?""Sir Galahad," Peregrine declared."What?""Not what. Who," Peregrine corrected. "You."I crossed my arms and studied my second-in-c
"Get off the bed, Nia," Kairo growled.He pulled up his dark pants and zipped them fast, but then he froze. I looked down to see what made him stop. There was bright red blood on his skin.I bit my lip hard, my face burning super hot with embarrassment. I looked up at his face. His eyes were wide,
"This is Omari's sister," Kairo introduced his date. Short and to the point. He never wasted energy on excess words, did he."Oh my gosh," the woman's squeal startled me. "Callum Hayes! I am such a fan." Her voice was high-pitched, and she beamed like a hundred-watt light bulb. She turned her gaze
"You look beautiful, Nia," Callum said.His eyes burned as his hands wrapped around my waist. I wore a sleeveless, V-neck red dress that fell down my body, softly hugging my curves. It revealed more skin than I was used to, but it fit this type of elite gathering hall. My hair was up in a fashionab
"Put down the cup, Nia," Kairo said.His deep voice vibrated straight through my bones. My whole body jumped, and my heart went fast, hitting hard against my ribs. I turned around quick, my bare legs shaking in my short pink dress.Kairo Adeyemi stood right there in the middle of the crowded party.







